Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Real Estate Update; Amazon's Cloud Music Services; Technology & Stock News

The San Francisco metro area is one of 18 of the top 20 with year-over-year home value declines. Plus: Amazon launches its cloud music service. And: Former eBay (EBAY) CEO Meg Whitman is reportedly joining Kleiner Perkins.

Real estate update
Real estate values in much of the San Francisco Bay Area are continuing to decline, according to the latest Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller home price report released today.

Home values in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro area -- which includes San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin and San Mateo counties -- dropped 1.9 percent in January from the month before and were down 1.7 percent year over year, according to the report.


San Francisco was one of 18 of 20 metro areas with year-over-year declines. The only areas with gains were San Diego, at 0.1 percent, and Washington, D.C., at 3.6 percent. Eight metro areas -- Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Portland, Seattle and Tampa -- had year-over-year drops of 6.7 percent or more.

"Keeping with the trends set in late 2010, January brings us weakening home prices with no real hope in sight for the near future," David M. Blitzer, hairman of S&P's index committee, said in the report.


Pointing to a potential "double dip" for the nation's real estate market, 11 cities -- Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Detroit, Las Vegas, Miami, New York, Phoenix, Portland, Seattle and Tampa -- reached new lows from the market's peak in 2006 and 2007.

"The housing market recession is not yet over, and none of the statistics are indicating any form of sustained recovery," Blitzer noted. "At most, we have seen all statistics bounce along their troughs; at worst, the feared double-dip recession may be materializing."

Although San Jose is Northern California's largest city, it's not included in the Case-Shiller indexes because its metro area is not one of the nation's 20 largest.

Earlier this month, however, DataQuick Information Systems reported that the median sale price for existing single-family homes in Santa Clara County was $495,000 in February, down 3 percent year over year.

The Case-Shiller indexes are intended to track the values of typical single-family homes in a region.

Amazon's cloud music services
Seattle online retail giant Amazon has launched two consumer "cloud computing" products: Amazon Cloud Drive, which allows users to store as much as 5 gigabytes of music for free, and Amazon Cloud Player for the Web, which plays back that music on Macs, PCs and devices running Google's (GOOG) Android operating system.

(Yes, conspicuous by their absence on that list are Apple's (AAPL) ubiquitous "i" devices -- the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.)

"We're excited to take this leap forward in the digital experience," Bill Carr, Amazon's vice president of movies and music, said in a news release. "The launch of Cloud Drive, Cloud Player for Web and Cloud Player for Android eliminates the need for constant software updates as well as the use of thumb drives and cables to move and manage music."

According to numerous news stories -- including a report Sunday by the Merc's Mike Swift -- Apple and Google are working on cloud-based streaming music services.

According to an Associated Press report today, Amazon's service is intended to help the company sell more online music. Amazon will provide 20GB of storage to customers who buy an MP3 album -- and won't count MP3s purchased from Amazon against storage limits.

More tech news
Venture capital: Former eBay CEO Meg Whitman -- the Republican candidate for California governor last year -- is joining Silicon Valley VC powerhouse Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers as a strategic adviser, Fortune magazine's Postcards blog is reporting today.

Whitman, you might recall, lost the election, but has landed on the boards of Palo Alto tech pioneer Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), car-sharing service Zipcar and consumer-products giant Procter & Gamble.

Zynga: D'oh! We forgot to write about Lady Gaga.

It was such a busy tech news day yesterday we neglected to note that the pop star has teamed up with San Francisco social games upstart Zynga -- the company behind titles such as "FarmVille" and "CityVille" -- to raise $1.5 million to help victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
Today -- speaking of "FarmVille" -- Zynga is celebrating a new version of that game, "FarmVille English Countryside," by parading sheep in London and New York.
Silicon Valley tech stocks

Up: Apple, Google, Oracle (ORCL), Cisco Systems (CSCO), eBay, VMware, Gilead Sciences (GILD), Yahoo (YHOO).

Down: Intel (INTC), Hewlett-Packard.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index: Up 26.21, or 1 percent, to 2,756.89.
The blue chip Dow Jones industrial average: Up 81.13, or 0.7 percent, to 12,279.01.
And the widely watched Standard & Poor's 500 index: Up 9.25, or 0.7 percent, to 1,319.44.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

iMANY Opened New Research and Development Facility in the San Francisco Bay Area

iMANY, the leading provider of contract performance solutions, announced today the opening of its new research and development facility in the San Francisco Bay Area. The company's expansion reflects continued growth and investment in technologies to meet growing customer demand in the life sciences industry. With the additional increase in space, iMANY has also strengthened its talent base on the West Coast to support the company's growing Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) solutions for targeted vertical markets.
 
iMANY's new West Coast facility is located at 7979 Gateway Boulevard in Newark, California in the Pacific Research Center. 

"This new facility is part of our global growth strategy and reflects our commitment to developing and deploying world-class solutions and services for contract and revenue management, as well as pricing dynamics," said P. Kevin Kilroy, President and CEO of iMANY. "It also embodies the deep level of integration that we have achieved in bringing multiple disciplines together in one space." 

Lawrence Lindsey, iMANY's Chief Development Officer, noted, "This state-of-the-art facility provides an exceptional, collaborative environment for developing and commercializing innovations. We listen carefully to our customers and create new solutions that are responsive to their needs and provide maximum business value."

