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Minuteman Press Franchise in Gastonia, NC Has Grand Opening for New Father-Son Team Tony & David Marder

Minuteman Press International Inc

Tony and David Marder are the new owners of the Minuteman Press franchise in Gastonia, NC. In January of 2023, Tony and David purchased Minuteman Press in Gastonia from retiring owners Pam and Bill Joles, who owned the business for nearly 32 years since July of 1991. On Thursday, May 25, 2023, Tony and David held their official Grand Opening at their shop located at 495 East Long Avenue in Gastonia. The event was sponsored by the Gaston Business Association and had a fiesta theme that included margaritas, festive appetizers, a food truck, and a mariachi band. There were also plenty of raffles as well as a ribbon-cutting ceremony that served as a celebration of Tony and David’s new venture while Pam and Bill were also in attendance to help pass the torch. In the below interview, Tony shares how he and David originally came into contact with Pam and Bill, and how that relationship grew to the point of purchasing the business. Tony also shares how he’s been building his business since the purchase and why print is so vital today. You purchased the business after working in the shop for a couple of years. What were your roles/experiences as employees and what drove you to buy the business? Tony Marder: “Interestingly, even before working in the shop, Pam and Bill Joles were previous coaching clients. We met via our local BNI and Chamber memberships. At the time, I focused my business coaching with family-owned businesses and Pam and Bill engaged me to assist. I noticed how they were avid readers and spent focused time on goal-setting and systemization. Just before and during the pandemic closures, I asked if they needed someone very part time for deliveries or light finishing work to fill some of my open schedule. At some point in early 2021, I asked Bill ‘how he intended to land this thing’ and he said, “Why? You want to buy a business?” My answer was, “Absolutely not!” But an hour later I mentioned that I felt this may be a good fit for me and my son David, whom I know to be very adept and resourceful with machines and computers and technology in general. David joined the team as print production specialist in May of 2021 specifically to learn the finishing work. Having a bit of a graphics background didn’t hurt either and he quickly added pre-print typesetting and other aspects of pre-print work to his overview. Knowing this was a good fit and having almost two years of on-the-Job experience with Pam and Bill made it a much easier decision for us to move forward.” What has the support from Minuteman Press International been like for you? Tony Marder: “Having experience with franchise teams, I expected the support system to be there. I was especially impressed with the FLEX software and the strength of the training and process protocols. The local team made the transition easy and the Home Office training team is concise and thorough. Every call or need is quickly handled and everyone jumps in to help with urgency as needed.” How do you describe your business and capabilities to potential clients? Tony Marder: “We can produce anything that can be printed or find someone in our organization that can; we will produce and deliver quickly high quality work that helps them run or grow their business or organization.” What are the high-demand products and key growth areas? Tony Marder: “Our most requested items are business cards, forms, labels, stickers, letterhead and envelopes, booklets, manuals, newsletters and mailings. We would like to feature more mailings, interior signage, posters, decals and graphic design.” What are some of the key ways you’ve grown your business since taking over in January of 2023? Tony Marder: “Relationship marketing via phone and face to face direct marketing to existing and past clients, as well as SEO/SEM Marketing, active membership in the local chamber and Rotary. Planning now for future postcard mailings featuring postcard mailing as well as special promotions.” How would you best describe your community? Tony Marder: “We have a small but dedicated and loyal community. We are a volunteer and philanthropic community of diverse folks raising families and enjoying our corner of the world. We have a lot of natural resources that draws a wide range of individuals to the area spanning entrepreneurs, professionals, service-related businesses and manufacturers. We enjoy the closeness of the Charlotte, NC Metro area without the cumbersome things that make larger cities less attractive. Around here we say that ‘we don’t tell anybody about it, but if they find it on their own then it’s perfectly okay with us.’” Why do you think printing remains so vital to businesses today? Tony Marder: “Print is everywhere. I can’t go anywhere without seeing print in action. Every business or organization uses print at some level; either to run or grow their business. I feel email and social media marketing has its place but lacks a personal touch or relationship that could be developed. Print solidifies other marketing sources and cements brand recognition. People read, so giving them something to read is the best way to keep them engaged.” What are the biggest rewards of owning your business? Tony Marder: “This is a cashflow business with a lot of upside potential. Cash is certainly king when it comes to owning your business and this one is no different. Personally, I’m in it to help my son secure a future and continue to provide inspiration for the team. I’d like to see us increase what we can give back to our community and find more ways to engage the public.” What advice would you give to other business owners right now? Tony Marder: “Attract and hire people smarter than you, then get out of their way and give them room to shine. Find a mentor who has documented experience with the legal, financial and accounting arenas and do not resist being pushed closer to the fire. Get in there and get it done.” For more information about Minuteman Press in Gastonia, NC, visit https://minuteman.com/us/locations/nc/gastonia/ Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

June 02, 2023 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Calling All Adventure Seekers: Looking for a heart-pumping adventure in the great outdoors?

