The Valley of the Sun is known for saguaros, golf courses and … barbecue. Bobby-Q is nationally recognized by barbecue aficionados, and offers its ribs in a vintage countrified setting featuring reclaimed woodwork and antique gas lamps that enhances the dining experience. Owner Bob Sikora’s first expansion from the original location at Dunlap and the I-17 was this Mesa … [More]
Successful Innovation — Technology vs People
The reason innovations fail is not because of technology. It’s never about the technology. Innovations fail because of people. The people who might employ a new technology may not be sold on it. Or they might be afraid of it. Or they might feel threatened by. Welcome to the dark side of innovation. However, the biggest threat to innovation a company is trying to develop will … [More]
Supporting the Tech Maker Community
The Hardware Studio, launched last month, is a new initiative designed to help hardware makers design products and plan ahead for manufacturing before they launch on Kickstarter. It is a collaboration among Kickstarter PBC, the world’s largest funding platform for creative projects, Dragon Innovation, a leading provider of manufacturing software and know-how, and Avnet, a … [More]
2017 Mazda CX-9 Signature Edition
Luxury in its class is not all that this all-new Mazda CX9 is getting attention for. It is fuel efficient, technologically savvy and as safe as they come. With a 250-horsepower SKYACTIV-G 2.5T Dynamic Pressure Turbo DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder with VVT engine, this mid-sized SUV hums along with power and precision. The Signature edition boasts some very luxurious appointments … [More]
Chelsea’s Kitchen: Roadhouse on the Canal
The sense of “come on in and visit” starts with the short walkway meandering through the grassy front yard past shallow ponds to the expansive front porch. Part of the LGO Hospitality family of restaurants, Chelsea’s Kitchen exudes a roadhouse ambience despite not technically meeting the definition of being beyond city limits. Dine in homey comfort inside or choose the patio … [More]
Woman-Owned Businesses: Achievement in a Growth Demographic
Women represent the largest growing demographic of business owners in the country. This is among several interesting trends revealed in final data from the most recent census. The number of women starting businesses was almost three times that of men — more than expected. As of 2012, women business owners (WBOs) represented 36.2 percent of all businesses, numbering just under … [More]
Philanthropy on the Rise – for a Third Consecutive Year!
As this year’s “Giving USA Annual Report on Philanthropy” notes, 2016 was certainly an unusual year for giving in the United States. Between a tumultuous and all-encompassing election and increasing societal tension, it wouldn’t have been too surprising to see an off-year for philanthropy. Instead, we saw the opposite! Total giving increased for the third consecutive year, … [More]
2017 Bentley Bentayga
This is a fast and nimble SUV. With a 0 to 60 in only 4 seconds, the Bentley Bentayga is meant to truly impress. If you can have it all, this is a must-have with its 6.0-liter engine that accelerates to a top speed of 187 mph — making it the world’s fastest SUV. The advanced 12-cylinder engine also is so technologically advanced that it claims a 21.6-mpg fuel consumption and … [More]
The Crêpe Club: Fare with Flair
If a visit to Paris seems out of reach for a weekday lunch, it’s time to expand lunch options to a small salon at Biltmore Fashion Park. Open there a little more than a year after expanding from its origins as a popular food cart on the ASU Tempe campus, the crêperie keeps that casual vibe with its walk-up-to-order counter. Crêpes are the family pride for the restaurant’s … [More]
Music Platform Innovates on Innovation
Streaming music lies at the basis of Arena Music’s business operations, but its success comes from taking that technology and giving it an innovative twist in the business plan. In fact, “It’s more about doing everything opposite,” says founder Damon Evans, referring to the major subscription-based music streaming platforms. “Arena is an on-demand merchandise storefront that … [More]
Monsoon Season Digital Safety
Monsoon season, officially recognized as extending beyond traditional summer months to the end of September, may not threaten the physical devastation of such natural disasters as an earthquake or hurricane, but a monsoon does have the potential to cause a power outage. Today’s businesses, which rely heavily on their computers and electronic devices to remain operational, can … [More]
2017 Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400 AWD Coupe
Finally, a coupe that performs, impresses and is priced to make sense for the connoisseur and for the novice. The Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400 AWD Coupe is fast and ready to perform with its 400 horsepower, 24-valve, 3.0-liter, twin-turbo V6 engine, generating 350 pound-feet of torque. This specialized machine is equipped to handle multiple driving modes with the switch of a … [More]
Dust Cutter: Cutting-Edge ‘Not Just Bar’ Food
Breaking the ice over a few shared dishes makes a great start to a productive power lunch. Dust Cutter offers an array of interesting palate pleasers from the creative mind of Executive Chef Joshua Murray, a Phoenix transplant whose immersion in the Valley of the Sun’s edible bounty and culinary influences yields Avocado Fries, firm wedges coated with Sonoran spices and served … [More]
Challenges in Repurposing Commercial Projects
With the desire by many Arizona residents to experience a more urban lifestyle, the repurposing of commercial buildings and areas has become very popular over the last seven years. As evidenced in Phoenix by the Seventh Street Corridor, Roosevelt Row and ASU’s downtown campus, these projects can thrive, but it is important to note that real estate development involving … [More]
Credit Card: Use Business or Personal?
When a small business needs fast money, it’s easy to whip out a credit card to make the purchase. Every entrepreneur relies on them. Why not, when they’re convenient and easy to manage? But the line between personal and business credit can be blurry. When is it appropriate to open a business credit card, versus continuing to use personal cards? These milestones signify it’s … [More]
2017 Jaguar F-Pace Prestige
The best thing about the 2017 SUV from Jaguar is, it combines the SUV experience with a luxury sports car experience. The famously exclusive brand created a new and very useful vehicle that has gotten rave reviews in both performance and style. While one may expect luxury and style to be atop the carmaker’s agenda in creating an SUV, this mid-size SUV is all about getting … [More]
Kona Grill – Island Delectables
Kona Grill has added a new Valley location, opening in the urban streetscape of Scottsdale Quarter. The vibe inside is perfectly suited to its environment: It’s very much a lounge feel throughout under the high ceiling with its contemporary design of exposed duct work. The restaurant concept’s signature water feature in this case is a floor-to-ceiling “aquarium” of bubbles that … [More]
2017 Lincoln Navigator
One of the first luxury SUVs to ever hit the market, the Lincoln Navigator has come a long way. With fuel efficiencies that are leading the market, a mild redesign to speak to today’s tech and design trends, and overall performance that is all about quality and toughness that is inherent with parent company, Ford, the new Nav is hitting the market to great acclaim. The … [More]
