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NEST’s Founders Named Ambassadors of Philanthropic Division

NEST

NEST, the leading national integrated facilities management company, announced that the company’s founders Robert Almond, Sr. and Dee Almond will lead philanthropic efforts as Ambassadors of NEST Nurtures. NEST established NEST Nurtures last year with the goal of expanding on charitable endeavors that the company has conducted since they were founded in 1994. “My parents have always stressed the importance of philanthropy since they founded NEST over 25 years ago,” said Rob Almond, Jr, who was named CEO of NEST in 2015. “Despite the uncertainty in 2020, we were proud to continue that tradition throughout the pandemic on a national level. We look forward to spreading goodwill into the future with my parents in this important role.” Since last summer, more than 25 charities have benefited from over $100,000 in cash donations through NEST Nurtures. The recipients were selected by NEST’s retail partners as a way to support charities doing important work across the country. Beneficiaries of the initiative include Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (selected by Five Below), Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition (selected by JOANN), Ticket to Dream Foundation (selected by Mattress Firm) and The Doe Fund (selected by Steve Madden). Additionally, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and Ronald McDonald House Charities have been longtime beneficiaries of NEST. At the end of 2020, three notable donations were also made by NEST Nurtures on behalf of the employees, who were able to achieve company goals in the fourth quarter. As a result of their work, Women Against Abuse in Philadelphia, the Domenica Foundation in New Jersey, and the Taste of Immokalee in Florida received added assistance from NEST. Since the pandemic hit the U.S. and Canada, NEST has played an important role to keep retailers’ doors open and maintain consumer confidence. From implementing new janitorial procedures to decreasing facility management expenses through an integrated approach, NEST is developing industry leading facility management strategies for more than 40 retail clients. NEST manages approximately 60,000 individual retail locations in North America. NEST is the pioneer of the Integrated Facilities Management (IFM) industry in the United States and Canada since 1994. NEST’s Integrated Facilities Management solution pairs financial acumen and business analytics with a strategic consultative approach. Real-time data, reporting and analytics technology empowers business leaders and facility management teams with the informed insights that enable them to make smarter decisions. To learn more about NEST, visit enterNEST.com or follow NEST on LinkedIn. Contact Details Eric PR & Marketing, LLC Eric Nemeth +1 602-502-2793 nemeth@ericpr.com Company Website https://www.enternest.com/

March 25, 2021 08:37 AM Eastern Daylight Time

The New Faces of Farming

YourUpdateTV

Recent studies have revealed that there is a population-wide deficiency in fiber, with only five percent of people in the U.S. meeting the Institute of Medicine’s recommended daily targets. Last year, as a response to this and additional nutritional gaps in American diets, three sisters in North Dakota teamed up on their family farm with a simple mission: bringing better wheat from the fields to your pantry. With Three Farm Daughters, they have done just that. Recently, the sisters teamed up on a nationwide satellite media tour to discuss Three Farm Daughters, nutrition gaps in American diets, and some simple recipes for at-home cooking. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/78na7O6aF54 Three Farm Daughters features a new line of 100% Wheat Flour and Pasta products powered by GoodWheat, which is naturally nutrient-dense with attributes like high fiber, more protein, fewer calories and less gluten. The Three Farm Daughters Wheat Flour features the great taste, texture and performance of wheat, plus higher fiber (13g per serving, five times higher than traditional flour), lower total calories (30% fewer calories than traditional flour) and reduced gluten (50% less gluten than traditional flour). The Three Farm Daughters pastas include Fusilli, Fettuccine and Linguine and offers 11 grams of fiber per two-ounce serving (five times more fiber per serving than traditional pasta), plus each serving has nine grams of protein and only 150 calories. Three Farm Daughters pastas are non-GMO, kosher-certified and have a lower glycemic response compared to that of traditional pastas. Three Farm Daughters Pasta is also nearly impossible to overcook and always al dente, empowering home chefs to confidently serve their loved ones the foods they crave most. Three Farm Daughters products are available to purchase on Amazon, at www.threefarmdaughters.com and at select grocers and retailers in North Dakota and Minnesota. About Grace: Grace has only been one thing in her professional life: a boss. She started her first cosmetics business at the age of 19 and has made her own success by the care and expertise she delivered to her clients each day. Grace is an early adopter of better for you food products. Now, with her and husband, Jordan, recently welcoming their first child, she will use her knowledge of health and nutrition to fuel the next generation. About Mollie: As an attorney and a middle child, just try to faze Mollie. After she and her husband, Steve, recently welcomed their first child, she is now a mother as well. She conquers each and every day with speed and tenacity and shops for her food in the same fashion. She selects better for you brands that have the quality and convenience that fit her lifestyle. About Annie: As the eldest daughter, Annie is the trail blazer. Although she is the quietest of the three, her presence is strong. As a mother of three, it is because of her children that she and her husband, David, seek out better for you foods. You will find her in your way in the local grocery store aisle, reading the label on every item she buys. 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

