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Cloud Conventions Launches 365 Program for Virtual Conferences, Trade Shows and Events

Convey Services

Cloud Conventions today announced Cloud Conventions 365 a new service for virtual conferences, trade shows and events that allows show and event sponsors access to an event portal year-round to manage virtual or hybrid events. Trade show operators, companies and associations that use a Cloud Conventions platform can now keep their portal live and accessible using Cloud Conventions 365 for up to one year. Cloud Conventions is a full featured virtual event SaaS technology solution from Convey Services . “A virtual event is no longer limited by the 2-3 days a physical trade show normally operates; it can be open and evolving all year with Cloud Conventions 365,” said Carolyn Bradfield , founder of Convey. “Once traditional trade shows moved to a virtual format as a result of cancellations in 2020, they realized the benefits from keeping their audience engaged and connected longer. When the pandemic is behind us, we expect all shows will incorporate a virtual solution to accompany a live conference, tradeshow or event in 2021 and beyond. Despite initial pushback, people have realized that virtual events expand their attendee audience, rather than reduce it, give exhibitors a stronger ROI from increased and extended online market presence and offer reduced cost from delivering a virtual event experience.” Once a live Cloud Conventions virtual event has closed, the portal can retain its structure and easily be repurposed for subsequent events throughout the year. Cloud Conventions is designed for the non-technical user and does not require special coding or development to manage it. Virtual booth can remain or be refreshed for the next event or can accommodate new exhibitors, sponsors or speaker sessions. Attendees from prior events can remain in the database as ‘pre-registered’ for new pop-up events or the registration process can begin over. “The Cloud Conventions 365 option is incredibly cost efficient and saves time for the trade show operator that wants to stage virtual or hybrid events all year,” added Bradfield. “The portal can be available for a period of time after their first Cloud Conventions event or the organization can simply enter into a six or twelve month subscription agreement for the use of the technology.” About Cloud Conventions Cloud Conventions is a Virtual Trade Show and Conference Platform from Convey Services that brings new capabilities to a marketplace looking for solutions to replace the thousands of live trade shows, annual conferences and association meetings cancelled in the wake of COVID-19. Originally launched as ConveyLive, Cloud Conventions automates exhibitors and virtual booths, attendee registration, speaker sessions and reminders, invitations and email communication, while at the same time producing detailed analytics on attendee, session and exhibitor activity.  Trade Associations and event managers can explore all of the Cloud Conventions solutions by visiting https://cloudconventions.com or contacting info@cloudconventions.com or call 888-975-1382. Contact Details Bruce Ahern +1 770-580-0810 bahern@conveyservices.com Company Website https://cloudconventions.com

July 14, 2020 03:12 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Minuteman Press Franchise Free COVID-19 Resource Bounce Back USA Gains National and Local Media Attention Supporting Thousands of Local Businesses in Their Communities

Minuteman Press International

Since the launch of Bounce Back USA in April 2020, Minuteman Press International has seen an overwhelming response from businesses and communities. To date, over 12,000 businesses have joined the movement in their communities by submitting free local listings at https://BounceBackUSA.com and Bounce Back websites in Canada , the United Kingdom , Australia , and South Africa . The free Bounce Back USA initiative was created by Minuteman Press to give back to communities during COVID-19 and support local businesses. Businesses submit their logo and text, and their ad is posted for free on BounceBackUSA.com. They also receive a free COVID-19 safety and awareness poster. What is Bounce Back USA? --Bounce Back USA ( https://BounceBackUSA.com ) is a free initiative that provides free business listings & COVID-19 awareness and prevention posters to support local business . --Bounce Back USA was created my Minuteman Press International, the #1 rated marketing and printing franchise by Entrepreneur, to give back to local businesses and help provide a free boost to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic. --Bounce Back USA has been featured by FORBES , Entrepreneur Magazine (July 2020 issue), the International Franchise Association , Modern Restaurant Management , and many local publications in communities across America. --There are already over 12,000 participating businesses and the free Bounce Back initiative is now available in 5 countries: Bounce Back USA , Bounce Back Canada , Bounce Back UK , Bounce Back Australia , and Bounce Back South Africa . Why Support Local Businesses? “Supporting local business is more important than ever before, and what we are doing with Bounce Back USA is creating a movement that community members can rally around because people are looking for every reason to shop local,” says Nick Titus, President, Minuteman Press International. People are looking to support local businesses. This is backed by a recent Groupon infographic , which cited the following statistics: --67% of people are more hopeful now than when the pandemic began and 75% plan to support small businesses as much as possible once restrictions on non-essential businesses are lifted in their areas. --The average consumer plans to spend nearly $100 per week at local businesses post-COVID-19, up 16% vs. before the pandemic — in the hopes of boosting their local economy. --86% have supported a locally owned business during quarantine. Join the Movement for Free Join the movement to support local business for free today! Visit BounceBackUSA.com to submit your free listing and receive your free COVID-19 awareness and prevention poster. Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities and read Minuteman Press franchise reviews at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com . Contact Details Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