The new facility will also house an additional iMANY Center of Excellence to explore and create best practices for enterprise contract and revenue management as well as pricing dynamics to drive business results.

The dedicated group in Newark complements the additional iMANY teams throughout North America, Europe and Asia that serve hundreds of clients worldwide.

About iMANY
iMANY is the leader in contract performance -- helping organizations improve the way they manage complex commercial and government contracting and compliance strategies by aligning actionable information with revenue-based transactions. The iMANY ContractSphere platform, the industry's only integrated solution for contract performance, optimizes the entire contract lifecycle, limits gross-to-net margin erosion and ensures compliance in today's heightened regulatory environment. Hundreds of organizations across 21 industries worldwide, including the top 10 life sciences companies, depend on iMANY to reveal insights that drive more profitable business relationships. For more information, please visit www.imany.com.

Monday, March 28, 2011

David King Keller Received the Prestigious 2011 Law Firm Practice Development Award of Excellence

Author and consultant David King Keller, of Keller Business Development Advisory Group, received the prestigious 2011 Law Firm Practice Development Award of Excellence from the Legal Marketing Association - Bay Area Chapter for his new book, 100 Ways To Grow A Thriving Law Practice, at a ceremony held last night at San Francisco's Four Seasons Hotel.

The awarding judges noted, "Keller's book is loaded with innovative and creative ways for a law firm to conduct business development."  100 Ways To Grow A Thriving Law Practice was called "my bible" by Susan Roe, Director of Professional Development at the law firm of Gordon & Rees LLP. Roe also said, "The book is concise, to the point and highlights ways that are useful and practical. I highly recommend it as a reference book." The long list of marketing and promotional techniques in the book comes from "over twenty years of using sales and marketing experience to grow business revenue for firms of all sizes, from the solo practitioner to an international Fortune 100 company," stated author Keller. "Some of the 100 Ways are completely unique and offer opportunities never previously considered by many businesses," said Keller. Keller recommends that the Chairman or Managing Partner of every firm take the book's Business Development Rating Test. "Most firms will find out they are not taking advantage of many available business development opportunities," asserts Keller.

"100 Ways To Grow A Thriving Law Practice will also help any professional services company grow their business revenue," asserts Keller. The author says that, "if the reader only does 'Way #17' they should recognize a six to seven figure revenue gain within six to twelve months."
Keller is an active member of the American Bar Association, lectured at UC Hastings College of The Law, taught a marketing course at UC Berkeley, and is a continuing education instructor for the Bar Association of San Francisco.

Keller says, "My writing, speaking and executive coaching benefit from being trained in XEROX' world famous program, Need Satisfaction Selling. Having spent the last twenty years researching the key traits of a winner's brain allows me to provide executives and athletes optimal performance skills using a quick process called Neuro-Pathway Conditioning™."

Friday, March 25, 2011

Hearst Media's Special Services for Bay Area Businesses

Hearst Media Services/Bay Area is now offering Bay Area businesses the ability to manage their brands and online reputations by monitoring how they are talked about on social networks.
 
With the Internet and social media changing the way reputations spread, any compliment, bad review or rumor can having lasting consequences for businesses. The Reputation Management service monitors Web comments and discussions so that businesses know exactly what people are saying about them. 

Hearst Media Services/Bay Area's Reputation Management program tracks all the locations on the Web where business listings can be found. It also tracks trends in customer sentiment by analyzing online content whenever a business is mentioned to determine if it is positive, negative or neutral. It also provides actionable data on mentions of products, reports on top sources and keyword search relevant to a business and shows how an organization's competition is being talked about.

The program monitors websites, blogs, social media and local review sites to bring clients the most complete and up-to-date data on how their businesses are perceived by customers. The data is broken down, analyzed and collected in intelligence reports so that businesses can target their marketing and increase their online customer engagement.

"The reputation of a business can be its most valuable marketing tool, so it's important that businesses can create, manage and promote their companies on the social network," said Mark Adkins, president of Hearst Media Services/Bay Area and the San Francisco Chronicle/SFGate.com. "Our Reputation Management service gives businesses the right tools and technology to track how their reputations spread across the Web and respond appropriately to either maximize positive response or to address customer concerns."

Reputation Management is a part of Hearst Media Services/Bay Area's GateList program, which is a digital marketing service for small and medium-sized businesses. It is designed to be a more effective and cost-efficient alternative to other forms of advertising, such as yellow page directories, direct mail and emerging Web advertising services.

About Hearst Media Services/Bay Area
In addition to the vast resources of the San Francisco Chronicle and SFGate.com, Hearst Media Services/Bay Area provides everything from social media campaigns to search engine marketing to direct mail and e-mail advertising. Whether targeting customers based on behavior, demographics and geography or using the broad reach of Hearst Media Services products to reach 1.9 million Bay Area adults each week, advertisers can find all their marketing solutions in one, easy-to-implement place.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Polycom is Moving its Headquarters to Silicon Valley

Polycom will move its headquarters out of Pleasanton and shift the company's Bay Area operations to Silicon Valley, the fast-growing tech dynamo said Tuesday.

About 150 jobs will leave Pleasanton as a result of the move, which is part of an effort to consolidate operations in one location.

"Polycom is growing and is planning on moving the headquarters to the San Jose area," said Caroline Japic, a spokeswoman for the video conferencing giant.

The company plans to exit Pleasanton within 18 months.

