Business risk is on the rise — from the danger of a cyber-attack to the potential failure of a crucial supplier halfway around the globe. In response, companies are increasingly creating their own insurance companies to mitigate those risks. A “captive insurer” is a company that provides coverage solely to the firm or group of firms that sets it up. Captives have long … [More]
Tech Award for ASU
The New Media Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication recently won the National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation’s Excellence in Innovative Technology Award, which honors students who are driving innovation in the media industry. The lab offers Cronkite students the opportunity … [More]
Trello: Project Management App
Trello is a new app that can help manage any given project. Whether it’s managing a team, writing an epic screenplay or just making a grocery list, Trello helps the user get things done and stay organized. Trello provides the user a perspective over all of his or her projects, at work and at home. … [More]
Slack Is Not for the Slacker
Slack is designed to make team communication easy. The collaboration tool in this app allows users to interface and communicate on projects, share files, drop files in the cloud and more. By setting up integration directly within Slack, rather than switching between other apps, all data is searchable in one central archive. … [More]
Google Duo Is Option to Video Chat
Get close with the new app through high-quality video calling on iOS and Android. With simple one-tap calling, Google Duo makes it easy to check in from anywhere on cell or Wi-Fi. Preview incoming calls before answering with Knock-Knock, which reads the user’s contacts and gives an alert as to who is calling. … [More]
GCU Launches Business Resource for Students and Community
Grand Canyon University will open its Small Business Consulting Center this fall as a free resource for students, alumni and community businesses. It differentiates itself from other business consulting centers — incubators and accelerators — by using the resources of GCU’s faculty and students as well as drawing on the expertise of Phoenix’s entrepreneurial ecosystem with … [More]
Kickstarter for Expansion
Solar Pool Technologies turned to Kickstarter not to launch a new business but, based on interest expressed by existing customers, to launch a new version of its solar-powered, robotic swimming pool cleaner and chemical dispenser Solar-Breeze. “It’s really hard for early-stage companies to secure capital to grow their business,” observes CEO Paul Sim. So last July, with a new … [More]
Making Referrals Matter
The name proved to be key to Bill and Eric Skoog expanding their roofing business. The company they’d built on new construction and custom homes suffered in the housing market downturn in 2007, and they felt residential and commercial reroofing would be a more stable market, Eric Skoog explains. Sunvek had the name, and the Skoogs bought it out of bankruptcy in 2008. Their … [More]
Bolster Business with Bolste
Bolste™ recently launched a new business operating system (BOS) that brings numerous tools together into one system. It was designed to simplify communication, collaboration and productivity in contrast to apps that are complicated, fragmented and too difficult to learn for business to gain dramatic efficiency benefits. It is available in a free version, or users can upgrade to … [More]
Granted, So Awarding
Award Alley is a Web-based software created by Arizona-based media88, Inc. to help organizations improve the grant or award applications process, save time and cost, and enhance brand image for professionals or organizations. It provides an integrated suite of user-friendly widgets for award or grant providers to easily manage their award or grant application process in four … [More]
Savings for Small Business
SRP is the oldest multipurpose federal reclamation project in the United States. It has been serving central Arizona since 1903, nearly 10 years before Arizona became the 48th state. As part of its commitment to our community, SRP has a website dedicated to helping businesses save on energy costs. It offers information on rebates and energy savings, and provides energy tools … [More]
A New Dimension
Attracting customers’ attention is a tall order these days with so many formats in which to attempt to engage them. Video marketing can be captivating, and Dimension 5, a video production and marketing company, uses its expertise in attracting customers and retaining their interest to bring its client’s business to the forefront. With “explainer” videos and custom animation, … [More]
Ak-Chin Casino Expands
The Ak-Chin Indian Community has broken ground on a multi-million-dollar expansion of Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino that will include a spa, a conference center with multi-use ballroom space, a parking garage, additional restaurants and more than 200 additional rooms. According to Robert Livingston, general manager of Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, this expansion will not only increase … [More]
Luxury Multifamily in Glendale
P.B. Bell has opened Velaire at Aspera, a nearly 13-acre luxury apartment community within the long-awaited Aspera mixed-use development in Glendale. Velaire at Aspera, the third new community P.B. Bell has opened since late September, offers one-, two- and three-bedroom luxury apartment homes in a resort-like setting, with amenities that include a theater, dog agility park and … [More]
Women Break Ground in Commercial Development
Lynne King Smith’s development in Gilbert, Building 313, has evolved into an opportunity to raise the profile on women as business leaders. The 15,602-square-foot, three-story, mixed-use, owner-occupied project that broke ground last month was initiated when King Smith, looking for office space she could purchase for her businesses TicketForce, a ticketing service for venues of … [More]
Tech Advances Printing
The largest commercial printer in the Southwest calls Phoenix home. Prisma — on the brink of closing when Robert Anderson took it over 16 years ago — expects to do about $36 million in sales this year. Anderson describes the business as “all-computerized and super-high-tech.” And the 75-ton printing press Anderson recently installed will help Prisma do more, faster. The new … [More]
‘Selling to the Federal Government’
The U.S. government is the largest single purchaser of goods and services in the world, awarding approximately $500 billion in contracts every year. Participating in the process to gain access to these federal contracts can be challenging and overwhelming for small-business owners. On the first Wednesday of every month, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Arizona … [More]
NAPA Revamps for Retail
NAPA, which, for more than 90 years, has built its name on being a wholesale auto parts distributor serving largely auto repair businesses and fleets, is looking to grow its retail side. It is rolling out the program in 20 markets around the country, and, here in the Valley, the Gilbert store is one of the first to get the makeover. In addition to new signage, furniture, … [More]
