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360 MAGAZINE is an award-winning international publishing on popular culture and design. We introduce avant trademarks to efficacious architects. We are a LGBTQIA2S+ friendly publication--officially recognized by the NGLCC. Our core demographic ranges from 19 to 39-year-old college-educated trendsetters within their respective international communities. The pages in this art book satisfy their strong interests including music, art, travel, auto, health, fashion, tech, philanthropy, design, food and entrepreneurship. It's an introspective digital/print/tablet portrait series, which encapsulates artists/brands/entities who embody the true essence of our publication- empowerment, equality, sensuality and most important of all, humanity within a global society.

Ambition Ladiez: Up-And-Coming Agency Proves That ‘Representation Matters’

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In an era that has been ripe for the gradual erosion of longtime social stigmas in seemingly every area of human activity, the emergence of Ambition Ladiez has proven to be quite timely.

Founded in 2018 by Easop Winston, the San Francisco Bay Area-based agency equally fills niches in the urban and women’s markets, both of which feature strong consumer and brand loyal bases.

From its inception, Ambition Ladiez established itself as an urban lifestyle model and marketing agency which specializes in various forms of media, including photoshoots, brand ambassadorships, event hosting, music videos, and television placements. Ambition Ladiez has also branded itself as a disruptive outlier in its industry, having a diverse roster of models — Women of Color ( or BIPOC) — represent the company in a refreshing and empowering manner that would provide a beacon of inspiration for upcoming generations of young women who aspire to work in the modeling world.

Although the company has made its mark on the industry as a model and marketing agency, Ambition Ladiez is currently evolving to be yet another trendsetter — this time venturing into the podcast space. Original programming such as “The Lounge,” the “Cooking With” series, and the “Conversations” series have proven to give viewers a smorgasbord of delectable content for their consumption.

Adding more gas to the blazing path that the brand is currently on, Ambition Ladiez has ramped up its digital footprint, now making it virtually impossible for its movement to be slowed down — or, for the sake of the brand’s most ardent supporters — ignored either. In the past couple of years, Ambition Ladiez was able to successfully launch its app, which includes its featured content (of all forms/genres) uploaded on to major streaming platforms, such as Apple, Google Play, and Amazon Appstore, Roku, Fire TV, and Android TV.

One of the more popular shows on the Ambition Ladiez digital platform — the “Cooking With” series — allows viewers to get a glance into their more redeeming sides of the models that supersede just their outward beauty by giving a glance of their cooking skills.

Another branch of the marketing and modeling agency’s ecosystem is its magazine. As of this writing, Ambition Ladiez Magazine has already successfully pressed and launched two issues of its quarterly publication, with more expected to be released by the end of 2021. The magazine remains true to its core demographic of longtime supporters and subscribers, providing written features on public figures, Bay Area-based artists, health, politics, and other hot topic social issues which peak the interest(s) of its target audience.

One of the magazine’s featured artists in mind is Yung Lott. A Bay Area Native and well-respected recording artist, Yung Lott’s alliance with the Ambition Ladiez brand has been solidified through him having Ambition Ladiez models featured in his music videos, as well as having a story written about him in the magazine. All of this is a testament to the agency’s reach and streamlined operations.

Prior to the widespread shutdowns of entertainment venues and live events due to the COVID outbreak of 2020, Ambition Ladiez models could be seen at such events, usually working as brand ambassadors, hosts of parties, or even utilizing their interpersonal skills to conduct red carpet interviews with VIP guests at many of the more premier events.

The events are not only relegated to the San Francisco Bay Area. Ambition Ladiez soon will look to extend its presence to Las Vegas and Los Angeles. These two cities would be an ideal accommodation for the fast-growing entertainment/media centered brand.

In light of the country’s progressive transition towards inclusion, diversity, and proper representation in all industries, Ambition Ladiez is writing the blueprint for how to construct an outlet that’s a great alternative to traditional modeling and marketing agencies by focusing on BIPOC models. The agency then uses its multimedia capabilities to highlight not only the naturally appealing ethnic features of its models, but it can also use its original series to profile them in a favorable light in which they may not have been if they worked elsewhere.

In spite of the company’s fast growing profile among industry peers, Ambition Ladiez has enabled enthusiasts of the brand to actually buy into what it stands for, having merchandise for sale. This helps to expand its already fast growing fanbase, and allows them to feel a sense of connectivity to the brand by donning Ambition Ladiez merchandise.

The movement that the brand is creating can be likened to a record-setting storm, and in the eye of ‘Hurricane Ambition Ladiez’ exists two powerful components yet to be mentioned in great detail: company Founder & CEO Easop Winston, and…the Ambition Ladiez themselves.