July 14, 2020 02:08 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Engagement Multiplier Offers Free Employee Engagement Tools for Businesses Impacted by COVID-19

Engagement Multiplier

Engagement Multiplier ( www.engagementmultiplier.com ) a leading SaaS provider of employee engagement surveys and tools for small-to-medium enterprises, today announced an offer of free employee engagement surveys created specifically to help business leaders address the COVID-19 crisis. The free offer includes full use of Engagement Multiplier’s comprehensive benchmark assessment survey, as well as surveys designed to help leaders assess the engagement of remote teams and prepare their businesses for the return to the new normal. “It’s important for leaders to find out where their teams stand now, as economies start to reopen,” notes Stefan Wissenbach, founder and CEO of Engagement Multiplier. “They have the opportunity to create tighter cultures, capture the learning and innovation the quarantine period forced, and make the adjustments needed for their business to emerge stronger than ever before.” Designed for ease of use by smaller enterprises, Engagement Multiplier provides an online platform that captures written feedback, provides anonymous communications and scores employee engagement on six dimensions. Wissenbach notes that the current circumstances provide unusual challenges and opportunities for business leaders. “The amount of change our businesses and employees have absorbed over the second quarter of the year is truly unprecedented, and leaders have a golden opportunity to unlock the new knowledge acquired by their organization during this period,” Wissenbach states. “That’s why we’ve developed a special question module that can be added to the benchmark survey, to enable leaders to capture the new processes employees have devised, see new opportunities employees have spotted and understand challenges they need additional support in navigating.” For additional details or to register for the free offer, please visit https://signup.engagementmultiplier.com/emerge-stronger . About Engagement Multiplier Engagement Multiplier helps businesses achieve greater profitability, productivity and success by enabling leaders to quickly assess, understand and improve employee engagement and harnessing the power of the company’s Engaged Purpose (™). Using the intuitive Engagement Multiplier dashboard, business leaders can easily survey employees using a Benchmark Assessment, or gather feedback from defined teams with a customized On-Demand Survey. The company’s mission is to transform businesses and help 100 million employees become measurably more engaged. Founded in 2014, Engagement Multiplier today serves businesses and partners around the world. The "Emerge Stronger" employee engagement survey from Engagement Multiplier is designed to help business leaders get the data they need as they prepare their businesses for the New Normal. Easy to deploy and FREE to use, the survey will capture the insights and innovations their teams generated during the lockdown, and enable them to position their businesses to thrive. Contact Details Sarah Skerik +1 872-240-1918 sarah@engagementmultiplier.com

July 14, 2020 10:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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COVID: Patents Being Abandoned At Triple The Normal Rate According to BlueIron Study

BlueIron, LLC

An updated analysis by BlueIron shows that the COVID crisis has dramatically affected business's IP strategy. This lack of confidence in the future has never been seen before and has severe implications. "Patents represent a company's confidence in the future and their ability to innovate. Companies get patents because they believe in their innovations and that they will be successful in the market," says Russ Krajec , CEO of BlueIron, which finances patent portfolios for innovative companies. "COVID has been shaken this confidence in ways we have never seen before." The abandonment rate has shot up since COVID started, especially for Small Entities, which are companies of less than 500 people. As reported in March , the abandonment rate nearly doubled, but in July, the trend has continued with abandonments nearly tripling. For Small Entities, the abandonment rate has gone from 11.7% to 31%. For Large Entities, the abandonment rate has doubled from about 6.5% to 13%. Abandonments are pending patent applications where the applicant has decided to quit prosecution. These data are from when the USPTO examiner has issued a rejection and the applicant has refused to respond, letting the patent go abandoned rather than invest more money in it. The average number of rejections for US patents is about 4.2 per patent. "Patents are 20 year assets and are typically are not affected by short term market swings. A similar study during the 2008 recession showed patent abandonment rate being very steady," says Krajec . "However, the COVID crisis has changed things in ways we have never seen before." "Certainly, companies are taking a very hard look at expenses and IP costs are one way to conserve cash during lean times. But cutting off the future value of your company by abandoning patents shows a completely different type of thinking than we have seen before." About BlueIron: BlueIron provides IP-related financing for companies from startups to publicly traded companies. BlueIron finances the cost of getting a patent and building patent portfolios, provides insurance for enforcement and defense of those patents, and can provide $2-5M loans using patents as collateral. You can read the BlueIron blog here. About Russ Krajec: Russ Krajec is a registered patent attorney who has been practicing for over 20 years, as well as a podcaster, blogger, and author. His book “Investing In Patents” describes the business criteria used to identify good inventions and good patents. Krajec is the host of the Patent Myths podcast, which looks at IP from a business standpoint. Contact Details Russ Krajec +1 970-776-4355 russ.krajec@blueironip.com Company Website https://blueironip.com