"We will be consolidating our Bay Area offices in Pleasanton, San Jose and Santa Clara into a new Silicon Valley location in the second quarter of 2012 to coincide with the expiration of our Pleasanton lease," Japic said.

A decision hasn't been made yet about which Silicon Valley city will land the tech firm. In 2010, Polycom generated $1.22 billion in sales and earned $68.4 million.

"We would hate to see Polycom leave Pleasanton," said Pamela Ott, Pleasanton's city economic development director. "They have been a great business partner in our community."

The company employs 370 people in the Bay Area, including 150 in Pleasanton.

"We will have a global headquarters located in Silicon Valley that is closer to important partners, customers and employees," Japic said. Plus, a single site, she said, "is more cost efficient than running three separate locations."

All 370 of the jobs would be located in the single Silicon Valley location the company eventually chooses.
"Polycom would be a fantastic company for either San Jose or Santa Clara," said Nancy Klein, a deputy director in the San Jose city economic development department. "We would be ecstatic if Polycom moves to San Jose."

 The company, which was founded in Milpitas, would be a good fit for Silicon Valley, she said.

"It is appropriate that they should be headquartered in Silicon Valley, given their exciting and growing business," she said.

San Jose officials previously had reached out to the company in the past because it has a significant operation in the city's North First Street corridor.

Polycom said it has begun to scout for a new location.

"We are making progress, but nothing is final yet," Japic said.

Despite the departure of Polycom, Pleasanton has had a hot hand lately in attracting companies, including some tech firms.

Patelco Credit Union has just moved its headquarters there from San Francisco. Callidus Software moved out of San Jose into Pleasanton last year. In addition, Oakland-based Clorox will be moving a significant part of its operations to Pleasanton by the end of this year, bringing hundreds of workers to the city.

Pleasanton officials were philosophical about the looming loss of a company that has become a major tech player.

"We understand that businesses decide to relocate, stay, expand for a variety of reasons," Ott said. "We respect the reasons that Polycom has for consolidating to a different location."

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Bay Area Opposed While Contra Costa Has Welcomed New Power Plants

While much of the Bay Area has fiercely opposed new power plants proposed in their backyards, communities in eastern Contra Costa have welcomed them with open arms.

Over the past 15 years, regulators have approved three power plants that are now operating in the area. Three more planned for East County are working their way through the regulatory pipeline.

Local leaders say the newer natural gas-fired plants will run cleaner and more efficiently than older plants, generating permanent jobs and much-needed property tax revenue.

Power plants, which emit a variety of toxic chemicals linked to health risks, don't have that kind of support anywhere else in the Bay Area.

San Francisco's last fossil fuel plant was shuttered last year. An underwater cable from Pittsburg will help power the city.

In Alameda County, only one new plant has gotten the go-ahead in the past 15 years, and that came after a decade-long fight. In the same period, opponents there successfully fought off three proposed plants.

Power plants have begun clustering in East Contra Costa because they are less likely to run up against legal challenges from residents, according to environmentalists, consultants and professors.

"The communities in San Francisco and Alameda County have been increasingly successful at stopping new power plants and shutting down existing plants," said Shana Lazerow of Communities for a Better Environment. "That area (East Contra Costa) just doesn't have the political voice yet."

While cleaner than older models, the new plants still bring health risks. Long-term exposure to the compounds these plants emit can cause lung problems and even heart disease, according to California Energy Commission reports.
Environmentalists believe that the proliferation of power plants in East County will lead to health problems.

A report from the Pacific Environment group on the East County plants concluded, "Contra Costa County is already known for its high levels of toxic emissions, and adding more polluting industries will only increase current public health risks."

"Good jobs do not have to come at the price of your family's health," the report said.

But for many in East County, the pollution these might emit is less important than the monetary benefits they will bring. Fifth-generation Oakley resident Karen Gallegos was among the many locals who turned out to a daylong California Energy Commission meeting last week to voice support for a plant proposed in Oakley. 



Monday, March 21, 2011

PG&E Lost Peole Confidence After the San Bruno Disaster

PG&E seems bent on destroying what remains of public confidence in its ability to serve Bay Area customers.
The latest example: last week, the California Public Utilities Commission blasted the company's "willful noncompliance" with a demand for critical gas-pipeline safety records in the wake of the San Bruno blast. At Thursday's PUC meeting, the commission should make good on its threat of a $1 million a day fine until the information is provided.

Ordinarily we'd suggest waiting until San Bruno questions are resolved before looking at new regulation. But under the circumstances, San Mateo Assemblyman Jerry Hill's proposed gas pipeline legislation is looking pretty good. The bill, AB 56, has its first hearing Monday in the Utilities and Commerce Committee, which should move the package of safety and disclosure rules forward.

Public confidence in PG&E was eroding even before the San Bruno disaster, which killed eight people and destroyed 38 homes in September.

The company botched implementation of smart meters, a technological advance that allows consumers to control their costs. Other utilities have put them in place with no problem, but reaction here has been so bad that the PUC has ordered PG&E to offer alternatives.

Meanwhile, last spring the company blew $46 million on an outrageous (and thankfully failed) ballot measure to prevent competition from communities that want to set up their own utilities, like Santa Clara's. 

After San Bruno, it has become increasingly clear that PG&E can't prove the safety of its gas lines. It says it has provided the PUC with records for 90 percent of its 1,805 miles of pipelines, but that's not good enough. As a publicly regulated utility, it should have at its fingertips basic information such as the construction, inspection, testing and safety records of all of its pipes. It's been looking for six months.