A Bay Area Native, Winston has always embodied the very essence of ambition. A man of tremendous vision and unmatched work ethic, he learned the ins and outs of the entertainment and media business as a recording artist. Touring the world, writing and recording countless music projects, and weathering the treacherous paths of ‘The Business’ has molded Easop into a seasoned veteran, and quite the entrepreneur. After witnessing misrepresentation and mistreatment of creatives in the industry for years, he has assumed the role of an emancipator of sorts, allowing individuals who want to step foot into the entertainment or media world a platform to let their light(s) shine. “As a young artist, I would have relished the opportunity to be signed to an agency that thoroughly cultivates its talent with care in the manner that Ambition Ladiez does,” he states. “Once I was in a position to impart the knowledge that I have acquired on to up-and-coming generations of talent, I did not hesitate. This is what compelled me to launch the agency.”

The lucky recipients of Easop Winston’s tutelage are none other than the ACTUAL Ambition Ladiez. This extensive assortment of young women who hail from different places, ethnicities, and skill sets have set the modeling industry’s bar higher for the precise blend of riveting beauty, natural talent, and marketable personalities. Holding true to its ethics as a modeling and marketing agency, Ambition Ladiez has managed to maintain an impressive retention rate — from one of its original ‘Day 1’ signees (Nicole), to one of its newest faces (Lulu). The agency does its due diligence to provide an adequate platform that will allow them placement for other opportunities, while preparing them for longevity in the industry.

The way in which Easop establishes leadership to his company is worth taking notes from. As Owner of Ambition Ladiez, he has built an operation that’s reminiscent of many of the same methods Barry Gordy used to successfully run the legendary Motown Records many decades ago. While from first glance, the business appears to move smoothly and emanates an atmosphere of fun and leisure, Easop gives us a friendly reminder of the figurative blood, sweat, and tears that go into all things Ambition Ladiez. “I preach punctuality (for both in-person and recorded appearances), dedication to excellence, and an open line of communication for the ladies signed to this team (agency).”

With such a strong and rich culture of opulence infused into the Ambition Ladiez brand, the agency could very well forge its own path into the history books as a shining example for industry peers to follow for many years to come.

Now THAT’s “Ambition.”

Dr. J. Goosby Smith

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Named Vice President for Community Belonging and Chief Diversity Officer at Pepperdine University

Dr. April Harris Akinloye will join Smith as assistant vice president for community belonging.

Press Release: The KAIROS Company for Pepperdine University

Pepperdine University announced today its long-anticipated selection of the University’s inaugural vice president for community belonging and chief diversity officer, Dr. J. Goosby Smith.

Smith will join Pepperdine on June 1, 2021, from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, where she currently serves as associate professor of leadership; associate professor of management; assistant provost for diversity, equity, and inclusion; and director of the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Center.

Smith received her BS in computer science from Spelman College and her MBA and PhD in organizational behavior from Case Western Reserve University. She anticipates earning her master of divinity from Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia, in December 2021.

“What an honor it is today to announce Dr. Smith is returning to the Pepperdine community,” said Pepperdine president Jim Gash. “I’m especially grateful to the Search Committee for identifying an amazing and experienced leader. I simply cannot wait to work alongside Dr. Smith as we chart a distinctively Pepperdine path forward addressing one of the great issues of our time. Our goal isn’t just to have a community of belonging but to train generations of graduates to create the same in their own communities.”

Smith is no stranger to Pepperdine having served previously as an assistant professor of organizational behavior in the Seaver College Business Administration Division from 2002 to 2006, and then as a tenured associate professor of organizational behavior in the same division from 2011 to 2015. She has also served as assessment coordinator for the Seaver Diversity Council and as an adjunct professor in the Graziadio Business School’s MBA program.

Smith will report directly to President Gash, serve as a member of the University’s Steering Team, and be a principal leader on the University Diversity Council for which she previously served as inaugural faculty co-chair in 2005.

The selection of a vice president for community belonging and chief diversity officer is one in a series of initiatives the University has been implementing to cultivate a community of deep belonging and to build and model a diverse, informed, loving, and unified community at Pepperdine.

Joining Smith in leading diversity and inclusion initiatives at Pepperdine will be Dr. April Harris Akinloye (’00, MA ’05), who will return to her alma mater as the assistant vice president for community belonging.

Harris Akinloye is a double alumna of Pepperdine, receiving her BA in speech communication and religious studies from Seaver College and her MA in education from the Graduate School of Education and Psychology. She earned her PhD in education with a focus on cultural perspectives from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Harris Akinloye will join Pepperdine from Social Good Solutions where she is currently a senior consultant for diversity, equity, and inclusion. She previously served as the chief diversity officer at Vanguard University.

“When I was a candidate to be Pepperdine’s eighth president, I made it clear that hiring a chief diversity officer would be among my top priorities,” said Gash. “Though we began our national search for a chief diversity officer, after getting to know these two extraordinarily qualified leaders, each of whom has a deep love for Pepperdine and our mission, we decided to hire a team—and what a team it is! Drs. Smith and Harris Akinloye will be a venerable force to help lead Pepperdine to a new level of inclusion, excellence, and genuine belonging, befitting the Pepperdine community’s unwavering commitment to radical Christian hospitality.”

