The Mighty Expedite origin story is one of humble beginnings and a bright future. The company was founded 22 years ago by President Tim Wilson, who pulled his father out of retirement to help get the company off the ground, and it has come a long way in just two decades.

Mighty Expedite got its start in a ten-by-ten spare bedroom in Wilson’s home. From its tiny launch pad, the father-son duo would grow the company faster than anyone expected, attributing their success to conducting the business with honesty, transparency, and a solutions-driven approach. In no time, the company was looking for a new home.

The operation temporarily moved to different locations in Burlington and Stoney Creek, before settling on its current home in Burlington which houses its team of 13 plus five contractors, with plenty of room for growth. Tim’s father stayed on for 15 years.

Wilson touches on how the company got its catchy name, “At the beginning it was Mighty Transportation Services. We branded in 2008 to Mighty Expedite on the recommendation of a marketing company. They narrowed in on what we did best and that was expediting freight.”

Partners to rely on
While the company has changed throughout the years, one thing has remained the same: its commitment to partnering with reliable carriers to ensure that it moves its clients’ freight to where it needs to be, when it needs to be.

Mighty Expedite has built relationships with trusted carriers who offer robust equipment and resources to support freight of all kinds including materials, equipment, parts, natural resources, and dangerous goods. Carriers are paid promptly, and in turn, they provide exceptional service.

Its partner-based fleets offer direct less-than-truckload (LTL), over-dimensional and full truckloads, flatbeds, temperature control, double drop, and hand delivery – anything is possible. Its reputation depends on it, and at the company, reputation is everything.

As Wilson explained, “That’s why we have a good name: we don’t lie, and we provide a solution. If a carrier misses a pick, our customers are probably not ever going to notice because if that happens, we’ve already got someone else on the way.”

Wilson is now putting the company name and reputation behind his newest venture, FreightNav powered by Mighty Expedite.

Moving forward with FreightNav
The app is an innovative way to service digital customers who want quick quotes by using a custom-designed bidding platform in app form. Wilson describes it as the perfect complement to the white-glove service that Mighty Expedite’s customers have come to know and love.

“Mighty Expedite is not going anywhere because the FreightNav platform, as we’ve designed it, is not for everybody. We’re learning that for some of our customers and some of our targets it’s so modern that we’re trying to change a culture. I think that’s going to take some time,” says Wilson.

He notes that some of these clients still rely on telephone, satellite tracking and paper bills of lading, which are extremely inefficient methods and sometimes inaccurate. Satellite delays can average between twenty and thirty minutes whereas Freightnav has a three to seven second delay.

Inspired by his first Uber ride, Wilson imagined ‘trucking 2.0’ which could be achieved via a digital platform that functioned much the same, brokering the relationship between carriers and shippers using a streamlined and user-friendly app that was designed from the ground up.

As Wilson explains, “I found out Uber Freight was coming to Canada and they’re actually here operating, but I saw a lot of flaws in their model, and I saw an opportunity to design a program and a platform that hasn’t been done yet.” The groundbreaking app took two full years to come to fruition.

The FreightNav marketplace offers quick quotes without the middleman. Customers still benefit from the same service standard offered by Mighty Expedite, in addition to live chat 24/7, live map-tracking, quick-pay options, automated pick-up and delivery notifications, as well as driver- and document-management tools, all for up to 25-percent savings on every shipment.

In the first couple of weeks alone, hundreds of carriers signed up, many taking advantage of the free 90-day subscription trial on offer. So far, the feedback has been extremely positive, indicating that it clearly addresses a real demand in the industry, not least that of helping companies go paperless.

“We’ve only had a handful of carriers and shippers not interested, and that to me is extremely positive. It tells me that this program is going to succeed. It’s a big risk to take, it’s a lot of money and a lot of effort, but we’ve created eleven jobs just to start up,” says Wilson.

Industry-changing from the ground up
One of the prime characteristics of FreightNav is that it is designed not to be adversarial in nature. And with the advantage of being built from the ground up, it is designed to be foolproof and transparent, with integrity, efficiency, and ease of use at the forefront.

As Wilson notes, “It’s a bidding platform, but when posting loads on this new app, it doesn’t pit carriers against each other publicly.” That characteristic immediately put many concerns to rest, as there was a lingering fear that publicly vetting carriers against each other would diminish industry rates. By only allowing the shipper to see the multiple carrier bids, it is a system built on integrity.

The shippers have all of the rates in front of them, making a choice based on price, reputation, and service, thus rewarding companies for good business practices and fair pricing, and shippers are requested to leave a real time carrier rating after the shipment has delivered. Transaction fees are much lower than industry average, as monthly costs are based on volume, so there is incentive to utilize the platform regularly. Undoubtedly, this app could transform the trucking industry in North America.

A big reason why Wilson works so hard to grow the presence of Mighty Expedite by brokering freight and relationships with innovative platforms like FreightNav is because success enables him to give back to the community and the people who work for him. Mighty Expedite is a warm and casual place to work, where doing a job well is rewarded and innovation is encouraged. Targets are set and rewarded, and through the community-outreach initiatives it undertakes, employees can feel good about the work that they do.

Country and community
In particular, Mighty Expedite stepped up for its community in a time of need and made a donation to Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital as it combated the impact of COVID-19. Understanding that many were facing hard times during the pandemic, the company also sponsored fifteen families to receive meals at Christmas.

It doesn’t stop there, either. Recognizing the importance of organized sports, Wilson owns two not-for-profit hockey clubs with historical significance in his community, the Hamilton Kilty B’s Junior Hockey Club, acquired in 2015, and the Dundas Blues Junior Hockey Club, in 2020, and has committed to entering a new team, The Hamilton Henchmen, in the G-League for graduating Junior Hockey Players to ensure children from all economic backgrounds have the opportunity to participate in competitive hockey.

Through its outreach and outstanding expediting of freight, Mighty Expedite has made itself a leader in both the community and the industry. It looks as if its impact will continue to be mighty as it reaches for still greater success through its industry-leading digital platform and service.

Mighty Expedite and FreightNav are impacting the way the trucking industry in North America operates. And as the company finds new industry-changing ways to develop relationships and connect shippers and carriers, it will continue to enrich the community it calls home.

The post Delivering the Freight Industry to a New Place<p class="company">Mighty Expedite</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Speaking about the robotics sector in particular, Mike Futch’s excitement on the topic is immediately obvious and palpable. Holding a degree in Industrial Engineering from North Carolina State University and working in civil engineering with the United States Air Force, Futch has dedicated decades of his life to the automation industry, holding senior leadership roles with global supply chain and logistics companies.

“COVID was a short-term setback, and we are on a tremendously fast growth trajectory that started in the fall of 2020,” he says of Tompkins Robotics, one of the leading providers of autonomous mobile robot (AMR) systems and solutions. “We have an exciting list of customers, are doing major, multi-site rollouts, and are making a real difference in clients’ operations. We even have multiple systems where we are doing e-commerce, order fulfillment and store replenishment in the same system in a retailers’ operation.”