March 24, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Nofar Energy and Noy Fund extend traction in the Spanish market: acquired rights in solar projects with a total capacity of 235.5 MW in a €180 million deal

Nofar Energy Ltd.

This is the third investment of Noy-Nofar Europe and the first of the Noy Fund 4, which raised ILS 2.2 billion last week The Sabinar project near the Olmedilla Photovoltaic Park in which the venture invested last year offers potential annual revenues of € 22 million and annual EBITDA of € 18 million Less than two years after announcing their entry to the Italian market, Nofar Energy and Noy Fund extend their European operations significantly. Nofar and Noy today reported they have executed an agreement to buy 90% of the stock (shareholder loan) of a corporation that holds two solar projects in Spain with a total capacity of 235.5 megawatts. The project comprises two phases: the Sabinar 1, with an estimated capacity of 152.5 MW, and the Sabinar 2, with 83 MW. The two projects, whose construction will start shortly, are located near the Olmedilla Photovoltaic Park in Castilla de la Mancha in central Spain. The Olmedilla project, which is still under construction, will offer a capacity of 169MW, bringing the total capacity of the three projects to ~404MW. The investment will be effected via Andromeda Solutions, a company held by Noy Fund (60%) and Nofar Energy (40%) The deal, including the construction costs, will total € 180 million. The projected annual revenues are €22 million and the projected yearly EBITDA exceeds €18 million. The construction of the project’s first phase will start in Q3 2021, with the second phase starting one or two quarters later. Both phases were given the material permits, including the State’s environmental compliance, development, and construction permits. The power supply to the projects had been secured too. Nofar and Noy will fund the initial stages of the project with their resources. The funding strategy for the consequent stages will be determined based on the availability of funding sources in Spain and Israel, as well the existence of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and their viability given the projected evolution of Spain’s energy market in the coming years. This is the third deal entered by Noy and Nofar’s joint venture, positioning it as a strategic player in Spain’s renewable market. Noy will invest in the project through its Noy 3 and Noy 4 funds, which recently raised ILS 2.2 billion from Israel's prominent institutional investors, including Altshuler Shacham, Clal, Phoenix, Migdal, Amitim, Psagot, Metav Dash, Jewish Colonia Trust (JCT), and more. Pini Cohen, Ran Shelach, and Gil-Ad Boshwitz, directors at Noy Fund, commented, “this is a strategic follow-up investment of Nofar Energy Europe, which fits well into the fund’s goals. It results from the close collaboration between Noy Fund and Nofar. The investment reinforces the fund’s initiating, development and management capabilities of solar operations in Europe at a scale of 1GW, as well as our positioning as a dominant player in the Spanish market. Given the number of inquiries and propositions the fund received recently, we look forward to meeting the fund’s goals already in the current year.” Nadav Tene, CEO of Nofar Energy, said, “The current deal aligns with Nofar Energy’s strategic plan to extend its global operations significantly still in 2021. The combination of the project’s characteristics, advanced stages, and proximity to the Olmedilla project creates an attractive opportunity. Increasing the capacity of Nofar Energy’s Spanish projects to 400MW in 2021 represents a major leap forward in our global presence. We remain focused on identifying and developing additional operations and projects in additional markets. Contact Details Dikla Ivry Pardnoy +972 52-380-4085 dikla@ivripr.com Company Website https://www.nofar-energy.com/

