It is not often that our lunch hour can be so tranquil. At ZuZu, the innovative American kitchen at Hotel Valley Ho, the setting makes the most of our great Arizona climate. Inside or out, this poolside retro locale is the ideal getaway for that important or well-deserved lunch. Inspired by the neighborhood grills of the 1950s, ZuZu offers up a variety of options for lunch … [More]
Sales: Embrace Being No. 2
In the 2008 Olympics, Michael Phelps won the Gold Medal in the Men’s 100-meter butterfly, beating out Milorad Čavić by a mere .01 second. Literally, in 1/30th of the time it takes to blink, Phelps’s dreams were realized and Čavić’s dreams were dashed. Over the course of a salesperson’s lifetime, it’s inevitable that you will face this same struggle. You will be told no, be … [More]
Financially Serving the Hispanic Market
There’s more to serving the Hispanic market than simply translating messaging into Spanish. Language is a component, “but you need cultural relevance,” explains Luis Soto, a driving force in Vantage West’s recent designation of “Juntos Avanzamos” (“Together We Advance”) from Texas’s Cornerstone Credit Union League. “Vantage West is the first credit union outside the … [More]
2016 Ferrari 488 Spider
The quintessential sports car is the Ferrari, and this model is the one everyone is talking about. Pricy, fast, highest quality and style to rival none is what is heard about this intensely tech’ed-out vehicle. With a 3902cc turbo-charged V8 engine with 661 horsepower and more than 560 lb.-ft. of torque, this rocket is impressive by all measures. Clocked at 0–62 mph in just 3.0 … [More]
Craft 64
Craft beer and modern Italian fare is a great way to not only describe this new Old Town Scottsdale hot spot, but a great way to entice patrons. Artisan wood-fired pizza is going to be the lunchtime crowd attraction, however. Quickly becoming known for offering more than 30 craft beers and a sommelier on staff offering up great wines, owners Josh Ivey (the resident sommelier), … [More]
Technology as Equalizer
Mega-retailers maintain websites with information on their extensive inventory, and keep that information up to date with new products and changes in product pricing and availability. It’s a data base that smaller retailers, even with a more limited or niche-focused inventory, do not generally have the manpower to create and maintain. Brother and sister entrepreneurs James Kane … [More]
Contracting Assistance Is ‘Win-Win’ for Small Biz & Government
The Defense Logistics Agency’s Office of Small Business Programs administers a unique program designed to assist small businesses as they navigate government contracting. The Procurement Technical Assistance Program was created in 1985 to provide specialized training and assistance to small businesses to help increase their participation in government contracts at local, state … [More]
Grassroots: A Down-to-Earth Experience
From-the-ground-up is the best way to describe this family-owned eatery that is becoming a true standard for the lunch crowd. “Grassroots” is very much the mantra let alone the fare for this Southern-influenced American cuisine hot spot. All high-quality ingredients with from-scratch technique makes for an appetizing experience. Chef/owner Christopher Collins, a seasoned … [More]
2016 Buick Cascada Convertible
Free-spirited and a joy on the open road is the convertible 2016 Buick Cascada. Making a brand shift for the past few years, Buick surprises with its marketing campaign to elevate the brand to a “hip” car manufacturer. Well, there is some meat behind what it is pushing. Many of the Buick models are competing with German luxury vehicles and winning out. One such vehicle is the … [More]
For-Profit Stands on ‘For People’
It was 2009. The global economy was in the beginning of its worst downturn in many, many years. Barry-Wehmiller, at that time, was a 124-year-old company that had started as a supplier of bottle-washers and pasteurizers to the brewing industry. In the late 1980s, financial challenges forced the company to reinvent itself by beginning a process of acquiring companies that … [More]
Fast Pitch: Pitch & Learn
Social Venture Partners is presenting its 6th Fast Pitch Challenge for nonprofits on March 1. Finalists are mentored for two months prior to competing, in an effort to help them perfect their pitch and win the attention of philanthropists. Fast Pitch and Social Venture Partners do so much to give awareness to innovative nonprofits. See some of the past pitches online. Fast … [More]
Considerations with Funding a Company
Determining the best capital structure for a business is one of the many difficult decisions owners and founders must make. Capital structures vary widely, and what may work best for one company may be completely wrong for another — depending on the industry area, resources available and management team. Different capital structures include bootstrapping (completely financed by … [More]
Buck &Rider: Aussie Beach House-Inspired
This newest eatery from the people at LGO, who brought us Le Grand Orange and Chelsea’s Kitchen, was built from the ground up with Phoenicians in mind, inspired by a beach house in a coastal town in Australia. A unique concept that brings the sea to the dining table, this fun-vibe space is at once open and cozy, fresh and simple in a comfortably causal atmosphere. There’s … [More]
2017 Infiniti Q30
The new Infiniti Q30 is slated for delivery later this year, but is making an impression for its technology, design and focus on a new generation of driver for Infiniti. It is based on an all-new turbocharged 2.0-liter engine with 208 horsepower boasting an impressive 258 lb-ft of torque. All of the power is channeled through a 7-speed, dual clutch transmission that pre-selects … [More]
We’re Stuck in a Success Crisis!
Success and leadership have gears — and we’re not shifting them correctly. We’ve gotten stuck in the “more-better-faster, what-have-you-done-for-me-lately, too-busy-racing-around-to-enjoy-our-lives” gear. We’re over-fed, under-nourished, over-medicated, under-rested and under-satisfied. Think of the wear and tear trying to drive everywhere using only one gear — second gear — … [More]
Business-Friendly Environment?
Small-business owners gave Metro Phoenix a B– for its business friendliness, ranking it in the top 50 percent of cities nationwide, according to the recently released 2015 Small Business Friendliness Survey conducted by Thumbtack, a technology-based marketplace designed to connect consumers with small-business professionals within local communities. Among the key findings … [More]
Ocotillo: A Food & Drink Campus
The brainchild of food, drink and coffee enthusiasts Dave Johnson, Sacha Levine, Walt Sterling and Kelly Ehley, this culinary campus is all the rage in Phoenix. With a restaurant, coffee bar, actual bar and an entertainment complex, Ocotillo is bringing patrons all that they desire and thrilling them in the process. This metropolitan campus was built from the ground up in an … [More]
The 2016 Full-Size Chevy Tahoe
Built to last, the Chevy Tahoe has been the standard in the full-size SUV category since the category was introduced. This machine is in its 5th generation and styled to impress for sure. The 5.3-liter EcoTec V8 engine is tough and built with power and fuel economy in mind. Its 355 maximum horsepower and 383 lb. ft. of torque haul this beast plus whatever its contents. The … [More]