July 13, 2020 01:00 PM Mountain Daylight Time

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Mike Tague Rejoins Interfirst Mortgage to Lead Western Division Wholesale Production Channel

Interfirst Mortgage Company

Interfirst Mortgage Company (Interfirst and/or Company), a private equity-backed mortgage originator, announced today that Mike Tague has rejoined the Company as Vice President, Western Division Production for the wholesale channel. In his new role, Mr. Tague will focus on growing Interfirst’s wholesale channel throughout the West by adding top-performing and relationship-driven Account Executives as the Company builds its presence across the U.S. Mr. Tague brings with him 30 years of mortgage industry experience and has spent 25 years building sales teams, expanding branch operations and growing existing markets in the wholesale channel. During his career, Mr. Tague has held the position of Vice President of Wholesale at numerous lenders including The Money Source, Peoples Home Equity, Ethos Lending LLC and Finance of America Mortgage LLC. Mr. Tague first joined Interfirst in 2011, where he was instrumental in growing wholesale production to more than $1 billion per month. “We are thrilled to have Mike back at Interfirst as a key leader in our wholesale business,” said Mark Freedle, Executive Vice President, Production. “Mike has a dynamic, relationship-driven leadership approach and an unmatched track record for building a strong wholesale production team that will help Interfirst expand quickly across the Western region of the U.S.” Mr. Freedle added, “Interfirst fully supports the mortgage brokerage community with a broker-centric approach, and the technology, competitive products/pricing and service to help mortgage brokers build and grow a successful and sustainable business. We have the ability to deliver a cost-efficient process driven by our proprietary technology platform that allows mortgage brokers to better serve customers and close more quality loans quickly at the most competitive price.” “My first experience at Interfirst was one of the best in my career and I am excited to be back working with Dmitry Godin, Mark and the rest of the leadership team,” commented Mr. Tague. “The new Interfirst is focused on transforming the way consumers obtain residential mortgages – and reenters the wholesale channel without any legacy challenges. Our objective is to enable our mortgage broker partners to operate efficiently and friction free through a technology-driven model based on service, speed, competitive offerings and sustainability – and empower them to exceed their own expectations and help their clients.” Seven top-producing Account Executives, most of whom generated more than $30 million in mortgage originations per month in 2019, and previously worked at Interfirst, have already joined Mr. Tague’s team. These Account Executives, who all have over 20 years of mortgage industry experience, include Sarah Daniels in Colorado, Thomas Corvo in Hawaii, Chip Mamiya in California, Conrad Tan and Donna Browne in Northern California, Dee Morelli in Illinois, and Chris Jenkins in Utah. Interfirst is working diligently to expand its loan offering to all 50 states by the end of 2020, which will be an important milestone in the business strategy the Company initiated in January. To learn more, Mr. Tague can be reached at mtague@interfirst.com . About Interfirst Interfirst Mortgage Company is a private equity-backed mortgage originator that is transforming the way consumers obtain residential mortgages. Founded in 2001, and relaunched in 2020, Interfirst is built on a new proprietary loan origination technology platform and an expanded business model featuring a newly integrated retail and wholesale offering. With innovation at its core, Interfirst enables mortgage broker partners and loan originators the ability to operate efficiently and friction free through a technology-driven model based on service, speed, competitive products/pricing and sustainability. Interfirst is currently licensed in 13 states including Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin, with plans in place to be licensed in all 50 states. Visit Interfirst.com or contact 800.520.7087 to learn more. Contact Details Cate Cronin +1 202-738-7302 ccronin@levick.com Company Website https://www.interfirst.com/

July 13, 2020 08:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Minuteman Press Franchise in Marietta Inspires Community to Bounce Back from COVID-19