March 24, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Chia Launches Eco-Friendly Blockchain & New Digital Currency

Chia Network

Highlights Chia Reinvents Digital Money with Energy Efficient At-Home Farming Rewards Chia Blockchain Full Node Count approximates 2,000 in the last 24 hours and exceeds 12,500 since Launch Chia Network Inc. (“Chia”) today introduced its revolutionary eco-friendly blockchain, its new digital currency known as “chia,” as well as a new breakthrough smart transaction on-chain programming language called “Chialisp”. Chia’s blockchain is a global open-source decentralized network that operates a payment settlement system using chia, its native cryptocurrency. The Company expects its blockchain will be used in a range of transactions, including cross border payments, issuing financial assets, and stable coin issuance. Chia intends to sell software service and support for its open source blockchain and smart transaction software to governments, financial institutions, corporations, and large buyers and sellers of storage. “We are very excited to launch Chia’s new blockchain and smart transaction platform which is easier to use, more energy efficient, and more secure than existing digital money alternatives. Improving upon Proof of Work’s shortcomings around centralization, electricity consumption and poor programmability, Chia’s blockchain has the potential to become the core of a new monetary architecture,” said Bram Cohen, Chia’s CEO. As of March 2021, Chia’s blockchain has approximately 2,000 full nodes in the last 24 hours and 12,500 full nodes since launch as compared to Ethereum with 6,800 full nodes. According to Bram Cohen, a robust amount of independently-operated nodes is considered essential to the success of Chia, as its fundamental value relies upon its ability to remain decentralized. Farming will allow even the smallest farmer running a node a chance to win rewards for validating the network. Running a node is also a more secure way to self-custody chia. "Bram Cohen is one of the greatest living protocol designers (BitTorrent), right up there with Satoshi and Vitalik” -- Naval Ravikant Chia is the answer to Bitcoin’s climate problem Banks and currencies are susceptible to routine shocks from governmental mismanagement, global financial crises, and generally run on antiquated technologies. Bitcoin was launched during one of these banking crises to try to address these ongoing issues. But Bitcoin now expends approximately 64 terawatt-hours per year, a level of energy consumption comparable to the nation of Switzerland. This level of energy usage is controversial and could get worse as bitcoin adoption and energy prices increase. Further, Bitcoin script is very limited, slow to develop, and has generally required significant changes in the Bitcoin protocol that can take years to be deployed. These delays and limitations have hampered building custody and controls into the Bitcoin blockchain. Ethereum shares Bitcoin’s reliance on “wasteful” mining and has additional problems. Almost every deployed Solidity smart contract that has attracted large balances has in some way been compromised. The Solidity scripting language makes it easier to write software than to secure it. Ethereum has mostly become known for the fundraising mechanism known as an “ICO”, where the fundraiser creates new tokens on the Ethereum network to sell for bitcoin and ether - many of which have uncertain regulatory compliance. Environmentally green chia (XCH) aims to save the planet Chia ’s blockchain offers functional and environmental advantages to Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple’s existing platforms. The Chia blockchain is more open and accessible than existing financial institutions, more efficient and less wasteful than the Bitcoin and Ethereum blockchain, and better designed for secure smart financial transactions than the Ethereum blockchain while being more decentralized than Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Ripple. Chia’s blockchain replaces “Proof of Work” which is the consensus