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Kenny Clark Grows Minuteman Press Printing Franchise in McKinney, Texas

Minuteman Press International Inc

Minuteman Press in McKinney, Texas is located at 1502 W. University Drive, Suite 111. Owner Kenny Clark has owned the local printing franchise since August 2014. Operating as an essential business over the past two years, Kenny has consistently grown his sales and helped other local businesses meet their ever-changing needs for custom design, print, and marketing services. Kenny says, “We have worked hard to serve our customers with anything they have needed over the past two years and that hard work has paid off. I was born and raised in Texas, and one thing I did was remain open. I went to work every single day because I wanted to be there to answer the phone when other businesses weren’t. If you could hear the relief in their voices when I answered the phone, you would understand just how huge that personal touch and human connection was at that time.” “I was fortunate enough to remain open as an essential business, and by being there for new and existing clients at a time where they needed me most, that really was a big key to growing our business. Today, I am stronger than I was before the pandemic, and our client base is stronger as well.” -Kenny Clark, owner, Minuteman Press franchise, McKinney, Texas. With eight years of business under his belt including two years of operating under unprecedented circumstances, Kenny is able to share his insights and keys to growth for Minuteman Press in McKinney. He says, “We have many products that are in high demand, and the key to our success is that we sell ourselves through our actions. We offer speed and service, and a job done right, no matter what our clients need.” He continues, “We offer custom graphic design services with fast turnaround, which then leads to fast production of banners, signs, blueprints, business cards and stationery, and anything our clients need or want to grow their business through increased brand awareness and visibility. Direct mail has also been a growth point for us.” Why direct mail? Kenny explains, “I find printing to be one of the absolute core essentials of any marketing strategy. More than ever, we see that there are thousands of emails that get lost in the shuffle and deleted. When you have something in your hand that you can physically hold and touch, you are more likely to take a closer look at it. Emails can get swallowed up by spam filters and deleted with one click, while direct mail has that unique ability to capture someone’s attention because it’s right in their hands.” “Right now, one of my biggest clients is doing direct mail campaigns with us more than any other types of products and services. They have found that direct mail really works for them, and that Minuteman Press is the perfect local partner to help them design, print, and deliver their messages to best reach their target audience.” -Kenny Clark When it comes to marketing his business, Kenny takes a multi-faceted approach. “I tell my team all the time, we don’t just get out there and market for the sake of marketing. I like to say, ‘We quote it to win it.’ We have really focused on marketing ourselves on speed and service, and direct conversations with our clients. We are not the cheapest printer in McKinney, Texas, but if you want and need the job done right, I am your guy.” Kenny has also taken advantage of the proprietary Minuteman Press FLEX software as well as the Internet marketing resources available to him. “We used the FLEX software all of the time when quoting jobs for clients, and it’s a valuable tool to make sure we are managing pricing and production correctly. Specifically, I have been using the CSSP function that helps me see how to properly price orders for quotes based on current pricing trends. A year and a half ago, I really started bolstering our Internet marketing, and that has really paid off as well in generating new business.” “The support from Minuteman Press International has been exactly what it was promised to be. My Regional Vice President Pete Scaglione and the local field team are there for me. When I call them, they will jump through hoops to help me out. If I email the IT team at World Headquarters with a question about the FLEX software or anything else I need, I always receive quick replies that contain precise, detailed answers. We all have the same mindset, and we are all in this together.” -Kenny Clark Prior to franchising with Minuteman Press, Kenny saw his job in the electronics industry take him traveling around the world. “I had a working background in electronics, manufacturing of circuit boards, and business development. Flying everywhere was getting really old really fast and I wanted to be there for my kids. Minuteman Press helped me do that.” When asked about additional reasons Kenny chose to buy Minuteman Press in McKinney, Kenny answers, “At the end of the day, the cost to buy a Minuteman Press franchise was reasonable and cost less than most other franchises. The majority of franchises have the philosophy of ‘the more you make, the more we take.’ Essentially, you are punished for having a successful franchise, but that is not the case with Minuteman Press International. Their royalty cap was the deciding factor for me in joining Minuteman. I am allowed to keep more of my well-earned money and invest it back into the business as I see fit.” Kenny continues, “The other thing that other people don’t realize is the benefit of having low turnover due to the fact that we hire skilled workers. I looked into the fast food industry, and there just seemed to be too much turnover due to the nature of the work as well as other headaches that would carry over into weekends such as staffing as well as food supply.” He adds, “Not having to worry about the business on weekends and having that freedom is huge. You can’t put a price on that.” For those who are researching businesses including Minuteman Press, Kenny’s advice is this: “Ask yourself if you see yourself running the business you are buying Also, are you willing to do the work? The biggest mistake people make is that they open the business and hope that clients will just walk through your doors and automatically come to you. If you don’t get out and market, if you aren’t hustling, you are not going to make it. You have to want it and follow the business model, get out there and go get it. All of your marketing efforts will come back to you and pay off. I can attest to that.” For more information about Minuteman Press in McKinney, Texas, visit their website: https://minuteman.com/us/locations/tx/mckinney. Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com. Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

