business development

Pharmacy Opens with Help of Small Business Boost

BankPlus and FHLB Dallas Partner on Loan for Northtown Pharmacy

It’s only been a few weeks since Dr. Andrew Clark opened the doors of Northtown Pharmacy, and he already feels at home and optimistic about the business’s future at the corner of Old Canton Road and Northtown Drive in Jackson, Mississippi.

A new pharmacy has opened in Jackson, MS, thanks to a Small Business Boost (SBB) loan from BankPlus and FHLB Dallas. Tweet this

The independent pharmacy opened June 1 with a loan from BankPlus that was combined with a $100,000 Small Business Boost (SBB) loan from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) and BankPlus that provided gap funding.

SBB is offered by FHLB Dallas through member financial institutions like BankPlus to provide financing for qualified small business transactions by filling the gap between the loan amount that an FHLB Dallas member institution can fund and the loan request made by an eligible small business. SBB loans are unsecured and subordinate to the primary loan made by the member financial institution.

“The Small Business Boost loan allowed me to free up capital to stock and staff the pharmacy so that all my capital wasn’t tied up in the purchase of the building,” Dr. Clark said.

Mark Ouellette, first vice president and director of Affordable Housing at BankPlus, said the bank is a long-time advocate of the FHLB Dallas loan program, which provides “gap” funding for startups and existing businesses that have a great business plan but who might not have enough equity to qualify for a more traditional bank loan.

“Startups like Northtown Pharmacy may have a stellar business plan but may lack equity to fund both the brick-and-mortar and the first-year operational costs, which can be daunting for small business owners,” said Mr. Ouellette. “The Small Business Boost allowed Dr. Clark to purchase a great building while maintaining a capital cushion for first-year operations.”

Another advantage of SBB is that the borrower does not begin to repay the loan until after the first year. This feature is designed to help a small business build critical cash flow during the first year of the loan.

Of BankPlus’s 28 SBB loans since the program was launched in 2019, 15 were startups.

Greg Hettrick, first vice president and director of Community Investment for FHLB Dallas, said access to capital is key for the success of small businesses.

“Access to capital for small businesses can be difficult to obtain,” he said. “We created the SBB program to help our member financial institutions fill the gap between what they can lend a small business and what that business needs to be successful. BankPlus has seen the value of this program and has taken the ball and run with it.”

Northtown Pharmacy is owned and operated by Dr. Clark who has already hired his first employee, a graduate intern on her way to becoming a full-time pharmacist. It expects to eventually have as many as five employees, he said.

The pharmacy is in a neighborhood that Dr. Clark calls home.

“I live in the community that the pharmacy serves, and my kids go to the schools in the community,” he said. “Being able to say we live here, go to school here and have an interest in what is going on in the community makes a difference. It shows you care.”

About BankPlus

Founded in 1909, BankPlus is one of the Southeast’s premier regional banks serving consumers and businesses with the latest technology through a full suite of financial services, including retail banking, commercial banking, mortgage lending and wealth management. With approximately $5 billion in total assets, BankPlus operates 79 financial centers throughout Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana. For more information about BankPlus, visit bankplus.net.

About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas is one of 11 district banks in the FHLBank System created by Congress in 1932. FHLB Dallas, with total assets of $61.1 billion as of March 31, 2021, is a member-owned cooperative that supports housing and community development by providing competitively priced loans and other credit products to approximately 800 members and associated institutions in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. For more information, visit our website at fhlb.com.

Contacts

Corporate Communications
Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas
fhlb.com
(214) 441-8445


Full Name
Company
Phone Number
Website
Email

  Spam Protection

TycoonInvest Launches Platform for the General Public to Invest in Startups and Small Businesses

TycoonInvest is a crowdfunding investment platform that enables businesses and the general public to work together for their mutual benefit, and for the benefit of the community at large.

TycoonInvest.com is an SEC-registered crowdfunding portal dedicated to helping startups and small businesses raise capital by selling equity or debt to the general public, as well as to accredited investors. In so doing, TycoonInvest provides businesses, their investors, their employees, their customers, and their community with the opportunity to collaborate and prosper in many different ways.

