Your Next Career Move: Part-Time Executive

‘Fractional executive’ jobs are creating new options for mid- to late-career professionals; ‘What is the “third third” of your career going to look like?’

Will the future C-suite look more like the gig economy? Part-time executive jobs are on the rise.

After leaving her job as chief marketing officer of San Francisco-area tech company Kloudspot Inc. in 2021, Karyn Scott, 59, took a break with her husband and contemplated a question a mentor had posed: “What is the ‘third third’ of your career going to look like?”

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International firm hires industry veteran to lead third Canadian office

Ware Malcomb, an international architecture and engineering firm has opened its third Canadian office in Ottawa, and John Holland, an experienced architect, has joined the firm as regional director to lead the new office.

In this role, Holland will be responsible for the overall growth and management of the firm’s operations in Ottawa. Holland’s broad architectural experience, spanning more than three decades, includes designing industrial, office, retail, mental health and drug rehabilitation facilities, mixed-use, multi-family, and institutional and educational projects.

A licensed architect in Ontario, Holland is a member of the Ontario Association of Architects (OAA), the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Architects, the American Institute of Architects (AIA), and industry organizations including NAIOP and the Toronto Construction Association (TCA). He has previously served in firms such as Stantec, Powers Brown Architecture, and Boise Holland Architects.

Ware Malcomb first entered the Canadian market in 2007 through an acquisition, and has since grown and diversified its business across Canada, completing over 1,200 projects. The firm currently has active projects in six provinces, and its newest Ontario office, adding to its Vaughan and Toronto offices, will support its growing Canadian clientele and project base.

The firm’s most recent work in Ottawa includes the completion of Building C at National Capital Business Park, an industrial spec warehouse space developed by Avenue 31. Ware Malcomb provided the architectural, interior design, and branding services for the 18,581-m2 (200,000-sf) industrial facility, built on a prominent undeveloped industrial piece of land. Strategically located at exit 109 on Highway 417 at Hunt Club Road, the structure sits on 40 ha (99 acres) of vacant  land, zoned heavy industrial, and leased on a long-term basis from the National Capital Commission (NCC).

Other recent Ware Malcomb projects in Ottawa include interior architecture and design services for a flagship store located at the Rideau Centre, interior design services for various tenants, site planning services on a 263-ha (650-acre) site, and branding services for a 40-ha (100-acre), six-building industrial park.

“We already had a strong presence in Toronto and Vaughan,” says Christina Kolkas, regional director for Ware Malcomb. “This third office solidifies our Canadian presence and allows more accessibility to clients seeking our expertise. It is an exciting time for our firm in this region.”

View Ware Malcomb feature in Construction Canada.

New Market Vp Announced for Tangram in Fresno

Commercial interior design firm Tangram announced Alyssa Armesto has been promoted to vice president for Tangram Interiors, Central Valley. 

Armesto first joined the Tangram team in 2013 as a sales executive in Newport Beach for the Southern California-based company. She went on to assume the role of general manager for Fresno in 2019, expanding that role to encompass the entire Central Valley in 2021. As a Fresno native, Armesto has deep ties within the community and surrounding areas, which has contributed to her success in foundational relationship building, according to a Tangram news release.

In her previous roles, she has been described as a skilled practitioner, a tactful communicator and a key relationship builder. Her depth of knowledge and positive relationships have converted into all-time high bookings for the Fresno office just last year. Armesto has set a new record and placed Tangram’s market share on a dramatic incline, according to the release.

A Clovis resident since the age of 10, Armesto earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and business from Azusa Pacific University near Los Angeles. 

“Businesses and residents alike can attest to the continuous evolution and growth in the Central Valley,”stated Armesto. “In my experience, evolution is the gateway to greatness and I am very excited for this coming year.”

Armesto’s new role will place her in charge of sales and operations — managing the entire division in all roles. 

“Alyssa is a stellar performer and leader and ready for this next step in her career with Tangram,” said Joe Lozowski, president & CEO for Tangram Interiors. “As a Fresno native with a deep understanding of the community, her unique ability to foster relationships and build on existing ones at an impressive pace will be her greatest asset as she steps into the Vice President position. I am eager to watch her thrive in the Central Valley.”

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Garden Grove Strawberry Festival Association Announces, “Celebrating Kindness” As Theme Of Its 63rd Annual Festival

The Garden Grove Strawberry Festival is proud to announce that it will be returning to the city once again, Memorial Day weekend, May 26th-May 29th, 2023. This annual event, which has been a favorite of residents and visitors for over 60 years, celebrates the city’s rich agricultural history and heritage, and it is dedicated to the strawberry.

