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How Well Do States Support Small Businesses?

YourUpdateTV

The 2021 Small Business Friendliness Survey results are in from Thumbtack, the only app homeowners need to care for their home. This year, they heard from more than 3,600 small business owners in the home maintenance and construction industries as well as events, lessons, and business services who evaluated federal, state, and local governments on their experiences over the past year and the support they received. In addition, Thumbtack surveyed over 1,150 Americans to learn about the actions they’ve taken to champion local businesses. Recently, David Steckel, Home Expert at Thumbtack, participated in a nationwide satellite media tour to discuss the survey results and much more. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/XxtlN7bIbPw Cities and states across the U.S. received grades from “A+” to “F” on overall friendliness as well as several other factors including regulations, taxes, training opportunities and more. Here are some of the highlights: Overall Friendliest States for Small Businesses: Maine – A+ New Hampshire – A+ North Carolina – A+ Florida – A Georgia – A- Overall Friendliest Cities for Small Businesses: Jacksonville, FL – A+ Salt Lake City, UT – A+ Orlando, FL – A Baltimore, MD – A Seattle, WA – A- Female-Owned State Support Rank: Maryland – A+ Washington – A+ Massachusetts – A- Georgia – A- Virginia – B- BIPOC-Owned State Support Rank: Virginia – A+ Florida – A+ Maryland – A+ Georgia – A+ New York – A+ For more survey results and to explore services, visit Thumbtack.com About David Steckel: David Steckel is a Home Expert at Thumbtack, with 15 years of experience in the home building industry. At Thumbtack, he provides homeowners with the guidance they need to better plan, budget, and complete home maintenance projects. As a licensed general contractor, David has experience in custom home building as well as residential and commercial building maintenance. Prior to his role at Thumbtack, David founded Setter, a subscription-based home maintenance and repair service. About Thumbtack: Thumbtack is a technology leader building the modern home management platform. Through the Thumbtack app, homeowners can effortlessly manage their homes — confidently knowing what to do, when to do it, and who to hire. Bringing the $500 billion home services industry online, Thumbtack empowers millions of homeowners to fix, maintain, and improve their most valuable asset. Hundreds of thousands of local service professionals, from painters and plumbers to photographers and math tutors, use the Thumbtack platform to grow their business each year. 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

September 17, 2021 05:25 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Video