TycoonInvest’s mission is two-fold; it strives to help build a world where:

1.      Entrepreneurs make their dreams come true, no matter their background, financial means, network, or connections, and potentially create many sustainable jobs in their communities, well into the future.

2.      Members of the general public have an easy-to-use, affordable opportunity to participate in investment opportunities that previously were only available to wealthy investors; thereby enabling the public to build wealth alongside those wealthy investors, and to participate directly in the efforts of startups and small businesses, in any industry, to prosper and serve their communities, all over the United States.

What value does TycoonInvest crowdfunding provide?

For startups and small businesses, TycoonInvest crowdfunding provides an easy-to-use, affordable, robust way for them to secure funding in circumstances that often make it difficult for such companies to obtain from banks, venture capitalists, or other traditional sources of capital; for example:

  • Funding for pre-revenue startups to pursue their business, from idea to reality.
  • Funding for startups with limited assets or collateral.
  • Funding for existing companies to grow quickly or recover from hard times.
  • Funding to acquire another business, real estate, or other major asset.
  • Funding to pursue marketing, operational efficiencies, or other strategic initiatives.
  • Funding to enable underserved and under-represented groups, such as female or minority-owned businesses, to have the opportunity to pursue their dreams on a more level playing field.

Most importantly, TycoonInvest crowdfunding helps companies acquire a community of investors who genuinely desire to see the company succeed, and who are motivated to help supplement and grow the company’s customer base. The companies and all the constituencies they serve, benefit greatly from investors who are not only looking to profit from their investments but who also genuinely value the opportunity to make a significant difference in the lives of others and their communities.

In addition to providing companies with services to secure funding, TycoonInvest provides companies with access to high-quality, affordable business planning, legal, compliance, and other professional services to help them effectively start, grow, and sustain their businesses.

For more information about the investment opportunities, education, and services available to the TycoonInvest community of companies and investors, please visit TycoonInvest.com.

TycoonoInvest Portal LLC (dba TycoonInvest), is a Title III crowdfunding portal registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

Contact
Press Contact


Full Name
Company
Phone Number
Website
Email

  Spam Protection

Falcon Wealth Planning Welcomes New Top Talent

One of the Fastest-Growing RIA Firms Expands Advisory Team

Falcon Wealth Planning (http://www.FalconWP.com) announces that Michael Jensen, CFP® has joined the firm to further expand their financial planning team. After graduating from the University of Southern California, he began working as an advisor for a nationwide wirehouse. Over the last five years, Michael served as a wealth advisor for a large national financial planning firm and led firm-wide procurement, adoption, and implementation of business development technologies to drive new growth across national offices. We are excited to have Michael head our team in the Orange County office to help support our continued success.

Michael joins Falcon Wealth Planning with the goal of aligning his clients’ lives and wealth by helping them navigate all critical financial events to make informed financial decisions. He aims to take the mystery out of retirement by answering questions with a direct, personalized approach. He comments, “I am excited to join one of the fastest-growing RIA firms in the country. Falcon differentiates as a true Fee-Only, Full Fiduciary advisor by focusing on the optimal alignment between their clients’ wealth, values, and goals. Falcon is obsessed with being client-centric and empowers through education. What I love about Falcon’s approach is they do not just advise on making the best financial decision but educate clients on the ‘Why’.”

Gabriel Shahin, CFP®, Principal of Falcon Wealth Planning said, “With our continued growth, we’re lucky to have Michael join our team. He conveys his direct personal style in his effective approach to individualized retirement, tax, and estate planning and has a proven history of success and providing superior service to his clients. Michael is a valuable addition allowing Falcon Wealth to continue to maintain its high level of service to our clients. We see a high ceiling for Michael and a big part of our future growth plan.”