KRISTEN BELL × DAX SHEPARD

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AMERICA’S FUNNIEST HUSBAND AND WIFE TEAM, REDEFINE FAMILY FUN IN NEW NBC GAME SHOW ‘FAMILY GAME FIGHT’

NBC Nabs Groundbreaking Series from Ellen DeGeneres And Warner Bros. Unscripted Television

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NBC tests brains, brawn and family bonds with a 10- episode series pick-up of the new one-hour game show “Family Game Fight,” with comedy duo and married couple Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard serving as both hosts and competitors.

Marking the first time Bell and Shepard will team up for a television project, each episode of the entertaining series will see the twosome part ways and be “adopted” into a family of four as they compete in a series of insanely fun games with a big cash prize up for grabs.

“Family Game Fight” is inspired by Bell and Shepard’s antics on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”

“For one of our first dates, I invited Dax over for a game night at my house with a bunch of friends,” Bell said. “He said he fell in love with me there because I was a very tiny person bossing everyone around. I fell in love with him too because he’s a very large person who could boss everyone around, but chooses not to. I’m so excited to host ‘Family Game Fight’ and play all day with my best friend.”

“Kristen is my favorite human to work with,” Shepard said. “She’s the most consistently funny, playful and joyful scene partner I’ve ever had. She’s also incredibly fun to look at.”

“NBC is thrilled to be the network bringing Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard together to host a game show for the first time,” said Jenny Groom, Executive Vice President of Unscripted Content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “We’ve been wanting to work with them as a duo for years. Their energy is infectious, their comedic sensibility comes so naturally, and their transparency about their relationship is what makes them so relatable and loveable. ‘Family Game Fight’ was born out of the true competitive, yet playful and loving spirit Dax and Kristen have toward each other. We’re excited to work with them as on-camera talent and side-by-side as producing partners.”

Mike Darnell, President Warner Bros. Unscripted Television, said, “Kristen and Dax are simply magnetic when they’re on screen. They’re a spontaneously funny and loving couple that are also surprisingly competitive in this fast-moving family competition. They are pure magic together.”

“Family Game Fight” is now casting, and NBC is looking for family teams of four. To submit your story or nominate a friend, co-worker, or family member, please visit www.Venertainment.com.

The series is executive produced by Ellen DeGeneres, Mary Connelly, Andy Lassner, Derek Westervelt, Noah Bonnett, Dan Norris, Joel Van Rysselberghe, Jeff Kleeman, Mike Darnell and Brooke Karzen, in addition to Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard. The series is produced by A Very Good Production and Warner Bros. Unscripted Television’s Warner Horizon division, in association with Telepictures.

ABOUT WARNER BROS. UNSCRIPTED TELEVISION

Warner Bros. Unscripted Television is the leading producer of unscripted television in America with over 50 series totaling some 2,500 hours of programming annually across broadcast, cable, streaming, digital, and first-run syndication, as well as high-end documentaries. Led by Mike Darnell, President, the division produces major franchises that include the long-running, powerhouse franchise of ’The Bachelor,’ ‘The Bachelorette,’ and ‘Bachelor in Paradise’; multiple Emmy winning ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ and the primetime hit ‘Ellen’s Game of Games’; the multi-Emmy winning blockbuster ’The Voice’; the Fox hit ‘The Masked Dancer’; the Emmy winning ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ returning to NBC; ’The Real Housewives of New York’; ’The Bradshaw Bunch’; ’Extra’; and ’The Real’; plus, the Greg Berlanti produced signature documentaries ’Helter Skelter’ for EPIX and ‘Equal’ for HBO Max, among others. The unscripted unit also recently announced ‘The Wheel’, BBC’s number 1 game show launch in over a decade, coming to NBC; the upcoming hybrid alternative-scripted series ‘True Story’ with Ed Helms and Randall Park; ‘Ellen’s Next Great Designer’ for HBO Max; the Ava DuVernay produced ‘Home Sweet Home’ coming to NBC; and the highly anticipated ‘Friends’ reunion coming to HBO Max.

ABOUT A VERY GOOD PRODUCTION

A Very Good Production (AVGP) is the Emmy® Award-winning television and film production company of producer/writer/actor/host Ellen DeGeneres. Based at Warner Bros. Television Group (WBTVG) with an exclusive multiyear deal, AVGP produces the nationally syndicated daytime talk show “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and develops television projects for all divisions of WBTVG, including scripted and unscripted primetime series for network and cable, as well as additional syndicated fare. AVGP is currently producing a wide range of television, including NBC’s fan-favorite game show “Ellen’s Game of Games,” NBC’s hit series “Little Big Shots,” “Green Eggs and Ham” for Netflix, and many more. AVGP also produced the film adaptation of “Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase.” In September 2019, Ellen announced HBO Max has ordered four original series including “Ellen’s Next Great Designer,” “First Dates Hotel,” “Little Ellen,” as well as the docu-series “Finding Einstein.” Jeff Kleeman serves as President of A Very Good Production.