YourUpdateTV

From mountain biking to rock climbing to white-water rafting, it might surprise you to learn that Arkansas offers something for every level of adventure seeker. Recently, Travis Napper from Arkansas Tourism and Suzanne Grobmyer from Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism conducted a satellite media tour to talk about the hidden gems of Arkansas. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/Dsd_giujvvk Outside Magazine recently named Arkansas’ Monument Trails as the best mountain biking destination in the country. Arkansas is a state of visionaries when it comes to outdoor recreation. The State has been blessed with beautiful mountain ranges – from the Ozark Mountains in the north to Pinnacle Mountain in central Arkansas. The Monument Trails are a series of shared-use trails located in various Arkansas state parks. Through a partnership with the Walton Family Foundation, professional trail builders designed and developed the trails with designs that are innovative and sustainable, and that help highlight Arkansas’ beauty. There are trails for beginners and trails for those who are experienced. Arkansas has a collection of world-class, mountain biking routes within four Arkansas State Parks — Mount Nebo State Park, Hobbs State Park, Pinnacle Mountain State Park, and Devil’s Den State Park. The shared-use trails, which were professionally crafted by the world’s best trail builders, showcase Arkansas’s natural beauty and are woven into the beautiful landscape. If you would rather find your adventure on the water, there is plenty of adrenaline-pumping white water rafting in Arkansas. Try Cossatot River State Park and the Class IV rapids of Cossatot Falls. If a leisurely float down the river is more your speed, then you can do that at Cossatot, too. There are few activities more serene and calming than a hike along the 300 miles of trails in Arkansas State Parks. There is no better way to see The Natural State. Petit Jean Mountain State Park offers trails that are rather easy and others that are strenuous. Most everyone can navigate the Cedar Falls Trail, and it is definitely worth the effort because the trail’s end is the stunning 95-foot Cedar Falls Waterfall, which begins behind the breezeway at the park’s historic Mather Lodge. Arkansas is also home to two world-class fine arts museums – Crystal Bridges and Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts. Another reason Arkansas is called The Natural State is the abundance of outstanding lakes and rivers. Arkansas, for instance, is known as one of the premier locations for trout fishing. Record trout are caught at the Little Red River and the White River. The State also has some of the world’s best bass fishing locations. The Buffalo National River is an ideal place for a quiet float. Ready to ride? Arkansas.com is a one-stop resource for all things Arkansas. Travis Napper Bio Travis Napper is the Director of Tourism within the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism. He is responsible for leading the sales and marketing efforts of the state and oversees the state’s welcome centers. Napper serves on the Board of Mississippi River Country USA(MRC) and Travel South USA. Prior to joining the Arkansas Department of Tourism in 2020, he served as the executive of the Ruston, Louisiana Convention and Visitors Bureau. Napper attended Louisiana Tech University, earning his bachelor’s degree in marketing in 2006 and received his CDME (Certified Destination Management Executive) designation in 2016. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

June 01, 2023 02:54 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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News Release

Breaking News: WriteMyEssays And WriteMyPapers Merge. Learn More Here!

Halvorson Media Group

Recently, WriteMyEssays And WriteMyPapers signed a merger agreement. Find out what to expect from the changes, whether they will affect customers, and what new features are planned to be introduced. New York, May 28, 2021 — A few days ago, an academic writing company WriteMyEssays announced the acquisition of WriteMyPapers. This decision has been discussed for several months, and finally, there was official confirmation of the merger. Due to the inability to compete with other academic services, the WriteMyPapers brand decided to leave the market. In the past few months, the site has seen a surge in orders, and the staff has been unable to keep up with the influx. The departure of the company would have suffered great losses and the loss of valuable personnel. Thus, the decision to merge was the only correct one in this situation. The management bodies have already checked and approved the terms and conditions of the upcoming merger. What to Expect from The Merger? A merger is a complex business solution that takes time to set up internal processes. Of course, the company's management is going to consolidate high-quality academic writing in the industry and enter the international market. However, no one excludes the occurrence of difficulties, but first things first. At the moment, key stakeholders of both companies discussed several business benefits which can be expected in the near term. They are obvious, but are of great benefit to the company: Increasing the staff of the company. The staff of WriteMyPapers was more than 300 people. All writers pass under the control of the new owner. Thus, it means that the service will be able to process more orders and get more urgent assignments. Increasing the audience. Those customers who previously applied to WriteMyPapers are likely to start ordering essays and other assignments from a new company. Many students have been working with the same authors for several years, and they will be able to continue doing this under a new brand. Increasing monthly turnover. The more orders, the more income. This is a simple yet complex business rule. If the quality of the work performed remains at the same high level or becomes higher, the company will be able to increase income by 2-3 times. Moreover, this is a very significant indicator in the college writing industry. In the long term, the company expects the following positive changes: Entering the international market. In connection with scaling, it is planned to introduce new working languages. The managing department has ideas for covering European countries, China, and India. This will expand the audience by 5-6 times in the long run. Building a multi-level support system. Due to the increase in the audience, support representatives will need to be divided into several categories depending on the purpose: support for resolving payment issues, support for placing orders, support for submitting changes to orders, etc. Development of services in narrow areas. In a rapidly evolving environment, it is necessary to follow education trends. That is a real challenge to find specialists in AI engineering or bioinformatics with academic writing or teaching skills. However, this must be taken into account in order to be at the top of the best services. What Do The Experts Say? “The decision to merge was nothing short of a bold one for us. We expect to see results in two months. However, despite the encouraging results in the future, we understand that at first, the team may experience difficulties. Talks about a merger started early this year and we've more or less solidified the base to weather this challenging but promising time.” Harry Evans, WriteMyEssays Vice President “Our department will be the most heavily loaded, especially at the very start. We have developed an order distribution system that should help us not only cope with the number of incoming orders but also understand our strengths and weaknesses to improve the process. The scaling steps will be introduced smoothly, and we know we can adjust to new circumstances.” Emma Walker, Order Distribution Manager “We are pleased with the new changes and are ready to scale and introduce new services. Thanks to long-term planning and quick reaction to possible strategic changes, our company is moving into a higher orbit. We can call ourselves a company providing educational assistance services.” Caleb Ellington, Senior Manager About WriteMyEssays WriteMyEssays is an academic writing company that has been on the market for over 15 years. The company operates in the field of educational services, namely in writing papers of various formats for high school, college, and university students. The emphasis on "academic" demonstrates high standards of performance. At the moment, the company provides assistance in the following areas: academic writing, proofreading & editing, and problem-solving. These three services fully cover the needs of a broad student audience. The team assists with handling assignments of different levels: High School, Undergraduate, Bachelor, Master, and Professional. The company works in various fields: Mathematics, Literature, Chemistry, Architecture, Pharmacology, Law, and more than 30 other areas of study. The support service has every opportunity to select a performer with the appropriate education and academic writing skills. The list of services includes not only writing essays, but also making presentations, creating graphs and tables, writing speeches, typing, rewriting, performing mathematical calculations, helping with writing dissertations, conducting chemical, historical, mathematical, and literary analyzes, and much more. WriteMyEssays is often the choice of students due to the loyal pricing policy. Thanks to successful management and logistics, prices for services are kept below average. It allows students with a limited budget to place orders on the site. The company also often provides discounts and loyalty programs. With over 7,000 finished assignments, WriteMyEssays is one of the leaders in the professional student assistance industry. Most likely, new changes will lead this service to new achievements and the introduction of new services that meet the passage of time. On a Final Note The goal of the WriteMyEssays company is to remain competitive, gradually expanding the list of services, introducing new payment methods, and taking other equally important steps to be on top. The field of academic education is entering challenging times. It may not yet be obvious, but companies like WriteMyEssays will take on an inflated amount of workload to save education as a basic social sphere from a great collapse Contact Details Halvorson Media Group Edward +1 877-422-8205 edward@halvorsonmediagroup.com Company Website https://halvorsonmediagroup.com/

