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Spotlight Sports Group Names Dan Pozner Vice President of Content

Spotlight Sports Group

Today, Spotlight Sports Group, owner of Pickswise, the fastest growing independent sports betting content provider in North America, announced Dan Pozner as its new Vice President of Content. Pozner will be responsible for enriching and expanding Pickswise’s preeminent sports betting content across video, audio, data and editorial channels. He is also tasked with cultivating a new roster of talent including guest contributors, video hosts and sports betting experts. Pozner joins Spotlight after a decade at NBC Sports, where he most recently served as the Director of Gambling Content. Seizing upon the growth opportunities for legalized betting in America, Dan played a pivotal role in helping NBC Sports develop and launch its sports betting capabilities through free-to-play games, unique multi-platform content and the editorial integration of odds on linear television. “The American sports betting market continues to change rapidly, but the one constant is a strong demand for quality content that educates, informs and inspires bettors,” said Harry von Behr, managing director of Spotlight Sports Group. “Dan’s experience in building betting brands and creating successful content, including podcasts and managing partner bookmaker relationships, is an enormous asset to Pickswise as we continue to grow into one of America's top sports betting sites.” Pozner brings additional leading industry experience to Spotlight’s expanding American-based team, including newly hired sports betting experts from PointsBet, DraftKings and Vixio Gambling Compliance. “The landscape for sports betting content in America is extremely competitive with media companies, experts and influencers all competing for the attention of this growing and engaged audience” said Pozner. “I was immediately drawn to Pickswise’s aggressive approach to expansion in the US market through educating and entertaining sports bettors with free, accessible data-driven insights without the need for a paid subscription. Pickswise is the ultimate first-step destination for sports bettors looking to make stronger and more informed bets and I’m looking forward to expanding and innovating Pickswise’s growing and trusted content portfolio.” For more information on Spotlight Sports Group please visit https://www.spotlightsportsgroup.com/en_us/. ABOUT SPOTLIGHT SPORTS GROUP Spotlight Sports Group delivers distinctive sports betting experiences through their own brands and partnerships with the world's biggest betting operators and media owners. Global growth is driven by delivering premium independent sports betting content, marketing partnerships and publisher solutions. Evolved from the Racing Post, Spotlight Sports Group, through Pickswise is now the fastest growing independent sports betting content provider in the US. Contact Details Hot Paper Lantern Michael Adorno +1 212-931-6143 madorno@hotpaperlantern.com Company Website https://www.spotlightsportsgroup.com/en_us/

June 24, 2021 10:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Paralyzed Veterans of America works to end handicapped parking abuse, marks 75th year advocating for accessibility

YourUpdateTV

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/ulJa59_iS_w Accessible parking spaces designed specifically for people with disabilities are often misused, causing added difficulties for paralyzed veterans and others with disabilities. A survey found that 85% of Americans with disabilities struggled to find accessible parking in their communities, and over 50% turned back when they couldn’t find accessible parking. What can be done to combat this problem? Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) has launched the Honor the Spot campaign to encourage all Americans to do their part to keep handicapped parking spaces open for people who need them to be independent. The campaign reminds people that accessible spots are a civil right, and taking them means people with disabilities may not get to appointments and errands. The call to Honor the Spot comes as public spaces open up to larger capacities as pandemic restrictions ease, and as PVA marks its 75 th year as a voice for veterans with spinal cord conditions, and all people with disabilities. PVA is asking people to pledge to be part of the solution at pva.org/HonortheSpot, not to make excuses for taking accessible spots, and not to share handicapped placards for any reason. About Paralyzed Veterans of America: For 75 years, Paralyzed Veterans of America has been the only Veterans service organization dedicated solely to helping Veterans with spinal cord injuries and disorders (SCI/D), and diseases like MS and ALS. Our team of legislative advocates, architects, medical professionals, lawyers, and other highly trained professionals strives to ensure that every Veteran regains the freedom, independence, and quality of life they fought for. PVA is a major support system for our nation’s paralyzed heroes, their families, and caregivers, through ensuring quality health care; securing earned benefits; fighting for disability civil rights; making America more accessible; helping Veterans find meaningful careers; empowering them through sports, recreation, and wellness programs; and funding both research and education in search for a cure and improved care and autonomy for individuals with paralysis. Operating more than 70 offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, PVA helps paralyzed Veterans and all people with disabilities live fuller, more productive lives. Learn more at pva.org. About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