EXPLORE THE WORLDS: MEOW WOLF’S CONVERGENCE STATION IS NOW OPEN

Meow Wolf

Convergence Station is now open for quantum travel. The highly-anticipated third permanent exhibition from US-based arts and entertainment company, Meow Wolf, will be welcoming its first guests today - Friday, September 17th. The experience is nestled in the middle of W Colfax Ave and I-25, in the heart of the Sun Valley neighborhood. The sought-after experience sold a record high 35,000 tickets within the first 24 hours of ticket sales opening earlier this month. "This is unlike anything we - or anyone - has developed before,” said Ali Rubinstein, Co-CEO and Chief Creative Officer of Meow Wolf. “We've created an immersive experience out of extraordinary art, while continuing our rich narrative layer for visitors to dive into and connect with on a deep emotional level. Convergence Station will change the face of immersive Art Experiences not just for Denver, but for the world. This is next level." Meow Wolf has worked with over 300 creatives, including 110+ Colorado-based collaborating artists, to bring 79 unique projects within the 4 floors of interactive space in Convergence Station to life.These muralists, sculptors, fiber artists, and technologists have worked tirelessly to build a mind-bending installation that will leave travelers appreciating what it really means to be immersed in a narrative. Notable collaborating artists working on this project include Kalyn Heffernan, Kyle Singer, Cal Duran, Everything is Terrible!, Molina Speaks, Sofie Birkin, along with Moment Factory and many others. Unforgettable and transformational, this is the place where memory, quantum travel, and unseen worlds meet. Convergence Station offers an immersive, interactive experience that will transport travelers of all ages into fantastic realms of story and exploration. Guests will discover psychedelic, mind-bending art and an underlying rich narrative, which will take them on a journey of discovery into a surreal, science-fictional epic. “Our most ambitious project to date, the Denver exhibition, is bound to bend minds, inspire creativity, and touch hearts,” said Todd Richins, Executive Creative Producer at Meow Wolf Denver. “From our partnership with artists and collaborators on the venue, to the retail and food spaces within our walls, Meow Wolf Denver is a one-stop immersive and imaginative art experience for all ages.” The anchor spaces of Convergence Station include: CONVERGENCE STREET - Once the scorned sanitation district, residents of C Street are glad to have converged away from the bureaucratic landlords of their former homeworld. And because they don’t trust politicians, the citizens elect a new mayor every 20 minutes. The economy of Convergence is based around the collecting and trading of memories, and the hub of this economy is C Street’s Convergence Exchange. EEMIA - The people of Eemia are led by an ancient scientific order called the Kaleidogoths. When the Convergence tore some of the Eemian population away from their homeworld, they were in the midst of a thousand year ice age. OSSUARY - Ossuary’s labyrinth of corridors connects many spaces by collaborating artists. Oss has become the “Gold Standard” repository for memories from across the Convergence through both sanctioned and shadow market Memory Trading. The people of Ossuary are led by a historic Lineage of Librarians – dedicated to the preservation of Oss and all knowledge from across the known multiverse. NUMINA - Numina exists beyond linear time — existing everywhere, and at any point in time, simultaneously. Numina has anchored itself in the third and fourth dimensions by joining the Convergence in order to learn about language, linear time, and free will. In addition to the art, guests can experience the 488-person live performance venue called The Perplexiplex where regular concerts will be taking place, created in collaboration with Moment Factory. Visitors can also look forward to dining at HELLOFOOD, a fast-casual cafe that has both grab and go and dine-in offerings. Inspired by the variety of tastes found in our neighborhood of Sun Valley, HELLOFOOD offers local food and beverage by local entrepreneurs who represent inclusivity and convergence of cultures. Before returning to the real world, guests will also be able to continue their exploration in the exhibition’s gift shop. Meow Wolf's signature swag has gained a following of its own for its whimsical, maximalist style. Spanning over 2,000 square feet and offering over 1,500 unique items, these carefully curated keepsakes will allow guests to take home a piece of their experience. In celebrate the opening of Denver’s new quantum transit station, earth-based advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy worked with Swedish director Andreas Nilsson, Grammy-winning songwriter Bret McKenzie, and a team of CG artists from around the world to create a “transdimensional travel ad”—one that urges bipedal humans everywhere to escape their drab, boring planet and go “see the worlds.” The surreal film can be viewed here - it was made from a combination of vintage travel films and shot footage, which were stitched together and then digitally mutated to create strange, beautiful, converged worlds. Convergence Station will be open from 10:00 am until 10:00 pm Sunday through Thursday and from 10:00 am until 12:00 am on Fridays and Saturdays. Hours are subject to change. Tickets are available via meow.wf/denver-tix for pre-purchase for $45 for General Admission ($40 Children / Seniors / Military), and $35 for Colorado Residents. Visitors are required to pre-book a time slot and masks are required for entry. Meow Wolf was recognized in Fast Company 's 2020 list of the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies, and awarded the #1 spot for Live Events. The company also opened Omega Mart, its second permanent installation in Las Vegas earlier this year, following the success of their flagship location in Santa Fe, House of Eternal Return. ### Listicle Information The immersive arts and entertainment company, Meow Wolf, has opened Convergence Station in Denver today on September 17, 2021 with their most ambitious project yet. Created by 110+ collaborating artists and more than 200 Meow Wolf creatives, this 4-story immersive exhibition will be home to 79 unique installations, including cavernous spaces 30 feet high. Guests will discover psychedelic, mind-bending art, and an underlying rich narrative, taking them on a journey of discovery into a surreal, science-fictional epic. It will be like NOTHING they have ever experienced before. The exhibition will also be home to The Perpexiplex, a 488 person live performance venue, the HELLOFOOD cafe, and a retail space. Tickets are available via meow.wf/denver-tix. COVID-19 Meow Wolf is aware of the rapidly changing circumstances due to COVID-19. They are continuing to monitor the situation and will make adjustments to help ensure the safety of our guests, staff, and community. Any changes will be communicated directly to ticket holders via email, on Meow Wolf’s website, and social media channels. Currently, the protocol is as follows: face masks are required for guests at all times except when eating or drinking with social distance. There will be hand sanitizer dispensers placed at guest and employee entrances and throughout the exhibit. Convergence Station will make available non-latex gloves for employee and guest use. Employees will be required to test weekly for COVID-19. Recognized in Fast Company's 2020 list of as The World's 50 Most Innovative Companies' and claiming Blooloop's #2 and #3 spots as the 'World's Top Immersive Art Experiences,' Meow Wolf is a US-based innovative arts and entertainment company. An ever-evolving wellspring of creativity, Meow Wolf makes art to stir the imagination and transport audiences of all ages into fantastic realms of story and exploration, with locations to explore in Santa Fe, Las Vegas, and (soon to open) Denver. The company's first location in Santa Fe opened in 2016 and showcases the THEA Award-winning, international sensation, House Of Eternal Return, where two million visitors have now discovered a mind-bending mystery house with secret passages, portals to magical worlds, and surreal, maximalist and mesmerizing art. In 2019, Meow Wolf expanded beyond Santa Fe and opened Kaleidoscape, the world's first artist-driven ride at Elitch Gardens in Denver. Meow Wolf opened their second permanent installation, Omega Mart, at AREA15 in Las Vegas in February 2021 which went on to be a huge success. Their third permanent installation in Denver is slated to open September 17, 2021. Meow Wolf is proud to be the only certified B-Corporation in the themed entertainment industry, with a team dedicated to social impact and building a more inclusive and sustainable economy. Contact Details Jive PR + Digital Maya Sarin +1 818-422-2248 maya@jiveprdigital.com Company Website https://meowwolf.com/