method that Bitcoin and Ethereum use, with the first of its kind “Proof of Space and Time” which uses significantly less energy and leads to a more decentralized and more secure blockchain. Proofs of Space harnesses unused disk space, rewarding owners of empty space for “ farming ” and Proofs of Time add security and time predictability to the network. As Bitcoin uses Bitcoin Script and Ethereum uses Solidity for programming transactions, Chia’s blockchain uses Chialisp. Chialisp, is a newly developed blockchain programming language and on-chain smart transaction development environment that will unleash the security, transparency, and ease of use that cryptocurrencies promise. Applications running on Chia’s blockchain are intended to have functionality appropriate for banking. The primary focus for the initial launch will be on core functionality such as financial controls, payments clearing and settlement, and managing the issuance of various assets. One of the primary use cases for chia is in international payments - especially in regions whose governments or financial systems are particularly volatile. The Company expects that the Chia blockchain and Chialisp will facilitate a range of transactions, including facilitating cross border payments, issuing financial assets, and stable coin issuance with best in class custody and controls. Chia - the easiest digital money to farm - is “the people’s choice” Compared to the existing modern finance platforms, chia is the easiest digital money to farm. In contrast to the technically proficient skills required to join a miner community, all people can “farm” chia at home for a fraction of the cost. Learn more about chia farming and the chia farmer reward schedule in Chia’s business Whitepaper. Earn your chia (XCH) rewards today It is straightforward to install the Chia blockchain for Windows, MacOS, and many other platforms as well. Download the Chia blockchain and earn your chia (XCH) rewards now. To learn more about Chia’s blockchain, please watch the Company’s mainnet launch video. Exchange trading - stay tuned Please expect an initial six week period where transactions will be frozen and farmers will only be receiving farming rewards. The Chia blockchain will soft fork in final transaction capabilities during this period in a 1.1 release. The soft fork will be a required upgrade before the six-week period ends. Read all about it in Chia's release notes. About Chia Network Chia Network Inc. was founded by Bram Cohen, the inventor of the BitTorrent protocol. Chia is a state-of-the-art open-source decentralized blockchain, digital currency, and smart transaction platform. Using the first new secure Nakamoto consensus algorithm invented since Bitcoin, Chia aims to operate an eco-friendly, more secure and user-friendly payment system for cross border payments, issuing financial assets, lending, escrow payments, institutional custody, and distributed identity. Chia’s “Proof of Space and Proof of Time”-based blockchain reduces waste in “Proof of Work”-based blockchains. Built to run Chialisp, the company’s newly developed on-chain smart transaction programming language, Chia’s blockchain allows its users to build and execute smart contracts and enable peer-to-peer applications. Chia believes that “digital money” should be easier to use than cash, harder to lose, and nearly impossible to steal. The Company is funded by leading venture capitalists including Slow Ventures, a16z, Naval Ravikant, Galaxy Digital, Greylock, True Ventures, MetaStable, Stillmark, DCM, and others. The Company’s Advisors include Dr. Dan Boneh, Research Partner at a16z and Applied Cryptography Professor at Stanford University; and Dr. Krzysztof Pietrzak, Cryptography Professor of IST Austria; and Ms. Katie Haun, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz. Investor Relations Contact: Gretchen Lium. For more information, visit https://chia.net and connect with us on Twitter (@chia_project), Facebook, GitHub and LinkedIn. Contact Details Gretchen Lium +1 303-638-9185 gretchen@chia.net Company Website https://www.chia.net/