Minuteman Press International

Bounce Back Marietta , part of Bounce Back USA , provides free business listings and connects community members with businesses so they can support each other at this time. For Judith Danny and the Minuteman Press franchise in Marietta, GA, the Bounce Back initiative led to an out-pouring of support from local businesses and a community-wide celebration for the Class of 2020. Local business owner Judith Danny of Minuteman Press Marietta explains three ways that Bounce Back Marietta was embraced by fellow business owners and residents: “1. One of the first people to contact me after my first Bounce Back email blast was Kelly, an employee and a mother of a 2020 graduate at Marietta High School. She wanted to direct the school’s printing operations to Minuteman Press in order to support local businesses. We were talking about her son’s graduation materials and that led to discussing the possibility of school-wide graduation signs. A couple of weeks later, over 500 contour-cut yard signs of the graduates’ smiling faces lined the front of the high school. This unique graduation celebration made the front page of the local newspaper and received thousands of views on social media.” “2. The owners of Marco’s Pizza and Marietta Perks were inspired by my example to remain open. They cited Bounce Back’s “supportive community” as a source of hope during these times. Both businesses were in the middle of pre-opening renovations just as the shutdown happened, so there was no better time to find support.” “3. Jennings Music was the first business to advertise in the Bounce Back Marietta website, because they remained hopeful. They realized that the possibility of serving customers is reason enough to stay open and stay the course.” “By quickly adapting during COVID-19 and embracing the nationwide Bounce Back USA initiative launched by Minuteman Press International, Judy has been able to earn business, reinforce relationships, and serve as a great example for other businesses in Marietta,” adds Dave Walton, Minuteman Press Regional Vice President. For information on Minuteman Press Marietta, GA, visit https://www.marietta.minutemanpress.com . Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities and read Minuteman Press franchise reviews at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com . Contact Details Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

July 10, 2020 10:09 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Center for the Study of Capitalism at Wake Forest University Hosts Diversity & Inclusion Webinar

LEVICK

Wake Forest University’s Center for the Study of Capitalism will host a July 15 webinar titled, “Doing the Right Thing: How Companies Lead in the New Age of Diversity & Inclusion.” The event will focus on potential diversity and inclusion initiatives for businesses currently rethinking their policies and communications tactics. The panel’s evolution was prompted by the recent focus on the Black Lives Matter protests that have generated far more conversation than all other social issues – abortion, immigration, gun control, #MeToo – combined . The panel will be hosted by the Center for the Study of Capitalism at Wake Forest University, a research and teaching center and a trusted source of information about well-functioning democratic capitalism. The panel will be hosted by Richard Levick, Chairman and CEO of LEVICK and Executive Affiliate of the Center for the Study of Capitalism. Webinar panelists include: Neil Foote, Foote Communications Kurt Bardella, LEVICK William Ide, Akerman Chris Jackson, Ipsos Derede McAlpin, LEVICK “Since the murder of George Floyd and the Battle of Lafayette Square, diversity and inclusion have dominated our society’s debate in ways they haven’t since the great Civil Rights movement of the 1960s,” Levick said. “All the CEOs, general counsels and board members we have spoken with recognize this historic nature of this moment and tell us ‘We want to do the right thing, but we don’t fully know what or how.’ This webinar is designed to provide the pathway.” While some companies have made significant changes to their policies policy to respond to the Black Lives Matter movement and the public’s outcry for corporate action, many are still asking how and what to do while others are unnecessarily immobilized by past actions or inactions. The webinar will include communications and legal experts who will examine the internal and external changes that companies need to adopt given societal upheaval. For more information on the webinar, visit https://capitalism.wfu.edu/events/doing-the-right-thing-how-companies-lead-in-the-new-age-of-diversity-inclusion/ About the Center for the Study of Capitalism The Center for the Study of Capitalism at Wake Forest University is a research and teaching center and a trusted source of information about well-functioning democratic capitalism. Contact Details Maria Stagliano +1 404-245-0899 mstagliano@levick.com Company Website https://www.levick.com

July 10, 2020 09:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Current Patent Litigation Costs Are Between $2.3 to $4M - from the BlueIron blog