January 10, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Luxury Outerwear Brand Cape de Coeur Moves into the Metaverse with 1st NFTs

Cape de Coeur

Vancouver-based elevated, technical outerwear brand Cape de Coeur, in tandem with digital artist Tony Murray & renowned creative director Isabel Martinez (Isabelita Virtual), is excited to announce the launch of their capsule collection of three, one-of-one edition NFTs, linked to three of their Guardian capes - their signature cape design. Cape de Coeur, Murray, and Martinez worked together to visualize, design and produce a special digital artwork video, titled “The Guardian”, that they then used to create the unique non-fungible tokens. Bettina Mueller Reichl - Founder and Creative director of Cape de Coeur - met Isabelita Virtual during the last months of 2020. Bettina had been a dedicated follower of Isabelita's work, admiring different projects and partnerships Isabelita had participated in with some of Bettina’s favorite brands and publications, such as Delpozo, Viktor & Rolf, and Vogue Italia. Bettina reached out to Isabelita in hopes of partnering on a digital activation that could introduce Cape de Coeur to the world and build awareness around it. Isabel loved the concept, innovation, technology, and creativity behind Cape de Coeur. She understood what Cape de Coeur is at its core: a high fashion luxury brand, designing waterproof capes. She wanted to produce a piece of digital art that would break boundaries, as the product does itself - through technology. She suggested contacting Tony Murray, a digital creator with specific expertise working in the fashion industry, to design a ‘universe’ that represents all that is Cape de Coeur. Murray’s efforts resulted in a surprising piece, complete with a surreal outdoors built into a futuristic world, where even among the 3D ‘women’ featured in the video, the rain remains the main character. It starts raining - but the rain doesn’t touch the women, as if they are protected by invisible, unseen umbrellas. “The first thing that struck me about Cape de Coeur was the striking silhouettes of the capes. I wanted to model the capes in the realm of the unreal, but in a virtual environment that highlighted and didn’t distract from or compete with the capes...The design of the environments was quite minimal, letting the reflective materials and the dynamic skies do the work of spotlighting and quite literally reflecting the capes. The Cape de Coeur pieces are truly the merging of fashion and function with waterproof performance fabric, so the images of water droplets beading up on ther surface sparked the use of orbs throughout the scenes. And of course, rain became an important graphic element." - Tony Murray, Digital Creator Cape de Coeur, Tony Murray and Isabelita Virtual’s digital art video aims to ‘conquer’ the weather in an experimental way. The characters in the work are identifiably ‘women’ but remain ambiguous in all other characteristics - a purposeful choice to help build a connection between the brand and the viewers. ‘ The Guardian ’ is a futuristic and romantic universe, a unique piece of artwork linked to an exclusive product - Cape de Coeur’s first NFTs. “Cape de Coeur is a perfect example of a contemporary brand that talks to its audience in a contemporary way. Today’s most advanced brands are fully engaged through technology. Most of them use it to develop new products, but some also to build culture and share values with their audiences. Cape de Coeur is a disruptive label that brings fresh air to the rainwear landscape, merging reason and emotion.” - Isabelita