The festival, which is organized by the Garden Grove Strawberry Festival Association, will feature a wide variety of activities, including a VIP pancake breakfast, live music, contests, vendors, a festive parade, and a Cake Cutting Ceremony. Visitors will also be able to enjoy carnival rides and attractions for all ages and much more.

This year, the festival’s theme will be centered around kindness. The Strawberry Festival Association wanted to focus on the kindness people show one another. The festival’s goal this year is to show that by embracing kindness, connection and togetherness can be fostered in order to build up our local communities.

An annual highlight of the festival, the Strawberry Festival Parade, will take place on Saturday, May 27th, and will feature Celebrities, Elected Officials, GGUSD and visiting bands, equestrian units and much more.

The Strawberry Festival Board is made up of a multitude of volunteers who are dedicated to providing the City of Garden Grove the best Festival yet.

2023 GGSFA Elected Officers include:

Andrea Perez, Festival Association President with Taylor Perez as Associate

Mark Mahoney, President Elect, Games/Permits/Carnival/Food/Nominations Chair; with Miles Mahoney as Associate;

George Skelton, Treasurer, Donations Committee with Suki Carter serving as Associate Heidi Levesque, Secretary, Contests with Nicole Sate as Associate

2023 GGSFA Directors and Associates include:

– Pat Catlin, Immediate Past President, Tents and Electrical, with Billy Catlin as Associate – Dr. Dawn Miller, Special Children’s Day, with Denise Webster as Associate

– Laura Neuschafer, Opening Ceremony/Cake Cutting with Malu Mendoza as Associate

– Fred Ramirez, Office with Frederico Ramirez as Associate

– Debbie Mahoney, Scholarships, Associate TBD

– Sherri Larson, VIP Breakfast, Associate, TBD

– Sue Catlin, VIP Lunch with Joyce Claussen as Associate

– Ben Santos, Environmental (Grounds/Sanitation), with Tony Lopez as Associate

– Jeff Sanders, Parade Coordinator, with Kim Sanders as Associate

– Bill Gutaskus, Rentals/Carts/ATMs with Sue Gutaskus as Associate

– Patti Catlin, Commercial Vendor Booths, with Susanne Rangel as Associate

– Josh Lindsay, Staged Events, Associate, TBD

– Steve Sanders, Rides and Grounds with Ryan Sanders as Associate

– Scott Weimer, Parking/Fencing with Marilyn Tortolano as Associate

– Christine Ball, Insurance, with Robin Suarez serving as Associate

– Randy Arbgast, Civic Food Booths/Permits, with Donald Schlensker as Associate

“We are excited to host the Garden Grove Strawberry Festival again this May, over Memorial Day Weekend,” said Perez, “Our festival is a great opportunity for residents and visitors to come together to celebrate this long standing family tradition as well as the city’s rich agricultural heritage, which is such an important part of our history and community.”

Admission to the festival is FREE and open to the public. The festival will take place Memorial Day weekend, May 26th-29th, 2023 at the Village Green Park, located at the Village Green Park, at the corner of Euclid and Main Street, Garden Grove, 92840.

Watch the event sizzle reel

INK Games Platform Update

INK Games Shareholder Update Q4 2022 Summary – February 11, 2023, by IMA Chairman Sinan Kanatsiz

 As an advisor to INK Games, I wanted to share the progress of the company based in Austin, Texas under the leadership of Robert Towles.

INK Games has developed and shipped its first AAA mobile game, Prize Kingdoms, which launched in the United States on the App Store and Google Play. It was a multi-year effort by a team of over 50 people. The company believes that the game is a ‘hit’ and already showing exceptional metric

In the early stages of release, the game has performed well, with thousands of daily active users, an average revenue per daily active user of $0.40-$0.80, and a retention rate of over 50%. They have also received inbound inquiries from major industry players and the company plans to capitalize on this momentum.

The company is working on introducing a live operations system that will allow them to run daily events within the app to increase engagement and retention. Additionally, the company is increasing their marketing spend to increase their initial player base. They anticipate that organic growth will significantly surpass paid user acquisition once their platform earning and sharing capabilities are implemented.

The company aims to create a mobile, social casual game that can be very successful. They use Coin Master as an example of the potential success in this market. Coin Master, a game first released in 2016, has been downloaded 100 million times and generated over $3 billion in lifetime users spending. The company is targeting this level of success and is confident in its team’s ability to achieve it despite the challenges that may arise.