June 01, 2023 09:52 AM Eastern Daylight Time

COMCAST AND TOWN OF MEAD ANNOUNCE THE EXPANSION OF THE COMPANY’S XFINITY 10G NETWORK

Comcast Colorado

Comcast and the Town of Mead announced today that Comcast will expand its Xfinity 10G Network, to serve homes and businesses throughout Mead, Colorado. This planned expansion adds to Comcast’s prior $1.2 billion investment into network and technology advancements throughout Colorado over the last three years. Construction of the new fiber-rich highway began earlier in May 2023 and people will be able to connect beginning in the Fall. With this expansion, Comcast will provide the Xfinity suite of services including broadband internet speeds faster than a gig, video, mobile, voice, home management, and Comcast Business products and services. “Mead residents and businesses have been clear; they want more choice for cable and internet services. Our recent service agreement with Comcast gets us one step closer to fulfilling our commitment to provide high-speed options to our community,” said Mead Mayor Colleen Whitlow. “Access to reliable, fast internet and cable is critical to serve the needs of our growing town. Comcast has a proven track record of dependability and quality, and we look forward to welcoming them into our community.” “Comcast is committed to connecting more people to what and who matters most to them,” said J.D. Keller, Senior Vice President, Comcast’s Mountain West Region. “We’re excited to bring our fast, reliable, secure network and services to the people here in Mead. Whether it’s for work, school, or entertainment, our fiber-rich, multi-gigabit network is built to meet the needs of tomorrow - today.” Comcast is committed to addressing digital equity in the communities it serves through Project UP, the company’s $1 billion dollar commitment to help tens of millions of people connect to the internet and build futures of unlimited possibilities. During the last three years, Comcast Colorado invested more than $42.6 million to help more than 260 community organizations statewide provide personalized digital skills training, offer workforce development/readiness workshops and other tech education to students, adults, and people with disabilities. Comcast works with many Northern Colorado community organizations to advance digital equity, expanding access to technology and supporting technology skills-building programs, including the Boys & Girls Clubs in Weld and Larimer Counties, Thompson Education Foundation, St. Vrain Valley Schools Education Foundation, the Success Foundation Serving Greeley-Evans Schools, United Way in both Weld and Larimer Counties, the Arc of Weld County, Easterseals Colorado and more. Comcast in Colorado will continue to expand its partnerships to support community organizations serving the Town of Mead and other Northern Colorado communities. Comcast’s community funding supports ongoing efforts to build awareness about connectivity programs like Internet Essentials and the federal government’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which offers eligible households up to $30/month credit, or up to $75 for households on tribal lands, for home Internet. Comcast proudly participates in the Affordable Connectivity Program, and offers Internet Essentials Plus, a $29.95/month home Internet service that is effectively free for eligible households, once the ACP credit is applied. Interested customers can visit Xfinity.com/ACP or call 1-800-Xfinity to learn more about this program and find out if they qualify. Powered by the Xfinity 10G Network Comcast’s network and Internet experience are powering homes today and into the future: Ultimate Capacity: Xfinity customers connect nearly 1 billion devices across the company’s network annually. The Xfinity 10G Network with the next-generation Xfinity gateways deliver the most advanced WiFi technology carrying three times more bandwidth to power streaming, gaming, videoconferencing, and more, simultaneously. Fastest Internet: More than a third of Xfinity Internet customers subscribe to gigabit speed products, and symmetrical gig speeds to the first homes are planned for later this year. Unprecedented Coverage: The latest Xfinity Gateway provides a more reliable connection throughout the home. Customers can get wall-to-wall WiFi coverage with a powerful Xfinity WiFi Boost Pod that extends coverage to hard-to-reach areas, with plans for an offering of increased support for in-home WiFi through a “boost guarantee” later this year. Most Reliable Connection: Comcast is scaling the nation’s largest and most reliable network – the Xfinity 10G Network – that passes 60 million homes and business and counting. The company plans to launch a new device that is “storm-ready” with cellular and battery backup to help keep customers connected even when the power goes out. Ultra-Low Latency: The Xfinity 10G Network and the latest Xfinity Gateway are a powerful combination that deliver ultra-low latency for those moments when response times matter most like video games, a fast-growing category with Xfinity households averaging more than one gaming console per home. For local businesses, Comcast Business offers a suite of connectivity, communications, networking, cybersecurity, wireless, and managed solutions to help organizations of different sizes prepare for what’s next. Powered by the nation’s largest Gig-speed broadband network, and backed by 24/7 customer support, Comcast Business is the nation’s largest cable provider to small and mid-size businesses and one of the leading service providers to the Enterprise market. Comcast Business has been consistently recognized by industry analysts and associations as a leader and innovator, and one of the fastest-growing providers of Ethernet services. For more construction details and updates, visit www.colorado.comcast.com/mead/ ### About Comcast Corporation Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with over 56 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information. Contact Details Comcast Leslie Oliver +1 303-810-6326 leslie_oliver@comcast.com Town of Mead Lorelei Nelson +1 970-805-4187 Company Website https://colorado.comcast.com/