June 23, 2021 03:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Bumble research reveals how the pandemic has changed dating heading into the ‘summer of love’

YourUpdateTV

Bumble, the women-first dating app and social networking platform, has revealed how the pandemic has shaped the way that single people are dating this summer and beyond as restrictions are beginning to ease and more people are becoming fully vaccinated within the United States every day. Recently, Head of Editorial Content at Bumble, Clare O’Connor, participated in a nationwide satellite media tour to discuss the survey results and what they suggest about the future of dating. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/w8s692FKpII Following a year of social distancing measures, 91% of survey respondents believe that there is no longer a stigma attached to meeting someone online or through a dating app since the pandemic began. Even more, an overwhelming two-thirds (65%) think that it’s possible to fall in love with someone that they’ve never met in person before. According to the study, the most popular reason why survey respondents enjoy going on virtual dates is that they find it safer to engage with a match virtually before meeting in person. However, that isn’t the only benefit: 1 in 3 (31%) like virtual dates because it saves them time and money, and 1 in 4 (26%) appreciate that they only have to get partially ready (“half-glam”) when going on a video date. Additionally, over half (51%) of Bumble’s community surveyed said that they are updating and refreshing their dating profile right now. For more tips and insights on navigating this new dating landscape, visit bumble.com/finally. Bumble is free and available worldwide in the App Store and Google Play. About Clare O’Connor: Clare O'Connor is Bumble's Head of Editorial Content, working on building out a content platform at the women-first social networking company. Prior to joining Bumble, she spent more than seven years as a staff writer at Forbes, most recently covering women entrepreneurs and workplace equality. During graduate school at Columbia University's School of Journalism, she worked at CNN's Anderson Cooper 360. She was born and brought up in Bermuda About Bumble: Bumble, the women-first social networking app, was founded by CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd in 2014. Bumble connects people across dating (Bumble Date), friendship (Bumble BFF) and professional networking (Bumble Bizz). No matter the type of relationship, women make the first move on Bumble. Bumble is built on the importance of equitable relationships and how crucial they are to a healthy, happy life. About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

June 23, 2021 02:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Summer Beauty Must-Haves

YourUpdateTV

Summer 2021 is here, and it’s safe to say that people have never been more excited to enjoy the season. Recently, Lifestyle Expert Emily L. Foley teamed with YourUpdateTV to discuss the beauty must-haves we need to thrive this season. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/FiAchlstK44 Protection from the Sun Sunscreen is a beauty must-have 365 days a year–not just in the summer! No matter what the weather is, our skin needs broad-spectrum sun protection from both UVA and UVB rays. CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 Sheer Tint is a great daily face sunscreen, because it’s a lightweight, 100% mineral sunscreen, which means it’s safe for even sensitive skin, plus it provides a sheer tint that blends well with most skin tones. It really offers sun care and skincare in one–it has that broad-spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen you need, but it also has important skincare ingredients to restore the skin barrier, lock in moisture and soothe skin, like three essential ceramides, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide. Good Makeup Habits With people going out and putting on makeup, it’s important to remember to wash off your makeup at the end of the day. But what a lot of people don’t know is that ordinary liquid cleansers can leave up to 30% of your makeup still on your face–especially stubborn eye makeup! That’s why professional makeup artists and people in the know turn to Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes, because they remove even the tiniest traces of makeup to make sure nothing gets in the way of your healthiest skin. It’s always a good idea to do a double cleanse, so for the very best clean and your healthiest possible skin, you should use a wipe first and then cleanse. Healthy Looking Skin Everyone is so excited to pull out their sun dresses and actually get dressed and be seen for the first time in a long time, but that also means our pandemic skin is about to be exposed. It’s important to find products that are easy-to-use and deliver big results, and the Olay Premium Exfoliating Body Wash Collection does just that. Their Exfoliating & Moisturizing Body Wash made with sugar and cocoa butter, massages away dead skin cells to leave skin feeling smooth and renewed and is gentle enough to use every day. It’s full of moisturizing ingredients like Vitamin B3 Complex and petrolatum, which is the #1 dermatologist recommended moisturizer, so it deeply hydrates to nourish the skin. For more information, check out @EmilyLFoley on Instagram About Emily L. Foley: Emily is a freelance writer and on-air beauty and lifestyle expert. Specializing in beauty, fashion, entertainment and The Bachelor franchise (it’s totally a specialty), she writes for magazines such as Allure, Glamour, O, The Oprah Magazine, Marie Claire, US Weekly, and on the web for Brides.com, Refinery29.com, and Glamour.com. She's interviewed Oscar, Grammy and reality show winners; the designers who've dressed them, and the fans who love them. Emily resides in Atlanta with her husband and their exceptionally wonderful young children. About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