The PUC's executive director, Paul Clanon, says PG&E essentially is saying that the Bay Area should trust that the levels of pressure it uses in its gas lines are appropriate. Why? Because they're the levels it has maintained historically.

"This is PG&E acting as if it is business as usual," Clanon told Mercury News reporter Steve Johnson.
Hill said in a recent meeting with the Mercury News Editorial Board: "I don't see how that culture changes without a change in leadership." But PG&E seems to underestimate its trust deficiency.

Hill's AB 56 would, among other things, require automatic or remote shut-off valves and annual reports of pipeline problems and repairs. It also would bar the utility from paying any fines or penalties with ratepayer money. That could help get the attention of the board of directors.

Six months after the San Bruno tragedy, PG&E customers still don't know who made the pipes that blew up or how they were inspected. PG&E now plans to test 146 miles of gas pipelines in the Bay Area and replace another six miles, but we still have no way of knowing if this is enough.

PG&E says the safety of its customers and communities is its highest priority. But public trust is earned through actions, not words.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Real Estate Lawyer Thomas Huster Will Ride His Bicycle From San Francisco to Los Angeles

The distinguished estate planning lawyer will ride his bicycle from San Francisco to Los Angeles in order to raise HIV/AIDS awareness and funding.

This June, approximately 2,500 bicycle riders of all ages and abilities will ride their bicycles from San Francisco to Los Angeles in the 10th annual AIDS/LifeCycle ride to raise awareness and funds for HIV/AIDS. San Francisco Bay Area estate planning / real estate lawyer Thomas Huster will participate in the ride and raise a minimum of $3,000 for the cause. 

This is the second year that Huster has participated in the event after raising $10,000 in 2009. He hopes to top that amount this year. Like many who lived in San Francisco during the 1980's, Huster lost a number of close friends to the emerging AIDS/HIV pandemic. For Huster, riding his bicycle from San Francisco to Los Angeles is not a matter of fun but of principle. 

"For me the ride is extremely difficult physically and not a lot of fun," said Huster. "But, I look at this as a way to contribute something to this cause in memory of my close friends who didn't survive the 80's. It gives me a way to approach folks and ask for their support for this incredibly worthy cause. I admit to a feeling of satisfaction at the conclusion and hope to top my 2009 fundraising amount." 

Having represented numerous clients in all areas of trusts, probate, real estate, business law, and estate planning in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Law Office of Thomas Huster analyzes issues, gets to the point, and reaches creative solutions to problems that seem insurmountable. Huster established his solo, private practice in San Francisco in 1978 after experience in both a major law firm on Wall Street and a large San Francisco firm.

About the Law Office of Thomas Huster 

The Law Office of Thomas Huster is a law firm that specializes in estate planning, real estate, and trust and probate matters. In addition to San Francisco estate planning, he also works with litigation of issues in areas including business fraud, will contests, real estate disputes, and elder abuse in San Francisco and the surrounding area. The Law Office of Thomas Huster serves the San Francisco Bay Area, with communities including Alameda, San Mateo, Marin, Santa Clara, Contra Costa.
Huster is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School (cum laude 1967) and received a degree of Master of Laws (in Taxation) from New York University School of Law. He is Martindale-Hubbell AV rated, the highest rating in legal ability and ethical standards, and received an Outstanding Volunteer in Public Service Award from the Bar Association of San Francisco for the year 1998 and again in 2004. He also received the Wiley W. Manuel Award for Pro Bono Legal Services from the State Bar of California in 1999.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

25th WonderCon in San Francisco

Twenty five years since its Bay Area beginnings, WonderCon returns to San Francisco’s Moscone Center South on Friday, April 1, through Sunday, April 3, 2011. As Northern California's largest comic book and pop culture convention and one of the nation’s top comic book events, WonderCon has a strong guest list and nonstop action for three jam-packed days. Last year, over 39,500 people attended the event, and attendance has grown each year. 
 
WHEN:
 
Friday, April 1: Noon to 7 p.m. (plus after-hours programming to 10 p.m.)
Saturday, April 2: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (plus after-hours programming to 11:30 p.m.)
Sunday, April 3: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Nighttime Programming: onsite Fri & Sat, starting at 7 p.m.
 
WHERE: 

Moscone Center South, 747 Howard Street, between Third and Fourth Streets, San Francisco.
 
ADMISSION:
 
Advance tickets: Three-day: $40 Adults, $20 Junior/Senior; One-day (Friday or Saturday): $20 Adults, $10 Junior/Senior; One-day (Sunday): $10 Adults, $5 Junior/Senior.
At-the-door tickets: Three-day: $50 Adults, $25 Junior/Senior; One-day (Friday or Saturday): $25 Adults, $13 Junior/Senior; One-day (Sunday): $15 Adults, $7 Junior/Senior. Children 11 and under are free with paid adult badge. Juniors are 12-17 years old and Seniors are 60 years of age and older.

WONDERCON HIGHLIGHTS:  

WonderCon is one of the nation’s best comics conventions, and California’s second largest gathering for fans of comic books, movies, television, gaming, animé, and all things pop culture. Panels and programming, an annual Masquerade, art and autographs from favorite comics creators, presentations from major movie studios, vast exhibit halls featuring the top names in comic book publishing and more, will wow fans over three full days. 