Virtual, Creative Director The values of the Cape de Coeur brand - innovation, creativity, romanticism, technology, futurism - immediately aligned with the values of Tony and Isabelita’s respective worlds. Bettina, Tony and Isabelita wanted to create a piece of ‘communication’- but also a piece of digital art, one that would make a long-lasting impact. All three creatives share the same ambition - to break boundaries in their work through technology. All Cape de Coeur pieces are available to purchase online, directly from the brand’s website. Prices range from $995-$2,195 Click HERE for more information on ‘The Guardian’ NFTs For more information on Cape de Coeur, please visit https://capedecoeur.com and @capedecoeur ABOUT Cape de Coeur: Cape de Coeur is luxury technical outerwear designed to redefine your wardrobe and your lifestyle. The brand is the brainchild of Austrian-born designer Bettina Mueller Reichl, who has lived and breathed European design culture, having worked in the luxury design industry there for most of her life. She has more than 20 years of experience in technical apparel design, working with the most renowned international design teams of technical performance wear. Crafted in the brand’s proprietary wind, rain, and snow-proof CoeurTex™ fabric, Cape de Coeur capes blend functional freedom with uncompromising beauty. The focus on the cape silhouette comes from the brand’s emphasis on fashion meeting function – as capes allow the wearer to shield handbags from rain and snow, and wear statement sleeves, boxy silhouettes, and easy-to-wrinkle pieces underneath their outerwear. ABOUT Isabel Martinez / @IsabelitaVirtual – Creative Director: Isabel Martinez is a Creative Director with over 12 years helping brands to establish meaningful relationships with their audiences by explaining stories that connect with them. She has collaborated with brands and cultural institutions such as Tiffany & Co, Delpozo, Hermès, Coach, Apple, Sony, Vogue, Other Stories, Tous, Viktor&Rolf, Dior, Inditex, Louis Vuitton Foundation and The Moscow Ballet. In 2015 she moved to NYC to try new things in digital environments, such as blending VR with Photography & developing digital content for luxury brands in collaboration with W Magazine. In 2018 she was named the WEBBY AWARD HONOREE for BEST SOCIAL CONTENT in ART & CULTURE on Instagram. She was the only individual to achieve this recognition along with two of the biggest cultural institutions in the world, The Metropolitan Museum and LACMA Museum. Isabel is the first Spanish woman featured in the Times Square Midnight Moment - the longest and largest public digital exhibition, synchronized on electronic billboards throughout Times Square. Other names featured in the past years were Andy Warhol, Yoko Ono, Björk, JR or Alex Prager. She is part of the new creator’s economy- she is a featured artist on Superrare and Foundation NFTs Marketplaces. In 2021 she joined Meta (Facebook) to work in the luxury vertical at Creative Shop Paris. ABOUT Tony Murray / @to.mu.lab – Digital Creator, 3D Artist: Tony Murray is a San Francisco-based designer, digital creator and fashion vet who’s creating some of the most vital and vibrant 3D style available, pointing the way forward for a new discipline that borrows from the past but is never backward. Rooted in physical garments, Murray’s latest work shows that the most open-minded among the traditional fashion community are finding fertile new ground in software, creatively and commercially. Contact Details OGAKI Amber Cardullo ACARDULLO@OGAKIDIGITAL.COM Company Website https://capedecoeur.com