March 24, 2021 06:05 AM Eastern Daylight Time

DoubleTree by Hilton Tucson Downtown Convention Center to Open for Business

Caliber Co.

CaliberCos Inc., a fully integrated real estate company, in conjunction with Ryan Companies US, Inc.,announced today the completion of the first and only hotel connected to the Tucson Convention Center. DoubleTree by Hilton Tucson Downtown began taking reservations March 7 and doors will open to guests beginning March 23, 2021. The opening of this hotel supports the City of Tucson’s downtown re-visioning plan and will help accommodate the growing demand to accommodate visitors from around the world. Commenting on the opening, Chris Loeffler, CEO and Co-Founder of Caliber stated, “This is a major development that was part one of our Opportunity Zones. As one of the top Opportunity Zone sponsors in the country, we are happy with the quality of this project, especially in the current environment. These funds are structured to attract attracts high net worth investors while simultaneously invigorating targeted neighborhoods.” Mr. Loeffler continued, “There was a great amount of effort that went into this project from start to finish – we all collaborated and made it happen.” Construction of the new Convention Center hotel in the Rio Nuevo District created significant economic benefits and the impact is anticipated to extend far into the years ahead. The project provided approximately 130 construction jobs and 80 indirect construction jobs. The hotel and its lobby bar and restaurant will directly support about 100 jobs and 34 indirect jobs at other local businesses. Overall, the hotel is projected to generate an average annual economic impact of $12.1M or a total of $302.4 M over the next 25 years. “At Ryan Companies, we strive to create places for people to thrive,” said Chuck Carefoot, Ryan Companies senior vice president of construction. “We’re honored to take part in the revitalization of downtown Tucson and the opening of this hotel marks an exciting milestone for the city.” The 104,316 square-foot hotel includes 170 rooms, four suites and one executive suite, and will feature several amenities including a second-story pool & bar, onsite restaurant - El Mezquite Grill & Taqueria, coffee bar and 4,000 square feet of meeting space. The project broke ground in May 2019 and was the first Opportunity Zone project in Arizona for Caliber and Ryan Companies. Rio Nuevo is a Tax Increment Finance District (TIF) that was approved in 1999 to invest in projects that expand the city tax base and bring people and businesses to downtown Tucson. The funding for the district is generated from a share of state sales tax dollars, with hopes of being an engine for the future success of Tucson’s economy. For more information about DoubleTree by Hilton Tucson Downtown Convention Center, visit the DoubleTree by Hilton Tucson Downtown Convention Center website. About Caliber – The Wealth Development Company Caliber is a market leader in providing individual accredited investors and registered investment advisors with well-structured alternatives to traditional investments. The Company builds wealth by forming and managing real estate private equity investments, either through individual assets or multi-asset funds. The Company offers an approachable, full-service investment experience managing over $440M in fair value assets under management and an estimated $550M in assets under development in commercial, residential, multi-family, self-storage and hospitality real estate in AZ, CO, NV, UT and AK. Caliber’s vertical integration of support services delivers a unique and efficient 360º approach to investing in real estate. The Company is headquartered in Scottsdale, AZ with business operations focused throughout the greater Southwest region. Visit www.CaliberCo.com for more information. About Ryan Companies US, Inc. Founded in 1938, Ryan Companies offers comprehensive commercial real estate services as a national developer, architect, capital investment consultant, builder and real estate manager with a focus on bringing lasting value to its customers and the communities in which it works. Ryan market depth includes retail, industrial, healthcare and senior living. Ryan development and corporate build-to-suit work spans a wide range of product types including office, mixed-use, hospitality, multifamily housing and mission critical facilities. Ryan has nearly 1,500 employees in 15 offices and has completed projects in 39 states. For more information, visit ryancompanies.com. Contact Details Caliber Victoria Rotondo +1 480-295-7600 victoria.rotondo@caliberco.com IRRealized, LLC Mary Jensen 310-526-1707 mary@irrealized.com Company Website https://www.caliberco.com/

March 23, 2021 10:35 AM Pacific Daylight Time

How The Need For Life Insurance Affects Your Family Financial Planning by Jennifer Lang Financial Services.

Jennifer Lang Financial Services, LLC

Contact Details Jennifer Lang +1 877-487-8926 mail@jenniferlangfinancialservices.com Company Website https://www.jenniferlangfinancialservices.com

March 23, 2021 10:05 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Healthy Living for the Whole Family