September 17, 2021 09:00 AM Mountain Daylight Time

RUNNING LEGEND AND GLOBAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS ADVOCATE MEB KEFLEZIGHI JOINS KILTER BOARD OF ADVISORS TO CONNECT ACTIVE LIFESTYLES WITH IMPORTANT CAUSES

Kilter

Meb Keflezighi, the only athlete ever to win the Boston and New York City Marathons and an Olympic marathon medal, will join the Kilter Board of Advisors, it was announced today by Seth Braddock, Kilter Founder & CEO. The newly created Kilter Board of Advisors is committed to advancing the platform’s breakthrough social engagement applications that connect active lifestyles with important causes. Keflezighi, who is the driving force behind the MEB Foundation which supports healthy lifestyles for youth, has long recognized the significance of combining charitable social impact with health and wellness, and will be kicking off his involvement with the mobile app platform with his very own special event, Kilter's Fall Hustle. “Running for me has always been as much about the community as the competition. It really does take a team to achieve your goals,” said Keflezighi, the silver medalist at the Athens Olympic Games in 2004. “Kilter takes us to the next level of activity and community. Regardless of our age, ability, or location, we can all live healthy and active lives while making the lives of others better. And with Kilter's Fall Hustle, everyone training for a fall marathon can come together to make every mile of training count, both on and off the roads.” Throughout the fall, marathon trainers and charity supporters alike will begin their journey alongside Meb to donate their hustle for the causes they care about the most, regardless of their ability or location. The Fall Hustle charity challenge provides an easy compliment to any runner’s existing training plan. The event, which will display activity and fundraising progress on an interactive leaderboard, will culminate on Giving Tuesday (November 30, 2021). The most active charity will be crowned the Fall Hustle Champions and will be awarded a grand prize cash donation for their efforts and dedication. Among the many charities participating in Kilter's Fall Hustle is Beyond Type 1, a nonprofit dedicated to changing what it means to live with diabetes. "Beyond Type 1 is thrilled to use Kilter to help build excitement and support around our New York City marathon team," said Beyond Type 1 CEO Thom Scher. "The Beyond Type Run Team, made up of 50 with Type 1 diabetes, is taking on one of the biggest races in the world. We're excited to bring our community together for a virtual fitness and fundraising challenge and rally around this incredible group of individuals, knowing we're raising awareness and providing support to others affected by diabetes in the process." Meb will be joined on the Kilter Board of Advisors by his brother and highly regarded athlete manager, Merhawi Keflezighi, who represents an impressive group of world-class athletes and caused-focused influencers such as the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon Champion, Aliphine Tuliamuk, Olympic shot-put medalist Joe Kovacs, trail running champion Joe Gray, Olympian/author/filmmaker, Alexi Pappas, middle-distance runner and role model, Nikki Hilktz, Triathlete and Olympic medalist, Katie Zaferes, and American Record Holder in the Triple Jump, Keturah Orji. For more information and to register for Kilter's Fall Hustle Challenge on Kilter, please visit: https://www.kilterrewards.com/events/kilters-fall-hustle-2021 ABOUT KILTER Kilter is the world's most inclusive supporter engagement platform that turns everyday health, wellness and lifestyle activities into opportunities for people to drive charitable dollars to their favorite causes, all while building culture and community to make a global impact. With 50+ trackable activities from running to yoga to pickleball to volunteering, plus our best in class user experience, functionality and customer support, employers, nonprofits and event producers will meet their supporters where they are today (on their phones) and easily exceed engagement and impact goals. Learn more at www.kilterapp.com. ABOUT MEB KEFLEZIGHI Meb is the only athlete in history to win the New York Marathon, the Boston Marathon and an Olympic Medal. Widely acclaimed as one of the greatest runners of our time, Meb Keflezighi (pronounced Kef-lez-ghee) brings a higher meaning to “going the distance.” From his arrival in America as a refugee from war-torn Eritrea in East Africa to his victorious finish at the emotionally charged 2014 Boston Marathon — now as a proud and patriotic American — Meb has secured not only his place in history, but an inspiring presence in the hearts and minds of millions. ABOUT BEYOND TYPE 1 Beyond Type 1 is a nonprofit organization changing what it means to live with diabetes. By leveraging the power of social media and technology, Beyond Type 1 empowers people to both live well today and support a better tomorrow. Through peer support programs, global campaigns, and digital platforms, Beyond Type 1 is uniting the global diabetes community across both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, helping to change what it means to live with chronic illness. To learn more, visit beyondtype1.org. Contact Details Kilter Julian Lavelle +1 315-708-3494 julian@kilterapp.com Company Website https://www.kilterapp.com