January 06, 2022 09:01 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Breakthroughs in roofing for residential clean energy, non-flammable safer batteries, people struggling with hearing loss coming to ShowStoppers press event during CES

ShowStoppers

Tech and business journalists will see breakthroughs in roofing for residential clean energy, safer batteries than lithium ion, and medical-grade hearing earbuds, at ShowStoppers® at CES, the press event scheduled for 5 Jan. 2022 during the CES tradeshow in Las Vegas. For press registration, please contact Steve Leon, mailto:sl@showstoppers.com, +1 310-936-8530. “The world’s first true solar residential roof” is coming to shake up the entire industry. Nanotech Energy, https://nanotechenergy.com, a CES 2022 Innovation Award Winner and the only producer of non-flammable, graphene-based batteries on the market, will show batteries that are infinitely safer and higher performing than the industry-standard, highly-flammable lithium-ion batteries that power consumer electronics and electric vehicles but can suddenly catch fire or explode. Jabra, https://www.jabra.com, a world-leading audio and video pioneer, flexes its engineering excellence with several new products, including the Jabra Enhance Plus, a medical-grade hearing solution with advanced audio engineering for better conversations, music, and calls. Also, their latest True Wireless Earbuds will be on display. The ShowStoppers press event organizes product launches, sneak previews and hands-on demonstrations of new tech for work, home and play for journalists, industry and financial analysts, venture capitalists and business executives -- from AI to 5G to cloud, VR to digital health; to better, safer, healthier tools for working from home or going back to the office; to future mobility and autonomy, robotics or smart cities; to apps and hardware that drive mobile and desktop innovation; to wearables, IoT, appliances, entertainment, and more. About ShowStoppers Now in its 26th year, ShowStoppers, https://www.showstoppers.com/, is the global leader in producing press and business events spanning the U.S., Europe and Asia. Each event organizes product launches, sneak previews and demonstrations for selected journalists, bloggers, industry and financial analysts, venture capitalists and business executives. Industry leaders, innovators and startups exhibit to generate news coverage and product reviews, make new connections, promote brand and open new markets. ShowStoppers produces official press events at CE Week, IFA and NAB; partners with CTA, IFA, GSMA and CEATEC; and produces events during CES, IFA, MWC, NAB, CE Week, CEATEC and other tradeshows. ShowStoppers streams online, broadcasting live events, month after month. To learn more about how you and your company can meet the press at ShowStoppers press events in person and online at ShowStoppers TV, contact Lauren Merel, m a ilto:lauren@showstoppers.com, +1 908-692-6068, or Dave Leon, mailto:dave@showstoppers.com, +1 845-821-6123. Contact Details Steve Leon +1 310-936-8530 sl@showstoppers.com Company Website https://showstoppers.com

December 28, 2021 09:45 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Selling a Printing Business Explainer Video for Print Shop Owners

Minuteman Press International Inc

Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

December 27, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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ShowStoppers to introduce journalists to 20 startups from Japan at ShowStoppers press event during CES 2022

ShowStoppers

ShowStoppers ® will introduce 20 startup companies from Japan with new tech for work, home and play to tech and business journalists from around the world at ShowStoppers ® at CES, the press event scheduled for 5 Jan. 2022 during the CES tradeshow in Las Vegas. To register as a journalist to attend ShowStoppers TV events, contact Steve Leon, sl@showstoppers.com. The startups will launch and demonstrate a range of new products and services, including an exoskeleton for factory workers; continuous blood glucose testing for diabetics, without needles; sensors that connect to a smartphone for playing traditional Japanese wooden games; augmented-reality glasses; financial tech that creates mobility jobs for the unbanked; robots that bring joy to life; a hand dryer that reduces the risk of infection – and more. The startups are organized and selected by ShowStoppers partner JETRO, https://www.jetro.go.jp/en/, the Japan External Trade Organization, a Japanese government organization that assists startups in expanding to global markets. “We are proud to present unique technologies from Japan, all of which have the potential to create new and better ways for humans to bridge the physical and digital worlds,” said Ken Yoshida, executive director at JETRO San Francisco. The ShowStoppers press event organizes product launches, sneak previews and hands-on demonstrations of new tech for work, home and play for journalists, industry and financial analysts, venture capitalists and business executives -- from AI to 5G to cloud, VR to digital health; to better, safer, healthier tools for working from home or going back to the office; to future mobility and autonomy, robotics or smart cities; to apps and hardware that drive mobile and desktop innovation; to wearables, IoT, appliances, entertainment, and more. About ShowStoppers Now in its 26th year, ShowStoppers, https://www.showstoppers.com/, is the global leader in producing press and business events spanning the U.S., Europe and Asia. Each event organizes product launches, sneak previews and demonstrations for selected journalists, bloggers, industry and financial analysts, venture capitalists and business executives. Industry leaders, innovators and startups exhibit to generate news coverage and product reviews, make new connections, promote brand and open new markets. ShowStoppers produces official press events at CE Week, IFA and NAB; partners with CTA, IFA, GSMA and CEATEC; and produces events during CES, IFA, MWC, NAB, CE Week, CEATEC and other tradeshows. ShowStoppers streams online, broadcasting live events, month after month. To learn more about how you and your company can meet the press at ShowStoppers press events in person and online at ShowStoppers TV, contact Lauren Merel, lauren@showstoppers.com, +1 908-692-6068, or Dave Leon, dave@showstoppers.com, +1 845-821-6123. Contact Details Steve Leon +1 310-936-8530 sl@showstoppers.com Company Website https://showstoppers.com

December 27, 2021 09:45 AM Eastern Standard Time

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New tech brings universe, vision correction – and a hot lunch – into focus at ShowStoppers press event during CES 2022