With retail as its number one sector – including online, e-commerce-only clients, store-based clients, and a combination of both – Tompkins is meeting the order fulfillment needs of 9 of the top 30 and others in the top 250. Tompkins’ second biggest client base is shippers and package handling companies. All of the company’s customers are seeing increased business either during COVID or in the current period as we move to a more normal life.

At the start of the pandemic, grocery stores and businesses of all kinds had to pick up the pace as bricks-and-mortar retailers closed, and online orders from consumers and businesses alike skyrocketed. Products from pineapples to printer ink needed to be sourced, packaged, and delivered faster than ever.

“The fact of the matter is, COVID has jump-started the entire robotics automation industry,” Futch says. “We will be this year and next year where we planned to be two years from now. It has greatly accelerated our growth.”

A combination of the health crisis and a shortage of workers in the labor market was the tipping point for businesses to switch to automation, with many fast realizing that a fleet of robotic elements would replace the fixed, long-lead time, inflexible systems of the past.

Exciting times
Based in Orlando, Florida, Tompkins Robotics was in the right place at the right time to serve its clients.

Before COVID, big companies would ship multiple items to stores which would put them on the shelves, and customers would come and make purchases. During the crisis, much more human labor was required. Customers placed online orders in smaller quantities – such as one to five different pieces per order – as opposed to products being sent in bulk to stores, and buyers getting the items themselves. This resulted in a much higher volume of high labor content orders in 2020 than 2019, before the pandemic.

“So if you’ve got a labor shortage and a labor content increase occurring simultaneously, you must automate in order to survive or keep your business from stagnating,” says Futch. “If you’re not fulfilling customer demand, it is a very bad thing for anyone’s business. Robotic automation is the way of the future, and the way it’s going to be for as far as we can see into the future. There’s no turning back.”

Selling the bulk of its robotic sortation systems to customers across the United States and Canada, Tompkins Robotics is also growing its sales to Australia, New Zealand, and Europe in the coming months. In North America, Tompkins is the leader in robotic sortation, far ahead of the competition.

While others in the industry are supplying pedestal sorting robots running on floors using QR Codes (quick response), these systems have disadvantages.

Pedestal-based systems are slower, and take up more space since they only work on a single level. Since they have to travel greater distances to do the same amount of work, extra robots are needed, making systems more expensive compared to Tompkins’ robots, which run at a blistering 2.5 meters (8. 2 feet) per second.

“No one is doing exactly what we’re doing,” says Futch, “and even those who are doing something different – like the pedestal robots – are selling fewer robots than we are.”

Compact, speedy and scalable
As a contrast to large, cumbersome, and expensive robotic systems, Tompkins has the revolutionary tSort line.

Providing customers with the tSort, tSort Plus, tSort Mini, xPress and xChange models, and tilt-tray and cross-belt sortation methods, the company’s systems “can handle items as small as a penny to up to 40 inches (101 cm.) long by 30 inches (76 cm.) wide and weighing up to 120 pounds (54 kg.),” according to Tompkins.

Small and powerful, tSort, tSort Plus, and tSort Mini models are unlike other warehouse sortation systems on the market, and ideal for large and small scale e-commerce, returns, buy online pick up in-store (BOPIS) and other applications.

As the most flexible robotic sortation system available, the tSort is fast and scalable. Requiring about 50 to 75 percent less space than traditional sortation, it is optimized for flexibility and works with a range of products, process flows and applications.

And unlike traditional systems, tSort can be implemented in five to six months from contract signing. Traditional systems typically take a year or more currently. There have even been implementations in as little as two weeks in certain circumstances.

tSort micro-fulfillment solutions
Along with its size and speed advantages, the tSort can be put together like Lego blocks, which means it can then be made bigger or smaller as needed. “It is one-tenth of the cost, one-tenth of the space, and one-tenth of the lead time of the leading ASRS (automated storage and retrieval systems) micro fulfillment solutions,” says Futch.

A hybrid solution providing automation at a lower cost, tSort Micro-Fulfillment Solutions offers customers enhanced efficiencies, with Tompkins filling orders quickly and efficiently with minimal labor. Currently in contract negotiations with multiple online grocers in urban settings, multiple grocery chains and multiple large-format retailers, the system is practically selling itself, and for very good reason.

As small as 1,500 square feet (including the aisle around it), it is ideal for micro fulfillment businesses. Requiring little inventory, it saves money by using regular store stock. Combined with the xPress, an overhead robotic monorail system, product is quickly moved to and from the back room to the selling floor.

This helps minimize floor traffic, which has become an issue with Instacart shoppers who are now getting in the way of in-store buyers in grocery stores and other environments because of additional foot traffic. “Our version gets most of the traffic off the floor by allowing batch picking of 25 to 200 orders at a time with much fewer workers and using an overhead delivery system to move batched picked goods for orders to the backroom for sortation to unique orders. The xPress overhead robotic delivery system also can be used to restock the shelves and deliver completed orders to the customer interface for pickup,” says Futch.

Flexible and adapatable
Another way Tompkins Robotics’ tSort systems are unique is their adaptability to all kinds of spaces, even temporary ‘pop-up’ inflatable buildings in parking lots for last mile delivery during holiday peaks or for return sortation after the holiday season.

Unlike any traditional automation in the industry, every piece of the system is on wheels including platforms, induction stands, and chutes. “Imagine if you will – if you needed to roll into a certain area for a month or two, put a system up, and then take it down and move it someplace else, we can do that,” says Futch.

Classification as mobile equipment in North America means no sprinklers beneath the surfaces and no hard-wired electrical, which means permitting is not needed, another enormous advantage. Some customers are using their systems during the holiday season for online order fulfillment in January and the first half of February for post-Christmas returns in a temporary location, and then moving the portable system to a permanent building for a long-term automation upgrade. Their plans are to repeat this process across sites as they modernize their networks.

Since all parts interconnect and are plug-and-play, existing systems keep working without interruptions. “You just deliver the additional components, hook them all up, get the new robots running in that new isolated area. Then you stop for 30 minutes to map and integrate the new system addition, and you are up again,” says Futch. “It’s nothing like the traditional systems of the past.

Strategically partnering with others’ technology, and geographic integrator partners including SI Systems, Bastian Solutions, PULSE Integration, RightHand Robotics – and recently GreyOrange for its new “zero walk” solution that eliminates walking by human pickers in distribution centers – Tompkins continues to advance the robotics industry.

Speeding up post-COVID
Receiving recognition, including the 2020 NextGen Supply Chain Solution Provider Award, which came as a pleasant surprise to the company, since it was customers who nominated Tompkins, the business looks forward to a post-COVID world and to showcasing its systems in-person at MODEX, Groceryshop LLC, NRF, the Parcel Forum, LogiMAT, and other trade shows and exhibitions.

