SwitchBot Curtain, make your curtains smart in seconds

Automate opening and closing your curtains with Alexa, Google Home, Siri or a SwitchBot remote control

Click Here to Buy One Now! 

•  Automate any curtain (rod and rail type), with App, Schedule, and Sun light sensor.
•  Install in 30 seconds without any screws, nuts or bolts.
•  The most affordable motorized curtain solution. Don’t waste your curtain, retrofit it.
•  Voice control your curtain with Alexa, Google Home, and Siri, with Hub Mini.
•  Open and connected with API, IFTTT, and SmartThings support with Hub Mini.
•  Smart, automated and healthy lifestyle, enabled.
•  Practical and useful for high ceiling curtains, elderly, and disabled people.

Seeing is Believing

Buy one new at https://switchbotcurtain.kckb.st/aff612f3!

Rods and Rails, Retrofitted.

Works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple Siri, SmartThings and IFTTT with the Hub

Energy saving

Even the most eco-friendly air-conditioning consumes energy to cool your room. We can reduce energy consumption by minimizing temperature fluctuations in your room. Close the curtains to block out sunlight to keep your room cool.

Sun light sensor for keeping the room cool

The SwitchBot Curtain has a built-in sun light sensor to detect sunlight. This can help save energy by reducing the workload on your air-conditioning and heating. It can be set to automatically close during the day time in summer to block out the sunlight and keep your room cool. You can also have it automatically open during the day in winter to warm your room with sunlight.

Save energy with the solar panel strip add-on

You can also install the solar power strip add-on to charge the SwitchBot Curtain’s battery using sunlight, thus eliminating the need to recharge the battery. Don’t worry about “charging anxiety” on the SwitchBot Curtain. Install and forget!

Buy one new at https://switchbotcurtain.kckb.st/aff612f3!

Smart living

Leverage technology to take care of the daily routines through automation and voice control. A “Lights Off” scene turns off the light and draws the curtains brighten the room naturally with sunlight. Or you can just say it  “Alexa/Ok Google/Hey Siri, give me sunlight”.

Lifestyle automated with the Schedule feature

Healthy lifestyle

Maintain a regular light-dark cycle in your bedroom to keep your sleep-wake rhythm in sync with your circadian rhythm. The SwitchBot Curtain can be set to close at night and open when it senses daylight. Get better sleep and wake naturally to sunshine.

Wake up naturally to sunlight

Anti-theft

Set your curtains to close automatically when you’re out of the house to hide your valuables from prying eyes. Can’t remember if you closed the window? Check via our app and remotely close the curtains where necessary. Or set them to automatically open at regular intervals to give the impression that someone’s home.

Your curtain keeps the bad guy away.

Adapt your existing curtains instead of replacing them. We at SwitchBot are firm believers in retrofitting your home to create a smart home instead of replacing trusty old appliances or furniture that are still in work well.

Retrofitting is simple with SwitchBot Curtain. It only takes a few seconds to make your existing curtains smart. You have to see it to believe it.

Seeing is believing

The average price of a set of smart curtains is USD $1,000. The SwitchBot Curtain is way more cost-effective at a fraction of that price. You don’t just save money with the SwitchBot Curtain, you do your part for the environment by retaining your existing curtains instead of throwing it away.

 

We support 99% curtains

Some smart curtain solutions only support a single type of curtains. Others are too bulky or require tedious modifications to provide a power source.

The SwitchBot Curtain supports different track types such as U-rail and I-rail, and also rod types. It is also wireless. Just clip it on and you’re ready to go. It is that simple.

We even handle that “BUMP” for extendable rods and rails

 Rods, retrofitted

The round rails allow the SwitchBot Curtain to glide smoothly along the rod. Just clip on the rails and you’re all set.

For those of you who have a longer rod with a bump where the rod extends, we’ve got that figured out. The SwitchBot Curtain is not affected by such bumps.

Install in seconds

 U Rails, retrofitted

The SwitchBot Curtain has hooks for U-rail. It is simple to attach the respective hooks to the rails.

Install in seconds

 I Rails, retrofitted

The SwitchBot Curtain has hooks for I-rail. It is simple to attach the respective hooks to the rails.

Install in seconds

Open and close the curtain at your fingertip. We offer intuitive App control for iOS and Android, with weekly/bi-weekly updates following feedback from you. OTA firmware update is also available for better user experience.

Intuitive UI

Smart living is powered by your voice commands. Wouldn’t it be great to just say it?

“Alexa/Ok Google/Hey Siri, close my curtain please” (Hub is required)

Even with SwitchBot Curtain, you’d probably still instinctively draw the curtains by hand some times. When it senses you drawing the curtain, the SwitchBot Curtain will kick in and do the work for you. We call this Touch & Go.

SwitchBot Curtain makes even the conventional way to draw a curtain smarter.

 

A wireless remote button add-on for you to place anywhere.

Hold it or mount it. Your say.

Double-sided curtains are very common and we have been getting a lot of enquiries about how to use the SwitchBot Curtain with these. You could get two units and part the double-sided curtains from the middle. Or, you could try out this tip from the King of Retrofit! Attach the top curtains with a velcro strip or a strong clip so the curtains will move as one. Then install the SwitchBot Curtain on either ends to let it work its magic!