YourUpdateTV

This month of March many families are looking for ways to update their lifestyle to stay healthy for the long term. They might be looking for ways to get outdoors, improve personal care habits, eat right, or check in on loved ones. Recently, Wellness and Lifestyle Expert, Terra Wellington, teamed up with YourUpdateTV to discuss a few ideas on how to improve your wellness choices. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/d193y7OYZaE Refresh Your Wellness Routine One thing the majority of us are looking for is a boost of happiness and health this spring. Recent studies say about 50 percent of us have experienced anxiety and depression over this past year. But the good news is that your wellness routine, like good sleep and regular exercise, can really help. One fun and meaningful tech tool you can look into for your wellness is with Amazon’s Alexa on Alexa-enabled devices like Echo Show 10. It’s a great motivator for making it easy to stay on top of your health and wellness. You can say to it, “Alexa, what is my wellness tip of the day?” or “Alexa, recommend a health and wellness podcast.” Alexa can give you guided meditations, play sleep sounds, suggest workouts and recipes, and so much more. Get Your Omega-3’s 70 percent of Americans have low levels of essential Omega-3s, which support our immune system, heart, brain, joint, eye, and skin health. To help you get your Omega-3s, you can check out Kori Pure Antarctic Krill Oil. It delivers Omega-3s in their natural phospholipid form. This means it has excellent absorption in your body compared to fish oil, and it has no fishy aftertaste. Plus, it’s certified sustainable. Watch That Kids Get Their Nutrition For children, you can check out Childlife Essentials and their LiveBiotics Immune & Digestive Support, and Zinc Plus. These vitamins and supplements have been around for 20 years and can help close the nutritional gap for your kids. They are gluten-free, non-GMO, and have no artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners. They are great tasting too, with natural ingredients. And they are available at iHerb, Amazon, Whole Foods, and Sprouts. Setting Aside Time for Personal Care After a very stressful year, it’s important for your family healthy living to set aside time for personal care. On tip to remember is to take care of your skin. It’s part of a healthy lifestyle. There’s a skincare company from the UK that has just exclusively launched at Target — it’s Amie Skincare. This line was developed by a mother for her daughter to meet the changing needs of young skin. The company’s products are unique, affordable, vegan, and cruelty-free. They have three lines, depending on your skin type, with natural ingredients and gentle enough for daily use. Each skincare regime includes a wash or cleansing balm, moisturizer, a treatment (such as a mask, mist, or polish), and biodegradable cleansing wipes. The wipes biodegrade in 15 days, which is a huge plus for sustainability! For more information, visit simplemomsguide.com About Terra Wellington: Terra Wellington is a lifestyle media personality and actress who is one of the country’s foremost authorities. She has conducted more than 2,000 television interviews sharing wellness advice and tips. Terra is Editor in Chief at SimpleMomsGuide.com, an inspirational lifestyle site. 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

March 23, 2021 09:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Koalifyed Breaks New Ground In The Influencer Marketing Space With Innovative End-to-End Platform