Constantly innovating, the company’s latest product is xChange, billed as “a new robotic sorter exit system” by Tompkins.

xChange automates completed order removals and does much to eliminate labor post-sortation, including greater process flow automation, and has even automated replacement with empty containers. Until now, after items were sorted to their destinations, a human had to be present to remove product from the chute, or replace one container with another.

“It’s never been done before,” Futch says. “It will be on the market in 2022. We are really excited about it, and have already sold the first system.”

To keep up with customer demand, the company is on the lookout for talented, enthusiastic people, and plans to double its existing 225 workers worldwide in the next 12 months, and expand operations to Europe and the Middle East.

Futch sums up: “We are going to continue to innovate, stay ahead of the market, and create new models, patent that technology and intellectual property, and keep moving forward. Our team has a mandate to stay ahead of whatever other people are thinking about.”

The post Smarter Technology<p class="company">Tompkins Robotics</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Many of the world’s best-known restaurants, coffee shops, juice bars, and health clubs know that owning Blendtec appliances give speed and efficiency, because the company creates game-changing blending equipment for home and industrial use, combining advanced technology with a sleek design and new ideas.

Trusted in nearly ninety countries, this company is churning up far more than smoothies. It is leading in the blender market with proprietary design features that have end-users queuing up for more. “Our typical client isn’t afraid to spend a little more money on a blender for a better quality product that carries the best warranty in the industry,” says Chris Georgeson, Senior Vice President of Global Commercial and Retail Sales.

The Orem, Utah-headquartered company is well-known for top-quality blenders that can blend nearly anything and survive. Its central warehousing network stretches across America, Canada, and Germany, and engineering and assembling all its products on U.S. soil has meant that it has suffered fewer supply issues than many of its competitors. With a long list of appliance achievements to its name, the firm recently turned its attention to improving motor performance and cutting down on product waste.

The company’s latest improvement was developed over three years, and this brushless motor beats a standard motor both in terms of power and torque, giving much better blending action for home cooks and foodservice industry professionals alike. Also, there has been a growing demand for quieter machines since coffee shop patrons prefer to enjoy their beverages without the tremendous din of high-speed equipment that makes people shout at one another over the ruckus. This has made its Connoisseur 825 and Stealth X brushless series, in particular, the 885 model very popular, especially as the business landscape started changing during the COVID-19 crisis.

“The trend is turning towards people trying to watch what they eat and [being] concerned about what’s going into their bodies. People are cooking more from home right now than they have in a very long time as well. COVID has had a very big impact,” says Georgeson.

With a more powerful brushless motor, machines can operate for much longer at a time, providing longevity with less service downtime and no need to stop between blends to wait for units to cool down. Blendtec’s brushless motor also gives users the ability to chop through much thicker pieces of material than ever before. In a regular brushed DC motor, two brushes are in perpetual contact with a shaft, making the machines noisy and wearing out the brushes due to constant friction.

“As soon as you take the brushes out, you eliminate the wear points, and the machine is going to last longer—about two to three times longer than a standard brushed [motor] blender,” says Georgeson.

Consumers love the fact that when they buy a Blendtec appliance, they’re buying from a proud American company. Blendtec sources as many of its components from American suppliers as possible, and does all engineering and final assembly at its eight-acre plant in Orem, Utah. Its quality guarantee is evident in every step of the creation process. Its 270,000-square-foot footprint houses its entire manufacturing operation from motor assembly to plastic parts produced by its injection molding division.

Blendtec’s quality speaks for itself. After losing a big, long-standing client to a cheaper competitor once, the client came back soon after realizing that running Blendtec appliances are far more cost-effective and efficient over time.

The company’s beginnings were unlikely, in a way. Founder Tom Dickson first developed a motion sickness patch and an ocular insert for glaucoma patients at Alza Pharmaceuticals before coming up with lighter, more economical home grain mills that were faster and more efficient than the existing products, and he did this all while doing plastics research. His work stood him in good stead in the budding home appliance market, making Blendtec several tens of millions of dollars from the kitchen mill alone.

His next step was to rock the world with blenders and other appliances that outperform all others on the market. The passionate inventor became intrigued with blenders shortly after his wedding in 1968. With an engineering degree from Brigham Young University and an unquenchable determination for improvement, Dickson set about significantly enhancing the traditional blender after watching a wedding gift deteriorate at some speed. He wanted to create a solid machine that would last. And so he rolled up his sleeves and set to work.

Dickson introduced himself and his super-tough blenders to the world via YouTube in 2006. From marbles to those really loud, plastic soccer World Cup vuvuzelas, these blenders appear capable of turning almost anything that can fit into them to powder. The company’s channel ‘Will it Blend?’ is now bursting with viewers wanting more blending action and a member count creeping ever closer to one million subscribers.

Today, the company solves more problems than ever, going far beyond building remarkable blenders. When Blendtec realized that the cost of getting into the restaurant business can be prohibitive to many promising entrepreneurs, it set out to implement a solution that would make its machines accessible to new operators.

“Blendtec was the first to introduce the pay-per-blend model in the U.S. It is more expensive for new franchisees and new mom-and-pop shops to open up. So we have a new program for them. The only time a customer has to pay Blendtec is when they’re making money. It’s been awesome,” says Georgeson. The first brand to benefit from this plan was Zuka juice, which went on to become major player on the smoothie bar scene in the nineties.

Blendtec’s purchase plan for entrepreneurs means that qualifying applicants can get machines with no upfront fee, instead paying per blend, freeing them from having to pay weighty monthly installments. While many customers may prefer buying the machines from the outset, which is always doable, small start-up budgets are not prohibitive to smaller traders any longer thanks to this new purchase plan. The firm also offers friendly customer support and account management departments that take care of such commercial clients to ensure a hassle-free customer experience.

As the industry’s trendsetter, Blendtec is looking at ways of incorporating the internet of things (IoT) into its technologies to take its products. “We are not afraid to be disruptors in our industry, setting the new normal, and that philosophy will continue to be at the forefront of what we do,” Georgeson says.

Blendtec was the first to introduce square jars for improved liquid transfer, the first to use sound enclosures, and the first to add preset programs to its commercial machines to allow operators to get on with what they are doing while the blender does its job, eliminating the need to monitor the machine while it completes its cycle. New software allows users to cut down on labor and be much more efficient in completing tasks.

This strong push toward improved efficiency led the company to come up with its new Stealth Nitro Blending System (NBS). Modern users are concerned with saving time, preventing waste, and ease of use, leading the company to create a design that answers these concerns as well as offering a considerable reduction in its environmental impact.

During the process of researching the Stealth NBS concept, the company gleaned some interesting statistics from users. It found that rushed service results in nearly five gallons of wasted product for an operator making around three hundred drinks a day.