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Herb Schmulewicz is Seeking Knowledgable Business People to Join BYOB

Burlingame real estate agent Herb Schmulewicz is seeking knowledgeable, caring and passionate businesspeople from all fields to join BYOB (Bring Your Own Business), a "mastermind" community social gathering geared towards establishing genuine business relationships and sharing valuable knowledge. Meetings typically take place twice a month in Burlingame. There are also fun quarterly socials such as billiards, bowling events and pool-side BBQs.

BYOB conducts meetings (or "mastermind sessions") twice a month, typically in Burlingame. Businesspeople from all over the San Francisco Bay Area share business challenges, goals and the ability to allow others to provide constructive suggestions and recommendations. "BYOB nurtures a 'think tank' atmosphere, where everyone can learn ways to improve processes and increase business from new friends," said Schmulewicz.
BYOB focuses on two philosophies. The first is "give and you shall receive," which is supported in the group by helping others through the sharing of knowledge for those who would like know and grow.

"Unfortunately, many people start or join networking groups looking for immediate financial gains. That is the wrong reason, and in my opinion, those people really miss the boat," said Schmulewicz, real estate agent in Pacifica and founder of BYOB. "Our group does not operate on "give and I better get" mentality. It's about being genuine, building caring relationships, helping others and letting nature take it's course."

The second philosophy is "create caring relationships with others." "To get the most out of any networking experience, people need to build a relationship with those who they trust and want to stay in contact with," said Burlingame real estate agent Schmulewicz. "Not everyone will send you referrals, but if you place value on the friendship, you can still get something out of group."

If interested people join the group and practice these two philosophies, then they have established sincere value in the relationships formed, even if they do not receive anything monetary in return.

BYOB was created 18 months ago by Schmulewicz and already includes a wide-variety of business associates, from landscapers to beauty/hair stylists, financial advisers to painters. They are currently seeking businesspeople who have characteristics such as integrity, perseverance, passion, caring, giving, excellence and knowledge.

"I'd like to see the group add more members in the next few months; however, I'd really like to have people understand that this group is about caring, giving and friendships," said Schmulewicz. "The rest will come together in due time."

About Herb Schmulewicz

Herb Schmulewicz is a REALTOR® with McGuire Real Estate Burlingame who specializes in the sale of single family luxury homes. He is known for adhering to a standard of San Mateo County real estate excellence for both sellers and buyers along the San Francisco Peninsula. Although Herb is based out of Burlingame, he works throughout San Mateo County, including the communities of Burlingame, Hillsborough, Pacifica, and San Mateo.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Keys to Marketing Your Business

Bell Investment Advisors, a Bay Area registered investment advisory firm, today announced they are now offering to the public a free white paper, "Keys to Marketing Your Business". The financial advisory firm regularly offers free white papers and webinars as part of an ongoing educational series.

During this economy and social media craze, businesses of all sizes need marketing direction more than ever. This recent white paper is a mini marketing guide. It includes common marketing mistakes businesses make and essential strategy components they should follow. It also breaks down important key elements businesses should focus on such as their key objective, benefit, competition, and consumer. To access the white paper, visit http://www.bellinvest.com/resource-center/white-papers/keys-marketing-business.  

The "Keys to Marketing Your Business" white paper is written by John Gumas, President of Gumas, a strategic branding, advertising and interactive marketing firm based in San Francisco.

"Think of your marketing as the driver in a car. And think of your marketing tactics as the engine of that car. Once behind the wheel, if you know where you want to go and how to get there, your marketing tactics will help you get there quickly and efficiently," said Gumas. "But if you're driving without directions or a map, then it doesn't matter how finely tuned your engine is (or how many horses it has under the hood)."
Through Investment Management, Financial Planning, and Career & Life Coaching, Bell Investment Advisors (http://www.bellinvest.com/) helps people build positive momentum for a good life. Established in 1991, the firm has offices in Oakland and Santa Rosa, California

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Frank Dux (Martial Artist and Fight Choreographer) Visited the Spy Shop

The Big Boss let it be known that we would host a private meet with his Hanshi. Spies sped about the Shop making ready and secure for this special appearance. 

Go Google Frank Dux, if he is new to you. Jean-Claude Van Damme played him in the movie “Bloodsport”. And Frank Dux taught Jean-Claude those moves.

Real moves: Moves that may have killed men in the secret rings of the Kumite.

Frank Dux strode into headquarters, and did not introduce himself. I’d only seen pictures, and this warrior before me was large, agile and looked dangerous. But he was cool and cordial, happy to see his old student the Big Boss again, noting how well training had slimmed him.

As agents readied cameras and items to autograph, Frank W Dux surveyed ISS HQ. He was not pleased with the way The Nodachi samurai sword was displayed. And he himself set it on the stand curve facing up, until it rested in place to his satisfaction.

And this spy wishes his hidden mikes were rolling, because the spontaneous lecture on true masters, teachings, scrolls, and martial mastery was too detailed to recall here. Frank Dux spoke another language, of ninja practice and technique that I could barely keep up with. My Boss urged him to set this lecture to be taped, and that may happen.

While cameras readied, he pored over a book in the Spy Shop with shots of Daniel Craig as 007 in that famous opening chase scene. Although he had not heard of Sebastian Foucan and his Parkour stunts he said it was very much like the runs he himself made in the jungles when pursued by gangs.