September 16, 2021 10:40 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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HowToBet.com continues to deliver great content through it’s HowToBet Podcast

HowToBet.com

Have you found out How to Bet yet? Well, if you have, you are one of the tens of thousands of fans that have already been part of the newest sports betting podcast on the scene, How To Bet. The show, hosted by Daryl Fein and Sean “The Genius” Miller, with John Mozes as producer, Tiffany Hartman as executive producer, Trey Wright as producer and audio engineer, with Andrew Jacabacci and Kaylee Ettinger on graphics, is now in its third week. The newest edition will be launched on Wednesday, September 15 on various streaming sites as well as the HowtoBet.com YouTube channel. It has been received very well all around the world, and especially in America, where the first two weeks’ numbers have been very strong for a new podcast. The show shows people how to bet, where to bet it, and who to bet on, for all the NFL games of each week, as well as some bonus wagers from around the world of sports. “It has been a lot of fun so far to work with Daryl and the crew picking these games,” Miller said. “I have really enjoyed the show format, where we can impart some of our knowledge about betting to the people who might be new to the game, and maybe to ones that have been around for a while as well. “The sports betting landscape is changing by the day, week, month, and year. Arizona just joined the fray the day of the first NFL game, and already posted amazing numbers in its first weekend of action. This is something that is still not even in half of American states, so the opportunity to grow as a show, and for How to Bet to grow as a site, is immense.” The full podcast is usually between 50-55 minutes, and also has a couple of breakaway sections that can be found on the How to Bet podcast: the Power Parlay Plays of the Week, and a new feature for Episode 3, the Primetime Plus Bets of the Week, where the dynamic duo break down all three primetime games each week (Thursday night, Sunday night, and Monday night), as well as one featured game from each of the other two windows on Sunday: 1 p.m. EDT and 4:05/4:25 p.m. EDT. In episode 2 covering Week 1 of the NFL campaign, Miller nailed his Power Parlay Plays, hitting a three-team wager on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, LA Rams, and San Francisco 49ers, along with his bonus play on the other football, Manchester United to win and Cristiano Ronaldo to score. “Yeah, I took a shot with some big favorites on the money lines,” Miller said. “If the Bucs covered the spread as well, it would have been a massive weekend. But I did alright despite that.” Along with the show, Miller will be posting four stories each week breaking down the Thursday Night Football Bets, the Sunday Night Football Bets, the Monday Night Football Bets, and an overview of the whole week’s upcoming NFL Betting Lines, including all the opening lines and the current spreads, so bettors can have up to date lines all the way up until kickoff. “I think it is important to get the information out there each week through multiple media,” Miller said. “The podcast is so cool, because we have the video and audio going out simultaneously on Wednesday at noon each week, a full day and a half before the Thursday Night Football game that week. But it also gives bettors a chance to maybe jump on the early lines that come out, BEFORE the lines move later in the week as more people start betting them. Sometimes, if you wait until Sunday, the value has diminished. “But no matter when you get a chance to listen, watch, or read the information, it is going to help you place better bets, no pun intended.” For Week 2 of the NFL action, and episode 3 of the How to Bet podcast, Miller and Fein focused on the deal that Caesars Sportsbook is offering to all How to Bet fans. Just use the bonus code HOWTOBETRF to get a $5,000 risk free wager with your first bet after signup and deposit. Try to find a better deal than that anywhere in America: you will not. See the videocast on the How To Bet Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC85TwfO51P8vCUNiz5DFchw Find all the specific audio streaming links: Apple iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-bet/id1584209732 Anchor: https://anchor.fm/howtobet Breaker: https://breaker.audio/how-to-bet Castbox: https://castbox.fm/channel/id4534260?country=us…… Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy82OTkyMjMwNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw?sa=X&ved=0CAIQ9sEGahcKEwjQrrLGkd_yAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQSg… … Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2fHE1Gft0jQI6HUhNhq94j… … Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/x99ghld0 Overcast: https://overcast.fm/p3336138-gu9fI9 Radio Public: https://radiopublic.com/how-to-bet-6rxgna… Howtobet.com offers the world’s most comprehensive betting wikipedia that can be accessed via a user-friendly web app. Its mission is to help make online betting safe, fun and as easy as performing a search on the web. There are already more than 400+ how-to guides freely available, all written by seasoned betting professionals. More guides are being added on a weekly basis in a continued effort to educate anyone interested in what is now a $199 billion betting industry. For more details, visit: https://www.howtobet.com/about-us/ Contact Details Cristian Campan +1 888-264-1238 cristian.campan@raketech.com Company Website https://www.howtobet.com/