Has COVID Clouded Your Retirement Picture? 3 Tips To Plan Clearly

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Some people planning for retirement may do most of the right things in terms of saving and investing. But they don’t have a crystal ball and cannot foresee exactly how much money they will need in their non-working years – or for how long.

That uncertainty – magnified by the financial effects of COVID-19 – is one reason why it’s important to always keep the distant future in mind when planning and to consider all options that address those potential needs, says John Smallwood, president of Smallwood Wealth Management and author of It’s Your Wealth – Keep It: The Definitive Guide to Growing, Protecting, Enjoying, and Passing On Your Wealth.

“Too often, people are siloed in their view of their financial plan rather than focusing on the big picture,” Smallwood says. “Sometimes, it’s because they believe in a pitch that one magic product or investment is going to save their retirement.

“The pandemic causes some people to look for fast solutions, but there is no magic wand that you can wave and save your financial plan. The ‘magic’ that is going to help you is to put multiple products and multiple strategies together in an integrated way that is unique to you.”

Smallwood says those either starting or reevaluating a financial plan should consider these points:

Avoid cookie-cutter solutions. Because every person’s circumstances are different, a one-size-fits-all approach in financial planning doesn’t make sense for the future retiree, Smallwood says. “Whether it’s a mutual fund, insurance policy, annuity, a stock option, 401(k), or something else, the truth is that banking entirely on a single product or type of investment is setting you up for financial failure,” Smallwood says. “There are always popular products being pushed, but cookie-cutter solutions don’t take into account that every client has different financial pressures. Single products are often focused tightly on rate of return, but they don’t look at everything that’s happening in a person’s life or at erosion principles, which are actually taking away more wealth than is being accumulated in many cases.”
Know how to minimize market volatility. Smallwood says having measurable goals and a realistic view are important to success with a financial strategy. And part of that strategy includes understanding and minimizing the impact of market volatility on your money. “One way to make a sense of it all is to know the difference between average rate of return, sequence of returns, and actual return,” he says. “Average rate of return is over the life of an investment. Sequence of returns is the order in which your investments provide you with a return. Actual return is the actual amount of money gained or lost during a quarter or year compared to the initial value of an investment.”
Don’t get caught up in chasing returns. “Financial success does not come from chasing returns or selecting a magic product or asset class,” Smallwood says. “It comes from having a balanced plan, and then stress-testing that plan for weak areas to see how taxes, feeds, inflation, medical expenses, market volatility, college expenses and other variables can impact wealth potential. People who chase returns typically buy an asset class, or they buy a fund based on its past performance. If it doesn’t do well, they sell it, and they buy the next hot-performing fund. That’s how they fall into the trap that keeps eroding their wealth.”

“To be successful with your retirement plan,” Smallwood says, “you need to keep an open mind, understand your uniqueness, and not follow the crowd in terms of what are the right solutions for you.”

About John L. Smallwood, CFP®

John L. Smallwood is a senior wealth advisor (www.johnlsmallwood.com) and president of Smallwood Wealth Management and affiliated companies, providing investment consulting and financial plan design for corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and professionals. He is the author of It’s Your Wealth – Keep It: The Definitive Guide To Growing, Protecting, Enjoying, And Passing On Your Wealth, and a previous book, Five Ways Your Wealth is Under Attack.

Transformed Grief – Estefana Johnson, LMSW

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When COVID-19 hit, there was an instant collective response of panic. People rushed to fill their pantries with nonperishables and toilet paper. Schools closed, businesses closed, and lives were flipped upside down as our routines were disrupted by lockdowns and uncertainty. In a moment in which we most needed comfort and connection, we were forced to isolate for fear of spreading the virus to our loved ones. I remember countless sleepless nights where I obsessively checked the dashboards and reviewed the little data provided on how this virus operated, who was being affected, and the odds of survival. I called my parents frequently to remind them to “stay home, wash your hands, wear your masks”. I knew then if my father were to become infected, he would not survive. He was elderly and his lungs had much damage from decades of exposure to dust and cement as a mason.

My father was the humblest, hardest-working man with the biggest faith I’ve ever known. He taught me patience, integrity and to never take life seriously as it is but a journey in the span of our existence. As an emigrant from Mexico with an 8th grade education, he faced adversity with relentless courage, and boundless humor. When he contracted COVID in July 2020, my heart shattered and my heart plunged into agony. Even then, Dad persisted: “no te preocupes mija, todo va estar bien” (don’t worry, my daughter, all will be well.) And yet, on July 27th, he passed.

How can things be “well” when our world is shattered as we face our worst fear? Grief is the price of love. Years of working with trauma survivors as a clinician have allowed me to see that not all people can withstand the weight of tragedy and loss. Grief rips away our sense of normalcy, leaving us feeling broken, raw, and exposed. Many people lapse into survival mode to weather grief, a constant battle of managing misery and pain. Unresolved anguish, like unattended mold, can weaken our body structure, infect our attitude with anger, cloud our vision with resentment and spread toxic spores of bitterness towards others. And yet, there are those who rise up in the midst of adversity, seemingly fueled by the pain, and transformed to a more resilient, truer self. Like steel, refined through the fire. But how?

Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl wrote, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” The human race has continued to thrive through plagues, war, genocide, famine and tragedy. Death is not the only loss we experience; we also grieve the loss of hope, health, relationships, or such as in this pandemic, loss of “normalcy.” Loss creates change. Change is only constant in life and outside of our control. It is in the acceptance and embracing of change that we can refine and solidify the core of what defines us. Even in the face of death, my father’s courage did not relent as he reaffirmed his identity: “I am a soldier and I will fight till the end – bruised and battered, I will fight until I am called home.” And fight he did.

Just like many other ‘essential’ workers, my sisters, both of whom are nurses, and I had to return to work. With the raw pain of loss, we found ourselves facing others in the midst of the tragedy we had just endured. I had never felt such gratitude for the tool that had become my specialty: Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), an evidence-based technique that enables clients to reframe their memories of troubling events. Without ART, I could not have held space for the grief many clients brought to my office. When we experience severe emotional events, the memory is imprinted into our subconscious mind through images. It is this deeply-rooted, emotionally-laden memory that causes our body to experience reactive responses such as extreme fear or panic long after the event has passed. Talking about painful memories can sometimes exacerbate symptoms since we cannot reason our way out of the pain. The subconscious does not speak in words; it speaks in images. Thus, metaphors are the language of emotion.

Clients often share an inability to forget the image of their loved one’s death as it haunts them both in their waking life through flashbacks. ART targets these images through a brief, succinct process called voluntary image replacement. Grief work enables us to redefine the connection to our loved ones through memories of their life, rather than their death. ART helps to facilitate that process. It has enabled me to transform my suffering to fuel my purpose as I help others navigate through the process of healing and post-traumatic growth. Post-traumatic growth is an undergoing of a significant shift in one’s relation with the self and the world. It’s the ability to extract wisdom from suffering, create purpose from the pain and become more of our truest, most powerful selves as we break through perceived limitations. It leads us to acceptance of reality and enables us to feel more connected to our own humanity and that of others as we embrace our vulnerability.

Through ART, I now hold the memory of my father in a space full of love and resoluteness. I see him sitting in my sister’s living room, watching his children chat and grandkids play with a look of blissful pride on his face. It brings comfort to the void left by his departure, a reminder that life is finite. And every time a client returns to my office after an ART session and tells me “The images are gone – all I see is my mother’s smile,” my heart is filled with hope.

For additional information on Estefana Johnson go here.

The Entrepreneurs Top Tech Tools

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Rhonda Vetere, Chief Information Officer, Herbalife Nutrition

When the world shut down due to the pandemic, everything changed, especially for small businesses. Suddenly, the ability to connect to customers became even more critical, and the safe way to do so is through technology. While companies have long relied on email or text messaging to communicate, many entrepreneurs found they needed to expand their technology toolkit, becoming more creative and resourceful with how they conduct business and compete effectively. As a technology expert who advises more than 3.4 million entrepreneurs around the world on technology solutions that can help them serve their customers and manage their business, I recommend the following tech tips to help you power your business.

Customer service

We are living during a time of tremendous technology transformation. Gone are the days when people waited for what seemed an eternity to send or receive a message. Time has sped up, and with it is the demand from customers for immediate attention. According to recent research, 82% of consumers expect a quick response from brands. Keeping up or ahead of customers requires staying on top of technology trends and ensuring that you have the tools to compete in the digital age.

For website support, many entrepreneurs use a live chat tool that can help customers with basic questions. Many of these tools can be used on social media as well. If paid chat options are price prohibitive, there are also useful and free tools, including Zoho Desk.

Communication and collaboration

Video conferencing and video chat applications grew exponentially during the pandemic. In March, video conferencing apps saw 62 million downloads. Entrepreneurs are using video apps for connecting with customers, partners and vendors. While these tools are excellent for meetings, they are also useful for maintaining connections with industry organizations and networking groups. Many of the tools allow break-out rooms for a small meeting within a session, creating an intimate and collaborative space.

As you continue to build your reputation as an expert in your industry, video conferencing can also be used to host a webinar for existing and potential customers. Many entrepreneurs are hosting panel discussions, bringing in other partners and collaborators. These sessions can be taped and repurposed as content for your social media channels, website and email marketing. There are many video conferencing options, including, Joinme, which has a free plan that lets you invite up to 10 video participants

Social media

Social media is not just for sharing videos and memes – it is a top business tool. Your customers are on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, YouTube, and Instagram. Once you identify which channels you want to use, you need to post engaging content. These can range from news about products, sales and impactful information. Posting across several channels every week can be daunting. Thankfully, many social media tools help you schedule and publish your content that can be calendared and posted automatically. These tools range from Hootsuite (which has a free option) to Zoho Social to Buffer.

Slack

More and more brands, companies and entrepreneurs use Slack to communicate with their customers. It’s a great place to provide relevant updates, tips and advisement, and new product announcements. It also gives your customers a place away from social media to share stories and entrepreneurs a place to connect with their team more visibly easily.