June 23, 2021 01:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Cloudrise Closes Seed Round of Funding

Cloudrise

Cloudrise accelerates growth in 2021 by closing out their seed round of funding, recruiting new talent to their board of directors, fostering core partnerships, and delivering best-in-class data protection and automation services to their customers. Since launching the company in October of 2019, Cloudrise has delivered 100+ data protection services projects to over 60 customers globally, including several Fortune 50 enterprises. As they continue to exceed revenue targets and the momentum builds, Cloudrise is investing significantly to expand their service delivery and research and development teams, raising the bar for data protection and automation. In May, Cloudrise secured additional capital to help to fund further growth and innovation. Stormbreaker Ventures is a key investor that helped enable Cloudrise to close the seed round of investment funding. Said Mia, Managing Partner at Stormbreaker, commented: “Cloudrise’s vision of redefining data protection through automation is unmatched in this space and we are confident their innovative drive, coupled with Stormbreaker’s investment, will propel the team into their next phase of growth. We look to partner with high-velocity companies that build effectively and efficiently, and Cloudrise's approach to date has been the best of both." With success comes the need to add more talent to the Board of Directors. A Partner at Greater Colorado Venture Fund, Marc Nager also co-founded Startup Weekend, was CEO of UP Global, and Chief Community Officer at Techstars. Marc not only brings a wealth of experience to the board, but his passions for the Western Slope of Colorado align with Cloudrise’s drive to provide opportunities within their community. “I am honored and excited to join such a passionate and innovative team. I feel strongly that this team is at the right place, at the right time in the cyber security space, and we know the Western Slope startup community is going to rally behind the amazing team they're building in Grand Junction,” said Marc Nager. Cloudrise is committed to delivering high-value, innovative solutions to their customers. “We are extremely excited to welcome Marc to the board and Stormbreaker to our investment portfolio. These partnerships will enable Cloudrise to continue to innovate and provide world-class services to our customers. We founded Cloudrise on the premise that we want to provide value to our customers every day – and for us that means maintaining genuine culture, partnering with our customers, and driving innovation based on business needs”, said Rob Eggebrecht, CEO and co-founder at Cloudrise. About Stormbreaker Ventures Stormbreaker Ventures is an early-stage fund focused on capital efficient startups. The firm believes in a future where venture capital is more equitable, more efficient, and more genuine. Stormbreaker sees an opportunity within venture capital to be a true partner to its founders, not just a check that bides time until the next round. With a portfolio of more than 30 companies, Stormbreaker's partners operate from Silicon Valley, Denver, and Houston. About Marc Nager Marc is a Partner at the Greater Colorado Venture Fund and since 2009, Marc has been a leader of the startup movement around the world. He has built and scaled programs that have served more than 500,000 entrepreneurs in over 700 cities and 142 countries around the world. At UP Global he managed a team of nearly 75 people with offices in 5 international locations and oversaw Startup Weekend, Startup Next, Startup Digest, Startup Week, and Startup America. He's worked with grassroots and political leaders from around the world as well as executives at many FT500 companies around innovation and entrepreneurship. Originally from the small town of Mammoth Lakes, CA, Marc now lives in Telluride where he served as the Managing Director for the Telluride Venture Accelerator. When he is not working to change the state of rural economies, he can be found out in the mountains. About Cloudrise Cloudrise was founded by business and security entrepreneurs with experience in global markets, successful start-ups, and Fortune 500 companies. Combining decades of data protection expertise with automation, Cloudrise focuses on securing data wherever it resides. They assist organizations by assessing, enabling, automating, and managing their data protection and privacy programs. At Cloudrise, they are redefining data protection. Cloudrise can be found at www.cloudrise.com or on LinkedIn. Contact Details CLoudrise, Inc. Jodi Lewis +1 800-917-7619 sales@cloudrise.com Company Website https://cloudrise.com/

June 22, 2021 11:11 AM Central Daylight Time

Toy Junkies Creates Peer-to-Peer Rental Marketplace for Recreational Sports Enthusiasts