So your next question is probably where to find a velcro strip. Good news is, we believe so strongly in retrofitting that we will ship every SwitchBot Curtain with a velcro strip in the box as a standard accessory.

The SwitchBot Curtain is so small that it hides nicely behind your curtains. It will work in its own way without getting in your way.  Likewise, we keep the sophisticated mechanism within the body of the SwitchBot Curtain, giving you fast and easy installation so you can enjoy the benefits it brings.

Size fits in your palm.

Read more at => https://switchbotcurtain.kckb.st/aff612f3

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Robert Hoskins
(512) 627-6622
@Crowdfunding_PR

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Mr. Robert Hoskins is a seasoned marketing veteran with a proven track record of helping entrepreneurs, startups, small businesses as well as Fortune 500 corporations launch successful marketing communications campaigns to gain market traction for a wide variety of products and services.

On a regular basis, Mr. Hoskins consults with crowdfunding campaign managers as well as crowdfunding sites, portals and platforms to deliver successful crowdfunding marketing campaigns.

Google search “Robert Hoskins Crowdfunding PR” to see why Mr. Hoskins is considered one of the industry’s foremost crowdfunding experts that has amassed a huge social media following, which is dedicated to supporting donation-, rewards- and equity-based crowdfunding campaigns.

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POMM Inc. Quickly Raises $812,220 With Title IV, Reg A+ Equity Crowdfunding Campaign; Investors See Huge Opportunity to Tap $81.5 Billion Mobile Accessories Marketplace With Smartphone Security Case

Due to an Overwhelming Response From Equity Investors, POMM’s Management Team Is Now Seeking a High-Technology Investor Relations Team With Smartphone & Cyber Security Experience

By Robert Hoskins

San Francisco, California – POMM Inc. announced that its equity crowdfunding has successfully raised more than $812,220 for its recently launched Title IV, Reg. A+ equity investment crowdfunding campaign. Accredited and non-accredited investors are recognizing the investment opportunity made possible by the growing demand from consumers and businesses that want privacy and security for their smartphones and to guard against hackers that try to pry into cell phones and Internet backup storage clouds to steal sensitive texts, emails, photos, videos, medical records and credit card information.

POMM Inc. Equity Crowdfunding Investment Opportunties Start at $500 for Biometric Smartphone Security Cases

“According to a Smartphone Case Segmentation Research Study more than 75% of all buyers purchase an impact resistant case to protect their cell phones. In addition many users also like to buy smartphone cases that provide either extra battery life for longer time periods between charging or that offer much higher data storage capacity,” said David Freidenberg, POMM’s CEO. “And with the growing problem of malware being downloaded accidentally from popular cell phone apps or hackers breaking into internet backup storage clouds, more and more customers are now seeking better privacy and security measures that guard against hacking attacks. Our POMM delivers all of these benefits and more.”

The POMM is a combined software and hardware solution that enables smartphone users to launch a set of secured applications to manage and share private information. It is implemented via a mini quad-core computer embedded in the smartphone case offering biometric and biologic authentication layers; significant secure storage area and a 50% increase in battery life.

In 2015, the U.S. smartphone industry alone sold $81.5 billion of mobile add-on accessories to a marketplace that has over 2 billion iPhone and Android cell phone customers. Considering the fact that more than 70% of the world’s population will own a smartphone by 2020, it is easy for investors to see the huge growth potential for selling POMM Biometric Smartphone Security Cases to new and existing cell phone owners on a worldwide basis.

The Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the POMM Smartphone Security Case will be $200 for 64GB of storage, $275 for 128GB, and $350 for the 256GB and commercial quantities for volume buyers that should be available in Q4 2016.

To generate a 10x return-on-investment for investors over the next 3 to 5 years, POMM would only need to sell 500,000 units at $200 per unit or less than 285,715 units at $350. Once POMM units are carried by Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint and other wireless carriers, dealers and resellers as well as big box consumer electronics retailers like BestBuy, Wal-Mart, Amazon, Apple Stores, Target, CDW and others, POMM will be positioned to issue a very attractive Initial Public Offering (IPO).

Equity crowdfunding investment opportunities start at $500 and require reading through the full Title IV, Reg. A+ Equity Crowdfunding Offering Circular located at http://pommoffering.com or call David Freidenberg at (917) 300-0651.

Read more at:
http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/pomm-inc-quickly-raises-601714-with-equity-crowdfunding-campaign-investors-see-huge-2143059.htm 

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(512) 627-6622
@Crowdfunding_PR

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Mr. Robert Hoskins is a seasoned marketing veteran with a proven track record of helping entrepreneurs, startups, small businesses as well as Fortune 500 corporations launch successful marketing communications campaigns to gain market traction for a wide variety of products and services.

Mr. Hoskins is one of the crowdfunding industry’s foremost crowdfunding advocates and has amassed a huge social media following that is dedicated to supporting donation-, rewards- and equity-based crowdfunding campaigns. Due to the overwhelming demand from the general public for crowdfunding information, he empowers entrepreneurs with some of the internet’s most affordable ($20) online crowdfunding training classes, which provide insight to startups around the world on a 24 x 7 basis.