September 15, 2021 10:05 AM Eastern Daylight Time

ThriveFantasy Closes $3M Funding Round as Platform Continues to Experience Sizable Growth

ThriveFantasy

ThriveFantasy, the leading player prop daily fantasy sports and esports platform, announced today the closure of its latest funding round, raising $3 million (USD). The round will be used to acquire strategic talent, solidify numerous sports/esports partnerships and continue its aggressive marketing programs to exponentially increase strong user growth. ThriveFantasy was created to give everyday fans a better chance at winning by challenging them to pick simple player props for sports or esports contests such as, over/under of yards, catches, touchdowns, assists or kills and more. The platform’s ease of use and focus on both sports and esports contests continues to attract many different types of users and led to significant growth over the past 12 months. “We are excited to see how ThriveFantasy has become the prop game of choice for the exploding number of fantasy players”, said Adam Weinstein, CEO of ThriveFantasy. “Our investors truly understand this unique value proposition and enthusiastically helped us complete this round very quickly to help supercharge our ongoing growth.” The round was led by Cardinal Sports Capital Inc. (formerly, Shore Capital Sports & Entertainment LLC), an advisory and investment firm with offices in Toronto and New York. As part of its strategic investment, Cardinal Sports Capital Inc. will take an active role assisting ThriveFantasy with business development, strategic partnerships as well as financial advisory services. Scott Secord, Managing Partner, will also join the ThriveFantasy Board of Directors. Mr. Secord is the former President/CEO of Gaming Nation Inc., a publicly traded company on the TSXV, which was acquired in 2018 by a private equity firm. Prior to Gaming Nation, Mr. Secord held the position of President/CEO of Pointstreak Sports Technologies Inc. from 2009 until 2015. “ThriveFantasy is exciting because it is a unique fantasy platform that gives both esports and traditional sports fans a fun and easy playing experience,” said Secord. “The opportunities in the sports and gaming industry seem limitless, but we understand that one of the strengths of this market lies in the quality and experience of the platforms. Thrive’s is one of the best we’ve seen. Our investment in Thrive shows our commitment to continually improving how these games are offered to the growing number of fantasy fans.” Due to ThriveFantasy’s popularity, current and former professional athletes participated in this investment round. Notable investors include: New York Angels members, Yolo Investments, Reflect Ventures and Stage 1 Ventures. For more information, please visit www.Thrivefantasy.com About ThriveFantasy ThriveFantasy is a Daily Fantasy Sports and Esports App for Player Props. Thrive eliminates the countless hours of research users have to spend, by only focusing on the top-tier athletes that have the biggest impact on the game. Follow ThriveFantasy on Instagram (@ThriveFantasy), Twitter (@ThriveFantasy) and Facebook (ThriveFantasy). Contact Details Michael Adorno madorno@hotpaperlantern.com Company Website https://www.thrivefantasy.com/