Black Dog Venture Partners

Toy Junkies announces the creation of their proprietary peer-to-peer consolidated rental software catering to the adventure sports market — this online platform allows sports enthusiasts to list their “toys” for rent or rent “toys” from vendors. It will also provide the opportunity for travel hosts and event planners to have access to “toy” rentals listed on the website at a discounted rate. The company also announced that it has retained Black Dog Venture Partners for Business Development and Strategic Partnerships. Toy Junkies’ strategy is to offer an even playing field for vendors of all sizes anytime, anywhere in the world. Its online, secure environment provides verified background checks and access to a unique recreational sports enthusiast community. Toy Junkies will transform the online rental experience. Scott Kelly, CEO of Black Dog Venture Partners, commented, “The Toy Junkies’ team has 100+ years of combined experience in the adventure sports marketspace and this new peer-to-peer platform is just what that market is looking for. I am excited to work with Lori and the Toy Junkies team to create the next marketplace for adventure! ”. Lori Lancaster, CEO of Toy Junkies commented, “We are very excited to partner with Black Dog Venture Partners. I am confident that our team has produced a unique proprietary software that will change the online reservation experience.” Learn more at ToyJunkies.com About Black Dog Venture Partners Black Dog Venture Partners is a business accelerator that provides access to funding through our network of 13,000 investors, business development through our network of 40,000 business partners, sales/marketing and executive coaching services for disruptive companies. Learn more at https://www.blackdogventurepartners.com Contact Details Black Dog Venture Partners Scott Kelly +1 480-206-3435 Scott@blackdogventurepartners.com Company Website https://www.blackdogventurepartners.com/

June 22, 2021 06:11 AM Pacific Daylight Time

Quarter4 Closes $1.6M Seed Funding Round

Quarter4

Quarter4, an easy-to-use, AI-driven predictive sports data and analytics provider for sports, media and betting companies, today announced the closure of its seed funding round, raising $1.6 million (USD). The round will be used to acquire strategic talent to expand Quarter4’s technical and sales teams. The company plans to double its headcount by the end of 2021. Quarter4 is currently using deep learning neural networks to grow their proprietary AI technology. In addition to acquiring talent, the funding from this round will aid in the technological expansion of Quarter4’s business-to-business services, including doubling its industry-leading predictions to two million predictions-per-day by September 2021, which will incorporate NFL forecasts. Quarter4’s technology team is also expanding its data reporting capabilities to include predictive probabilities for live in-play betting and odds and market analysis. The round was led by Shore Capital Sports & Entertainment, an advisory and investment firm with offices in Toronto and New York. As part of its strategic investment, Shore Capital Sports & Entertainment will also take an active role assisting Quarter4 with business development, strategic partnerships as well as financial advisory services. Scott Secord, Managing Partner, will also join the Board of Directors for Quarter4. Mr. Secord is the former President/CEO of Gaming Nation Inc., a publicly traded company on the TSXV, which was acquired in 2018 by a private equity firm. Prior to Gaming Nation, Mr. Secord held the position of President/CEO of Pointstreak Sports Technologies Inc. from 2009 until 2015. “Quarter4’s technology is exciting because it spans across the sports landscape providing incredible data and rich insights for sports betting, sports media and sports broadcasting companies,” said Scott Secord. “The opportunities in the sports and gaming industry seem limitless, but we understand that the strength of this market lies in the quality of the data powering the industry. Our investment in Quarter4 shows our commitment to continually improving how data is delivered to sports companies across the globe.” Terry McInally, Chief Compliance Officer of Gateway Casinos and Entertainment, will join Secord on the Quarter4 Board of Directors. He previously served as Partner and National Gaming Practice Leader at Richter Advisory Group, the National Gaming Practice Leader for PwC and an executive at the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). “We’ve seen exceptional demand for our market-leading analytics in the past year. Sportsbooks and gaming companies, sports leagues, technology and data providers as well as broadcast and media partners need valuable data to make smarter decisions and create richer content for their respective audiences,” said Kelly Brooks, co-founder and CEO of Quarter4. “This investment allows us to scale our capabilities and work directly with leading partners like Scott and Terry to create cutting edge technology solutions to continue to shape the global gaming industry.” For more information please visit Quarter4.io. ABOUT QUARTER4 Quarter4 is a revolutionary artificial intelligence platform that generates thousands of daily predictions called 4Qasts. The easy-to-use sports technology delivers proprietary insights, related to team and player performance, in just seconds. Quarter4 provides sportsbooks, data providers, media agencies and sports bettors with predictive data that is unique, personalized and non-biased. Contact Details Michael Adorno +1 212-931-6143 madorno@hotpaperlantern.com Company Website https://quarter4.io/