May 31, 2023 09:00 AM Mountain Daylight Time

News Direct and FINTECH.TV Announce NEWS DIRECT INSIGHTS, a Forum for Corporate Leaders to Gain Exposure via On-Air Interviews Over First-of-its-Kind Streaming Business News Platform.

News Direct

News Direct and FINTECH.TV today announced News Direct Insights, an innovative new means for companies to leverage the power of video and streaming TV by providing corporate leaders the opportunity to deliver key messaging to target audiences via on-air interviews broadcast over FINTECH.TV’s streaming platform. This is the first in a series of collaborations between News Direct and FINTECH.TV, a partnership that was announced in late 2022. The interviews are conducted on-site at the FINTECH.TV studio on the floor of the iconic New York Stock Exchange, a backdrop that adds an additional measure of distinction and significance to the appearance. News Direct clients can book their CEO’s, or other key executives, for 3-minute spots that will be included in FINTECH.TV’s Daily Download segment, which airs throughout the day and week. The one-on-one format, hosted by a professional FINTECH.TV staff journalist, offer guests a forum to discuss issues of importance to their companies and stakeholders. In addition to airing on the platform, the digital content will also be made available for clients to repurpose on websites and social media channels. “News Direct is committed to the concept of transforming the traditional newswire into something well beyond simply the dissemination of text-based content. We aim to tap into the enormous current and ever-growing appetite on the part of news consumers to ingest information via digital formats, especially video. We strive to redefine our category as a content distribution tool, not merely as a news release distribution service, and the partnership with FINTECH.TV presents an ideal application for that vision.”, stated News Direct founder and CEO, Gregg Castano. Merry Ewing, Head of Network Sales, of FINTECH.TV, said, “FINTECH.TV delivers the latest and most relevant news and perspectives in finance, blockchain, digital assets, impact investing and more. We are thrilled to partner with News Direct to share new perspectives with our engaged global audience.” ABOUT NEWS DIRECT News Direct provides news and content distribution for PR, IR, Corporate Communications and Marketing professionals. Our automated platform delivers a completely reimagined, intuitive workflow, industry-leading security, transparent, flat-rate pricing and actionable analytics. Further, News Direct has deployed an array of innovation including advanced automation, isolation cloud technology and custom software for the most dynamic, efficient and flexible platform available today. To learn more visit newsdirect.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube. ABOUT FINTECH.TV FINTECH.TV is a first of its kind global media platform bringing the latest news and perspectives in finance, blockchain, technology, sustainability, impact investing, SDGs, and ESG. FINTECH.TV broadcasts from its marquis studios on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, at ADGM, Abu Dhabi’s leading International Finance Center, and with presence at other leading international exchanges including NASDAQ and the London Stock Exchange. Contact Details News Direct Gregg Castano gregg.castano@newsdirect.com Fintech.TV Lauren Hurvitz +1 917-683-5118 lauren@fintech.tv Company Website http://www.newsdirect.com

May 31, 2023 12:58 PM Coordinated Universal Time

William Shatner and HearingLife Team Up to Spread Awareness about the Importance of Hearing Care in the US