Mr. Hoskins adamantly believes that the crowdfunding industry will empower everyone in the United States to rediscover the possibility of living the American dream with a little hard work, a great business idea and the dedication to researching, planning and launching a well-thought-out crowdfunding campaign. He consults on a regular basis with crowdfunding campaign managers as well as crowdfunding sites, portals and platforms to deliver successful crowdfunding marketing campaigns.

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POMM Unveils New Android and iPhone Snap On Biometric Security Case With Up to 256GB of Encrypted Data Storage and a 1500 mAh Lithium Battery for 50% Longer Cell Operation

Customers Will Receive All-Day Power, Six Times More Built-In Local Encrypted Data Storage for Up to 32,000 Photos, 20 Hours of Video or 18,000 Songs as Well as Secured Apps for Sharing Files

By Robert Hoskins

New York, NY – To prevent more waves of worldwide smartphone hacking and embarrassing security breaches, POMM Inc. today rolled out a new type of biometric authentication and data encryption cell phone case that keeps data files private and secure from hackers.

POMM Biometric Security Case to Help Android and Apple iPhones Guard Against Hacker Attacks

POMM™ is a must-have add-on for Android Smartphone and Apple iPhone owners that want biometric authentication; a highly secured, personal data storage cloud; and hacker-proof cell phone applications. The POMM also comes with a slim built-in lithium battery that provides up to 50% more battery time.

POMM Spec Sheet: http://privatepomm.com/he/spec-sheet.pdf

Why Do Cell Phones Need Biometric Authentication?
This is an easy question to answer for government officials such as Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump or celebrities including Jennifer Lawrence, Kim Kardashian, Kate Upton, Kaley Cuoco, and others, whose cellphone iCloud accounts were hacked leading to the discovery of susceptible software apps in over 1 billion Android and iPhones using HummingBad, Xsser or WireLurker.

Why are Smartphones Apps Susceptible to Hacking?
A large number of popular cell phones apps do not have critical user authentication protections. For example, “HTTP Request Hijacking” (HRH) affects at least 10,000 known apps on Apple’s App Store. And this is just one of a hundred ways to hack into what most people think are secure smartphones and Internet backup storage clouds.

What is Biometric Security?
Biometric security allows smartphones to authenticate a user’s identity using fingerprint, iris, face and palm scans as well as certain types of pulse, blood oxidation, body temperature and voice recognition to verify that cell phone users are valid, alive, well and not suffering from coercion.

What is a Private, Secured, Local Storage Cloud?
POMM (Privacy on My Mind™) is a mini-computer encased inside a durable, impact resistant cell phone case that performs biometric authentication as well as implements advanced encryption algorithms. Data is stored in a local, private, and very secure cloud versus Internet-based clouds that are favorite targets of ID theft, hacker attacks and other cyberspace criminal abuse.

Who Needs a POMM?
Hundreds of millions of computer-age, modern economy cell phone users worldwide who want to feel secure in accessing, managing, and updating their digital data files.

When Will the POMM Be Available?
POMM is ready to go to market now and is currently raising $10 million by selling shares via a Title IV, Reg. A+ Equity Crowdfunding Campaign to begin mass production and achieve market penetration. Investors that purchase shares can also receive one of POMM biometric security cases. To learn more, please visit http://pommoffering.com.

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Chicago-based Mother of Two Takes a Bite at the Growing Crowdfunding Industry with Mom-Focused Mumzy.com

Mumzy will also provide small business development resources so a mom’s journey to entrepreneurship doesn’t end when her funding goals are met

By Robert Hoskins

Chicago, Illinois – Chicago-based startup, Mumzy.com, launches new crowdfunding site for creative moms that want to bring brilliant ideas to life by raising capital to launch and grow their businesses. It is a well-known fact that moms are inventive and resourceful and Mumzy’s mission is to support moms whether they are starting a company, developing invention new product, creating a non-profit, or simply looking to raise funds to help a fellow mom.

Mumzy Rewards-Based Crowdfunding Platform for Creative Moms

Mumzy was founded to solve one of the biggest problems for innovative moms while harnessing the growing popularity of the crowdfunding industry which had a projected growth of 81% year-over-year and, according to a World Bank report, could be a $90 to $96 billion dollar industry by 2025. This explosive growth has created the need for the industry to become more niche to cater to specific audiences, and Mumzy is the only platform geared towards moms, catering to their unique needs and challenges.

In addition to helping moms raise capital, Mumzy will also provide small business development resources so a mom’s journey to entrepreneurship doesn’t end when her funding goals are met. Furthermore, Mumzy has a built-in community where entrepreneurs can ask questions, connect with like-minded moms and source auxiliary help from people in a similar situation.

Mumzy was founded by Catherine Merritt, a Chicagoan, mother of two boys and vice president at Olson Engage, a Chicago marketing and public relations firm which championed her efforts. When Catherine had her oldest son, Teddy, she had her first mom-inspired invention – and it was a great one! – but with a lack of resources and funding options, her idea never took off. It did, however, pave the path for Mumzy. Having spent over a decade working in marketing, and five years as a mom herself, Catherine brings both personal and professional expertise in helping solve problems for moms.