About Falcon Wealth Planning

Falcon Wealth Planning is a full-service Financial Planning firm (FalconWP.com) that is designed to help clients achieve their financial goals while controlling their taxes, fees, and the risk they take on their investments. We specialize in comprehensive financial planning. We are a FEE ONLY Registered Investment Advisor that specializes in tax-efficient retirement income and helping our clients achieve their financial goals

Contact Author

GABRIEL SHAHIN
Falcon Wealth Planning
+1 855-963-2526


Full Name
Company
Phone Number
Website
Email

  Spam Protection

Guaranteed Removals Opens New United States Office

Guaranteed Removals is happy to announce the opening of our new United States office.

Located at 3050 Biscayne Boulevard, STE 400, Miami, Florida, our new office will be dedicated to providing a higher level of support to our US and European operations as we continue our global expansion.

With an open concept layout and plenty of natural light, our Miami office offers employees the ability to collaborate and interact face to face in a friendly, laid back environment.

After a year of working remotely due to the global pandemic, a company-wide survey determined that the majority of employees missed the benefits of in office collaboration and interaction. But, they also wanted to keep the flexibility to work remotely when convenient. As a result Guaranteed Removals updated its work policy to provide both options to all of our employees, both in the US and Canada. We offer our employees the flexibility to choose their ideal environment for productivity and life balance. Hybrid schedules of in office and remote work also cut back on our carbon footprint, reducing the impact of harmful gases through every day commuting.

Along with our new office, we have welcomed multiple new members to our team of professionals here at Guaranteed Removals in the areas of Customer Care, Marketing, Product Development, Sales and Operations. It’s an exciting time in the company as we intend to grow aggressively this year. Our US office will strengthen our US operations and give us the opportunity to participate in the growing Miami tech industry as we work towards releasing new, innovative products in the field of reputation management.

About Guaranteed Removals
Guaranteed Removals is a world leader in online content removal and reputation management, having helped thousands of businesses and individuals improve their digital reputation. Operating out of offices in Burlington, Ontario, Canada and now Miami, Florida, we work diligently to develop comprehensive plans of action that are tailored to the unique needs of our clients.

We help individuals and businesses gain control of their online reputation, fixing negative search engine results for branded or money keywords and providing solutions to address fake and negative reviews that impact how a brand or product is perceived online. We also assist companies in building a positive online reputation and develop their ability to be found on search engine results pages. Our services mitigate the impact misinformation or disinformation can have on a brand while helping businesses and executives take an online leadership position in their industry.

Contact
Christophe Tayon
Director of Marketing
christophe@guaranteedremovals.com

SOURCE: Guaranteed Removals


Full Name
Company
Phone Number
Website
Email

  Spam Protection

Fuel Tech Announces Annual Meeting of Stockholders

Fuel Tech, Inc. (NASDAQ: FTEK) (or “the Company”), a technology company providing advanced engineering solutions for the optimization of combustion systems, emissions control and water treatment in utility and industrial applications, today announced that in order to facilitate stockholder participation for its Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held May 20, 2021, the Company will host a conference call for those wishing to listen in. Interested parties may call into the annual meeting by using the dial-in information shown below. However, the Company expects that the meeting will be briefer than normal and be limited to the items to be voted on at the annual meeting. The Company does not intend to have management make a presentation.

Additional information regarding the annual meeting including the proposals to be voted on can be found in the Company’s proxy statement on Schedule 14A, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 26, 2021. A copy may be obtained free of charge at www.sec.gov

Dial-In Information for Fuel Tech, Inc. Annual Meeting of Stockholders:

Please dial in using your phone.

United States: +1 (571) 317-3116

Access Code: 749-957-613

About Fuel Tech

Fuel Tech develops and commercializes state-of-the-art proprietary technologies for air pollution control, process optimization, water treatment, and advanced engineering services. These technologies enable customers to operate in a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable manner. Fuel Tech is a leader in nitrogen oxide (NOx) reduction and particulate control technologies and its solutions have been in installed on over 1,200 utility, industrial and municipal units worldwide. The Company’s FUEL CHEM® technology improves the efficiency, reliability, fuel flexibility, boiler heat rate, and environmental status of combustion units by controlling slagging, fouling, corrosion and opacity. Water treatment technologies include DGI™ Dissolved Gas Infusion Systems which utilize a patented nozzle to deliver supersaturated oxygen solutions and other gas-water combinations to target process applications or environmental issues. This infusion process has a variety of applications in the water and wastewater industries, including remediation, aeration, biological treatment and wastewater odor management. Many of Fuel Tech’s products and services rely heavily on the Company’s exceptional Computational Fluid Dynamics modeling capabilities, which are enhanced by internally developed, high-end visualization software. For more information, visit Fuel Tech’s website at www.ftek.com.

NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” as defined in Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and reflect Fuel Tech’s current expectations regarding future growth, results of operations, cash flows, performance and business prospects, and opportunities, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, our management. Fuel Tech has tried to identify forward-looking statements by using words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “plan,” “expect,” “estimate,” “intend,” “will,” and similar expressions, but these words are not the exclusive means of identifying forward-looking statements. These statements are based on information currently available to Fuel Tech and are subject to various risks, uncertainties, and other factors, including, but not limited to, those discussed in Fuel Tech’s Annual Report on Form 10-K in Item 1A under the caption “Risk Factors,” and subsequent filings under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which could cause Fuel Tech’s actual growth, results of operations, financial condition, cash flows, performance and business prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these statements. Fuel Tech undertakes no obligation to update such factors or to publicly announce the results of any of the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect future events, developments, or changed circumstances or for any other reason. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including those detailed in Fuel Tech’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contacts

Vincent J. Arnone
Principal Financial Officer
(630) 845-4500

Devin Sullivan
Senior Vice President
The Equity Group Inc.
(212) 836-9608


Full Name
Company
Phone Number
Website
Email

  Spam Protection

Five Business Intelligence Tools to Save Your Bottom Line

In the rollercoaster ride of the last year, CPG e-commerce has had its moment of digital reckoning: the way consumers shop will never be the same.

Close on the heels of this realization is the recognition that better business intelligence is the foundation of success. CPG companies that are unable to move quickly and be nimble in the way they respond to consumer trends and market pressure will struggle. It’s that simple.

Moving quickly and being nimble hinges on gathering and analyzing data. And not just any data: actionable, valuable data that drives better decision-making.

This is the power of business intelligence—and Line Item unlocks it for CPG e-commerce. Line Item is a performance analytics platform that enables insight into e-analytics and product attributes to drive revenue and profitability. It’s packed with five essential business intelligence tools that can help CPG brands grow sales and boost profitability in a turbulent and competitive market. Let’s take an in-depth look at each of these business intelligence tools and why they matter.

1. Better search engine optimization strategy.

Consumer behavior and preferences are changing faster than ever before, sometimes even day to day. In such disruption, it’s not enough to “set it and forget it” with your SEO strategy. CPG companies need to be responsive to changes in the market and ensure that their brands and products are ranking in search results. Without this kind of SEO business intelligence, a competitive edge is lost.

Line Item is the answer to better SEO strategy. It analyzes whether or not your brands or products are ranking on page one, across search terms and platforms. This is important as the elephants like Amazon and Walmart.com aren’t only retail sites, they are also where (increasingly) shoppers are doing product research. With Line Item, you can understand which search terms are working as well as which your competitors are using. Line Item also ensures that your product titles, descriptions, and images are complete and consistent, closing the gaps that can cost you page rank and sales, ultimately affecting your bottom line.

2. Superior insight into pricing.

There’s a reason that pricing is one of the “four P’s” of marketing: it’s the lever that drives profitability. Price your products too low and you’re leaving money on the table. Price too high and competitors will win your sales.

In a market where demand and preferences fluctuate so wildly, though, business intelligence on pricing becomes a complex challenge. This is where Line Item comes in. With it, you can verify item pricing, selling price, and list price across your portfolio and across platforms. You’ll have better business intelligence to price your products correctly and competitively to protect your profitability.

Find out more here.

Contact
Ironbridge Software
info@ibsw.com
(331) 209-8587


Full Name
Company
Phone Number
Website
Email

  Spam Protection