The team is currently testing the INK Platform functionality within Prize Kingdoms, analyzing purchasing patterns and adjusting the payout algorithm to create the most profitable experience. They have begun onboarding users based in the United States, and this will provide valuable data to improve the platform. 

The company plans to launch an alpha version of their INK platform in Q1 to a test audience, which will allow users to share the game to their networks, view connections from a platform dashboard, and withdraw earnings. The platform will first enter a tech-launch phase before being rolled out to a broader user base. During the alpha build, the development team will work to solidify technical performance and ensure a smooth user experience. The company expects the platform to generate significant, organic growth of their products once it is fully developed.

The company plans to use Prize kingdoms as the first of many shareable experiences that will use the payment platform. This platform will eventually be used in any games, experiences, or products that the company launches or partners with. The goal is that anyone with an INK ID will be able to share and earn from a growing selection of projects.

The development team is working on INK software development kit (SDK) which will enable third-party developers to integrate the company’s payment and tracking technology into their games and digital products. Users with an INK ID will also be able to share and earn from these third-party titles. 

The company is introducing INK digital currency as an addition to their free-to-earn game model, this will add web3 incentives for their future projects. The company believes that the INK digital currency will become an important reward mechanism and power the platform ecosystem. They also see potential in INK Land (Zip and Postal Codes) and related NFT projects. Leadership is closely monitoring the market trends and sentiment to take a measured approach in the Web3 project initiatives in 2023 and make adjustments as necessary.

In other news, the company has reopened their series B investment round after a successful $19 million raise in August. They have opportunities to bring on more high-quality investors and plan to use the extra capital to invest in user growth, expansion, and hire additional top talent. The target ceiling for the series B raise is $40 million.

The company has officially submitted a Provisional Patent Application for their proprietary Sweepstakes Engine Technology to the US Patent and Trademark office on December 21st. The application contains over 30 unique claims and this is considered a big win in terms of protecting important game mechanics and supporting company valuation. The company is also preparing to file two more patent applications.

Read Original Article here

Mental Wellness and Beauty Products: What Do They Have to Do With One Another?

The human mind is a complex and powerful tool. As we learn more about its inner workings, the importance of taking care of both our physical and mental health has become increasingly clear. 

There’s no denying that self-care is an important part of our overall health and well-being. Taking care of ourselves externally through skin care, hair care, makeup, and other activities can have a major impact on our internal state – including our mental health. 

The last thing we need is for our beauty products to cause us stress by threatening our health with negative and unsafe ingredients. Studies actually show that beauty products and routines can affect our stress levels and daily state of mind. 

Mental health and the inner workings of the human mind are complex and multifaceted, but here at Original Sprout, we’re all about adding a positive boost to daily mental wellness through a healthy and safe beauty routine. 

What better way to do this than using safe hair care products and safe skincare formulas? 

To support your mental wellness, look for worry-free products that…

✓ ARE FREE OF HARMFUL CHEMICALS AND INGREDIENTS 

Beauty products are a big part of our daily lives. From hair care to skincare, we rely on these products to look and feel our best. Unfortunately, many products out there today contain ingredients that can actually be harmful to our health – including our mental well-being. 

In a 2021 report, scientists tested 231 popular makeup products from the U.S. and Canada and discovered that more than 100 contained Per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These chemicals do not break down and can build up in the body over time, contributing to a range of health problems and high rates of depression symptoms, especially during pregnancy. 

Remember, your skin is an organ – and just like your other organs, you need to be careful about how you treat it. 

 

Ingredients to Avoid in Skin and Hair Care Products 

  1. PEGs (polyethylene glycols)

PEGs are petroleum-based compounds that are widely used in beauty products as thickeners, solvents, softeners, and moisture carriers. Unfortunately, these compounds can jeopardize children’s mental health, potentially causing lethargy, rage, anxiety, aggression, paranoia, and mood swings. 

  1. Aluminum

Aluminum is a metal that is often used in beauty and hair care products. While it’s not always dangerous, it can be harmful to your health if used in excess. Aluminum has been linked to health risks such as skin irritation and allergies; it can also strip away moisture from the hair and scalp, causing dryness and damage.

  1. Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is a chemical compound found in many products, such as nail polish, hair dye, and makeup. Unfortunately, it can have some negative effects on our health when used in large amounts. 2022 researcheven indicates formaldehyde can potentially cause feelings of aggression and depression.

  1. Phthalates

Phthalates are chemical compounds that are commonly used in beauty products to make them more pliable and give them a longer shelf life. These chemicals can be absorbed through the skin and have been linked to a variety of health problems, such as endocrine disruption, reproductive toxicity, cancer, and allergies.