Koalifyed

Koalifyed, an influencer marketing platform for social-first brands, today announced the release of its end-to-end solution for modern influencer campaign management. Koalifyed enables brands to centrally manage all parts of the influencer ecosystem – from identification, contract management and creative execution, to payment and performance tracking. This model creates efficiencies and deeper collaboration between in-house marketing teams, agencies and creators to come together in one workspace. The vision behind Koalifyed is what makes it different from other platforms in the marketplace – it is built to continuously evolve with the ever-changing influencer industry, providing more effective ways to strengthen relationships with creators, incorporate more transparent data and analytics, and ensure security and operational efficiencies are at the core. And no matter the campaign size, it’s designed to address critical issues like real fraud detection, ROI measurement and manual content reviews – with the end goal of more effective, results-driven content. This approach offers unique benefits: Fraud Detection: Koalifyed’s proprietary bot detection service S.N.I.F.F. applies the power of commercialized government intelligence agency technologies to identify up to 10 times more bots than other products. Negotiate Rates in Real-Time: By applying S.N.I.F.F.’s authenticity score to rate discussions, brands can make more informed investment decisions directly in the platform. Contract In-Platform: Contracts and transactions happen securely in-platform, making the process five times faster than contracting outside the platform. Collaborate Seamlessly: Versatile content features allow marketers and creators to review, edit, track changes and approve content all within Koalifyed. Prove Performance: With creators opting in to Koalifyed, brands gain instant access to proof of performance, minimizing the stress of compliance and governance requirements, and creators can ensure their campaign insights are easily accessed by brands. With the end-to-end nature of the platform, Koalifyed can minimize the time historically spent on manual-intensive tasks, enabling brands to shift their focus to building stronger relationships with their influencer communities and driving more powerful content. Koalifyed was developed by Stagwell Technologies in collaboration with leading consumer marketing agency MMI Agency. “As new social platforms emerge and influencers take up a greater share of marketing budgets, we saw an opportunity to create an innovative solution that allows brands to gain efficiencies while showing the business value of influencer marketing,” said Charles Hu, Partner & CTO at Stagwell Technologies. “The options available today simply have not evolved with the needs of our industry and its users. Koalifyed facilitates and enhances the relationships between brand and creator, and it’s built to iterate, learn and grow with the changing needs of all stakeholders.” Today there are nearly 300 active creators on the platform and that number is quickly growing. Active user and Houston Lifestyle and Fashion Blogger, Jordyn Rush said, “Having access to technology like Koalifyed isn’t just about making my everyday tasks as a creator faster and more seamless, it’s also about having access to opportunities that can become real business partnerships.” “This space is growing and changing, and I see myself as an increasingly important marketing medium for brands. Like many others in the creator community, I take what I do very seriously, and the more that platforms like Koalifyed can help me start conversations with brands that recognize my expertise and my value, the better the ecosystem will be for all parties.” Koalifyed is now available to all brands and offers solutions for influencer marketing budgets of all sizes. Creators can also sign up to join the Koalifyed creator database to get discovered by brands via Koalifyed’s website. To learn more, sign up to be a part of Koalifyed’s creator database or request a demo, visit koalifyed.com. About Koalifyed Koalifyed is an influencer marketing platform designed by and for social-first brands that are boldly shaping culture. Born out of Stagwell Technologies, a member of The Stagwell Group, and incubated within one of the world’s top 5 advertisers, Koalifyed’s technology offers more speed, efficiency and trust in influencer campaign management. As the only end-to-end platform of its kind, marketers can now leverage a single platform to identify influencers, negotiate and draft contracts, and measure the success of campaigns. Koalifyed provides greater insight and protection against bots through a proprietary bot detection engine called S.N.I.F.F, which provides brands and influencers insights into real reach, quality and engagement levels of social audiences, so brands’ influencer dollars work smarter. To learn more, visit koalifyed.com. Contact Details KWT Global for Koalifyed Olivia Janicelli +1 646-989-3919 koalifyed@kwtglobal.com Company Website https://www.koalifyed.com

March 23, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Minuteman Press Franchise Owners Lynne and John Regas Show Print is Essential in Frankfort, Illinois