The average drink weighs “sixteen ounces and you’re charging five dollars for that. You’re talking just under forty drinks that you’re throwing away. [That’s] just under two hundred dollars of profit that you’re throwing away,” Georgeson says.

The Stealth Nitro Blending System (NBS) reduces this waste in several ways. Rather than blending in a separate jar, operators using this patented system blend drinks directly in the cups that will serve the drinks. Whether containing ice, fruit, dairy, or other products, drinks are quickly and easily blended without the traditional amount of product waste or the labor involved in cleaning the machines. Some users have reported water savings of around seventy percent. The Nitro Series even saves power as there is no space inside the cup for materials to bob around, shortening the blending process significantly.

Perfect portion control provides even more savings. Blendtec’s BDI Dispensing system calculates and weighs bag-in-box drink ingredients like flavored syrups to within 0.02 of an ounce as well as dispensing ice and water. It blends the drink, saving the operator, who now simply has to select a number on the machine and activate, a great deal of time.

Greatness is not achieved overnight, however; neither is it achieved alone, and the senior vice president is full of praise for Blendtec employees. “My current team is amazing. I am thankful to have an [incredible] team of men and women who are much smarter than I am [who] sell our products. The common driver for everyone on my team is they truly enjoy helping our customers succeed,” Georgeson says.

Lending a helping hand even extends to charitable causes, and Georgeson underlines the importance of giving back. The firm has close bonds with B4BC (Boarding for Breast Cancer), a group that focuses its work on young breast cancer patients and survivors involved in action sports like surfing. Every year in October, the company selects a blender model, ten percent of the sales of which are donated to the cause. It also provides blenders to hospitals for those in need of tube feeding.

From all its great work and innovation, Blendtec has watched the demand for its products soar over the last few years, and with the growing awareness of the Nitro Blending System and Stealth X products’ contributions to people’s health and wellness, the company forecasts some impressive prolonged growth over the next half a decade.

“Our hearts go out to the many companies that struggled with the effect of the COVID-19 crisis. Thankfully, Blendtec has a product that customers were seeking out during this time. We are seeing unprecedented demand for our cost-saving product,” Georgeson says.

Speaking of growth, Blendtec’s engineering team is developing its next generation of appliances that will continue to set the pace for blending technology the world over.

The post Smooth Operator – The World’s Favorite Smoothie Machines Blend Quality With Innovation<p class="company">Blendtec</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Like many mid-sized, mid-western economic development organizations, Bay Future and its team partner to take on many challenges as it seeks to grow the tax base, attract investment, create jobs and facilitate business retention and expansion activities.

Its roadmap to success is fueled by creating a strategic plan and setting aggressive goals and then rallying businesses and community partners together to make those goals a reality. The recent successful implementation of these goals has served as continuing validation for the work that has been done, setting the stage for future targets and getting them across the finish line.

“The most important thing an economic development organization can do is say they’re going to provide positive economic and community impact and then prove it, and we’ve been fortunate enough to have been able to do that. We’re transparent about our plans, we work hard, and we celebrate our wins with the community,” says Bay Future, Inc. President & CEO, Trevor M. Keyes.

Bay Future kicked off its current strategic action plan, Bay Future: Drive. Forward. in early 2020, with the intention of exceeding lofty expectations, fueled by past successes. Those goals included retaining existing business, supporting entrepreneurial development, attracting new business, and facilitating job creation and expansion efforts. It is a strategy focused on better local and regional collaboration to leverage existing strengths and identify and address gaps.

Life in Bay County. Your new hometown.
From a community standpoint, Bay County has always been a safe and affordable community, boasting a great variety of housing stock at every price point, coupled with quality schools and a geographic midpoint to Detroit and the Pure Michigan Upper Peninsula via the Mackinac Bridge. The area hosts numerous festivals, concerts, and entertainment options throughout the year, and has a vibrant and historic downtown filled with an eclectic mix of dining options. There is literally something for everyone.

The Saginaw River runs through the heart of Bay City and Bay County, marked by draw bridges that enable easy vehicle passage as well as commercial shipping traffic. Further to its commercial purpose, the area is primed for recreation with more than 3,200 acres of natural terrain and well-developed trails and parks. You’ll frequently see a great lakes freighter on the water being flanked by a family in kayaks or someone taking sailing lessons.

It’s an easy place to live. Not only is it safe with a mix of vibrant entertainment options, but it’s also affordable. The community has been recognized by Forbes and Realtor.com for being an affordable and attractive place to live.

Coping with COVID
With all of those strengths being highlighted, one of Bay Future’s greatest strengths is its ability to plan, forecast and make good on its goals – and nothing changed when it came to COVID-19 recovery. COVID didn’t slow Bay Future down, but accelerated the organization’s efforts to address the immediate needs of local businesses and residents.

Bay Future drafted an addendum to expand the work of Bay Future: Drive. Forward. to ensure that the community emerged from the pandemic in the same state as, or better than, how it went in. From Keyes’ perspective, “Since the beginning of the pandemic, one hundred percent economic recovery has been and continues to be our driving goal.”

With that goal in mind, the strategy began with the Bay Future Board of Directors developing the RECOVER Bay County addendum plan as a supplement to the Bay Future: Drive. Forward. plan with the aim to mobilize and support small businesses and at-risk local industries as well as providing workforce tools, addressing the loss of jobs, and attempting to mitigate the impacts of work stoppages and shutdowns.

According to Keyes, this enabled Bay Future to, “Identify gaps in services and support, working with small businesses and other community organizations to come up with programs that were impactful. There was no template, best practice, or training wheels, but it was something that we needed to do as quickly as possible to ensure our businesses and our community had a fighting chance.”

Spreading the support
Armed with a plan, the team at Bay Future, along with their partners, identified multiple ways to create and implement programs to support businesses affected by the statewide shutdown that began in March of 2020. Identifying and advocating for financial support to seed these programs was key. Bay Future was the recipient of and administrator for grants and worked with community partners to develop new initiatives. The result was significant for the community with a population of just over 100,000. 13 financial support programs were executed resulting in over $3 million in direct support through nearly 500 individual company awards.

One such program is Buy BC / Buy Local Buy BC, a gift card program that was established to drive activity at local retail, restaurant, and service providers. With over eighty local businesses participating, the program had nearly a quarter million dollars of direct economic impact to those affected business through sponsorship and community engagement.

The goal of this program was to encourage community members to continue to support their local businesses in the retail, restaurant, and service industries by purchasing gift cards to be used as those businesses reopened from the shutdown. The benefit for consumers was the ability to stretch their dollars further by receiving an incentive of additional spending dollars for shopping local.

“Our community organizations and business community here in Bay County really came together to do what was needed to support these small businesses that are at the heart of what makes us a unique and eclectic community. Small businesses are the lifeblood of a community’s economy. We see their measurable and impactful contributions to our local economy, the jobs they create, and their commitment to the community and to each other. Many of these owners and entrepreneurs risked everything to establish and run successful businesses that contribute to the quality of life we experience here. We knew our action and response needed to mirror that commitment. We needed to step up and do so in a big way and that is exactly what we did,” says Keyes.