ShowStoppers

New tech brings into focus for journalists the mysteries of the universe, electronic lenses that transform the world of vision correction, and delivers a 21 st century hot lunch – microwave or oven not required -- at ShowStoppers® at CES, the press event scheduled for 5 Jan. 2022 during the CES tradeshow in Las Vegas. For press registration, please contact Steve Leon, sl@showstoppers.com, +1 310-936-8530. Unistellar, https://www.unistellaroptics.com, the company that is revolutionizing civilian access to deep space, will unveil its most advanced telescope, which has been honored with a CES 2022 Innovation Award and features pioneering eyepiece technology in partnership with the iconic optics brand Nikon. Deep Optics, https://www.deepoptics.com, unveils its 32ºN Sunglasses, https://32northglasses.com/, for the first time. Powered with patented dynamic Liquid Crystal lenses with no moving parts, switch from sunglasses to reading glasses in a single swipe. These glasses can dynamically change their focus, just like the human eye. Users can add their own reading prescription through the glasses app, making the glasses 100% personalized. The lunchbox gets a 21 st Century update. Who needs a microwave or oven? For travel and adventure, Steambox, https://www.myheatbox.com, is rechargeable, app-connected, and uses steam to heat food anywhere, anytime. The ShowStoppers press event organizes product launches, sneak previews and hands-on demonstrations of new tech for work, home and play for journalists, industry and financial analysts, venture capitalists and business executives -- from AI to 5G to cloud, VR to digital health; to better, safer, healthier tools for working from home or going back to the office; to future mobility and autonomy, robotics or smart cities; to apps and hardware that drive mobile and desktop innovation; to wearables, IoT, appliances, entertainment, and more. About ShowStoppers Now in its 26th year, ShowStoppers, https://www.showstoppers.com/, is the global leader in producing press and business events spanning the U.S., Europe and Asia. Each event organizes product launches, sneak previews and demonstrations for selected journalists, bloggers, industry and financial analysts, venture capitalists and business executives. Industry leaders, innovators and startups exhibit to generate news coverage and product reviews, make new connections, promote brand and open new markets. ShowStoppers produces official press events at CE Week, IFA and NAB; partners with CTA, IFA, GSMA and CEATEC; and produces events during CES, IFA, MWC, NAB, CE Week, CEATEC and other tradeshows. ShowStoppers streams online, broadcasting live events, month after month. To learn more about how you and your company can meet the press at ShowStoppers press events in person and online at ShowStoppers TV, contact Lauren Merel, lauren@showstoppers.com, +1 908-692-6068, or Dave Leon, dave@showstoppers.com, +1 845-821-6123. Contact Details Steve Leon +1 310-936-8530 sl@showstoppers.com Company Website https://showstoppers.com

December 21, 2021 09:45 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Shop the Hottest Jewelry Trends for The Holidays

YourUpdateTV

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/6_rpbsyq4eY Jewelry will be at the top of many holiday shopping lists as the gift that gives year-round. If you are thinking about giving the gift of jewelry you might be wondering, where do you start, what are the hottest trends, what is the gift that she is sure to love and how do I stay in the know and get the best value and style? On December 14 th, Anna De Souza – Beauty & Lifestyle Expert Journalist, conducted a nationwide media tour discussing holiday jewelry trends that will turn heads as well as offer product demonstrations. Unlike many other retailers struggling with inventory challenges, this season's most desired jewelry styles are in stock and ready to gift at Kay, Zales, Jared and Banter by Piercing Pagoda. You can get your gold and diamond gifts fast by shopping in store, with buy online and pick up at your local store or getting Same Day Delivery service to your home in select areas! You can also connect live with their Jewelry Experts in person or virtually and they'll help you find the perfect gift, but I hope I can help with that today, too! Top trends that Anna discussed included: The best gift to give HIM this holiday: Men’s jewelry is really hot right now, everything from statement watches like a Tag Heuer watch from Jared, to gold chains and diamond link bracelets from KAY and diamond studs from Banter by Piercing Pagoda that sit a little higher on the ear, really a thoughtful piece that makes a major statement. Diamond necklaces and earrings always make great gifts Look for beautiful necklaces you can stack shorter and longer. You always need some classic bling and a sapphire choker from Zales and sparkling diamond tennis necklace from Jared definitely do this nicely! Hoops are a HOT trend too! Yellow gold hoops are versatile and amust have, always a great place to start gifting with these styles from KAY. And for a romantic gift she’s sure to love, newest take on the hoop with a Vera Wang multi-hoop style from Zales. Shopping for diamonds for either anniversary or commitment jewelry: For a twist on a classic anniversary band, this Monique Lhuillier Bliss ring at KAY with round and pear-shaped diamonds. And keeping with the layering trend of the year, stacking multiple delicate and bold rings of different colors of metal really creates a gorgeous statement, and of course, you can also elevate your engagement ring with Jared’s lab-created diamonds, it’s a modern approach to classic jewelry! The Forever Connected necklace is also a must have with two touching center diamonds symbolizing those forever connected by love and is a gorgeous gift for her from KAY! For more information, go online or visit your local jewelry store by Kay, Zales, Jared and Banter by Piercing Pagoda. 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