YourUpdateTV

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/CqMCndmTOfg Would it surprise you to know that hearing loss in the U.S. is expected to double to 73M by 2060?* Hearing loss can prevent a life well-lived and cause some to miss out on meaningful connections. Even so, it takes people seven years from the time they suspect they might have hearing loss to the time they seek treatment. But no one should ever feel that hearing loss is something to be ashamed of. Proactive health habits such as hearing care are so important to living a long and healthy life. Hollywood legend and HearingLife spokesperson, William Shatner, has lived a full, adventurous life, from traveling to space to acting on the big screen. But what many might not realize is he is also living with tinnitus! William Shatner has teamed up with the leading hearing care company to spread awareness about the importance of hearing care in the US. To stress the importance of proper hearing care, HearingLife is currently running its “Love Your Ears” give back campaign and is giving away free hearing aids to people in financial need who are struggling with hearing loss. For the opportunity to receive free hearing aids through “Love Your Ears,” anyone in the U.S. can submit their personal story to www.hearinglife.com/giveback, or nominate a loved one, explaining how receiving hearing aids could make a difference in the quality of their life. HearingLife offers brands with some of the highest rated technology on the market, including several award-winning options. Hearing aid technology has come such a long way to cater to the unique treatment needs of the individual. With so many options out there, it’s crucial for people to seek out professional care from an audiologist or licensed hearing aid specialist. HearingLife offers personalized care with a focus on the individual’s unique needs so that we can provide people with the most optimal solution for their lifestyle. HearingLife.com has plenty of resources available. For more information on the give back program to submit your story, go to www.hearinglife.com/giveback. *Source: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaotolaryngology/article-abstract/2606784 Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

May 30, 2023 12:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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NAVEX Announces AI-Powered Compliance Assistant

NAVEX Global

NAVEX, the leader in integrated risk and compliance management software, today announced NAVEX Compliance Assistant. The initial release of this new AI-powered functionality will offer instant answers to employee questions regarding company policies and procedures delivered in natural language. This functionality makes an organization’s compliance program more accessible and personal for all employees. As part of the NAVEX One GRC Information System, employees interact with NAVEX Compliance Assistant by asking it questions in their own words. The AI-powered Compliance Assistant then searches through a company’s policies and procedures to present a comprehensive answer to the employee’s inquiry. Compliance Assistant applies Large Language Model (LLM) technology to customer-controlled document sets for maximum relevance and accuracy. NAVEX’s secure cloud infrastructure protects document and data privacy. Rich NAVEX Integration Ensures Ease of Use and Data Security The AI-powered NAVEX Compliance Assistant is seamlessly integrated into NAVEX One People Hub, a unified, simplified way for employees to engage with the compliance program. Through People Hub, employees can conveniently report incidents, confirm policy adherence, complete training and disclose information within a user-friendly interface accessible on mobile devices. With the addition of Compliance Assistant, employees, and other authorized parties, can quickly clarify how to follow specific procedures and policies that apply to them. NAVEX Compliance Assistant offers a range of features tailored to meet the needs of organizations of all sizes, including: Intuitive chat interface: Employees can query the system with natural language questions about a policy or procedure of interest and receive prompt, accurate responses. Multilingual access: Users can ask questions and receive answers in 70 languages. Find relevant policies: Employees can easily search for and access relevant, verified policies and procedures, eliminating time-consuming manual searches or the need to reach out across departments to source an answer. Responsive access anywhere: NAVEX Compliance Assistant is accessible via the web and mobile devices, helping employees access critical compliance information from anywhere. Uncompromising privacy and security: NAVEX is committed to safeguarding all data within the systems it manages, including policy and procedure information and employee queries through Compliance Assistant. “Successful organizations turn governance, risk and compliance management into a competitive advantage. It helps prevent mistakes, motivate employees, and promotes confident decision-making,” said Sean Thompson, Chief Executive Officer at NAVEX. “In my years of experience with natural language user interface technology, incorporating it into a GRC program is one of the most exciting applications. Our new AI-enabled Compliance Assistant makes engaging with the compliance program simpler and more intuitive, which in turn makes employees more confident users of the system.” Expert point of view The adoption of AI-powered technologies to facilitate access to compliance-related information can bring great benefits. “Giving employees the ability to quickly and accurately access company policies and procedures fosters a culture of trust and safety with regards to risk mitigation. It also makes the whole process more efficient," said Darren Bradshaw, Chief Audit and Compliance Officer of Stellantis, a multinational automotive company on a journey of transformation into a sustainable mobility tech organization. Stellantis, as a customer of some NAVEX applications, plans to partner with the company to test the usability of this new application. To learn more about the AI-powered NAVEX Compliance Assistant, visit https://www.navex.com/en-us/products/navex-ethics-compliance/ai-employee-compliance-assistant/. Or, read our blog, “ Artificial Intelligence – The Next Frontier of GRC Management ” on Risk & Compliance Matters. NAVEX is trusted by thousands of customers worldwide to help them achieve the business outcomes that matter most. As the global leader in integrated risk and compliance management software and services, we deliver solutions through the NAVEX One platform, the industry’s most comprehensive governance, risk and compliance (GRC) information system. For more information, visit NAVEX.com and our blog. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Contact Details Scott Levesque +1 617-388-5773 scott.levesque@navex.com Company Website https://www.navex.com

May 30, 2023 08:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Laos Government to Promote Digital Transformation with Blockchain Technology