Likewise, Feet on the Street was an initiative that was designed to create social districts to allow for outdoor dining and entertainment in the city’s core. Several blocks were closed to traffic to safely welcome pedestrians and allow them to casually traverse roadways, temporary decks and parklets, and support local business “en plein air” in safety and in comfort.

“Three streets in the downtown, and two blocks on Midland Street, just on the other side of the bridge, are closed to traffic. It started with the intention of providing restaurants with limited capacity the opportunity to seat people outside on the street,” says Megan Manning, Investor Relations and Marketing Manager. “It snowballed into a great opportunity to have outdoor events and create a larger sense of community.”

A place called home
Some of the unique approaches taken by Bay Future and its partners to engage the community and stimulate activity were just as important to building communal identification and involvement with the place they called home as they were to economic growth and recovery, all of which are inherently connected.

In implementing these the community was reengaged, which fostered a sense of collective responsibility to ensure that Bay County and its many businesses and residents were able to navigate the pandemic. Community and business leaders in Bay County have worked together in channeling a singular focus onto recovery and growth and Bay Future is at the center of that effort.

Addressing the success of the recovery plan and the resilience of the community thus far, Keyes notes, “A lot of that success is directly attributed to collaboration – all rowing in the same direction and rowing with a purpose, with a common goal. We pulled in resources together, reshaped some of those tools in our toolbox, and learned to use them in new and better ways. This is a part of what our community’s new normal will look like and we are confident it will produce dividends for our residents and our businesses.”

Business growth
While navigating both the challenges and the opportunities a global pandemic presented, with a significant local impact both socially and economically, Bay Future still kept its eyes on the goals of the Bay Future: Drive. Forward. campaign for long term economic sustainability in the community.

While the five-year strategic action plan has aggressive goals for job creation (800) and capital investment ($500 million), Bay Future has not slowed its traditional work in economic development.

One such example is the continued expansion of Uptown Bay City. The former industrial brownfield site just south of the downtown core of Bay City along the Saginaw River has been transformed with mixed-use developments that complement the traditional atmosphere of the walkable and historical neighboring downtown core, while breathing new life into the area. Earlier this year, an additional $10 million was announced for the already multi-million dollar investment, and Bay Future spoke of future plans to create a more vibrant and energetic area and walkable community, contributing to a strong sense of place.

Similarly, Wilkinson Minerals, which will be the second largest producer of calcium chloride solutions in North America, will invest $150 million in a property next to the Saginaw River that will create nearly 100 new living wage jobs. The site happens to sit 4,000 feet above the Sylvania Formation, a naturally occurring limestone formation rich in key resources.

Wilkinson will extract and process the brine onsite, taking advantage of the high concentrations of magnesium, calcium chloride and sodium chloride, resources that are used to create a number of downstream products.

These announcements speak to the opportunities in Bay County and the work the team at Bay Future is doing to turn opportunities into realities. Since 2004, Bay Future has brought nearly 4,000 jobs, $1.76 billion in investment, over 200 successful projects and significant business growth, retention and expansion to the community.

While the past eighteen months have brought significant challenges to the community, Bay Future stepped up to the plate to engage growth and reengage the community. And the organization and its many partners found a way to reposition challenge as an opportunity.

By adapting its priorities and expanding impact, the organization found a way to accelerate pathways to development and, according to Keyes, the outcome, “turned into something more than we had ever imagined or hoped it could be.”

The post Working to Drive Bay County, Michigan Forward!<p class="company">Bay Future, Inc.</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Thanks to the location of Green Bay on the Fox River and the infrastructure that grew up around it, such as the Port of Green Bay – a feature of the city and a great economic boon to logistics and connectivity – business and industry have thrived here for centuries.

“Existing companies are moving their products because of the Port of Green Bay and the rail connection in this area. They are doing so because of interstates in this area. Green Bay has been, and will continue to be, very well positioned for transportation and logistics,” says Neil Stechschulte, Community and Economic Development Director for the City of Green Bay.

Industry isn’t the only thing growing in Green Bay, which is posing a bit of a challenge. According to Stechschulte, “As the demand increases for residential, there are companies that want to relocate to be able to operate, expand, and grow, and have the room to do so in an industrial environment that doesn’t conflict with residential growth.”

This is why Green Bay’s industrial infrastructure and sites, like the I-43 Business Park, are being expanded – to address the growing demand for transportation, logistics, and other industrial growth, while ensuring that the housing and quality of life needs of its residents are being met in the city’s downtown. There, a number of former industrial sites are ripe with opportunity for redevelopment.

Unique new crossroad
What is interesting about the city’s redevelopment journey is that it is at a unique crossroad: there is an imperative to reconcile the city’s industrial past and the needs of the present.

A recent housing-market analysis shows a demand for housing stock across the income spectrum. Categories in the city’s downtown include single family, mixed-use, and multi-family projects in particular.

According to Stechschulte, “A lot of the focus still remains on the downtown core, on rebuilding and re-establishing that largely industrial riverfront – which it was, for a large part of its history. [Now, we’re] forming it up to be a diverse and active residential area, mixed in with commercial and industrial uses that have been here since the founding of the city.”

A multimillion-dollar development has been approved for an existing city-owned parking lot. Construction is expected to begin before the end of 2022 on the five-story project that will add 172 new market-rate apartments and 8 town-homes to the housing market. The project includes a grocery store and retail space.

Projects are also taking shape in the Shipyard district, a community in Green Bay’s West Side. City Council has approved a development proposal on the northern 5.5 acres of a 16-acre former industrial site for a 225-unit market-rate apartment project.

Merge Urban Development will oversee the $21 million investment. It will include two four-story mixed-use buildings that will be home to residential units, 4,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space, and parking. Construction should begin in early 2022 and be completed by 2025.

The project is expected to kickstart development of parks and trails in the area, as the city is responsible for public amenities such as multimodal paths, floating docks, kayak launch-sites, a plaza, and related infrastructure for the project. The phased approach will begin with waterfront and street improvements, followed by lawn and park improvements, and final use plans that will bring a new sense of life to the community.

Collective success
The Shipyard district is becoming an increasingly vibrant community, one that is coming together to impart positive local change. Recently, over fifty businesses in the area formed the Shipyard District Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to revitalizing and promoting the district to create cleaner, safer spaces that are attractive to both commercial and residential development.

This is just one of the many collective efforts that are contributing to Green Bay’s economic vitality. The business community, in particular, has shown great energy and resolve. In part, that’s because there are countless resources and networks available to support success, but also because countless local, regional, county, and state organizations are part of this vibrant local economy.

The Tundra Angels is a funding group that began with a handful of investors. During the pandemic, when businesses were most in need of support, the organization doubled in size and activity, and there are some really great ideas coming through that pipeline.