  1. Oxybenzone

Oxybenzone is a chemical compound commonly used in sunscreens and other beauty products. It is known to be an endocrine disruptor, meaning it can interfere with the body’s hormones and cause possible health issues. 

 

For those looking for truly safe hair care products and trustworthy skincare, it’s best to avoid any product that contains the above ingredients and chemicals. Instead, look for natural ingredients such as essential oils or plant-based extracts that provide better benefits without the potential risks associated with these chemicals. The goal is to feel good about what you’re putting on your hair and body. 

 

✓ MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF 

Beauty products and cosmetics should make us feel confident – and if they don’t, you need to ditch them! You shouldn’t be left to doubt whether a product is safe or beneficial to use. 

Allergies and acne are two of the most common skin problems faced today. Unfortunately, many products on the market claim to help with these issues, but they can actually end up increasing the risk of allergic reactions and acne breakouts. 

Skin problems can seriously affect our mental health, leading to feelings of insecurity, anxiety, and depression. Our skin is the first thing people see, and having a skin condition can make us feel self-conscious and unattractive. 

Harsh chemicals and obscure ingredients are not what your skin needs to regulate itself. We need to be aware of the potential risks associated with certain products and to choose carefully when it comes to taking care of our skin.

 

How to Find Truly Safe Products 

Wondering how you can find products you can trust – and that will improve rather than hinder your self-esteem? Here are a few tips.

  • Start with trial sizes before committing. 
  • Learn which ingredients trigger reactions in your body.
  • Look for “worry-free” products that don’t contain known allergens and toxins.
  • Read consumer and expert product reviews
  • Look for products with simple ingredients

✓ DON’T COMPROMISE YOUR ETHICS 

With the growing awareness of sustainability and animal welfare, more people are becoming conscious about the products they buy. In recent years, we’ve seen an uptick in the number of Americans concerned about buying sustainable, vegan, and cruelty-free products – even if they don’t live a fully vegan lifestyle.

You don’t want to feel weighed down by products that clash with your personal values. Shopping for ethically sourced and produced products from brands you can trust is a great way to avoid going against your ethics. 

 

When it comes to beauty products, there are three main categories you can shop to feel good about your decisions:

(1) Sustainable

Sustainable beauty products are those that are made from natural ingredients that are not harmful to the environment. They use renewable resources and avoid using synthetic materials, which can be damaging to our planet.

(2) Vegan 

Vegan beauty products are those that contain no animal-derived ingredients or byproducts. This means they don’t contain any animal fats, oils, or even beeswax. However, many animal byproducts can be ethically gathered.

(3) Cruelty-Free 

Cruelty-free beauty products are those that have not been tested on animals – these products ensure no animals were harmed in their production process. 

Read the full story here.

Tompkins Robotics Innovations Fuel 93% Revenue Growth in 2022

Tompkins Robotics, a global leader focused on the robotic automation of distribution and fulfillment operations, announced its 2022 annual revenue increased by 93% from the prior year. The company launched key technological advancements, including the tSort3D™ (https://tompkinsrobotics.com/tsort-solutions/tsort-3d/), the xChange™ (https://tompkinsrobotics.com/xchange-robot/) system, and their new tSort Induction Lift, as well as subscription financing models. The company also experienced 23% employee growth for the same period.

According to Tompkins Robotics President and CEO Mike Futch, automation remains the number-one solution for brands and sellers to address the pressure on traditional fulfillment practices resulting from the rise in e-commerce and direct-to-consumer purchasing. In addition to improving speed and supply chain efficiency, automation has been shown to help attract and retain employees by making work easier, more interesting, and realize improved health and working conditions.

“There has been an explosion in the number of individual items picked for e-commerce orders and the need for real-time replenishment throughout the supply chain network,” he said. “Automation solutions that are flexible and scalable are key in allowing sustainable growth and profitability for a company.”

According to a study published by The Insight Partners, the overall logistics automation market in 2019 was valued at $41.5 billion and estimated to grow to $91.7 billion by 2027, representing a CAGR of 11.5%. Futch noted that, of the estimated 20,000 warehouses in the US, only 20% use some level of automation.  Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) such as the range of tSort robotic systems developed by Tompkins Robotics, are among the fastest growing automation solutions in warehouses and retail environments. 

Tompkins Robotics designed the tSort AMR sortation solution to be elegantly simple and provide a convenient “point-of-entry” for companies with a limited budget, space and resources to implement and manage automation.  The lifecycle service and total cost of ownership is also simple, easy-to-use and reliable, without requiring sophisticated maintenance, IT or engineering staff to maintain the systems.  