June 22, 2021 09:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Covid has set the Great British seaside resurgence in motion

Hoo

Research by hotel booking platform, hoo, has highlighted how Covid has impacted the great British seaside and how a growing trend for staycations in the face of foreign travel uncertainty could help it bounce back to its former glory. The British seaside has long lost the glamorous allure that it had back in the 50s and 60s, and while it helped contribute to an estimated domestic tourism spend of £91.6bn in 2019, total tourism spend across coastal locations fell by -57% between 2019 and 2020. The fall in popularity has also hit coastal towns, with the employment growth rate averaging just 0.2% per year between 2009 and 2018. In larger seaside towns this has dropped to an average of -0.2%, and many traditional favourites have suffered even more, with Great Yarmouth (-11%), Folkestone (-12%), Torquay (-13%) and Weymouth (-18%) all seeing a steep decline. However, while the pandemic has proved extremely problematic for the UK hospitality industry overall, one inadvertent silver lining could well be the revival of the great British seaside. Previous research by hoo found that restrictions around foreign travel have boosted the number of us opting for a British staycation by as much as 18%. With more of us opting to spend our hard earned cash at the British seaside, this uplift has helped boost tourism spend in coastal areas by an estimated 42% since the start of the pandemic. This bodes well for the likes of Great Yarmouth, the destination of choice for hoo’s latest campaign to champion the British seaside this summer, with the town ranking as the 8th most popular seaside town prior to the pandemic and enjoying the 7th largest level of holiday spend of all coastal destinations. In the three years (2017-2019) prior to the arrival of Covid, an average of 464,000 per year visited Great Yarmouth, spending an average of £116m per year while they were there. Hoo’s latest campaign, spearheaded by RuPaul’s Drag Race UK finalist, Ellie Diamond, is hoping to persuade British holiday makers that Great Yarmouth and other British seaside towns are more worthy of their Instagram attention than any foreign holiday destination. Why? Well it’s clear we take our outstanding coastline for granted as around 10% of all international visitors from outside of the UK flock to the coast when they arrive. In fact, Great Yarmouth alone has seen international visitor levels climb by 24% per year on average between 2014 and 2019 before Covid struck. So if it’s good enough for them, maybe the Brits will look again at what’s right on their doorstep. Hoo Co-founder, Adrian Murdock, commented: “Like all areas of tourism and hospitality, the pandemic has brought incredibly tough times for local coastal communities who rely heavily on tourism in order to survive. But these traditional seaside resorts have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to put themselves back on the holiday map. The one saving grace of the pandemic has been the ban on foreign travel, forcing many to look to the UK coastline for their summer fix of sun, sea and sand. As a result, many of us have rediscovered just how great our coastal towns and cities are and we're at a crossroads now where the great British seaside really could reclaim an aspect of its former glory. It doesn’t matter if you live in Dorset, Derby or Dundee, there will be a stretch of outstanding coastline that can offer you all the same draws of a holiday abroad, if not more, even with the unpredictability of a British summer. So while foreign travel continues to cause chaos across the rest of the travel industry, we urge you to look again at places like Great Yarmouth, you may be very pleasantly surprised by what you find.” Notes to Editors: Hoo is the hotel room offer platform, cutting out the expensive middle man so you can secure the best price for the room you want. Hoo allows users to book a hotel room at the advertised rate, or to make an offer on the room which the hotel can accept or decline in real time. Hoo was founded by Sebastian Lewis and Adrian Murdock, and is backed by hotel industry insiders. Sebastian Lewis is also the founder of UK crowdfunding’s first ever sale/exit with Mettrr, the global automated website builder. Adrian Murdock is also the co-founder of babysitting app, Bubble, and a former Betfair exec. They have successfully tackled the challenges of child-care, betting and automated website creation and are now set to solve what they describe as the ‘broken hotel booking process’. Hoo is a concept that started with a pub conversation borne out of frustration with the seeming imbalance of power that the global hotel room aggregators wield. Contact Press Enquiries James Lockett M: 07584 248960 T: 0207 856 0185 E: james@properganda.pr PropergandaPR Data Enquiries Alex Pericli M: 07979 262393 T: 0207 856 0185 E: alex @properganda.pr PropergandaPR Contact Details PropergandaPR James Lockett +44 20 7856 0185 james@properganda.pr Company Website https://justhooit.com