September 15, 2021 09:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time

The 2021 American Thoracic Society Virtual Event

Convey Services

In 2021 the American Thoracic Society hosted their annual conference as a virtual event. The ATS Virtual Conference provided both attendees and exhibitors with a virtual experience that would closely replicate the in-person environment. The ATS International Conference attracts pulmonary, critical care, and sleep professionals, from those in the earliest stages of their careers to those whose research or strides in clinical care has gained them international recognition. Each year, nearly 14,000 of these professionals choose to attend, present, and learn about the latest advances, meet with colleagues from around the world, and create new collaborations and connections. It is truly where today’s science meets tomorrow’s care. Download the case study for free at: Case Study in Virtual & Hybrid Events for Medical Organizations — The story of ATS 2021. “The MCI Group was tapped to be the event management company for the ATS virtual event, said Carolyn Bradfield, CEO of Cloud Conventions. “MCI is a global engagement and marketing agency that creates human-centric touchpoints to unleash the power of people to deliver innovation and growth. Cloud Conventions was selected as the virtual technology platform to manage the ATS virtual event. Our solutions is a sophisticated enterprise platform that manages everything needed to execute a flawless virtual event, tradeshow or conference.” ATS Virtual Conference Goal The virtual conference was designed around three main elements to meet the goal: • Presentations & Sessions • CME/MOC Education • The Industry Solution Center for sponsors Attendees at the ATS Virtual Conference engaged through networking events featuring experts from the medical industry, attendee-to-exhibitor real-time chat, online discussion forums and “ Community™ ” featuring searchable attendee directories, profile cards for each attendee and instant messaging between attendees. The live portion of the virtual conference was held over a five-day period, and on-demand content was made available for ninety days. Click here to download: Case Study in Virtual & Hybrid Events for Medical Organizations — The story of ATS 2021 About Cloud Conventions Cloud Conventions from Convey Services is Cloud Conventions is an enterprise virtual/hybrid event management platform that redefines the exhibitor and attendee experience to allow companies to provide easy access to in-depth product information, showcase their brands with graphics and videos, create calls to action and generate immediate sales leads. Used around the world for large managed events and smaller self-directed meetings, conferences and corporate kickoffs, Cloud Conventions automates exhibitors and virtual booths, continuing education, speaker sessions and reminders, invitations and email communication, while at the same time producing detailed analytics on attendee, session and exhibitor activity. Cloud Conventions supports multiple languages and currencies, internal, external and single-sign on registration, and supports all conferencing carriers and platforms. Trade Associations and event managers can explore all of the Cloud Conventions solutions by visiting https://cloudconventions.com or contacting info@cloudconventions.com or call 888-975-1382. Cloud Conventions™, Cloud Conventions Enterprise Event Network™, Community™, SafetyNet™, Cloud Kickoffs™, Conduct™, One-Touch Email Share™, Hub & Spoke™, 360° Virtual Exhibit Hall & Lobby Experience™ and ListLock™ are trademarks of Convey Services LLC Contact Details Bruce Ahern +1 770-580-0810 bahern@conveyservices.com Company Website https://cloudconventions.com

September 14, 2021 04:42 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Cloud Conventions Creates DIY Playbook for Managing & Delivering Virtual Events

Convey Services

Cloud Conventions today released a new Do-it-Yourself (DIY) eBook for associations, nonprofits, and businesses designed to reduce cost and increase efficiency with a self-managed program to create and deliver a virtual conference or trade event. It’s all outlined in “The DIY Virtual and Hybrid Event — Case Study,” available for free to download. Cloud Conventions is a sophisticated event management platform that redefines the attendee and exhibitor experience focused on delivering virtual and hybrid events for associations and business. “Most organizations with live events that were scheduled in 2020 and 2021 have now had the experience of staging those events virtually,” said Carolyn Bradfield, CEO of Cloud Conventions. “Even though live events are returning, maintaining a virtual event option will be vital to your event strategy, even after all of the challenges of COVID have passed. To simplify and demystify the process, we created a DIY program for meeting planners that have gotten comfortable with virtual events but want to maximize their effectiveness, while managing more of the elements themselves to reduce cost and maintain more control.” The cost and effort to add virtual options to complement a live event or as a stand-alone event has been overwhelming for many organizations with limited staff or a tight budget. Cloud Conventions’ DIY Virtual Events offer a low-cost subscription to the event management platform and a step-by-step playbook to simplify planning, execution, and management. The DIY event program shows you on how to create a content and session strategy, a virtual exhibit option for sponsors, expanded attendee engagement strategies and a way to automate onboarding attendees and manage the platform. A DIY platform comes configured and organized, making it easy to brand and add other elements without technical expertise or programming. “We generated two of our own virtual events before we began delivering virtual events to clients,” added Bradfield. “We took the lessons we gained from our events and coupled them with what we learned from executing hundreds of events for other customers. We created an eBook that outlines 9 key steps for executing a successful DIY virtual event. In this eBook, we relate those steps to how we delivered Cloud Conventions 2021, a virtual trade event for the telecommunications and cloud sales channel in May 2021.” The Cloud Conventions technology platform is designed with the non-technical user in mind with self-help and user tips built into administrative routines. The platform comes with templates for email communication, virtual exhibitor booths, session and content posts, directories and pages. Customers can take advantage of built-in Zoom or BlueJeans by Verizon conferencing capabilities to broadcast video sessions and keynotes. Event planners can also use their own preferred video accounts such as Teams, GoToMeeting or GlobalMeet. Analytics and reporting are automated to give the event organizer and exhibitors a detailed view of all attendee engagement. Click here to download: The DIY Virtual and Hybrid Event — Case Study About Cloud Conventions Cloud Conventions from Convey Services is Cloud Conventions is an enterprise virtual/hybrid event management platform that redefines the exhibitor and attendee experience to allow companies to provide easy access to in-depth product information, showcase their brands with graphics and videos, create calls to action and generate immediate sales leads. Used around the world for large managed events and smaller self-directed meetings, conferences and corporate kickoffs, Cloud Conventions automates exhibitors and virtual booths, continuing education, speaker sessions and reminders, invitations and email communication, while at the same time producing detailed analytics on attendee, session and exhibitor activity. Cloud Conventions supports multiple languages and currencies, internal, external and single-sign on registration, and supports all conferencing carriers and platforms. Trade Associations and event managers can explore all of the Cloud Conventions solutions by visiting https://cloudconventions.com or contacting info@cloudconventions.com or call 888-975-1382. Cloud Conventions™, Cloud Conventions Enterprise Event Network™, Community™, SafetyNet™, Cloud Kickoffs™, Conduct™, One-Touch Email Share™, Hub & Spoke™, 360° Virtual Exhibit Hall & Lobby Experience™ and ListLock™ are trademarks of Convey Services LLC Contact Details Bruce Ahern +1 770-580-0810 bahern@conveyservices.com Company Website https://cloudconventions.com

