If there is one thing that is constant in marketing, it's that things are constantly changing, according to Michael Wall, a marketing expert at WashU Olin Business School. As social media users flock to sites that align with their political beliefs, brands face the challenge of connecting with diverse audiences.

If there is one thing that is constant in marketing, it's that things are constantly changing, according to Michael Wall, a marketing expert at WashU Olin Business School. As social media users flock to sites that align with their political beliefs, brands face the challenge of connecting with diverse audiences.

When you look at fast growing private companies in the U.S., you need look no further than a small city next to Los Angeles International Airport.

Steve Julian: Business analyst Mark Lacter, tell us about the company that's based in El Segundo.

Mark Lacter: It's called Fuhu, Steve - that might ring a bell with some parents because Fuhu is the maker of the Nabi.  The Nabi is an Android tablet for kids, and it's a very cool device that mimics a lot of the capabilities of regular tablet, including the ability to play games and get onto the Web (with controls that parents are able to set up).  Last year, they sold 1.2 million Nabis, and that helped push the El Segundo company to the very top of Inc. magazine's list of fastest-growing businesses.  That's number one on a list of 5,000 companies, with a three-year growth rate of 42,148 percent.  Or, to put it another way, company revenue was $279,000 in 2009; it was almost $118 million in 2012.  Now, by the standards of an Apple or a Samsung, those are still not huge numbers -

Julian: - and maybe that explains why there's been relatively little media coverage of this company.

Lacter: It might also explain why local tech companies in general get short shrift.  Many of them are quite successful, but they're often on the small side, and they're also privately held as opposed to publicly-traded on a stock exchange.  That's one big difference from Silicon Valley, which has so many huge public corporations: Apple, Intel, HP.  L.A. County has only six Fortune 500 companies, and not a single one devoted solely to technology.  In Silicon Valley, there are 22 in the Fortune 500.

Julian: And yet, the L.A. economy has more than held its own without those large corporations.

Lacter: Matter of fact, the accounting firm PriceWaterhouse studied more than two dozen cities around the world to determine where it was easiest to do business (that's based on factors like access to labor), and what they found - somewhat surprisingly - was that L.A. ranked ahead of both San Francisco and Tokyo.  And, you can see evidence of that with the increase in venture capital money coming into all parts of L.A.  Now, it's important to keep an eye on all these up-and-coming companies because these businesses are helping generate higher-wage jobs.  And, for an area with a still-high unemployment rate - still over 10 percent in some places -- that's a big deal.

Julian: Speaking of companies, does anyone want to buy the L.A. Times?

Lacter: The answer is yes - most recently, the controlling owner of the Dodgers, Mark Walter, said he was interested in both the Times and the Chicago Tribune (though there's no way to know whether there are actual discussions taking place).  You also have several local groups, including one that involves billionaire Eli Broad, that have been interested to one degree or another.  But what was thought would be a fairly straightforward auction process has turned enormously complicated.  It's now to the point where the Tribune board has decided spin off the papers into a separate business, and that process will take until next year to complete and could preclude any sales for quite some time after that.

Julian: So, it's Limbo-land for the Times for who knows how long.

Lacter: Steve, it's not that Tribune really wants to keep the newspapers.  But, selling them off presents huge tax implications.  Also, there are assets that the potential buyers thought would be part of the package - assets that include real estate - that Tribune wants to hold onto.  So, what's left to sell are just the newspapers themselves, and frankly, they're among the least valuable properties.

Julian: Now, last week came word that the billionaire Koch brothers, who were believed to be interested in the Tribune properties, decided not to pursue a deal...

Lacter: ...that's right, they don't consider the Times or the other dailies to be economically viable.  You might recall a bit of an outcry over the prospect of having the Kochs, who are staunch conservatives, becoming the owners of these papers.  So, they're out of the picture.  But for the L.A. Times, it's really the worst of all worlds: no new owner and no vision for recasting the paper, at least in the near term.

Mark Lacter writes for Los Angeles Magazine and pens the business blog at LA Observed.com.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Digital determinants of health important with growing technology usage  Association of Health Care Journalists

Fire officials say they've stopped the spread of the deadly Jennings Creek wildfire that's burning in rugged terrain on the New York-New Jersey border. But drought is causing more fires.

The Hollywood actor says he was bullied as a child in Wales because of his religion and sexuality.

ILOILO CITY – Preference for digital payments in the country is growing based on the results of the 2021 Financial Inclusion Survey, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Wednesday. BSP Deputy Director for Payments Policy and Development Department Tricia Defante-Andres said digital payment channels, such as electronic (e)-wallets provided wider access to financial services for […]...

Keep on reading: BSP cites growing preference for digital payments

Packaging specialist at Sumitomo (SHI) Demag UK Ashlee Gough examines the latest techniques being deployed to counteract these infringements and different methods to safeguard product and named-brand integrity.

Rising Nitrous Oxide emissions pose serious risks to public health and climate, contributing to respiratory issues and global warming. Immediate action is crucial.