The same can be said about The Urban Hub, an effort of the Greater Green Bay Chamber of Commerce in partnership with New North – a regional economic development organization – with the support of public and private funding streams.

One of the programs at The Urban Hub, The Blueprint, is a new initiative, focused on minority-, women-, and veteran-owned businesses, that strives to improve access to the entrepreneurial ecosystem through a business-accelerator program.

The Blueprint Green Bay Business Accelerator is located at The Urban Hub’s co-working space in the city downtown. It targets new, scalable technology, e-commerce, and advanced manufacturing businesses, assisting them through ideation and development.

“The next big local company has just as much of a chance of coming out of The Urban Hub as it does anywhere else in the city,” Stechschulte says, noting that larger projects also tend to be developed using the resources at TitletownTech.

TitletownTech is an innovation center that springs from a partnership between the Green Bay Packers and Microsoft to develop technology-enabled ventures and digital innovations that will diversify the local economy.

A river runs through
Changing demographics in Green Bay have brought a shift in thinking, with the Fox River at the core. Once a polluted, unauthorized, industrial dumping zone, a great deal of effort has gone into revitalizing this natural asset to the advantage of the city, beyond its role in transportation and logistics.

As a result of the collaborative efforts to rehabilitate the river, Green Bay has seen countless bird and fish species return to its waters. It also serves as the foundation for tourism growth, as people once again are drawn to the river for recreation, including world-class fishing.

“It’s one of the largest freshwater estuaries in North America and we’re looking at establishing some federal research centers to monitor and preserve that ecosystem. We are seeing the city and the companies in the area really starting to embrace this area as a natural resource that needs to be protected and maintained,” says Stechschulte.

118 years later
One of the most significant projects planned for the riverfront is the relocation of coal piles owned by C. Reiss Coal Company, which has operated from the site since 1904. What has long been only a topic of discussion is now being set in motion.

The project finally made headway when Brown County purchased the former Wisconsin Public Service Pulliam Power Plant property, which stands 2.5 miles north of the existing site and will be a suitable new home for the coal piles.

As well as county support for the move, the project is also gaining state and federal attention. Recently, the Wisconsin State Assembly approved $5 million for the relocation project, a bill that still needs to be passed by the Senate and signed by the Governor.

The funds are from federal COVID relief and are contingent upon conditions relating to water quality and environmental control expenses. Unfortunately, $5 million represents only a fraction of the cost to relocate the piles, but it is a step in the right direction.

A place for all
Projects like these are reminders of Green Bay’s success in balancing economic and community growth with environmental stewardship. The city has not turned its back on its industrial beginnings, but has found a way to promote the interests of residents, businesses, and the environment in a symbiotic relationship that benefits everyone and everything in Green Bay.

Building on this strategy, and looking down the road, there is room to grow, and the city will continue to identify opportunities for development and redevelopment, ensuring a place for both residential and industrial growth, and prosperity for all.

The post New Developments – for People, Business, and Nature<p class="company">City of Green Bay, WI</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Just 14 miles (23 kilometers) west of the bustling entertainment Mecca that is Orlando, a far different community is taking shape.

The rapidly-growing town of Winter Garden, with a population of slightly under 50,000, is poised to attract a wealth of new business thanks to its ready-made infrastructure and a strong emphasis on quality of life. While Orlando might be nice to visit, Winter Garden is where to live.

Settlement in the area dates back to the 1850s, when settlers and farmers were attracted by the rich farmland watered by the swampland of nearby Lake Apopka. The community grew steadily around the two railroad lines that were laid through it; today, two state highways provide connections and a similar spur to growth across Orange County.

Old-town hometown
After being formally incorporated in 1908, agriculture and industry continued to expand. Growth sadly slowed in the 1960s due to heavy area pollution, and residents moved to other communities. Yet this has proven to be a blessing for Winter Garden; while nearby communities continue to modernize their architecture, the town’s downtown area retains its historic, old-town feel and opulence.

Indeed, Winter Garden’s historic downtown – named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996 – remains one of the town’s main attractions. Since that time, the area’s buildings have been maintained in a shining example of historic preservation, showcasing buildings between 80 and 110 years old. The area offers a rare glimpse of a bygone era, keeping the town’s heritage intact while looking to the future.

City Manager Michael Bollhoefer remarks how Winter Garden has deliberately set out to become an alternative to entertainment-focused Florida towns like Orlando, Tampa and Palm Beach.

“We wanted to make sure we would differentiate ourselves,” he says, and the results are clear. “It gives people something different from what everyone else in Central Florida has.” As part of this, Winter Garden’s downtown boasts bookstores and small retailers in addition to restaurants, creating a unique feel. “It’s more like the hometown or small town when you were growing up,” he says.

In addition to the downtown, Winter Garden is investing heavily in natural preservation.

At 200-acre Tucker Ranch, located in central Winter Garden near scenic Johns Lake, new amenities for family entertainment are being developed. Just as in its downtown area, Winter Garden’s newest project intends to preserve old-style Florida. Sub-sections of the Ranch will include a greenhouse for organic foods, a health & wellness park, an outdoor kitchen for al fresco cooking classes, outdoor exercise areas, walking paths, and launching areas for canoes and kayaks.

An additional park nearby provides walking trails for active senior residents, providing fun for all ages. Finally, Winter Garden’s Farmers Market – named among the ‘Best of the Best’ by Orlando Family magazine in 2020 – will soon enjoy a major expansion. “Those are all great quality-of-life things, plus the downtown,” Bollhoefer says.

This carefully cultivated quality of life provides fertile ground for business development.

Over 2,000 businesses call Winter Garden home, either through their headquarters or satellite offices, resulting in 25,000 local jobs and a highly diverse economy. “We cast a broad net,” Bollhoefer says.

Plan your escape
While still honoring Winter Garden’s agricultural roots with a wide variety of food production and agribusiness, the town also boasts advanced electronics and heavy construction. Schmid Construction, Central Florida’s largest construction contractor, is one of those who have relocated their headquarters to Winter Garden to escape Orlando’s crowded environment.

Bollhoefer says Schmid, among many other recent arrivals, specifically relocated to Winter Garden for its easy living and relaxed quality of life. It was not the executives but the employees who largely decided to make the move, he notes, further confirming Winter Garden’s attractiveness to employees, and especially, to families.

As part of the town’s focus on small business, Winter Garden’s business community thrived throughout the pandemic due to what Bollhoefer terms a measured response.

“We got it just right,” he says, pointing out that Winter Garden did not react as some other communities did. A rapidly-implemented Curbside and Outdoor Dining Program for the downtown area allowed restaurants to continue operating while following health guidelines, with the added benefit of having diners enjoy meals in Winter Garden’s outdoor splendor.

“In effect,” Bollhoefer says, “our restaurants started making more money after the pandemic arrived than they did before.” The program continues today despite a relaxation of health guidelines in March, reflecting its continued popularity.