Helping fuel the company’s growth is the recent introduction of Tompkins Robotics’ Robots as a Service (RaaS) model, which gives customers the flexibility of a subscription-based pricing and service option instead of traditional capital equipment purchase and support model. This conserves capital, converts investment to an operating cost, and allows a customer to “pay as they go” for the use of the system.  RaaS also provides customers with the ability to scale up and down rapidly and easily in response to changing market conditions or seasonal demand such as the holiday season, back to school, January returns, and other seasonal events.  

About Tompkins Robotics

Tompkins Robotics is a global leader focused on the robotic automation of distribution and fulfillment operations. Our primary system, tSort™, consists of autonomous mobile robots that sort a wide range of items and parcels to consolidation points for order fulfillment, store replenishment, returns, parcel distribution – virtually any process in the supply chain. tSort is a truly modular, scalable, and portable robotic sortation system that helps build world-class supply chains while providing unmatched flexibility and throughput.  Tompkins Robotics’ solutions maximize performance, making our clients more agile, adaptable, profitable, and successful in today’s dynamic marketplace.  For more information, visit https://tompkinsrobotics.com.

Escuela Vera Angelita: Where Dreams Become Reality

Nestled in the stunning cloud forests and surrounding coffee lands of northing Nicaragua, a novel innovation in education and international development is taking root. With aspirations of not only uplifting the educational standards of this often-overlooked part of the world, this new model endeavors to server as a catalyst for wider, holistic, and sustainable community development as well.

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View summary about Visions Global Empowerment

Built On Vision Launches Revolutionary Cloud-Based Construction Management Software Suite – BOV One

Built On Vision (https://builtonvision.com), is a cloud-based construction project management and controls software company based in California, serving clients worldwide. Their team delivers the only software integrating cost, revenue, scheduling and real-time comprehensive data analysis tools into a simple, easy to buy, and easy to use, application.. 

The construction industry and construction projects are consistently and constantly faced with bleeding budgets and missed deadlines; Built On Vision has developed software to mitigate these material challenges in the industry. The company’s mission is to support every phase of a project, from forecasting and scheduling to project execution. Its state-of-the-art forensics tools are commonly relied upon by industry experts in their evaluations, recommendations and testimony.

BOV One offers:

  • Powerful schedule analysis 
  • Advanced forensic tools highlighting setbacks & unseen opportunities that seek  to avoid and guard against litigation
  • Job forecasting including cost & revenue forecasts, allowing for precise project planning
  • Multi-language translation to support global projects

As the construction industry continues to grow, the need for next-generation SaaS-based project control solutions is at an all time high. Ensuring profit margins are maximized and project outcomes are successfully achieved, Built On Vision created software recognized for providing real-time insight into critical issues impacting construction projects  throughout their entire life cycle. Going beyond standard project management, BOV One employs industry leading project controls to reduce risk, thereby driving a higher return on capital intensive projects. 

“Using a powerful analytics software platform should be an integral part of each project as it can analyze, compute and highlight both efficiencies and inefficiencies in seconds,” said Michael Saddik, CEO of Built On Vision. The powerful tools we have developed are backed by engineering experts with decades of experience measuring, analyzing, and strategically improving performance to create software that eliminates human error and ensures success.”

Built On Vision software is currently deployed across multi-site construction projects across the United States, Canada and South America. In 2023, a funding round will be opened to support company growth and enhance Built On Vision’s product suite.

About Built On Vision

Established in 2015, Built On Vision is a cloud-based project portfolio management software, integrating data from scheduling software, traditional ERP and job costing systems providing project managers and other users instant access to deeper details on cost drivers and associations. This includes real time analyses of costs, project controls to minimize risk, cash flow, and forecast stability; remote collaboration; cost/revenue item association with scheduled activities; and much more. Hailed a “crystal ball for construction” by Constructech Magazine, Built On Vision provides services worldwide, is recognized as a Red Herring Top 100 Global Award Winner and IMPACT Award Winner for Best B2B App of the Year. For more information or a demo, please visit BuiltOnVision.com.

2023 Economic Forecast

Join Dr. Jim Doti as he forecasts the economy for 2023.

The insights gathered by Chapman University’s A. Gary Anderson Center for Economic Research have helped guide and fortify Southern California’s business communities for 45 years. This level of accuracy is reflected in our consistent inclusion in the Blue Chip Economic Indicators, which polls America’s top business economists.

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUQ_FPSBdmk