“By creating a rich, engaged, resourceful platform designed with moms in mind I am confident Mumzy will prove what I already know – moms with great ideas and the support of other moms is not something to take lightly,” said Catherine Merritt.

In partnership with Olson Engage and Juice Interactive, Mumzy was brought to life by some of the best in the business. Mumzy is a dynamic crowdfunding platform with the full capacity to raise funds, promote ideas and engage in a like-minded community for support and encouragement. While mom entrepreneurs are the target user for Mumzy anyone can utilize the platform to further their entrepreneurship goals.

Mumzy has an experienced advisory board made up of Melinda Kramer, CEO of KloudVenture, LLC and one of this year’s “Crain’s Tech 50,” Peter Shankman renowned speaker and author of numerous books including the most recent “Zombie Loyalists: Using Great Service to Create Rabid Fans,” Eric Sheinkop, the founder and CEO of Music Dealers and author of “Hit Brands: How Music Builds Value for the World’s Smartest Brands,” and Bryan Specht, President of Olson Engage, a marketer and communicator with almost two decades of experience who guided the agency’s initial work supporting Mumzy.

“Mumzy is a perfect example of a great idea borne of insights, technology and creativity in a way that can deliver real value and benefit to a community,” said Specht. “Our people are able to connect the dots and generate ideas like Mumzy and we are proud to provide them the freedom to develop and realize unique ideas that have community and business value.”

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IndieGoGo Crowdfunding Campaign Seeks Starting Goal of $50,000 to Spread Early Literacy Skills to One Million Preschoolers Through Storybooks, eBooks, Smartphone Apps, and Ed-Tech Website

Teaching Preschoolers Pre-Reading Skills Improves Academic Development, Promotes Lifelong Learning, Increases Family Engagement, and Instills Confidence and Perseverance When Faced With Challenges

By Robert Hoskins

Toronto, Ontario – Ruth Rumack’s Learning Space (RRLS) launched a $50,000 IndieGoGo Crowdfunding campaign that will pre-sell a set of five Alpha-Mania early childhood learning storybooks and other perks that will make teaching pre-reading skills fun for children, parents, teachers and caregivers. The Alpha-Mania storybooks are the result of teaching early literacy programs to thousands of young children over the past 16 years. Click here to watch the video.

Ruth Rumack’s Alpha-Mania Crowdfunding Campaign to Promote Early Childhood Literacy

All five of the Alpha-Mania books are written and ready to publish. The goal of the crowdfunding campaign will be to pay for large publishing production runs of the Alpha-Mania storybooks, and then digitize the materials and turn them into eBooks and Smartphone apps, and eventually expand the program to an online educational web series and website where caregivers, parents and teachers will be given access to a full library of ed-tech early literacy games and reading resources. The plan is to make ed-tech materials easy to download and use on a wide variety of Smartphones, iPads, tablets and other types of eLearning devices.

Over the years, the Alpha-Mania pre-reading program has given thousands of young children a head start in developing their early literacy skills at RRLS as well as numerous established daycares, preschools, and nurseries throughout Canada. The plan is now to expand the RRLS learning experience and share it with a global audience.

“Using the power of crowdfunding, we would like to not only pre-sell these lifelong learning materials to people and schools that can afford them, but also use a significant portion of the fundraising campaign’s proceeds to ship storybooks to educational centers where they will have the greatest impact,” says Ruth Rumack, RRLS’ Founder and Director of Education. “Regardless of a child’s living environment, many parents are simply not aware of the tremendous benefits that all children receive from learning phonological awareness at an early age.”

“Printing and shipping storybooks to customers is very expensive and time consuming,” adds Evan Brooker, RRLS’s CEO. “But once we raise enough money to digitize our materials and turn our pre-reading games and interactive activities into Smartphone, tablet and laptop apps, we can sell and distribute them worldwide for a fraction of our current costs. Instead of educating thousands, our goal is to raise awareness and teach millions of people the benefits of engaging their children with early literacy skills in order to build a strong foundation for reading and problem solving before they enter kindergarten.”

Crowdfunders who donate to the Alpha-Mania crowdfunding campaign will receive many valuable perks/rewards that will be sold in singles, multi-book packaged deals for small schools and will provide large school districts discounts when materials/training classes are purchased using licensing agreements.

Students, parents, teachers and schools who contribute money to the crowdfunding campaign can choose between unique perks such as attending the launch party, chatting with the author, or naming a character in one of the upcoming stories. Check out the crowdfunding campaign for more details.