MetaBank

The Laotian government and blockchain experts held the first Ministerial Conference on Blockchain 4.0 Digital Transformation on May 26, 2023, at the National Convention Center in Vientiane, the capital of Laos. The conference, chaired by Laotian Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, was attended by leaders from the main economic departments. The meeting primarily discussed how to advance the digital transformation of Laos using digital technology, and for the first time, presented the theory of Blockchain 4.0 to the world, advocating for open collaboration and global co-construction, and boosting Laos' potential to be a builder and beneficiary of the global digital world order through national digital operations. Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone stated that in order to achieve the ninth five-year plan for national economic and social development, Laos must vigorously develop and utilize blockchain technology to digitize various government tasks and apply it extensively to administrative management and public services. The Laotian Minister of Technology, Boveingkham Vongdara, said that Laos faces opportunities and challenges brought about by Industry 4.0 and needs to use blockchain technology to transform production and service methods. To promote the digital transformation of Laos, the Ministry of Technology has signed a cooperation agreement with Singapore's MetaBank, planning to establish a blockchain technology research and development center and develop talents. The conference set goals for Laos's digital economy development, including utilizing digital technology to create new fiscal revenue, increase foreign exchange reserves, reduce inflation, achieve sustainable economic growth, improve living standards, and enhance international competitiveness in the short term. The meeting also proposed the establishment of a Blockchain Technology Transformation Committee, responsible for the legal compliance and legislation related to the digital economy. Experts attending the meeting stated that blockchain technology could help developing countries achieve "leapfrog development". Building a digital nation is divided into four stages: deploying digital infrastructure, deploying cybersecurity infrastructure, supporting the digitalization of various industries, and building a "digital brain". Developing countries should focus on open collaboration, use borderless blockchain technology to attract talents, and create "netizen citizens". Professor Bill Roscoe shared his perspective, asserting that blockchain technology serves as the driving force propelling us towards a digital civilization. How can ordinary people accept or understand the digital world? It needs to be promoted through the introduction of products and services. Specifically, a controllable platform is needed to ensure that citizens, enterprises, and the government abide by laws and regulations. Blockchain can establish a very effective platform and achieve the best balance and integration between different applications and jurisdictions through the integration of new languages and technologies. "Digital civilization is the inevitable path for the future development of society, and blockchain will become the 'cornerstone' of building digital civilization." MetaBank's founder and chairman, Frank Sui, believes that blockchain technology can help developing countries "overtake on a bend". MetaBank's mission is to serve as the leading solution partner for developing countries using blockchain technology, accelerating the transformation of developing countries towards digital civilization, improving the GDP and living standards of developing countries, and building a digital civilization on the three main pillars of digital financial infrastructure, digital asset tokenization platform, and digital society. Blockchain expert Zhu Jiawei believes that the construction of a digital nation has entered the fourth stage. Developing countries should focus on open collaboration, use universal borderless technology, attract technical talents, and create "netizen citizens". When Zhu Jiawei attended the Blockchain 4.0 Conference, he discussed the construction path of a digital nation, which is divided into four levels: (1) deploying digital science and technology infrastructure, (2) deploying physical and cybersecurity facilities to safeguard the development of the digital economy, (3) supporting the digitalization of various industries to keep up with the pace of the times, (4) building a digital brain through artificial intelligence technology to realize intelligent management from cities to national level. D11 Labs co-founder Lily Zhang believes the world is in the midst of the fourth open revolution, with openness, co-construction, sharing, prosperity, and new order as keywords. Laos can use blockchain technology to gain a development advantage and achieve leapfrog development. Laos should become the first country in the world to fully transform digitally, redefine its role in the global order, gain order-setting advantages, and help improve the lives of the Laotian people. The Lao government is determined to transform through blockchain technology, demonstrating the importance of the digital economy. This conference reflects the foresight and determination of the Lao government in the development of the digital economy. The government will play a key leadership role, establish a national digital transformation committee, and promote and supervise the implementation of related policies. Laos welcomes all sectors to participate in the development of the digital economy. In the future, Laos will become a model of blockchain technology application, leading the development of the new digital society. Contact Details Jasmine +65 8302 6504 jasmine@dethings.com Company Website https://www.metabank.com.sg/

May 29, 2023 06:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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SEO 2023 – New strategies for Search Engine Optimization