September 14, 2021 03:29 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Cloud Conventions Releases New eBook for Associations Detailing 2021 Virtual & Hybrid Event Outlook

Convey Services

Cloud Conventions today released a new eBook exclusively for event planners of professional associations and trade groups entitled “2021 Virtual & Hybrid Event Outlook for Associations,” available free to download. It offers practical advice for associations to make their next live, hybrid or virtual event deliver the right experience for the organization, its members, and sponsors. The eBooks focuses on the business case for redefining online event experiences backed by research. “Professionals that manage live and virtual conferences for associations struggle with how they should engage their membership now that live events are starting to return,” said Carolyn Bradfield, CEO of Cloud Conventions. “We assembled this eBook to look at research from well-respected sources to see how having virtual event options has impacted how members engage with associations before, during and after the pandemic. We look at how sponsors view their investment in virtual events, and what it tells us about how associations should plan their event strategy moving forward.” In 2020 the pandemic forced associations to cancel in-person gatherings and pivot to everything from webinars to multi-day virtual conferences. Scrambling to offer some sort of online experience to replace the much-anticipated live conferences represented a fundamental change in the way an association and its membership connected historically. The result was a lower revenue producing virtual option that represented a huge decline in the association’s bottom line. However, the upside of virtual events, when effectively done, has been a game changer for many associations leading to increased attendance, greater member engagement and additional sponsorship revenue outside of membership or attendance fees. “Now that live events are starting to return, associations have asked themselves if continuing virtual events are really worth it,” added Bradfield. “ The 2020 study of 1,000 respondents, ‘Association Trends: From Disruption to Opportunity ’ produced by Community Brands reveals that having a virtual option for membership participation has moved from a nice to have, to a must have. Recent cancellations of live events because of renewed COVID concerns scheduled for this fall is an indicator that the pandemic is far from over. Having a virtual or hybrid option still is the best insurance that the show will go on, no matter what.” Although 2020 was disruptive, in the last several years revenue from membership dues has declined for many associations, while revenue from other sources increased, accounting for over half of the funding for a given group. “2021 Virtual & Hybrid Event Outlook for Associations” reviews the value delivered to the membership and key factors behind increased participation when doing virtual or hybrid events. Cloud Conventions is an event management platform that redefines the attendee and exhibitor experience with a strong focus on delivering virtual and hybrid events for association and nonprofit groups. Click here to download: 2021 Virtual & Hybrid Event Outlook for Associations About Cloud Conventions Cloud Conventions from Convey Services is Cloud Conventions is an enterprise virtual/hybrid event management platform that redefines the exhibitor and attendee experience to allow companies to provide easy access to in-depth product information, showcase their brands with graphics and videos, create calls to action and generate immediate sales leads. Used around the world for large managed events and smaller self-directed meetings, conferences and corporate kickoffs, Cloud Conventions automates exhibitors and virtual booths, continuing education, speaker sessions and reminders, invitations and email communication, while at the same time producing detailed analytics on attendee, session and exhibitor activity. Cloud Conventions supports multiple languages and currencies, internal, external and single-sign on registration, and supports all conferencing carriers and platforms. Trade Associations and event managers can explore all of the Cloud Conventions solutions by visiting https://cloudconventions.com or contacting info@cloudconventions.com or call 888-975-1382. Cloud Conventions™, Cloud Conventions Enterprise Event Network™, Community™, SafetyNet™, Cloud Kickoffs™, Conduct™, One-Touch Email Share™, Hub & Spoke™, 360° Virtual Exhibit Hall & Lobby Experience™ and ListLock™ are trademarks of Convey Services LLC Contact Details Bruce Ahern +1 770-580-0810 bahern@conveyservices.com Company Website https://cloudconventions.com