“Love Local”
In other business sectors, Winter Garden’s city commission implemented its ‘Love Local’ campaign last fall, intended to stimulate small business recovery. Year-long community events helped show residents the value of small-town business and bring the community together.

These and other measures help ensure that Winter Garden’s characterful ‘Mom and Pop’ businesses continue to thrive and remain part of the town’s unique aesthetic.

For larger companies, Winter Garden is investing heavily in infrastructure development to provide ready-made work environments.

A new office building downtown, the product of over $1.5 million in investments, will provide 42,000 square feet of restaurant, retail and office space. One business has already set up shop, with others on the way. This new facility, Bollhoefer says, will provide stable jobs in the heart of Winter Garden. “Those that are working in offices want to be in a place where they really enjoy being, where they can walk out and get lunch. And it makes for more productive workers,” he remarks.

This building, and others under renovation, will help Winter Garden adapt to future “hybrid” jobs, in which employees balance remote and in-office work on different days. This office building is an example of the “clean office” that Winter Garden hopes to operate in the future.

“I think you’ll see fewer office buildings being built, and more people working from home,” he says, “so we have to adjust to that.”

The right priorities
A consequence of this move to a hybrid form of working is the need for a more robust telecommunications system – an infrastructure necessity along with electric, water and sewer lines in 2021.

“We’re looking at all our options for that,” Bollhoefer says, remarking that it has to be a priority as Winter Garden shows every sign of maintaining its rate of growth. “We’re fortunate that we have a pretty good system here. We didn’t have any issues during the pandemic.”

Improving and expanding internet connectivity is just one of Winter Garden’s priorities moving forward. Storm water mitigation, a consequence of climate change, remains a primary concern. Bollhoefer says that Winter Garden and surrounding communities now receive “once in 30 years” rainfalls more or less every year.

While not approaching critical levels, storm water will be a main focus as the town grows. “We’re having to redo and rethink a lot of our stormwater infrastructure, to make sure it works,” Bollhoefer says. “We’re very proactive, so we’ve been out ahead of the curve on that.”

Road construction is an even larger project. As Winter Garden and its surrounding communities grow, road networks will struggle to contain a rising population. The town is now working with its surrounding communities to explore new transit and transportation options.

“We’re looking at how we can work together to improve the transportation,” Bollhoefer says. He notes that Orange County may be exploring mass transit options in the coming year. “I think a year from now, they’re going to be bringing that back, and we’re going to all work together.”

Growing with care
Both of these projects will help Winter Garden continue to grow unimpeded. Thanks to the town’s pre-determined limits, Bollhoefer and his colleagues have intricate and detailed land strategies for Winter Garden’s surrounding land; some plans extend 20 years into the future.

There are plans for three new residential and commercial areas, as well as plans to redevelop some of the town’s older houses into newer, smaller dwellings suitable for couples and small families. “We pretty much have the entire city planned out,” Bollhoefer says, but allows for adaptation. “We also realize things change, so you have to be flexible and modify your plans as needed.”

As Winter Garden looks forward to a COVID-free future, the town is continuing to adapt – by staying the same. By choosing to differentiate itself from entertainment-focused Orlando, the town has rapidly transitioned from a suburb to one of Central Florida’s finest and fastest-growing communities.

For those people and businesses seeking an attractive alternative to today’s over-hectic environments, Winter Garden – where they’re living in the Sunshine State and loving it – is ready.

The post Living in the Sunshine State – and Loving It<p class="company">City of Winter Garden, FL</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

Since the company’s founding in 2013, experienced agents at Amherst Madison have proudly served clients across Idaho. By partnering with two of the world’s foremost organizations representing independent brokerages – Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® and Luxury Portfolio – Amherst Madison has not only built a significant global reach but also a strong local presence.

Making a difference
The proud company exists, “to add value and a competitive advantage for our Partners and Associates, through the establishment of a quality brand.” Mention of the name ‘Amherst Madison’ does more than elicit just a response: it is a hallmark of quality in the industry.

When Amherst Madison was founded, it was with vision, determination, and two objectives: the first was to form a unique, distinguished brand; the second, to make a difference in the lives of others. Now approaching a decade in business, the company has proven itself to be an overwhelming success in both areas. “Amherst Madison was created to provide meaningful solutions to the issues faced by real estate agents,” states the company, which recognized that it was about more than ‘business,’ but also about effecting positive change in the lives of others.

Prior to creating the business, one of the founders – while still attending college – had a life-changing moment when, as a volunteer, he met two children battling leukemia. The two beat cancer, and the company was named after the boy, Amherst, and the little girl, Madison.

This pledge to help others underpins the entire company culture, and is exemplified by the company’s support of numerous charities – a tradition of giving back which continues to this day – and by its founding of A Giving Circle INC (AGC), established by agents, staff, and leadership at Amherst Madison to help bolster the community the company serves, striving to keep it healthy and thriving, prosperous and economically sound.

Treasure Valley experts
Recognizing that clients deserve the best from their realtors, Amherst Madison has created a library on its website at https://amherst-madison.com/free-resources. Free and downloadable, these resources go a long way in making the real estate process as simple as possible for the company’s clients. From in-depth guides for buyers and sellers to a spring market report, relocation guide, home selling checklist, home buying checklist, company values and more, everything clients need to better inform themselves is available in one convenient location.

At Amherst Madison, agents know the Treasure Valley, and what makes it dynamic and livable. Named ‘Treasure Valley’ in the late 1950s to reflect the region’s many offerings, the area is famous for its wonderful climate, outstanding homes, historic neighborhoods, unique shops, innovative businesses and a great deal more. Catering to a range of buyers, Amherst Madison’s knowledgeable agents represent a diverse range of properties, including houses in the $300,000 range.

To meet the needs of all clients, the company’s Luxury Services cover homes ranging from about two million dollars and higher. One recently listed property was a unique four bedroom, four bathroom home at Mica Bay on Coeur Dalene Lake. Truly world-class, the $27 million home, at 8,731 square feet, offered all the amenities one would ever need. Located in a lovely wooded area on 30 acres, the home offered 738 feet of sandy beach lake frontage, a guest house, a shop with caretaker’s quarters, and more for the discerning buyer.

Also priced at $27 million, another home on Lake Pend Oreille sits above scenic Bottle Bay on more than 48 acres. Boasting six unique dwellings – every one with outstanding mountain and lake views – the fully furnished, modern, 14,000 square foot, four bedroom, seven bath home features 1,600 feet of lake frontage, making it ideal for everyday living and entertaining, complete with an infinity pool, spa, guest house, and stable with living quarters and gym.

Working with sellers
As a leading real estate business, Amherst Madison is proud to work with buyers and sellers alike, and has an up-to-date downloadable Client Guide Seller Edition available. While selling a home can be an exciting experience, it can also be challenging and even frustrating, which is why it is crucial for sellers to work with the professional agents at Amherst Madison who will make the process as smooth as possible. From preparing the property for sale to marketing and much more, the experienced staff at Amherst Madison is there to help every step of the way.