In early 2011 I was looking for my next thing. Long ago I learned that when I’m not learning I’m not happy. And in early 2011, aside from hosting our first successful MicroConf, I wasn’t doing many things that scared me. Which told me I needed a next thing. My book was selling well. I had aRead More →

The post What I Learned Buying, Growing, and Selling My Startup first appeared on Rob Walling - Serial Entrepreneur.

DHL Express has announced the opening of a new service centre in Gatwick with an investment of £37 million. Mims Davies, MP for East Grinstead & Uckfield attended the official opening where she toured the site, meeting with staff and customers.

UPS Healthcare has announced an expansion of its European hub facility in Roermond, the Netherlands by 21,860 sqm, adding in-demand freezer farm capacity, a crucial link in a strong and reliable supply chain for a growing number of complex biopharma products.

The fluffy chick’s chunky form is slimming down as he starts to fledge

Baskits Inc. has announced its placement in the 2022 Report on Business ranking of Canada's Top Growing Companies for a third consecutive year.

Borro's team of accredited luxury asset experts and financing specialists tailor loans to meet individual and business needs, making Borro a trusted lender to over 15,000 clients since 2008.

(EMAILWIRE.COM, October 23, 2024 ) The global SASE Market growth is projected to grow from USD 1.9 billion in 2023 to USD 5.9 billion by 2028, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 25.0% during the forecast period. The growing preference for remote working practices, the increase in traffic...

• Embrace Perspective: No matter how much you love your company, there will be days when balancing the books creates anxiety. Remind yourself what fueled you to launch your business.

• Find Balance: Sometimes it might seem impossible to relax, but devoting even 60 minutes weekly to non-business related activities will help you recharge.

• Become Resourceful: Find ways to save money, time and energy. Try multitasking, such as purchasing business supplies while waiting for a prescription to be filled or patronizing retailers with special early shopping hours for business owners. Consider streamlining home expenses by eliminating cable or cooking more at home.

• Make Changes: Stay motivated by experimenting with new methods and tools. Attending trainings or online webinars about your industry can help re-ignite your creativity and even lead to business growth.

complete article

Being an entrepreneur is synonymous with being financially unstable at times. While you are growing your company, it is important to be focused. But what if you could get a side hustle that would help bring in a healthy secondary income to alleviate some of that financial stress? And, best case, what if this side hustle could also help you grow your core business?

The good news is that there are a lot of companies that create opportunities for entrepreneurs that do not require full-time work and can become a great companion to the work you are doing.

complete article

Trucking companies and building contractors dominate the fastest-growing industries for small businesses, according to new data from Sageworks, a financial information company.

complete article

These companies are making major strides--and major revenue gains. Check out the fastest growing businesses in the U.S.

complete article

On the lists 10th anniversary, we asked the founders of 25 of the 142 remarkable companies that have earned a spot on the Inc. 500/5000 list 10 times or more to reveal how they have sustained and managed hypergrowth. What follows is a sampling of their sage advice

complete article

Growing your business is an exciting task. It means customers are receiving your business well and you are bringing in a profit.

But, growing your business can be intimidating. Many things have the potential to go wrong. That’s why you need a plan. When you know what to do and what to avoid, you can avoid stumbling.

Use the following seven dos and do nots to successfully grow your business.


complete article

Small business optimism is at a record high. In this year’s Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index, business owners consistently reported positive attitudes about their current situation and their future.

Part of that optimism is due to the high availability of financing and access to credit that many small businesses need in order to grow. Indeed, many small business owners are taking the opportunity to use these and other cash flow management tools to expand their business.

complete article

Small business pay checks are growing at a fast pace as job gains slow

complete article

(EMAILWIRE.COM, October 25, 2024 ) The global physical security market size is projected to grow from USD 110.2 billion in 2023 to USD 136.9 billion by 2028 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4.4% during the forecast period. The growth in the use of IP-based cameras for video surveillance...

(EMAILWIRE.COM, October 26, 2024 ) The increased demand for healthy foods, followed by the properties in red rice such as, anthocyanins, which offer potential benefits like blood pressure control, diabetes prevention, and anti-inflammatory properties are important driving factors in the red rice...

(EMAILWIRE.COM, October 29, 2024 ) The European Smart Home Market was USD 22.11 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach up to USD 29.24 billion by 2029 growing at a CAGR of 5.7 %. Owing to high internet usage and common accessibility to smartphones, the consumers have been easily able to connect...

(EMAILWIRE.COM, October 29, 2024 ) The AI PC Market is projected to grow from USD 50.61 billion in 2024 to USD 231.30 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 28.82% during the forecast period. Increasing demand for AI-powered applications fuels growth in AI PC Market. The integration of high processing...

(EMAILWIRE.COM, November 04, 2024 ) The global Exposure Management Market size is projected to grow from USD 2.2 billion in 2024 to USD 7.6 billion by 2029 at a CAGR of 28.3% during the forecast period. Download PDF Brochure@ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=193629602&utm_source=emailwire.com&utm_medium=paidpr&utm_campaign=exposure-management-market The...