Please buy one of the following Alpha-Mania perks to raise awareness for the benefits of teaching preschoolers early childhood learning skills:

• Alpha-Mania eBooks for Smartphones and Tablets
• Alpha-Mania Printed Storybooks for Parents
• Alpha-Mania Book, Tote Bag & T-Shirt
• Alpha-Mania 5-Book Story Book Series
• Alpha-Mania Skype Chat with Author
• Alpha-Mania Name a Character
• Alpha-Mania Family Portrait and Summer Camp in Toronto
• Alpha-Mania Training Classes for Teachers
• Alpha-Mania License for Daycares, Preschools & Kindergartens
• Alpha-Mania Mass Volume Book Deals for Large Schools

Early childhood learning years are critical for preschoolers because research shows that children gain a tremendous advantage in their ability to learn when they are taught to develop, not only academic skills, but also non-cognitive social and emotional skills and behaviors that lead to their long-term success.

There are many non-cognitive skills that are critical for an individual to strive for and succeed in when reaching long-term goals. Researchers have found that habits such as tenacity and perseverance can have just as strong an influence on achievement as intellectual ability.

What attitudes do children have about learning? Do they feel like their abilities in a subject are fixed — “I’m just not good at reading!” or do they recognize they can grow — “I can learn to read, but I need to learn some Alpha-Mania strategies to figure out tricky sounds and words in order to master the fun puzzle of reading.”

“Growth mindset,” for example, is more likely when students believe they can achieve and when they believe that intelligence is malleable rather than fixed. This also helps develop non-cognitive skills such as perseverance, self-regulation, and effective strategies for enhancing student motivation and engagement.

A large portion of the crowdfunding donations will be used to provide Alpha-Mania to underfunded schools and libraries. Donors will receive the satisfaction of knowing that they helped a small child develop pre-reading skills regardless of their current position in society and give them a head start in developing academic skills that will lead to a lifetime of learning as well as arm them with the confidence, tenacity and perseverance they will need when faced with tough lifetime challenges.

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Wells Fargo Announces Four-Point Plan to Expand Credit Coaching Programs and Offer $75 Million in Investments, Grants and Micro-Lending for Small Businesses in the U.S.

To help business owners learn how to obtain credit, as well as better understand the reasons for a decline and learn how to prepare to reapply, Wells Fargo has launched a new Credit Coaching program

  By Robert Hoskins

San Francisco, California – To gain more insight into the experiences of diverse business owners in the areas of lending and operating their businesses, Wells Fargo commissioned Gallup to conduct a national study of small business owners. Today, as Gallup releases the findings (on Gallup.com), Wells Fargo is announcing a four-point plan to address needs identified in the study. The plan will help more diverse small businesses become credit-ready and gain access to credit. The Gallup survey included findings of business owners in six segments – African American, Asian American, Hispanic, LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender), military veteran, and women.

Please click on this banner to vote yes for Crowdfunding PR’s business plan to open up Crowdfunding Training Facilities nationwide in tandem with co-working spaces, incubators and accelerators

“Serving diverse communities has long been a focus area and priority for Wells Fargo, yet we know there’s more work to be done, and it starts with gaining a deeper understanding of the experiences of diverse small business owners working with financial institutions,” said Lisa Stevens, head of Small Business for Wells Fargo. “For this reason, we commissioned the Gallup study, which gave us new insight into the perceptions and experiences of diverse business owners working with banks, and how we can improve as a company and as an industry.”

Overall, the national study revealed there are more similarities than differences between small business owners in all diverse segments and those in the general population. It also shows specific areas in which the financial services industry can provide more support for diverse business owners.

Credit Coaching Program

In the Gallup survey, diverse-owned small businesses were more likely to respond that they have been declined for business credit – about one in five African American, Asian and Hispanic business owners said they faced a credit decline in the past (14 percent of general market respondents said they faced a decline). After being declined, a higher percentage of African American business owners (64 percent) said they did not apply for credit again than their peers in the general small business population (47 percent). African American (14 percent) and LGBT (15 percent) business owners also reported greater personal credit challenges than the general market (5 percent).

To help business owners learn how to obtain credit, as well as better understand the reasons for a decline and learn how to prepare to reapply, Wells Fargo has launched an enhanced Credit Coaching program. It offers expanded support to business owners who have been declined business credit. The phone-based program has been rolled out to small business owners who apply for Wells Fargo Business Direct credit products (primarily credit products under $100,000 sold through its retail banking stores). Business owners who use the program will be connected with a credit specialist who will review the business’ credit profile, explain why the business was declined credit, and share resources that can help the business strengthen its credit profile and improve the likelihood of being approved for business credit in the future.

In addition, while the majority of business owners surveyed across all segments said they did not feel a perception of discrimination from a financial institution impacted their chances of obtaining business credit, 22 percent of African American and 11 percent of LGBT business owners reported that perceived discrimination impacted their chances of obtaining credit for their business, compared to 5 percent of the general small business owner population. The Credit Coaching initiative will be one way Wells Fargo will further increase transparency of credit decisions and facilitate conversations that build trust with all customers.

“We take pride in the fact that diversity and inclusion has long been one of our core values in every aspect of our business, and at every level of our organization,” said Stevens. “We want to make sure all customers feel welcome, respected, understood, valued and appreciated. The actions we’re introducing today are the next steps for Wells Fargo to better serve and connect with diverse-segment business owners.”