Storage

There is a lot of discussion about the term “the cloud.” Think of the cloud as an off-site storage locker, where all your critical information is safe and secure – and easily sharable. Google Drive, Dropbox, or Microsoft Sharepoint safeguard your backups and allow users access from any location. Moving your work to the cloud not only benefits you to work from anywhere and any device, but it also makes it easy to share content with your customers.

Email Marketing

Your marketing toolkit may contain a variety of options – one of which is email marketing. Sending professionally designed, informative newsletters to your customers is a great way to keep in touch. One of the most popular companies in the business is Mailchimp. Even better, If your company sends fewer than 12,000 email messages per month to fewer than 2,000 subscribers, you can take advantage of Mailchimp’s Forever Free plan.

E-commerce

The pandemic has changed how we shop. Overnight, people began to purchase everything from groceries to furniture online and in record numbers. Customers now expect to buy their products online. They expect the experience to be easy and fast. There are many great e-commerce platforms out there, such as Shopify, a one-stop-shop for setting up your e-commerce store, to Amazon’s beyond popular platform. Shopify offers a 14-day free trial, and you can use it to chat with customers online, track orders and send invoices.

One final note. As a technologist, I remind everyone that interaction with your customers is up to you. Nothing supplants human interaction and connection. With limits on our in-person meetings, it is even more essential to find ways to build businesses. Mix up how you connect with others – pick up the phone, or schedule a Zoom, to call a handful of customers every day. Don’t forego a personal email that is not meant to sell a customer or colleague – but to check-in with them and see how they are doing. Technology is a fantastic tool that helps small businesses act big. The challenge is to make the technology connections feel more three-dimensional vs two-dimensional. Technology can help us be more efficient and productive, and while it can enhance our communication, it will never replace the incredible power of the human relationship. That part is up to you.

Golden Globes 2021

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By Dana Feeney

The Golden Globes have kicked off the 2021 awards season despite the many production disruptions in television and film in 2020 due to the CoronaVirus pandemic. For those who may not be familiar with the Golden Globes, the globes are a film and television award show that happens once a year run by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). The awards were done remotely and hosted in tandem from opposite coasts by comedy powerhouses Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Instead of the usual stacked audience of the biggest names in Hollywood, the members of the in-person audiences were front-line workers and first responders while celebrities watched from the safety of their homes via zoom. Fey and Poehler did not pull any punches during their opening monologue, which you can watch here.
The HFPA, a group of 87 international journalists from around 55 countries, does not have any black members. Fey commented on this almost immediately in the opening monologue saying, “The Hollywood Foreign Press Association is made up of around 90 international, no-black journalists.” Throughout the night different personalities commented on the lack of representation, including “Schitt’s Creek” co-creator Dan Levy who said “in the spirit of inclusion, I hope that this time next year this ceremony reflects the true breadth and diversity of the film and television being made today because there is so much more to be celebrated,” during his acceptance speech for Best TV Series. More critically, Sacha Baron Cohen, who won multiple awards including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, for “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,” and said in h is acceptance speech, “Thank you to the all-white Hollywood Foreign Press.”
One of the biggest snubs of the night was the lack of nominations for “I May Destroy You,” a British-American series starring, written, co-directed, and executive produced by Michaela Coel for BBC One and HBO. Many people are frustrated by the fact that “Emily in Paris,” which is a story about a white woman navigating Paris as an American, garnered nominations over “I May Destroy You.” Deborah Copaken, a writer for Netflix’s “Emily in Paris,” spoke to The Guardian and explain how much she believes “I May Destroy You” “deserves to win all the awards.” She speaks about how well the show “takes the complicated issue of a rape – I’m a sexual assault survivor myself – and infuses it with heart, humor, pathos.” You can read the rest of her take on “I May Destroy You” here.
Additionally, the film “Minari” won Best Motion Picture, Foreign Language, you can watch director Lee Isaac Chung‘s acceptance speech which features his daughter here. “Minari” was left out of the Best Motion Picture category supposedly because portions of the film were not in English, although the film is the story of a Korean-American family set in Arkansas. This created very similar dissent to l ast year’s exclusion of “Parasite” written and directed by Korean Filmmaker Bong Joon-ho, from the same category at the Golden Globes, which went on to win four Academy Awards, including Best Picture. You can find more information about “Minari” and where to watch it here.
On a more positive note, many deserving producers, directors, screenwriters, actors, actresses, and more were recognized for the high caliber of content produced this past year. One of the most heart-wrenching being Chadwick Boseman, who won his first Golden Globe for Best Actor in a motion picture, drama for his performance in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” His wife, Taylor Simone Ledward Boseman, accepted the award on his behalf and gave a beautiful acceptance speech which you can watch here. It’s highly anticipated that Boseman may go on to win a posthumous Academy Award for his performance.
History was made in many categories throughout the evening. Chloé Zhao is now the first woman and the first Asian woman to win Best Director. She won Best Director for the film “Nomadland“. Of the five individuals nominated for Best Director, three of them were women, Chloé Zhao, Emerald Fennell, and Regina King. This is the first time the HFPA has recognized more than one female director. You can see Zhao’s acceptance speech here. You can read more about this historic moment for women in film here.
Andra Day won Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama for her role in “The United States vs. Billie Holiday.” She is the second black actress to win the category since Whoopie Goldberg won for “The Color Purple” 35 years ago. You can see her ecstatic reaction alongside her family and her acceptance speech here and read more about her thoughts on her win here.
After his Best Screenplay, Motion Picture win for “The Trial of The Chicago 7,” Aaron Sorkin is now tied with Quentin Tarantino and Robert Bolt who respectively have three wins in the screenplay category. His past two wins were for “The Social Network” (2010) and “Steve Jobs” (2015), but he has received multiple other nominations for screenwriting in the past. You can watch his acceptance speech here.