Increv

Few areas of digital marketing are as changeable and require so much adaption and new-thinking as the world of SEO. Search Engine Optimization has come a long way from its beginnings in the 1990s, and the technologies deciding what is “good SEO” or not changes from year to year. That’s why tech companies such as IncRev are launching new strategies aimed at long-term goals in both data-driven and relations-based SEO all over the world, by implementing tactics from both traditional PR and modern SEO and link-building. Below, we will discuss the nature of SEO, how SEO is changing, and why choosing an agency such as IncRev will be the key to your SEO success. Best SEO practices 2023: Find your customers with data-driven market analysis – read more here. Find authoritative marketing partners using data-driven PR – read more here. Reach your customers with high quality outreach and credible link-building – read more here. For more information, contact us at IncRev. What is SEO? In order to discuss the ways in which SEO works, it’s important to understand the basic principles on which the concept is built. SEO is an acronym for Search Engine Optimization, and is an umbrella term for processes in which users optimize their websites in order to rank higher on search engines such as Google whenever customers search for keywords relevant to their website. By optimizing the various aspects of a website, SEO aims to improve its ranking on search engine result pages (SERPs), thereby increasing the quantity and quality of traffic. In layman’s terms, it helps more people to find your website by increasing its digital visibility. Why is SEO important? There’s an old SEO joke that goes like this: A man asks a detective “Where’s the best place to hide a body?” The detective answers “Why, on the second page of Google, of course!”. In other words, ranking on the first page of Google is the key to getting traffic and therefore sales or viewings on your webpage, as few people bother to look past the first results page. In fact, the first spot on Google is ten times more likely to get a click than results number ten, and the top three results receive over half of all clicks. That’s why the goal of every SEO strategist is to get a website into the top ten search results on Google, and preferably in the top three. That’s why SEO marketing lives on, despite some people saying that SEO is dead. The answer is: it’s more alive than ever. It just doesn’t fit into the mold of the quick-results culture of the modern world, but it is still effective. The evolution of SEO SEO as a term first came into use in 1997, despite the first website being published in 1991. The coin was termed John Audette of Multimedia Marketing Group early that year, and so the hunt for the top of the search engine results pages began. In the beginning, there were several competing names for the concept, including search engine ranking, website promotion, etc. The strongest competitor was the term “search engine marketing”, which was originally pitched as a successor to SEO. But ultimately, search engine optimization proved to be the most steadfast and all-encompassing term, while SEM is used to describe concepts like paid search marketing and advertising. Google’s rise to power In the 2000s, Google grew to become the search engine giant we know it as today. Soon enough, the organization was able to survive on its own. At that time, they also launched effective web crawlers and PageRank algorithms, which changed the SEO game. Google began measuring both on-page and off-page content to decide SERP listings, forcing SEO to expand their work sphere and link-building took off as a popular tactic. Around the same time, Google also introduced PageRank scores, a website score between 1-10, which was an early version of today’s Domain Authority. These measures were broken down further with the introduction of Google Analytics and the Google Webmaster Tools (Search Console) in 2006. Later major updates, such as Panda and Penguin in 2011 and 2012 respectively, were put in place to sort out poor quality SEO work and reward those with quality websites. To this day, Google continues to release core and minor updates that impact the way that SEO can work. The platform has grown to be such a reputable platform that in 2022 it was estimated that Google accounted for more than 85 percent of the search engine usage, which is why it’s the platform that most SEO strategies focus on today. The big three: Local, social, mobile There have been three major changes in the way that people search the web, that has not been a result of search engine updates. The first of these came in the mid-2000s, when there was an adaptation toward geographical searches, which birthed local SEO. This meant that people were now searching for businesses near them, such as restaurants or car washes, thus increasing the need for separate local search engine strategies. This development also resulted in the advancement of end-user data, including search history and personalized interests. Fast-forward another decade into the 2010s, and a whole new set of searching and web-using emerged. Rather than just using the universal search-functions, users were now turning to medias such as YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn and other social medias for news and knowledge. Most importantly for SEO, these networks became revolutionary in building brand awareness. As such, the old term of search engine marketing (SEM) became ever more important on these platforms. As users started to bring their lives and entertainment from the big screens, such as laptops or TVs, they also began to use search engines straight from their mobile phones. This third change in user patterns led to mobile searching overtaking desktop searches in 2015, and added mobile adaptability to the list of SEO tools. The 2020s, AI, and the future of SEO We’ve finally arrived at our current time. The 2020s have brought with it a continued increase in digital usage and SEO is perhaps more important than ever. One of the biggest challenges the world of SEO stands before today is generative AI. Chat GPT, the free global access to generative AI as a search function, was released in the winter of 2022/2023, and has garnered instant attraction from both customers and competitors, including Google. It is still unclear what impact generative AI will have on SEO practices such as keywords analysis, although it is already affecting the quality of content on the web. New strategies for new challenges As new SEO directives arrive from Google’s updates, they also require new strategies. However, some companies – such as IncRev – have decided to create new strategies with a focus on longevity. Among IncRev’s new strategies are both traditional link-building and outreach including, in combination with inspiration from the traditional PR marketing sphere. The other two strategies that they’ve developed are strongly data-driven market research and PR. The market research is a process in which the company can help customers who want to scale globally to find the best geographical place for them to start their SEO journey, based on SEO factors such as demand and competition. The market-driven PR can build on that market research or stand alone, as a new way of reaching new marketing partners in international business circles. From these new partners, it is then possible to continue with link-building as well as traditional PR strategies. This is a unique way of piercing niche markets across the globe to attract potential customers. How does SEO work? Now that we’ve seen the evolution of SEO it’s time to get to the real question: what is SEO marketing actually, and how does it actually work? In order to understand how SEO works, it’s important to understand these two things: what Google wants and what the customers want. Only by doing so will you understand how you should optimize your web page. What Google wants One of the reasons why Google rose to such immense heights early on was due to the founders’ initiative to implement RankPage, or clear guidelines for how to rank content on their platform. Initially, the program worked by ranking content dependent on the linkstructure of the website, that built the foundation for the modern linkbuilding strategies. Simply put, links to the webpage acted as votes of confidence for the webpage. Today, this concept has developed into the E-E-A-T formula, where Google ranks content based on Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. These measures are interpreted by what the site’s linkbuilding looks like, such as what EEAT websites include links back to their landing page. They then ensure that the webpage produces reliable and accurate information, and are most likely to answer their customers’ questions. Ultimately, the