We planned on 10 autographs, but Frank W Dux was very generous to his friend, The Big Boss, and signed many shirts, hats, photos, and even a machete. He spoke of a film soon to be released about him at Sundance.

And then the private meeting began, and the two master spies recused themselves to the back room, and I slipped away, my mind racing with fights to the death, secrets of the ninjas, and the deadly man who I met at the ISS HQ October 2010.

Go see the Nodachi on top of the glass case that displays the Frank Dux collection of signed Bloodsport DVD’s, shirts, hats, and the kukri knife ( just like the one Mr. Dux used during his jungle missions), all at ISS HQ.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Bay Area's Largest Employers Endorsed Gov. Jerry Brown's Budget Plan

A public policy group representing the Bay Area's largest employers on Friday endorsed Gov. Jerry Brown's budget plan, including asking voters to extend tax increases and eliminating local redevelopment agencies.

California's budgeting for the past decade has been "a childish exercise," a litany of fiscal parlor tricks and passed bucks, Bay Area Council President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Wunderman told reporters after emerging from his executive committee's meeting with Brown. "But there's good news: an adult has entered the room, and his name is Jerry Brown."

While council members don't like the higher taxes, he said, they believe it's important for business to be part of the solution to the Golden State's crisis.

Brown called the council's blessing "a very important endorsement for this package" of realigning government so that many state services become local responsibilities; cutting the budget "drastically in many cases;" and extending 2009's income, sales and vehicle taxes for another five years.

Brown said he hears and will heed the council's call for public pension reform, regulatory reform and long-term budget reform after this immediate budget crisis has been overcome. With the deficit standing at $26.6 billion, Brown has set March 10 as a deadline for the Legislature's approval. The Legislature's budget conference committee finished its work Thursday afternoon, casting a party-line vote to push Brown's plan to both chambers' floors for action and likely votes next week.

Brown said next week's deadline remains necessary in order to leave enough time to arrange a special election on the tax extensions for June 7, eight days before the constitutional deadline for passing next year's budget. He said he'll be working hard between now and then to overcome misgivings from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Wunderman said he and his team will be in Sacramento to push for the plan, too.

Wunderman in January had said his group "could be supportive of the tax extensions, but they could impact job creation and investments in plants."

On eliminating redevelopment agencies and enterprise zones, he had said, "We know there are some boondoggles, and money not always used in ways intended, but they've also helped with major improvements in areas suffering from economic malnutrition."

He had said the council would poll its members on these and other issues.

But Friday, Wunderman said he'd heard "virtually unanimous support" from the executive committee for backing Brown's plan. Although he'd prefer not to see redevelopment agencies and enterprise zones eliminated, he said, the council sees it as a tough necessity that's part of the bigger budget picture.

The Council wants "true incentives that attract businesses to California," and the very best incentive is fiscal and regulatory stability in Sacramento that breeds economic stability statewide, he said.

Asked whether he believes Republican leaders will give a dispensation to GOP lawmakers who support letting voters decide on the tax extensions in June, Brown replied, "No, but I will give dispensation and I know how to do that" -- a reference to his long-ago stint as a Jesuit seminarian.

He also cited the New Testament account of Nicodemus, who visited Jesus only at night to avoid being seen by his peers.

"That's where we are now" with Legislative Republicans, he said.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Get Loans From $5000 to $100,000 to Start-up & Small Business

Entrepreneurs have another tool to start or expand a small business with the Brown County MicroLoan Program rolled out Monday by the economic development division of the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce.

The $585,000 program from Advance has the backing of 10 area banks and is the culmination of more than two years of work. The program provides loans from $5,000 to $100,000 to start-up and small businesses.
"We hope this will (fill) an existing gap in the area … that helps (applicants) create new businesses, improve their businesses or expand their businesses that may not be eligible for commercial financing due to their small size or lack of a track record," Fred Monique, vice president of economic development with Advance, said during a news conference at the Business Assistance Center in Green Bay.

Program administrators said money can be used for purchases like machinery or equipment — including computers — or for payroll and working capital as an operation looks to establish itself or expand.

"Our focus is really for start-up companies and emerging businesses — businesses that need just a little bit more money to grow or to get started," said Marianne Dickson, the loan program director. "I had been in banking over 20 years, but banks can only do so much, and it's very difficult to lend small dollar amounts and very difficult to lend to entrepreneurs and start-ups.

"That's where we come in and want to help," she said.

Applicants must provide a business plan and at least 10 percent of project costs and must have a minimum of two months of working capital in reserve.

A nonrefundable application fee will be based on the size of the loan. There is a seven-year maximum on payback on larger loans, but length of each loan will vary.

Review and approval of the loan is expected to take 30 to 60 days.

Applications for the loan will be reviewed and selected by a loan committee from Advance. Part of the committee's selection process includes meeting with the applicant to discuss the proposal, Dickson said. "We have to make sure your business is viable, but we'll place a lot of emphasis on you as an individual," she said.
Ben Michiels, president of Original Experiences, said he plans to apply for the loan to expand his 2-year-old catering operation to include a mobile, semi-gourmet, vending service called Eggs N Bacon Wagon.

"When people are just looking at the bottom line, you lose that personal flavor," he said. Jill Feiler, president of Denmark State Bank — one of the 10 participating banks — said this program is important to the community with the current regulatory environment within banking.