December 16, 2021 05:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

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Centerboard Announces New Model for Supply Chain Management with Industry-First API Offering

Centerboard

Centerboard, the neutral, shipper-centric transportation management provider, announced today the availability of Centerboard Microservices, API solutions enabling seamless technology integration for shippers and technology providers. Presenting a ground-breaking approach to supply chain access, the cloud-based, a-la-carte offerings give users a fully customizable experience. Reflecting its mission to give shippers complete control over their supply chain, Centerboard’s API offering allows software providers to embed supply chain access into their clients’ existing systems, regardless of the transportation management system (TMS) or enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform. “We’ve spent years working closely with shippers and leading technology providers – not only listening to their needs but building an IT roadmap that directly addresses those needs. The biggest pain point we’ve seen is the lack of neutrality and flexibility regarding technology solutions,” said Lindsey Shellman, Chief Commercial Officer at Centerboard. “The APIs through Centerboard Microservices is a solution that no one else in the industry is offering. We are thrilled to address the complexity of supply chain and let users access shipping functionality from within their existing applications. For the first time, users will have affordable access to technology that provides true visibility and control of their supply chain operations, while eliminating the need to juggle multiple tech stacks.” BluePallet, the first end-to-end commerce platform for the chemical industry, is currently leveraging Centerboard Microservices to increase efficiencies for their users. “Our partnership with Centerboard strengthens the TMS functionality within the existing framework of our marketplace, helping our users spend less time managing multiple supply chain services outside of our platform,” said Pat Salomé, Chief Product Officer at BluePallet. “We are looking forward to our continued partnership with Centerboard to support our network of manufacturers and distributors.” Since rebranding in September, Centerboard has experienced substantial growth with an expanded roster of customers in chemical distribution, and food and beverage industries, including Dien, a leader in North American specialty chemical and ingredient distribution; JSI Store Fixtures, a branded display supplier to major supermarkets, convenience and specialty store chains; and S.L. Fusco, Inc. a Los Angeles based industrial supply distributor. Centerboard has also launched a range of new features, including advanced shipment notifications and enhanced carrier tracking messages. In addition to platform developments, Centerboard continues to invest in its team growth and plans to open a new state-of-the-art office facility this month. To learn more about Centerboard and schedule a demo please visit www.centerboard.com. About Centerboard Centerboard is a neutral, shipper-centric transportation and supply chain management provider supplying shippers with access to a wide range of affordable features needed to take control of operations. Centerboard unlocks business opportunities for shippers, carriers, and supply chain stakeholders, through leveraging real-time data. Contact Details Kite Hill PR for Centerboard Kite Hill PR centerboard@kitehillpr.com Company Website https://www.centerboard.com/

December 16, 2021 09:30 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Instant Grocery Startup VOLY raises one of the largest seed rounds in Australia at $18m