Community Development Financial Institutions Investments, Grants

Another key finding in the Gallup study is that African American, Asian and Hispanic small business owners are more likely to be in the start-up and growing stages of their business, compared to the small business population in general, and as a result may not qualify for many conventional bank loan products. In addition, 49 percent of African American-, 47 percent of women- and 45 percent of LGBT-owned businesses in the survey reported annual business revenue of less than $50,000, compared to 36 percent of small business owners in general.

To help newer, smaller and start-up businesses access the appropriate business financing and support they need, Wells Fargo will extend $50 million in investments and $25 million in grants to organizations called Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) that serve small businesses and entrepreneurs. The investments and grants will be directed to CDFIs that help small businesses get started and established by providing flexible capital and technical assistance. Wells Fargo will work with existing and new CDFI customers in diverse communities across the country to deploy this capital and measure its impact.

“We know that in order to address the range of financial needs within all of our communities, we need to support and work with the ecosystem of organizations that serve small businesses,” said Jon Campbell, executive vice president, government and community relations for Wells Fargo. “Through this increased investment and connections with community lending organizations, we are making meaningful strides toward increasing access to capital for small businesses, as well as helping more business owners get the coaching and educational resources they need to succeed financially long-term.”

Nationwide Referral Network

In the Gallup study, more African American, Asian and Hispanic business owners reported they were unable to obtain all the credit they needed in the past year than the general business owner population, yet the majority of small business owners in all diverse segments said they did not need credit in the last year. At the same time, nearly one in four African American, Hispanic and Asian business owners plans to apply for credit in the next 12 months, higher than the general small business owner population planning to pursue credit (15 percent). Businesses in the startup and growing phases in general expressed more intentions to apply for new credit.

To ensure business owners are aware of and accessing the full range of financing options available to them, Wells Fargo recently established referral relationships with more than 20 nonprofits and other lenders in cities across the country that are participating in the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Community Advantage program. Participants in the SBA’s program specialize in providing hands-on guidance to small businesses and offering credit to qualifying businesses in underserved markets. Wells Fargo, the nation’s No. 1 SBA lender 7(a) in dollar volume for six consecutive years (U.S. SBA data, federal fiscal years 2009-2014), established these relationships with the intent of providing small business owners with an additional financing solution that may better meet their lending needs.

Chamber Training Institute

On the topic of business education, the Gallup study showed that African American, Asian and Hispanic business owners were more likely than business owners in the general population to be extremely or very interested in learning how to build a strong business credit application, choose a credit product, and develop a business plan. To meet this demand, Wells Fargo is supporting a Chamber Training Institute that trains leaders of diverse-segment chambers of commerce on key business and leadership topics for their members, such as how to access business credit and craft strong business plans. This cross-chamber initiative builds on Wells Fargo’s strong working relationships with chambers nationwide that specifically serve and represent African American, Hispanic, Asian American and LGBT business owner interests.

“There’s no single answer to the challenges reflected in the study, just as the challenges facing all diverse-owned businesses are broader than any one financial institution can address,” Stevens said. “As America’s leading small business lender, we have a responsibility to do more. We believe the steps we’re taking will make a difference, help us foster more lifelong relationships, and move us closer to our goal of helping every business we serve succeed financially. We want to contribute to a national conversation, involving the public and private sector, industry stakeholders and small business owners, about how to better support small businesses in every community.”

Additional Gallup study findings

Other key findings in Gallup’s industry study included:

• Only about half of small business owners say they have ever borrowed money for their business, including the general population of small business owners (50 percent), Asian (53 percent) and Hispanic (51 percent) segments, while the percentage of African American business owners who have used credit (42 percent) is somewhat lower.
• African American (21 percent) and Hispanic (18 percent) business owners were more likely than their counterparts in the general population (10 percent) to be in the startup phase.
• Nearly half of Asian-owned business owners (49 percent) said they were in the growing phase of their business, a higher percentage than the general population of small business owners (37 percent). Also, 38 percent of Asian-owned businesses reported annual revenue of $250,000 or more, compared to 22 percent of businesses overall.
• A higher proportion of veteran-owned businesses (24 percent) reported being in the winding down phase – preparing to retire, sell or transition their businesses – than small business owners in general (15 percent).
• Just 9 percent of women business owners reported plans to apply for new credit in the next 12 months, compared with 20 percent of men surveyed.

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Paid Mentorship Management Consulting Fees Can Help Fund College University Incubator and Accelerator Programs

Allowing Mentors to Earn Revenue while Colleges/Universities Collect a Commission for Facilitating the Knowledge Transfer is Great Way to Bring Leading Expertise to Remote Areas

By Robert Hoskins

Paid Mentor Management Consulting Fees

Another option for schools to generate funding is to create a management consulting practice in tandem with college and university incubators and accelerators. Many sources of mentorship can be attracted by allowing the subject matter experts to generate revenue by providing mentoring services for a consulting fee. 

Incubators/accelerators could take a 15% commission out of the consulting fee to add monthly recurring revenue to their incubator and accelerator programs. Payments for services can be paid in cash and/or might include an option to purchase equity shares in the first class of equity shares being offered during the seed fundraising round.

Using this strategy, schools with video conferencing capabilities can tap into talent on a worldwide basis. Using teleconferencing and distance learning applications schools can access the world’s leading entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and private equity investors, even in remote locations.