reason why Google wants to prioritize high quality content is because happy Google customers are more likely to return to Google for more information, and therefore generating income for the search engine. So, how does Google find and rank the webpages? They do this through three stages: crawling, indexing, and serving results. Crawling means that Google sends “bots” or computer programs to scan through large chunks of the internet to find new or updated pages. They can only find it by going through a link. Googles then sorts through and organizes the content and puts it in the huge Google Index – a database for webpages. Lastly, Google serves the results by how relevant they are to the customer queries. What the customer wants Broadly speaking, there are three types of searches that customers make, and they can be described as Do-Know-Go. Whenever we search the internet, we either want to do something (such as make a purchase or visit a tourist attraction), know something, or go somewhere. These three types of searches can be further broken down, but these are the basic concepts. These three prompts can help you optimize your content so that you are answering the demand of the people. By realizing what your customer wants, you can provide SEO-optimized content which is relevant and fresh, which Google will reward you for. SEO components, or how to do SEO So how does a webpage get to that top of the search engine results page? While there is no quick fix, SEO provides a long-term strategy which aims at doing just that. SEO incorporates several different tactics in this long-term strategy, in which there are three main components: Technical SEO On-page SEO Off-page SEO Technical SEO refers to optimization on your webpage. This can for example mean implementing site maps so that Google can crawl the page more easily, increasing the website speed, or making the site mobile adaptable. On-page SEO refers to edits to the content that is already on the webpage, rather than the technicalities behind it. This can for example include keyword optimizing headings, producing SEO-optimized blog posts, URL and picture optimization, and adding meta titles and descriptions. Off-page SEO, on the other hand, is part of the link-building strategy. The focus here lies on building credibility and brand awareness by for example writing guests posts and linking to your webpage on other, reputable sources. The key here is to create backlinks, which give authority and endorsement to your website, and thus giving Google a sign that you are a credible source too. To get good results, it’s important to implement all of the tactics above in a combined effort to get Google’s attention. However, these general descriptions are only scraping the top of the iceberg of SEO. Beneath these lay a whole science of various methods and strategies to rank at the top of the results page. Link-building The on-page and off-stage SEO practices can also be called SEO link-building. That’s because they both refer to building a link-system which Google will reward, whether it’s by driving links to your website from other credible sources or creating a seamless link-flow internally on your webpage. Links to and on your website act as votes of trust, credibility and authority, which is why they are a crucial part of your SEO strategy. However, the links need to be carefully and thoughtfully crafted so that they maintain the right level of relevance and credibility, which can be done through producing high quality SEO content. SEO content For both on-page and off-page work, SEO content plays a huge role. As mentioned earlier, Google ranks webpages depending on both their link-building and how credible, authoritative, and expert their content is. However, these two factors are not as separate as one might think: with high quality content, it is also easier to build a good SEO link-building network. Often when we discuss SEO content, we tend to think of texts of lesser quality that are packed with poor quality links. However, due to Google’s updates, such as Penguin, poor content is continually being phased out. That means individuals and agencies are having to spend more time recruiting better writers and spending more time on content. As we discussed earlier, SEO content needs to be adapted to both the demands from the customer (a.k.a. the searching person) and Google. That means texts need to be relevant, authoritative, credible, and high quality. These texts also need to be SEO optimized using meta-data, such as titles and descriptions, and keywords in the headings in order for Google’s crawlers to pick up better on the relevancy factor. That being said, the research and preparation for both good and bad content remains the same – all SEO content needs proper keyword research. Keyword research Finding the right keywords will not only make you more competitive as an SEO user, but will also help you understand your audience better. That’s because keywords are clues to who your audience is. For example, the keywords “how to ski” and “ski maintenance” could technically be placed in the same text contextually, but they imply that we’re dealing with skiers of different skill levels. The keywords are both guides for the link-building process and the content. When building links, it’s important that both the link, the placement, and the publishing website are relevant in the context in order for Google’s crawlers to give it a credible ranking. There are several tools on the market for finding the best keywords, and there are also a ton of metrics for understanding how good a keyword is and what the chances are of breaking into the competition for that specific keyword. Common metrics include keyword difficulty, traffic potential, cost-per-click, etcetera. Brand awareness Ultimately, what these various tactics aim to do is to bring brand awareness to your website. People are twice as likely to purchase from a brand they recognize. An American study found that 75 percent of shoppers tend to go for known retailers, and nearly 70 percent do the same when deciding what search result to click on. Doing SEO: alone or SEO agency? As you can tell, there is a lot of information and knowledge that goes into producing and completing good SEO strategies. If you are considering adapting some SEO strategies, you may be wondering whether you should do it all on your own or hire an agency. Without sugarcoating it, doing SEO alone is a lot of hard work. First and foremost, you got to have basic understandings of both SEO tools, Google Analytics, and good writing skills. Then you need good networking skills and a sense of price bargaining to get your links out to credible sources. On top of this, you need to stay up to date with all the latest developments within Google updates, market changes, and new technologies such as generative AI which can impact your SEO strategies. All of this can be both time consuming and costly. If it feels overwhelming, there are a ton of SEO agencies on the market that are ready to help. Some of them focus solely on SEO content production, whereas others focus solely on technical SEO or solely on SEO link-building. Some agencies, such as IncRev, offer entire packages, where staying SEO updated, building and optimizing webpages, link-building, content production, and publishing is included. Together with the new data-driven strategies and tactics, IncRev offers services that are great for both those who are somewhat new as to those who are already familiar and wanting to grow beyond. FAQ: Frequently asked questions about SEO What is SEO? SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It is a digital marketing form that focuses on creating digital visibility on search engines such as Google by improving websites’ rankings in the search results. What is the difference between SEO and SEM? SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization and works with creating organic ranking improvements on platforms like Google. SEM stands for Search Engine Marketing and focuses on paid promotions and marketing on platforms like Google. How long does SEO take? Good SEO typically takes between 4 months to a year to see good results. However, it’s crucial to understand that SEO is a long-term strategy, that is never really finished. If you are lucky enough to rank at 1 on Google, the job doesn’t stop there: then you want to maintain that spot by continuing your SEO work. Why do you need SEO? SEO helps to build brand awareness, which is key in gaining credibility amongst both Google and potential customers. That’s why SEO is worth it, even if it is a long game. Contact Details IncRev David Vesterlund contact@increv.co Company Website https://increv.co/

May 25, 2023 05:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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