VOLY

Australia's first instant online grocery supermarket, VOLY, has raised AU$18M in one of the nation’s largest ever seed rounds led by Sequoia Capital India, with increased backing from Global Founders Capital (GFC) and Australian-based Artesian Capital. This funding round will enable VOLY to continue to scale, expand the team, rapidly increase operations across key urban centres and start the national rollout. Following its launch in July 2021, VOLY has been preparing to take on the rapid food delivery market by delivering groceries to customers at incredible speed. It aims to make ordering groceries as easy and engaging as browsing Instagram and get them to you faster than you could do a trip to the supermarket yourself. Employing its own riders, delivery centre and store staff, VOLY does away with the need for customers to spend time in physical retail environments by giving people the power to order and receive their groceries in minutes. With a delivery promise of 15 minutes or less; VOLY is set to disrupt the +$122bn local grocery industry. Mark Heath, Co-CEO and Co-founder of VOLY, said: “VOLY is here to completely change the way people shop for groceries by giving Australians back their most precious resource, time. Our model, from a fully employed delivery and dispatch team to the way we use electric bikes to deliver, is designed around the way people live. We firmly believe that our customers have a better experience when our riders and other staff are part of the company, working with us.” VOLY retails most key household products available at any major supermarket - from fresh produce to baby formula and cleaning products - everything you could possibly need, available online seven days a week from 8am-10pm. The winning recipe is instant and free delivery, together with the best quality fresh produce; all sold at retail prices. “We’re doing away with the need to do a weekly grocery shop by providing convenience alongside reliability in a market that offers some of the slowest delivery times in the world. By owning our own supply chain, VOLY delivers at blazing fast speed without compromising on price, quality or availability. We source directly from suppliers, store in our own micro-fulfilment centres and deliver using fully employed and mostly full-time staff. VOLY is the supermarket of the future that is built around our customers, not the other way around,” said Thibault Henry, Co-CEO and Co-Founder. The seed funding announcement sets a new record for a food delivery company in Australia with support from Sequoia Capital India, a renowned venture capital firm. The interest in VOLY follows a new wave of investment in Aussie startups seen as world-class tech companies with potential to scale globally. "Australia's grocery market, which sees $90B in annual spends, is a large and profitable space that continues to be dominated by offline retail. The Sequoia Capital India team was impressed by the strong consumer love for VOLY, their compelling value proposition, and an impressive team of repeat founders that has blitzscaled businesses in Australia before. With on-demand models traditionally scaling very successfully in the country, the decision to lead their seed round and help them scale their business across Australia was an easy one to make," said Abheek Anand, Managing Director, Sequoia India. VOLY was co-founded by Mark Heath and Thibault Henry, who are also co-CEOs of the company and have experience working with on-demand technology brands across the food supply and logistics industries. Mark Heath helped launch Uber in Australia after a career at Goldman Sachs and Thibault Henry built, scaled and sold Balto which was a B2B last-mile business with clients such as HelloFresh, Marley Spoon and YouFoodz. VOLY’s management team includes Chief Technology Officer, Anthony Rey, Head of Procurement Lyana Labrode and Head of Marketing, Josh Peacock. VOLY has been an early hit with customers flocking to the app, spiking a rise of new users and incredibly strong week-on-week growth in sales. While currently available in Sydney across 42 suburbs - VOLY has plans to rapidly expand its offering from January 2022 to reach millions more Australians around the country in the coming months and year ahead. The VOLY application is available on both iOS and Android and at https://www.getvoly.com/ Ends Additional media images can be found here. About VOLY VOLY is an online supermarket and delivery service committed to disrupting the Australian grocery market by offering instant grocery delivery to millions of Australians through its mobile app. Setting new standards in the delivery industry, VOLY employs its own people and riders across micro fulfillment centres around Australia, offering household items to its customers in less than 15 minutes of placing an order. The move to employ riders full-time together with a strategy of vertical integration sets VOLY apart from the ‘gig economy’ and enables it to offer speed and quality without compromising on price. For more visit: https://www.getvoly.com/ About Sequoia Capital India Sequoia helps daring founders build legendary companies, from idea to IPO and beyond. Sequoia India operates in Southeast Asia and India where we actively partner with founders from a wide range of companies, across categories, including BYJUs, Carousell, Druva, Gojek, OYO Rooms, Tokopedia, Truecaller, Zilingo, Zomato and more. We spur founders to push the boundaries of what’s possible. In partnering with Sequoia, startups benefit from over 49 years of tribal knowledge and lessons learned working with companies like Airbnb, Alibaba, Apple, Dropbox, Google, LinkedIn and Stripe early on. From the beginning, universities, endowments and other non-profits have been the backbone of our investor base, which means founders’ accomplishments make a meaningful difference. For more information on Sequoia’s work in India and SE Asia, visit sequoiacap.com/india Contact Details VOLY Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.getvoly.com/

December 16, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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