September 14, 2021 03:07 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Cloud Conventions Announces New Virtual Event Management Platform Capabilities

Convey Services

Cloud Conventions today released a suite of new features and additional capabilities to improve the user experience for virtual or hybrid events, trade shows and association conferences. New features include integration with the BlueJeans by Verizon video conferencing platform, a new unique 2D Virtual Showroom and Virtual Booth display, additional exhibitor engagement capabilities and new session registration and notification options. These new capabilities further enhance Cloud Conventions’ position as one of the premier enterprise virtual/hybrid event management platforms that is redefining the exhibitor and attendee experience. “As we learn more about what drives attendee and exhibitor engagement, those insights direct us to add features and capabilities to address and improve the attendee and exhibitor experience,” said Carolyn Bradfield, CEO of Cloud Conventions. “The 2D Virtual Showroom and Exhibit Booth customizes the look and feel of the exhibit hall and offers a more engaging experience. It serves as a central navigation point using a unique image with embedded links, graphics and videos overlaid. We integrated with BlueJeans by Verizon to offer a conferencing platform that delivers high resolution video and Dolby-quality sound while allowing the participant to enter any session or keynote without leaving the platform. We also can cap registration on any session, creating a wait list and automatic notifications when the attendee has been cleared to attend.” The 2D Virtual Showroom and Exhibit Booth provides a self-managed, totally customized experience by adding a library of unique exhibit hall or virtual booth images and then overlaying them with interactive zones that link to embedded videos, navigational buttons, images, badge scan and message icons that link to other locations on the platform. Virtual showrooms can appear on the event site homepage or attendee dashboard to direct the user through the event experience or can become the main virtual exhibit hall. 2D virtual booths can be added to templates providing silver, gold and platinum exhibitors each with a distinctive booth experience based on sponsorship levels. BlueJeans by Verizon has a unique iFrame capability that allows attendees to connect automatically to live or keynote sessions from any location on the Cloud Conventions’ platform. Their attendee information is automatically transferred to BlueJeans, and their activity is recorded and delivered back to Cloud Conventions’ event reports. BlueJeans offers the industry's highest fidelity audio and video performance, as well as suite of comprehensive security features. It can host live events with up to 50,000 attendees and 150 presenters worldwide. BlueJeans streams to Facebook Live for larger audiences to view the session as it happens. About Cloud Conventions Cloud Conventions from Convey Services is Cloud Conventions is an enterprise virtual/hybrid event management platform that redefines the exhibitor and attendee experience to allow companies to provide easy access to in-depth product information, showcase their brands with graphics and videos, create calls to action and generate immediate sales leads. Used around the world for large managed events and smaller self-directed meetings, conferences and corporate kickoffs, Cloud Conventions automates exhibitors and virtual booths, continuing education, speaker sessions and reminders, invitations and email communication, while at the same time producing detailed analytics on attendee, session and exhibitor activity. Cloud Conventions supports multiple languages and currencies, internal, external and single-sign on registration, and supports all conferencing carriers and platforms. Trade Associations and event managers can explore all of the Cloud Conventions solutions by visiting https://cloudconventions.com or contacting info@cloudconventions.com or call 888-975-1382. Cloud Conventions™, Cloud Conventions Enterprise Event Network™, Community™, SafetyNet™, Cloud Kickoffs™, Conduct™, One-Touch Email Share™, Hub & Spoke™, 360° Virtual Exhibit Hall & Lobby Experience™ and ListLock™ are trademarks of Convey Services LLC Contact Details Bruce Ahern +1 770-580-0810 bahern@conveyservices.com Company Website https://cloudconventions.com

September 13, 2021 04:29 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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