The official video for the Golden Globes and critic’s choice-nominated song was “Fight For You” by H.E.R., as featured in the original motion picture film, “Judas and the Black Messiah.”

Netflix, with 42 nominations and 10 wins, Amazon, with 10 nominations and three wins, and Apple TV, with four nominations and one win, took home huge victories for streaming services. Netflix’s limited series “The Crown” and “The Queen’s Gambit” were hugely popular and won a variety of accolades. For Amazon and Apple Tv, their ringers were “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” and “Ted Lasso” respectively.
You can see the full list of winner’s here.

KFC DIGITAL SALES INCREASE

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KFC Owner Yum Brands Reports Digital Sales of $17 Billion in 2020, Up By 45% YoY

Despite the blow of pandemic restrictions in 2020, Yum Brands’ earnings for the year topped analysts’ estimates.

According to the research data analyzed and published by Stock Apps, the company’s Q4 2020 revenue grew by 3% year-over-year (YoY) to $1.74 billion, higher than the expected $1.72 billion. For the full year, digital sales rose by 45% to $17 billion.

Based on an NPD Group report, restaurant digital orders in the US shot up by 145% YoY in December 2020. By the end of the year, carry-out accounted for 46% of off-premises orders and drive-thrus got 44%.

US Digital Restaurant Market Sales Rose by 124% in 2020 to $45 Billion

Yum Brands launched a series of initiatives to speed up its digitalization process in 2020. For KFC, a new eCommerce ecosystem streamlined off-premises order handling. As a result, transaction times at the window reduced by 16 seconds in Q4 2020 compared to Q4 2019.

The Habit added curbside pickup, which accounted for 10% of all sales and 50% of mobile sales. Through its Go Mobile ecosystem, Taco Bell saw drive-thru transaction times drop below four minutes. Thanks to these investments, Pizza Hut saw an 18% growth in same-store sales from off-premise channels. Taco Bell reported a 12% digital sales mix while The Habit had a 40% sales mix from its digital platform.

McDonalds also benefitted from a shift to digital, generating $10 billion from online sales across its top six markets in 2020. They accounted for20% of the company’s total annual sales. Chipotle also posted a 177.2% YoY increase in digital sales during Q4 2020, reaching $781.4 million.

According to eMarketer, digital restaurant market sales in the US rose by 123.8% in 2020 to $44.94 billion. In 2021, it is projected to increase by 22.3% to $54.97 billion and in 2022, by16.3% to $63.93 billion.

By 2025, digital sales will account for 54% of limited and quick-service restaurant business according to a study by Incisiv.

The full story, statistics and information can be found here: https://stockapps.com/blog/2021/02/25/kfc-owner-yum-brands-reports-digital-sales-of-1-7-billion-in-2020-up-by-45-yoy/

The Basics to Avoiding Copyright Strikes On Your Social Media Accounts

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Creating content that fuel your social media needs has never been easier and the production of any output can be completed with a minimum of fuss. So whenever you are putting together a great video post or sending out a new podcast, you may not take adequate notice of what perils may lay in store.

Given that we are pretty much glued to our devices 24/7, we can sometimes get caught up in the moment. You may be looking to become a key influencer and feel that you need to jazz up your content with a great musical soundtrack or you may just post something with extreme haste because you want to be ahead of the curve, but beware.

Posting content that includes copyright protected material, be that music of video, could well lead to a great deal of pain and suffering. The financial penalties for doing so are pretty huge and in some cases you could be risking imprisonment.

However there is the additional, more likely, scenario which would involve you receiving a copyright strike on your account.

What is a Copyright Strike?

A copyright strike is one that is issued by an organization, in this case a social media channel such as YouTube, Facebook or TikTok, and you’ll receive this if they either believe you have committed a copyright offence or they’ve been informed that you have done so.

A strike in this instance is most likely to come in the form of a DMCA notice, the DMCA in this instance stands for Digital Millennium Copyright Act. When receiving this strike you will be asked to prove you have the license needed to use the copyright protected media, such as music or video you may have used in your social media post.