A single community college might not able to afford a speaking engagement with Guy Kawasaki, Elon Musk or Richard Branson, but working with numerous community colleges in any given state they could launch a rewards-based crowdfunding campaign to solicit enough cash to pay for an event that could be broadcast to a network of participating schools.  These single session tutorials, mentoring sessions or consulting engagements could be setup in a very similar manner to the very popular TedX talks.

Other sources of revenue can be earned by hosting conferences, trade shows, pitching competitions and/or training classes.

Learn more about crowdfunding:

• Building a Rewards-based and/or Equity-based Crowdfunding Ecosystem;
• Providing Easy Access to Seed Investment Capital with Crowdfunding;
• Generating More Revenue to Support Co-Working Spaces and Startups;
• Using Equity Crowdfunding Sites to Finance Incubators and Accelerators;
• Taking Advantage of Investor Syndicates that are Seeking Better Deal Flow;
• Splitting Revenue from Incubator and Accelerator Mentors Consulting Fees;
• Streamlining Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs);
• Cross-Pollinating College Education with Real World Startups; and
• Learning to Build Better Alumni and Local Community Relationships

 

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Crowdlending Site, Kiva, Launches “Dreams” to Support Equality for All Women

On March 8th, Help Kiva Make a Difference by Backing the Dreams of Women around the World to Honor and Support International Women’s Day

 By Robert Hoskins

San Francisco, CA – Kiva.org wants millions of people worldwide to celebrate the 104th International Women’s Day on March 8, 2015. While many gains have been made, the dream of women’s equality is still far from reality. The truth. In the year 2015 inequality is still all around us. Opportunity is not equal. Education is not equal. Wealth is not equal.

But dreams… the dreams of all women are created equal. And that’s where you can start.  In honor of International Women’s Day – and the days that follow – Kiva has launched Kiva.org/Dreams to spotlight the power of women to create sustainable change when everyday people lend their support.

Please visit Kiva.org/Dreams to vote on which woman Kiva’s team should pick to lend $25 to enable her dream to come true. There is no cost to you. By choosing her, you help her to follow her dream of starting or growing her business, sending her children to school, and gaining financial independence.

 

Or search through Kiva’s portfolio of women entrepreneurs and select a woman and donate $25 in countries where any amount of money will make a huge difference in her daily life. Supporters will receive great satisfaction in knowing that they made a difference in someone’s life that really needed the money.

Without access to resources to attend school or grow a business, their dreams are far too often out of reach. This affects us all.  Women’s empowerment means economic growth for their families, communities and the world. A case in point: if women farmers had equal access to farming assets and finance, they could increase their crop yields up to 30% and 150 million people who go hungry every day would be able to eat.

By contributing to the success of an entrepreneurial woman who has overcome obstacles most of us cannot even truly imagine, we discover so much more about our own resiliency, possibility, and potential. Each of us has a part to play and together we can make dreams a reality for thousands of women around the world.

So, in honor of International Women’s Day and the power of women to create lasting change, please back a dream at Kiva.org/Dreams.

Kiva.org is the world’s first and largest crowdfunding platform for social good with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. Since 2005, more than 1.6 million people turned their dreams into reality because 1.3 million people backed their dream on Kiva. Together, more than $675 million in loans have been crowdfunded, with a 98% repayment rate.

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Front Page PR Seeks Entrepreneurs, Small Businesses and Franchises that Want to Take Advantage of the New Texas Crowdfunding Rules to Market Equity Investment Opportunities

Top 50 cities in Texas are home to 13.3 million residents that will soon be able to invest up to $5,000 per year in private equity investment opportunities

By Robert Hoskins

Austin, Texas – Front Page PR (www.crowdfundingPRcampaigns.com), one of America’s leading crowdfunding PR and marketing firms, announced that the firm is now seeking new startups and entrepreneurs that want to take advantage of the new Intrastate Texas Crowdfunding Exemption rules that allows companies to raise up to $1 million from non-accredited investors.

Front Page PR is one of the leading Crowdfunding PR firms in America

On December 1, 2014, for the first time in 80 years, Texas-based startups and entrepreneurs will be able to sell private equity shares to all residents living Texas. In addition, all parties will be able to use mass marketing to advertise and publicize their equity investment opportunities using media outlets that focus on Texas Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), which are home to more than 26 million potential customers.

Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA)	Population
Houston – The Woodlands – Sugar Land	6,484,279
Dallas – Plano – Richardson – Irving	4,627,393
Fort Worth – Arlington – HEB	2,358,186
San Antonio – New Braunfels	2,334,363
Austin-Round Rock	1,938,858
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission	862,768
El Paso	862,638
Killeen-Temple	445,356
Corpus Christi	443,351
Brownsville-Harlingen	439,437
Beaumont-Port Arthur	413,982
Lubbock	304,682
Laredo	275,686
Amarillo	265,821
Waco	260,728
College Station-Bryan	246,910
Longview	226,407
Tyler	222,781
Abilene	170,164
Wichita Falls	152,426
Midland	150,721
Odessa	145,960
Sherman-Denison	125,901
San Angelo	113,969
Victoria	96,883
Texarkana	93,457
Total:	24,063,107

Approximately 20 million of these customers are over the age of 18 and will be able to invest up to $5,000 per year in private equity placements. Once the state educates its residents and new investors become Internet savvy investors, Texas will represent a $100 billion per year pool of venture capital that small businesses and entrepreneurs can use to raise start up funding.