June 22, 2021 06:05 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Minuteman Press Franchise in Bellingham Helps Buzzing Local Economy Recover from Pandemic

Minuteman Press International Inc

For Michael Tilley and his team at Minuteman Press in Bellingham, the COVID-19 pandemic brought forth unprecedented challenges but also new opportunities for growth as an essential printing business. Michael says, “Early on, a lot of our clients asked us if we were open. They were happy to know we were still operating and able to help them communicate to their customers that they were open as well. We put renewed emphasis on fast turnaround and timely delivery, which really set us apart since they knew they could rely on us.” By remaining open and operating, Minuteman Press in Bellingham supported a wide range of businesses and groups that relied on print and marketing to keep the community informed. Michael says, “The way we kept growing during the pandemic was that we offered products and services for other essential businesses. We worked with local restaurants, fire departments, police departments, hospitals, schools, and other vital organizations. They all needed signage and direct mail campaigns to promote updated guidelines for employees, customers, patients, and students. We were glad to be able to help spread the word.” Today, as more businesses reopen, Minuteman Press is ready to help them ramp up their advertising and marketing efforts. Michael explains, “As businesses come back, we are helping them by providing fresh banners, window graphics, flags, and full-color photos on windows. We’ve also been printing packaging materials such as labels, tags, boxes, and information sheets. Another popular service we provide is dye sublimation, which enables us to produce custom mugs and branded apparel.” Another way that local businesses can engage and connect with customers right now is by utilizing direct mail campaigns. Michael says, “Direct mail was and is getting more popular because it allows businesses and groups to reach out to their target audiences and reinforce operational updates. We’ve produced a combination of newsletters, postcards, and letters for local governments, local tribes, non-profit groups, and for-profit businesses.” “It’s been really great to see more businesses reopen and recover, especially those that were impacted. The local economy is buzzing again and we are getting even busier.” -Michael Tilley, owner, Minuteman Press franchise, Bellingham, Washington As a local small business owner himself, Michael can empathize with his clients and share his own insights from the past year. He says, “The most important thing to do is reach out to your current and former customers. Let them know you are there and engage with them. We have developed a multi-faceted marketing plan that includes phone calls, emails, direct mail, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Because we’ve done it ourselves and have found success, we know it can work for our clients and other local businesses.” Print is a vital marketing channel that can be used in conjunction with digital to deliver tangible results. Michael explains, “I think one aspect of this is that the pandemic jogged us back into a physical reality. We are physical beings and we are not cyber creatures. It made people pay more attention to print and how it’s all around us. Our ability to produce tangible printed items that people can see, feel, and connect with is a real benefit to my business. The printing industry in general makes sure business customers get what they need. It’s great to be able to rely on something when the world’s a little bit sideways.” Michael has owned Minuteman Press in Bellingham since September 2014. He shares, “Previously, I was a biology professor and I have a PhD in molecular genetics. I lived in Missouri and I moved to Bellingham to be closer to my children, which was the driving force behind switching careers. I was new to owning a business so I wanted to go into something with a framework in place. I bought an established Minuteman Press franchise and liked the potential to build on the existing customer base.” By providing ongoing local support, Minuteman Press International helped Michael transition from his prior career to becoming a business owner in a totally new industry. He says, “The support has been really solid all the way around. My Regional Vice President Chris Jutt and Area Manager Jayson Kraus have been great. I can call them anytime and they have been a great resource. I also enjoy the fact that we are provided with marketing strategies, content, and product ideas that we are free to use but that we also have enough freedom to run our franchise the way we see fit. Minuteman Press offers a solid system with a lot of knowledge behind it.” Michael reflects on his time as a business owner, saying, “I enjoy the fact that the work I do has a direct impact on how the company performs. I feel it’s important to have the right staff in place and to also manage the team properly. I have a staff of seven and I know that happy employees do a great job. The satisfaction I get from running my business the right way and growing a successful company is the ultimate reward.” As for what advice he would give to other local business right now, Michael shares, “Things are opening up, and business is going to start getting much busier for everyone. Act now so you don’t fall behind the curve. Have you worked out what your marketing plan is going to be when things do ramp up? Be prepared organizationally and develop a coherent marketing strategy across all different touchpoints. From web to print, be consistent with your branding and your messaging.” Minuteman Press in Bellingham is located at 4025 Iron Gate Rd., Bellingham, WA 98226. For more information, call 360-738-3539 or visit https://www.bellingham.minutemanpress.com. 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 21, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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