On receiving these strikes, and some networks allow more than one before they act, you will be given a warning. However it’s likely that repeated violations will lead to your account being suspended and then deleted.

You Will Not Get Away With It

You may think that you can go ‘under the radar’ with your illegal use of copyright material but technology used by the likes of Facebook can single out these uses within a matter of seconds and the violations are dealt with on the spot.

Even if you feel you have been unfairly treated, perhaps believing that the music you are using was clear for use, the chances of you entering into a dialogue with any social media company are slim.

Most social networks make the prospect of reversing such copyright strikes next to impossible, they do so for two reasons. Firstly they know that entering into a conversation about potential violations would be hugely resource heavy for their site and secondly they don’t benefit from the resolution either way.

In other words the social media networks are more keen on avoiding any repercussions from mainstream music publishers of film production companies than assisting you in a case that is likely to fail.

How to Avoid a Copyright Strike?

The most common reason a social media user will use copyright protected music is that they feel that the use of a strong piece of music, or a sound effect, will increase the chance of their product being spread and virality achieved.

However there are many great royalty-free music options where you can secure great songs and effects for a fraction of the cost of securing a license from recognized artists.

Another additional benefit of subscribing to such a service is the vast libraries of great musical content that you have available, all to suit whatever need you wish to serve.

Royalty-free music providers essentially give you access, for a very small fee, to content that is free to be used as you wish and without any fear of a penalty or removal from the sites you use them on.

A big key to avoiding a copyright strike on the whole is the use of caution. Always be aware that whatever you post on your social media channels will be monitored and therefore behave with as much care as you possibly can.

A copyright strike isn’t something you can ignore and it’s something you should do your utmost to avoid. If you receive a strike it’s almost certainly justified and with any luck you may be fortunate to get away with a stern warning but more and more often this will result in a ban and possible additional censure and punishment.

If you are an individual who is seeking to become an influencer, or have a large audience who already follows your output, you simply can’t afford to be taken off the channels that you operate on, it’s simply not worth the risk or hassle.

Also, if you simply use social media for personal use, you still will greatly miss these channels if you are banned from using them. Always err on the side of vigilance when using any accompanying material for your posts, otherwise you may get a nasty surprise the next time you try to sign in to your accounts…

JOHN-ROBERT – DAMN BEAN

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MULTI-TALENTED ARTIST/PRODUCER JOHN-ROBERT IS BACK WITH NEW SINGLE &
PULP FICTION INSPIRED MUSIC VIDEO “DAMN BEAN” – WATCH HERE

HEALTHY BABY BOY, PART 1 COMING SOON

Affirmed as one of 2021’s most enigmatic and engaging multi-hyphenates, 20-year-old rising artist and producer John-Robert releases a new single entitled “Damn Bean” today via Nice Life Recording Company / Warner Records. It’s the third track to be revealed from his Healthy Baby Boy, Part 1 project, to be released later this year. Listen to “Damn Bean” HERE.

In the accompanying music video, the lead character Simon dons a full Pulp Fiction-style bondage suit and tries to make a connection with anybody he can in public. The results are often funny and touching. Eventually, he finds the one, proving there’s somebody for everyone. Watch the video HERE.

Regarding “Damn Bean,” he revealed, “I wrote this music video treatment as a metaphor for my own personal experience. I was led on in a relationship, and I was left feeling expendable and less than. I used the bondage suit to display a submissive and dehumanized character. I then started mustering up the courage to try and meet new people; really putting myself out there. When I wasn’t looking, it hit me. I met someone who was on my same wavelength, someone who I felt genuinely understood me.”

The music of Healthy Baby Boy, Part 1 relays the artist’s coming-of-age whisked out of obscurity in Edinburg, VA by mega-producer Ricky Reed and trading a town of 1,000 residents for Los Angeles where the budding talent now making a lifelong dream a reality.

Last month, John-Robert dropped “USMO,” an acronym short for “You Should Move On.” He set the stage for Healthy Baby Boy, Part 1 with the release of title track “Healthy Baby Boy” last October. The autobiographical slice-of-life immediately attracted tastemaker praise by the likes of SPIN , who raved, “On his latest single, ‘Healthy Baby Boy,’ John-Robert shows his depth as an emerging songwriter by his understanding of the poignancy of life,” and American Songwriter noted, “He pours his emotional angst directly into his new song, the charmingly nostalgic ‘Healthy Baby Boy.’ In The Know put it best, “John-Robert is a name you’ll want to know…a small-town baby boy who’s steadily rising to super stardom.”

At age 16, John-Robert was invited out to L.A. by Reed, who’s described him as “a transcendent, once-in-a-generation singer and songwriter.” Sure enough, John-Robert’s 2019 independent release “Adeline” has amassed over 3 million streams and garnered fans like Camila Cabello, who posted an Instagram story praising it. Last year, he recorded a breathtaking rendition of Fiona Apple’s “Criminal” for the Recording Academy’s® “ReImagined” video series. In May, he released his debut EP, Bailey Barely Knew Me, featuring “Adeline” and other standout tracks.