What is your Austin home worth, right now? When considering a sale, it’s generally worth “market value”, defined loosely as the highest price a buyer would pay, and that a seller will accept in an open, competitive market. This assumes neither buyer nor seller are under any undue stress or duress external to the transaction itself. Many homeowners want to know their home value even when not considering a sale. Such as when protesting assessed property value at Travis County. Or maybe you are just curious, or you want to update your Net Worth spreadsheet with a current value. If you don’t want the “market” to determine your home value, because you don’t want to sell, there now exists a plethora of “Automated Valuation Model” (AVM) tools that will tell you the supposed value of your home online based on mathematical algorithms and data. The most well know is perhaps ... Read more

Loyd J Bourgeois Injury & Accident Lawyer has ranked 9th on Louisiana State University’s 2024 LSU100 list of fastest-growing LSU graduate-owned or led companies. [PR.com]

A new study finds that rising placebo responses may play a part in the increasingly high failure rate for clinical trials of drugs, but the authors of the study say that the increase in placebo responses occurred only in trials conducted in the United States...

Yes, growing orchids for beginners is very easy. They are like any other house plants....and it wouldn't hurt if you talk to them. Read more...
Your Beginners Guide

Best Regards
Bob
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
URL:www.orchids-plus-more.com
RSS:www.orchids-plus-more.com/support-files/orchids-plus-more.xml

Yes, stress free orchid growing - wow that's great and here it is.

Growing your business does not have to be such a difficult task. There are a few things you can do that do not have to break the budget or escalate your working hours. For example, opening up your firm as a franchise opportunity, gives you the profits without the pain. Also, licensing your Product is […]

Apple Podcasts reported to have 800,000 shows and over 30 million episodes as of December 2019. According to Edison Research and Triton Digital, there are currently 62 million Americans who listen to podcasts each week.

complete article

While most radio companies, outside the biggest in the industry, struggle to find a revenue generating podcast strategy, the number of consumers listening to podcasts continues to grow.

Monthly listening is up, weekly listening is up and the average podcast listener tunes into about 5 shows per week. The latest Infinite Dial stats show that about eighty million Americans – 28% of the U.S. 12+ population – are now weekly podcast listeners, a 17% increase over 2020. And, 57% of the country have now listened to some kind of podcast.

The overall monthly podcast listening audience is now more diverse than ever: 57% of monthly podcast listeners are white, 16% Latino, 13% African American, 4% Asian, and 10% of some other background.

With podcasting on the rise the big question that remains for most radio stations around the country is how to make money at it. Unless you have a large enough network of shows, like the bigger radio companies, to be able to sell millions of downloads to advertisers and ad agencies, it takes a minimum of 25,000 downloads per show for an advertiser to even look at a show.

Property in India’s Tier 2 cities has a bright future, presenting residents and investors with unmatched opportunities.  The global real estate market is changing dramatically, and new trends are changing the way cities expand and change. Greater infrastructure, faster urbanization, … Continue reading →

By 2026, the SM REIT market could be worth over $60 billion. Over 350 million square feet of commercial office space are ready for investment. Among the top cities, Mumbai leads with 75 million square feet of SM REIT-ready office … Continue reading →

Jamie Penney’s entrepreneurial adventure began when he was in university.  He dabbled in niche sites and a travel vlog on YouTube successfully until the recent Google updates, but he really found his groove when he focused his efforts on a…

The post How Jamie Penney is Growing a +$4000/Month Flipping Furniture YouTube Channel appeared first on Niche Pursuits.

From June 2022 to June 2023, there was a 22% increase in the number of females aged 18-24 who visited a sports website or app, more than any other age and gender breakout¹. This is happening as women's sports are becoming more mainstream, with new leagues, more investment, and increased screen time. It's also a major trend to watch during the 2023 Women's FIFA World Cup.

Today Frederica is outside for coffee hour at St. Justin Martyr Orthodox Church in Jacksonville, FL. She is talking with Fr. Ted Pisarchuk about the growth of his parish and what he has learned in the process.

Two summers ago (when people still travelled) I met a lady on the ferry who had come to the Isles all the way from North America because 'God told me to visit Scotland'. Apparently, God had told her to visit many places in the world and she was looking forward to wherever He would send her on her next holiday. This lesson is based on a very different story about St Macarius the Great who one day received the thought of leaving his cell to go and pray in the desert. After he waited for FIVE YEARS, fighting in prayer to discern if this is the will of God, he then went into the desert.

Fr. Michael talks about the transition from fearing God to loving God.

When we truly know that we are the chief of sinners and recognize that our very existence is dependent upon the mercy of the Lord, then we will no longer be driven to condemn anyone else.

Through the many struggles of this season of Lent, we all have the opportunity to grow in the faith necessary to entrust ourselves more fully to Christ.