"What banks have typically done with the small-business owner is gone to the personal side and done home equity loans and that sort of thing," she said after the press conference. "The regulatory environment has made that more difficult for the small business owner and made it more difficult for us to be able to lend — which makes this so important."

Feiler said it was not a difficult decision to join the program. The Brown County MicroLoan Program is a revolving loan. Monique said Advance is seeking Small Business Administration certification to secure additional future funding for the program. Banks in the program include Associated Bank, The Business Bank, BankFirst National, Baylake Bank, Denmark State Bank, Heartland Business Bank, Johnson Bank, M&I Bank, Nicolet National bank and Wells Fargo.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Toronto Airport Limo Flat Rate Made My Event Perfect

I am very much thankful to "Toronto Airport Limo Flat Rate" staff for making my wedding day absolutely perfect! I visited many limo provider companies but it's either their vehicles were not the greatest or the prices were very high or they were unprofessional and some seemed like they didn't know what they were talking about. I was having no luck and wanted my wedding day to be absolutely perfect without any glitches therefore I was not going to settle for a company that I didn't feel comfortable with.

Then one of my friends told me about Toronto Airport Limousine, he had nothing but good things to say about them and the great job they did at his wedding. So I thought to check their website and called them to make an appointment. I must say Toronto Airport Limo was the most professional, right from the start I felt we were in good hands. They know weddings like no others, they helped me plan out my wedding.

Their experience and knowledge of weddings shows through their work, they kept our wedding on time, even when we were running late and the photographers were running late " Toronto Airport Limo Flat Rate" found ways to get our wedding back on track and we arrived at the venue, the photos and the banquet hall right on time. 

Our driver was great! He was very polite, processional, dressed sharp in a nice tuxedo and he treated us as well as the rest of our wedding party very well. He knew how to get around, avoided traffic and made up for lost time. He was very knowledgeable and worked great with the photographers and videographers to help us get great pictures and video and at the same time helped keep us on schedule.

They have great vehicles all newer models and you can tell they maintain their vehicles very nicely, I also own a car and I can tell when a vehicle is being abused, all their vehicles were very clean. Just like we were referred to Toronto Airport Limousine, I would definitely refer anyone else who is getting married or looking to rent a limousine for any other reason. Toronto Airport Limo! Thanks again for everything.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Two Bay Area Card Clubs were Raided as Part of an Investigation

Card clubs in Emeryville and San Bruno were raided early Wednesday as part of a multiagency investigation into organized crime, authorities said.
 
Federal, state and local law-enforcement agents converged on the Oaks Card Club at 4097 San Pablo Ave. at about 6 a.m., officials said.

No one at the business was available for comment. The establishment opened a year before Emeryville's incorporation in 1896.

At about the same time, agents were descending on Artichoke Joe's at 659 Huntington Ave. in San Bruno. Managers of the card club were not available to comment.

The investigation includes the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and the state Justice Department's Bureau of Gambling Control, said FBI spokeswoman Julianne Sohn.

Authorities served an undisclosed number of search and arrest warrants throughout the Bay Area, said Sohn, who declined to elaborate because details of the investigation are still under seal.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

How Much Do People in the Bay Area Pay to Have Their Taxes Done?

So just how much do people in the Bay Area pay to have their taxes done?

This question was posted in my Feb. 24 column, and many readers responded. I'll share some e-mailed responses in the hope it will help readers gauge whether they're paying a fair price.

-- Kris M. uses a CPA firm in Vacaville and pays $500 to 550 for federal and state returns including Schedule A (itemized deductions) and schedules for rental and investment income.

-- Robert H. of Danville pays $598 for a 1040 with schedules A, C (for a small consulting business), M (Making Work Pay credit) SE (self-employment tax) and forms 2106 (employee business expense), 4562 (depreciation/amortization), 8283 (non-cash charitable contributions) and 8829 (business use of home).

-- Steve L. of San Ramon paid $690 for an individual return with 12 federal forms prepared by a CPA working out of her home office in Danville, plus $300 to prepare a fairly simple trust return.

-- Mike Z. says, "My partner and I were charged $1,100 for two returns by a large CPA firm. It was fairly simple, with two rental properties and some stocks and bonds."

-- Marc F. writes, "I've been going to the same CPA for 20 years. She charges by the form. I usually have a W-2, schedule C, schedule A and a K-1 (for partnership income). I pay about $500. The main advantage of going to the same person year by year is that she easily keeps track of all my depreciation schedules, she's experienced with preparing returns for academics who often have multiple sources of income, and she's there to represent me if I ever get audited, which hasn't happened yet."

-- Bruce F. uses a Dublin CPA. "For a $425 fee, my return includes: Form 1040, Schedules A, B, D (capital gains), E (supplemental income), M and Forms 1116 (foreign tax credit), 4562, 4952 (investment interest expense deduction), 8582 (passive activity loss limitations), alternative minimum (AMT) tax" and a California tax return with several additional forms. I'm sure it helps that I am incredibly well-organized. My return involves two rental properties and a variety of stocks in addition to my standard W-2."

-- Patricia L. says, "We paid $1,275 for preparation of our 2009 tax return by a CPA and here's what we got: 1040, Schedules A, B and E; Forms 1116, 6251 (alternative minimum tax), 8801, 8606 (nondeductible IRAs), 8582 (passive activity loss limitations), 4952, 4562 and 2010 estimated tax worksheet (federal and California).