BlueIron, LLC

Patent litigation in the US has two major stages: claim construction (sometimes called a Markman hearing) and a trial for infringement and damages. In a vast majority of cases, once the claim construction is done, the writing is on the wall and a settlement happens. "With the cost of litigation at an all-time high, patent enforcement and defense insurance makes sure you have the ability to survive," says Russ Krajec of BlueIron, a patent-finance company. The American Intellectual Property Lawyer’s Association (AIPLA) issues a bi-annual survey of IP-related costs . In the latest survey, the claim construction portion of a patent litigation ranges from $250,000 for less than $1M at risk to $2.375M for cases where $25M or more is at risk. For the entire trial, the AIPLA says that for less than $1M at risk, the trial will cost $700,000, while the very high value cases will cost $4M or more. “The AIPLA data says that with less than a million dollars at stake, both parties will have to spend $700K – or a total of $1.4 million dollars to fight a patent lawsuit,” says Krajec. “That is crazy that the expenses are so high.” “Startup companies are always cash-constrained,” continues Krajec. “No startup has the cash reserves required to go up against a Big Tech company that decides they want to use the startup’s technology. Not only does this happen in technology-based companies, but it is standard practice with the life sciences space. Certain big companies find it cheaper to blatantly infringe a startup’s patents and just dare them to sue.” Patent enforcement and defense insurance gives a startup the means to survive patent litigation, yet few startups bother to get these policies. “Most angel investors who are board members require a startup to have director’s and officer’s insurance. Over the last decade there were fourteen patent lawsuits for every individual D&O claim,” says Krajec. BlueIron is a broker for patent enforcement and defense insurance policies, including policies written by Intellectual Property Insurance Services Corporation in Louisville, Kentucky. “IP insurance is the only insurance we sell, as part of our whole patent-based financing options for companies from startups to publicly traded companies.” Schedule a call with BlueIron and see if Intellectual Property Insurance is right for your company. Learn more about Patent Litigation here on the BlueIron blog. Learn more about BlueIron's IP insurance here. The PatentMyth Podcast has an episode on patent insurance. About BlueIron: BlueIron provides IP-related financing for companies from startups to publicly traded companies. BlueIron finances the cost of getting a patent and building patent portfolios, provides insurance for enforcement and defense of those patents, and can provide $2-5M loans using patents as collateral. You can read the BlueIron blog here. About Russ Krajec: Russ Krajec is a registered patent attorney who has been practicing for over 20 years, as well as a podcaster, blogger, and author. His book “Investing In Patents” describes the business criteria used to identify good inventions and good patents. Krajec is the host of the Patent Myths podcast, which looks at IP from a business standpoint. Contact Details Russ Krajec +1 970-776-4355 russ.krajec@blueironip.com Company Website https://blueironip.com

July 10, 2020 08:02 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Patent Myths from BlueIron: You Should Never File A Provisional Patent Application

BlueIron, LLC

“Provisional patent applications are widely touted as the go-to thing for startup companies or independent inventors, but they are always the wrong thing to do,” says Russ Krajec , CEO of BlueIron , a company providing IP-related funding for emerging companies. A provisional patent application has a lower filing fee than a conventional, non-provisional patent application, and many patent attorneys will do provisional applications for much less than a “full” or non-provisional patent application. A provisional patent application has a one-year deadline to convert to a non-provisional patent application, so many people use this opportunity to add more material to the patent application. Even the United States Patent and Trademark Office suggest that independent inventors use the provisional patent application route. “From a business and economic standpoint, the provisional patent application creates more problems than it solves,” says Krajec, a registered patent attorney. “The provisional application process is designed to delay getting a patent, but in almost every situation, it is better to speed up the process – the exact opposite of the provisional.” The faster a company can get its patent, the faster the company can license and enforce their technology. The faster the patent issues, the more value the company has when it is raising money or getting loans using IP as collateral. “The difference in filing fees between a provisional and non-provisional patent application is about $600. When raising money, a provisional patent application screams to an investor ‘I don’t think this patent application was worth the extra $600 to file it as a non-provisional!’” explains Krajec. “Some sophisticated angel investors see provisional patent applications as ‘angel bait.’ Many entrepreneurs know their patents might be worthless, but they do provisionals to satisfy gullible angel investors.” A low-cost provisional patent application often results in a loss of international filing rights, but always results in a delay in getting an enforceable/licensable asset, and a more expensive patent overall. “Many entrepreneurs are mistaken that just because they filed a ‘thin’ provisional application that they are ‘protected.’ But the actual protection only starts when the complete, non-provisional patent application is filed.” To learn more, please visit the BlueIron Blog "Should I File a Provisional Patent Application" or the PatentMyths podcast episode entitled “The Myth of Provisional Patent Applications” . About BlueIron: BlueIron provides IP-related financing for companies from startups to publicly traded companies. BlueIron finances the cost of getting a patent and building patent portfolios, provides insurance for enforcement and defense of those patents, and can provide $2-5M loans using patents as collateral. You can read the BlueIron blog here. About Russ Krajec: Russ Krajec is a registered patent attorney who has been practicing for over 20 years, as well as a podcaster, blogger, and author. His book " Investing In Patents " describes the business criteria used to identify good inventions and good patents. Krajec is the host of the Patent Myths podcast, which looks at IP from a business standpoint. Contact Details Russ Krajec +1 970-776-4355 russ.krajec@blueironip.com Company Website https://blueironip.com

July 09, 2020 11:06 AM Mountain Daylight Time

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