This will prove to be a boon for the large majority of ideas and business plans that are currently being rejected or ignored by the states 70+ business accelerators and incubators.

Any business that has received the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) rubber stamp to be pre-approved for SBA loans should strongly consider opening a business in Texas. Franchisors and franchises are the perfect business model to help franchisees raise money using the new Texas crowdfunding rules. Unlike many startups that will have an unproven track record, franchises with 5 or more profitable locations should be able to provide investors with a better than average chance of success.

Rural areas are a prime target for economic development in Texas where the demand is present for new restaurants, movie theaters, shopping malls, trampoline parks, entertainment venues, but until now have not had access to traditional venture capital due to their location.

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Contact:
Robert Hoskins
Front Page PR
(512) 627-6622
rhoskins@frontpagepr.com

 

Investors Provide $1 Million Investment to Shore Up Seed&Spark, a Crowdfunding Platform that Funds and Distributes Independent Films

The investment in documentary and narrative films gives a huge boost to women due to the fact that within the entrepreneurship film space, 58% of all films successfully funded on Seed&Spark are led or co-led by women

By Robert Hoskins

Los Angeles, California — Seed&Spark closed an important round of $1 million in seed venture capital to expand its operations. In addition to the cash infusion, two seasoned film and entertainment executives will join the crowdfunding platform’s board of directors.  Julie Parker Benello (co-founder of Chicken & Egg Pictures and Gamechanger Films) and producer and Veritas Prep founder Chad Troutwine (Oscar-winning Undefeated, Freakonomics, Print the Legend) will join the board later this month.

Seed&Spark is building a truly independent filmmaking community where filmmakers and audiences come together for crowd-funding, production, and streaming distribution

Earlier this year, Parker Benello, along with Chicken & Egg Pictures co-founder Wendy Ettinger, launched Gamechanger films with Dan Cogan and Geralyn Dreyfous of Impact Partners to “shift the gender disparity in the film marketplace.” Parker Benello’s commitment to women in film both in documentaries and narrative films now extends to entrepreneurship in the film space. 58% of film projects successfully funded on Seed&Spark are led or co-led by women, a statistic Seed&Spark founder and CEO Emily Best attributes to the fact that women are so marginalized in the film industry they’re willing to take a risk on newer platforms. “It could also be that our company leadership is almost entirely women.”

Says Parker Benello, “I am excited to join Seed & Spark as an advisor, given the company’s interest in promoting women directors, both documentary and narrative, on their innovative crowdfunding and streaming platform. I look forward to working with the team to help build out the company while furthering the work of many filmmakers supported by Chicken & Egg Pictures and invested in by Gamechanger Films.”

“We are honored to add two incredibly experienced film producers to our board who are deeply invested in the social impact of the films they make,” says Seed&Spark founder and CEO Emily Best. “What’s more exciting is that we have been able to communicate our company’s mission as an impact investment. We are deeply committed to building tools to give access to a greater diversity of creators—tools we believe can help creators make a sustainable living from their craft.”

“We’re not taking the approach of building this company with money. We wanted to engage the community and grow organically only on the strength of what the community finds valuable about what we’re offering. It means we’ve been able to get a long way with a tiny fraction of the money our competitors have raised. It also means that more of our resources can get poured back into the community because we don’t have so much to pay back,” says Best. “We also hope that we can demonstrate to filmmakers that the strength of this community is more powerful than money. And we can build a sustainable business this way – together!”

Says Troutwine, who most recently produced Print the Legend, which was nabbed by Netflix Originals at SXSW, “There is an exciting new frontier in distribution, one that can more greatly benefit both creators and audiences. Seed&Spark’s founding team of filmmakers understands they’re working for the audience.”

The lead in this round is the Wadsworth Family investment fund Manitou Ventures. Other investors include producer and philanthropist Abigail Disney, Catapult Film Fun co-founder Lisa Kleiner-Chanoff, Emmy-winning producer and Spacestation Founder Matthew Mills, Mitro founder Vijay Pandurangan, and angel investor Deborah Meijer among others.

Having just announced a distribution partnership with American Express, Seed&Spark plans to pursue more distribution partnerships, “to put truly independent content in front of the widest possible audiences and make sure the creators benefit,” says Best.

Seed&Spark is a truly independent film community where filmmakers and audiences join forces to fund, promote and watch the best new independent films. As a selective crowdfunding platform and curated streaming service, Seed&Spark is an online destination for engaged audiences to get involved in exceptional projects at all stages. Seed&Spark’s film specific crowdfunding tool – the “WishList” – allows supporters to buy or loan specific items to a production. Every time an audience member supports a project, they earn rewards points called “Sparks” which they can spend to watch films on the streaming platform. Supporting films gives audiences greater access to watch them.

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