"Every year our federal and state returns are bound into a small tome about an inch thick. It appears that AMT contributes to this complexity and waste of paper because many of the schedules and forms are also required to be computed again under AMT rules."

-- Charles C. of Vallejo says, "I have been using the same CPA firm in Fairfield for about 15 years. My returns are not very complicated. They include a 1040 with schedules A and B and a California return with Form CA (adjustments).

"The fee is $275."

-- Tom M. writes, "I'm a self-employed real estate appraiser, and my wife gets Social Security, a small pension, small annuity and interest income. Our tax man is an independent CPA, has been doing my taxes for 30-plus years and generally increases our charge $50 every year or so. This year the charge is $775."

-- Dan F. is an independent consultant living in Washington, but last year all of his work was in California. "Talk about 'insanely complicated,' take a look at CA 540NR (the California non-resident tax return) sometime," he writes. "Anyway, my taxes were prepared at H&R Block by the office manager, who is a year-round employee. I needed federal schedules A, C, D, M and SE (self-employment tax), along with their CA equivalents where they exist. I was charged about $580, which I thought was fair.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

The Boat is Huge — Too Tall to Fit Under any Bay Area Bridge

USA 17, the massive yacht that Larry Ellison and his team used to win the America's Cup last year, has arrived in San Francisco. Oracle Racing intends it to be a landmark for sailing enthusiasts, which may or may not happen. But it is already an unlikely landmark of business savvy.

The boat is huge — too tall to fit under any Bay Area bridge — and it's fantastically delicate.

The moderate 5- to 10-mph wind that was blowing at its new home at Pier 80 on Monday was deemed too big a threat to allow the vessel to be set up after unloading from the freighter that brought it from Spain.

In fact, USA 17 has sailed only twice in earnest — during the two races it took for BMW Oracle Racing to win the America's Cup from the Swiss team Alinghi a year ago. 

Indeed, in the sailing equivalent of Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose, it may never sail again:Gathering from around the world the few people trained to sail it would be a considerable undertaking.And then there are the logistics. According to Latitude 38, an authoritative Bay Area sailing magazine, the three-hulled vessel with a 223-foot-tall solid vertical wing for a sail required 20 hours of maintenance for every hour it actually sailed.

It's made of some of the world's most advanced -- and expensive -- materials to ensure strength with light weight. It reportedly took 130,000 man-hours and cost a rumored $400 million, mostly of Ellison's money, to build.

And yet, in spite of the expense and all the rest, it's hard to argue USA 17 was a bad investment.Ellison used the boat to win a sailboat race — and parlayed that into control or outright ownership of some of the most desirable waterfront property in San Francisco, in a deal that benefits both him and the city. All he has to do to seal the deal is put on the next America's Cup regatta in San Francisco.
That's not a slam-dunk even now — the looming roadblock is an approval process under the California Environmental Quality Act.

But assuming he gets CEQA approval, Ellison, CEO of Oracle Corp. (NASDAQ: ORCL), will become lord of San Francisco's waterfront, a title he can add to King of the Oceans, or whatever one calls the holder of the America's Cup, and overall Master of the Universe.

So when this massive machine is finally unloaded and assembled, I will be among those anxious to see it, both as a sailing fan and as someone who appreciates an emblem of remarkable business acumen.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Best Bay Area Corporate Counsel Award Won by Accuray Incorporated

Accuray Incorporated (Nasdaq: ARAY), a global leader in the field of radiosurgery, announced today that its Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Darren Milliken, was named "Best General Counsel, Small Public Company" by the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal and the San Francisco Business Times as part of their 'Best Bay Area Corporate Counsel Awards'. This annual awards program honors the dedicated in-house lawyers who keep the business world running but who rarely receive public recognition.

Upon joining Accuray in 2004, Milliken leveraged his physics background to develop a deep understanding of the CyberKnife® Robotic Radiosurgery System and through that has provided an incredible level of insight in guiding the Company from a small privately-held company to a global, public entity. As the first attorney hired at Accuray, Milliken's many accomplishments include leading Accuray through its IPO; overseeing the Company's expansion from six U.S. patents held to over 66 with 100 more filed internationally; and participating as an instrumental leader in the Company's strategic alliance with Siemens Healthcare.

"We are thrilled to see Darren recognized by our local business community as a thought leader in corporate law and governance.  At Accuray, we want the highest legal and ethical standards to guide us in everything we do, and Darren's expertise and strategic guidance have been invaluable as we have grown into a global leader in radiosurgery," said Euan S. Thomson, Ph.D., president and CEO of Accuray. 

"I am very honored to have been selected for an award of this caliber. Being a part of the Accuray team has given me the unique opportunity to work not only as an attorney, but also a business leader," said Milliken. "My success is in large part attributable to the support and success of my talented colleagues here at Accuray, to whom I want to express my gratitude. I look forward to continuing our collaboration toward delivering best-in-class innovations to help patients across the globe."

The Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal's 'Best Bay Area Corporate Counsel Awards' recognized 26 leaders in the local business community this year. Among the categories honored are Best General Counsel for a Public Company, Best General Counsel for a Private Company, Best IP Lawyer, Community Champion Winner, and Lifetime Achievement. The winners and finalists were selected by an independent panel of judges and an awards ceremony was held on February 22, 2011 at the San Francisco Marriott to recognize the recipients.