Minuteman Press International Inc

Minuteman Press Frankfort Has Remained Open As an Essential Business During Covid-19; Owners Lynne and John Regas Share Their Insights on Adapting During the Pandemic and Helping Local Businesses “Bounce Back” CHICAGO & FRANKFORT, Ill. – As Lynne and John Regas approach five years in business, no year has been more defining for their Minuteman Press printing franchise than this one. “We both feel very fortunate that we were considered essential and were able to remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic, not only to be there for other local businesses and organizations, but to help us stay sane and keep working,” says Lynne. Print is Essential Since the beginning of the pandemic, Minuteman Press Frankfort has continued to provide high-demand products and services that have been critical in helping local businesses reach out to customers while promoting community solidarity. “Early on in the pandemic, we saw high demand for yard signs. We were able to supply local schools with graduation signs, and now those same school districts are coming back to us since it was so popular. Banners and flags have been in high demand from businesses who simply want to let customers know, ‘We’re Open.’ Restaurants have also come to us for takeout menus as they update their specials, menu items, and safe pickup and delivery options.” Lynne continues, “We are also helping a number of businesses reach out to the community via direct mail postcards and flyers. We’ve already reached out to several business categories about the power of mailing campaigns. For example, we have recently helped a local chiropractic office, a local physical therapist, and a local small gym owner increase their visibility (and therefore their customer base) by designing and mailing flyers using both direct mail and Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM). These are businesses that can really benefit from letting people know they are there and following every safety protocol to make sure they can provide their services and still keep you healthy.” “This pandemic really forced a lot of local businesses to rethink their paths forward, and we are here to help them do that and provide them with the design, print, marketing, and mailing services they need to do so. We are a local business ourselves, we support local businesses, and we are all in this together.” -Lynne Regas, Minuteman Press franchise owner, Frankfort, Illinois Helping Local Businesses Bounce Back When the pandemic first hit, Lynne and John launched Bounce Back Frankfort (part of Bounce Back USA by Minuteman Press International), a free community website that provides free local listings to businesses as well as free COVID-19 awareness and prevention posters. To date, 44 local businesses have signed up to reach out to community members with special offers. “The idea is simple,” says Lynne. “Let’s support local businesses, and let’s bounce back together as a community.” Lynne continues, “ We spent those first few weeks doing what we could to focus on a path forward and to give back to other businesses. Bounce Back Frankfort is special because it provides an uplifting message as well as a free way for people to advertise at a time where they could use that extra boost. It not only lifts our spirits, it also reminds everyone that it’s so important to communicate, connect, and engage with our community, especially right now.” “Our message to other local businesses is to hang in there. It’s important to remain calm and focused on the future while we navigate through these times. Knowing that everyone is in this together has caused a renewed sense of unity in the small business community we are a part of here in Frankfort. We’ve made sure that everyone knows we are here to support them – both now and in the future.” -Lynne Regas Adapting the Business and Receiving Ongoing Support Minuteman Press Frankfort is locally owned and operated but being part of the Minuteman Press franchise family has really helped Lynne and John learn and grow as business owners over the past five years and throughout the pandemic. Lynne says, “We have always been grateful for the support we’ve received from Minuteman Press, but 2020 and 2021 have really showed us that we made the right decision when we joined this family. The ongoing support during the pandemic has been above and beyond what we expected. From the Bounce Back program to the daily emails of suggestions and encouragement from Nick Titus (President of Minuteman Press International), we absorbed everything and did what we needed to do to adapt and pivot. It is so helpful to know what is happening with other franchises, both local and across the country, to know that we aren’t alone and to be reminded that there will be an end to this pandemic.” Lynne explains how she has learned and grown from this experience and is better positioned for the future. “We’ve started using social media much more to communicate and promote our business. We’ve had many businesses reach out to us as they start to reopen. For example, we ran a promotion for menus and restaurants responded.” She continues, “We have learned to incorporate marketing strategies and new ways of communicating so that we can reach and interact with clients safely. Whether it’s a promotion on Instagram or targeted local marketing, we are here to engage with customers across all touch-points.” “Lynne and John Regas have done a tremendous job supporting local businesses in their community and finding new ways to pivot and connect with their clients. They’ve followed the Minuteman Press franchise system closely and have built a solid foundation for their business over the past five years. They are great people and caring business owners, and I am proud to support them.” -Steve Szymanski, Minuteman Press International Regional Vice President, Midwest Reflections on Owning the Business and Advice for Others Prior to becoming business owners, Lynne and John worked in corporate sales. “ We were both involved in purchasing roles with different corporations. John had worked for the same company for almost 30 years and was laid off. I had worked for several different companies but was really just going through the motions. After John was laid off and began seriously thinking about opening his own business and being his own boss, I was supportive – but I’d be lying if I didn’t also say I was a little apprehensive. Looking back now, we certainly made the right decision.” She adds, “It’s so surreal that we’ve been doing this for almost five years because the time has gone by so quickly. We’re no longer in that ‘rut’ we were in when working our previous jobs, and every day is truly a new adventure. We are becoming the people we wanted to be – entrepreneurs who are doing what it takes to make their business successful, no matter what comes our way. The biggest reward, definitely, is no longer feeling like we are working hard for someone else. We’re working harder than we ever have but it’s for us and our business – and that makes it all worth it!” When asked what advice she would give to others, Lynne answers, “If you’re being honest with yourself, there is a lot of risk when you open your own business. Being a part of a company like Minuteman Press that really invests in its franchise owners helps mitigate that risk and should put any potential owners’ minds at ease.” She concludes, “We have potential new owners visit our center and we share our experiences as franchisees. We tell them how impressed we’ve been with the level of support we’ve received from day one. Ultimately, Minuteman Press International has always cared about us and their support during this pandemic has clearly demonstrated just how much they truly care.” For more information on Minuteman Press Frankfort, visit https://www.frankfort-il.minutemanpress.com. Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities and read Minuteman Press franchise reviews at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

March 22, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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