There are many reasons Amherst Madison remains the fastest-growing brokerage in Idaho according to year over year production growth since 2014. The company doesn’t simply list homes for sale but works with a comprehensive marketing system that includes research, gathering support materials, marketing analysis and pricing recommendations, property staging and preparation, and photography/videography. To sell homes for the highest price in the least amount of time, Amherst Madison makes marketing and collateral preparations, creates a listing launch – as opposed to simply ‘activating’ the home in MLS – facilitates showings, offers solicitation and negotiations, and works with clients all the way through to escrow and closing.

Remaining true to its values – people first, purpose next, and profit last – Amherst Madison Real Estate Advisors is defined by its exceptional client care, strong leadership, and philanthropy. Working with buyers and sellers, the company has the experience, tools, and strong leadership required to make every real estate transaction a success.

The post Putting People First<p class="company">Amherst Madison Real Estate Advisors</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

While visiting art galleries and shopping in their boutiques in pre-pandemic times, I recall seeing numerous products of giftware and apparel imprinted with works of the Great Masters – Van Gogh, Picasso, Degas, Chagall – and thinking how wonderful it would be for contemporary artists if they, too, could easily supplement their income by having their work digitally printed on quality merchandise.

As it turns out, I’m not the only one who thought about this kind of fine art-business partnership. Fortunately, the other people who considered the idea did actually do something about it. The results are proving to be a success story for everyone – the artists and the print-on-demand companies, and especially fashion-lovers who are offered myriad unique, customized choices online, with the products delivered to their door.

By their very definition, print-on-demand (POD) companies abide by lean manufacturing principles, eliminating enormous and costly inventories of unsold stock that retailers must dispose of at the end of each season as fashionistas declare this colour or that style passé.

This cyclical waste is an issue plaguing both designer labels and the ‘fast fashion’ industry which mostly produces poorly made and lower priced knock-offs. While some of the leftover stock is sold at discount stores, or donated, a lot isn’t. According to articles in the Wall St. Journal (“What happens to all of the unsold clothes” by Matthew Dalton, August 13, 2020) and Eluxe (“What happens to unsold clothes may surprise you”, Dec 29, 2019), a substantial portion ends up in landfills, either because brand name designers don’t want their clothes to be seen being worn by just anyone, or in the case of fast-fashion merchandise, because there is just too much.

Sensing the plight of all of us in need of retail therapy during COVID, the POD businesses came up with a solution. It’s an opportunity to shop safely from home for a variety of apparel and gift items – women’s, men’s and children’s clothing; home décor (fine art reproductions, comforters and cushions, mugs, clocks, shower curtains and so on); phone and tablet covers; backpacks, water bottles; journals, stickers, decals and cards – essentially anything with a surface that can support digitally printed artwork.

The added benefit is that customers know that the self-employed artist, whose work makes their purchase unique, is receiving a percentage of the sale price – ranging from 10 to 25 percent, with the average around 15 percent. While that is not an impressive amount, the upside is that the artist doesn’t bear the cost of printing, maintaining an inventory, or dealing with sales, and is given access to global markets.

The artist and the POD company
While it might seem as if POD companies were tailor-made for the pandemic, some have been in existence for over a decade. One of the earliest was Redbubble.com, launched in Melbourne, Australia in 2007.

According to co-founder Martin Hosking, the company is based on “the recognition that problems are global and so are solutions.” Hosking and his two co-founders believed that through applying economies of scale and print-on-demand technology, the company could address several retail issues, including consumer demand for individualization and customization; channels for expression of the creativity of artists; and opportunities for those working in the gig economy to monetize their art. What’s more, in the process, it could solve the problem of disposing of mass produced items that no one wanted.

While Redbubble’s growth was slow in the first three to four years, it has since experienced a steady 39 percent growth rate, becoming a publicly traded company in 2016, and with the acquisition of TeePublic in 2018 (which specializes in graphic designs on T-shirts) has become extremely attractive to investors.

In addition to its Melbourne office, Redbubble has offices in Berlin and San Francisco and 32 local product-fulfillment centres across three continents, with 66 percent of its business in North America.

A choice of 700,000
Redbubble promotes the work of over 700,000 artists worldwide, serves 5.4 million customers and, according to the company’s 2019 financial report, saw a gross $328 million worth of transactions, $44 million of which was paid out to artists.

We spoke with one Redbubble.com artist, Tara Baxendale, an actor, singer and visual artist living in Toronto, Ontario who, when the pandemic closed theatres, decided to put her paintings and her extensive collection of photography, assembled during travels in Europe, Australia, Asia, and North and Central America, to work for her. She now has 61 designs in her online shop.

She says, “Initially I chose to work with Redbubble.com because they’ve made the design process artist-friendly and easy to use. But I keep working with them because of the wide range of good quality, super-cute products. I love my phone case with its ‘The Sun Sets on 2016 in Costa Rica’ design, my ‘Dragonfly Balanced on a Blade of Grass’ backback, and my psychedelic ‘The Enchanted Forest’ sundress from an acrylic pour.

“I get a thrill from knowing there’s someone I’ve never met walking around Germany with a phone case with my ‘Enchanted Forest of Luminous Mushrooms’ acrylic pour painting on it. And there’s someone in California hosting their Zoom meetings on a laptop emblazoned with my “Sunflowers on the Danforth” design,” shares Baxendale.

“In a time of quarantine and isolation, with the theatre industry benched, it’s been a wonderful way for me to continue to connect with strangers, albeit through a different artistic medium.”

In addition to the global players like Redbubble.com in the POD scene, there are smaller, boutique-style companies. Le Galeriste, for example, is a wholly-owned Canadian company, launched in 2016 in Montreal, Quebec by fashion designer and CEO Thierry Charlebois.

In love with wearable art
According to the company website, Charlebois, at the age of 27, had fallen out of love with the industry, but in love with the concept of creating ‘wearable art’ – paintings and other art forms reproduced on stylish clothing. To realize his dream, he spent several years investing in expensive manufacturing machines, researching printing and dyeing techniques, and hiring the best seamstresses in Montreal to produce mainly women’s clothing, but with some accessories and apparel for men.

The company now has over two thousand clients and ships product to over 900 cities worldwide. Among its clients are fine art galleries, for which it produces exhibition-themed products for sale in their boutiques.

We spoke with Indu Varma, a professional artist and owner of Salt Marsh Studio in Sackville, New Brunswick, about why she decided to investigate wearable art and chose to partner with Le Galeriste.

“When I create a painting, I have an emotional bond with it simply because a powerful work of art emerges only when the artist is passionate about the subject. But since there is only one original painting, once it gets sold, all I have left is a photograph of it. I had this brainwave, that if my art could be featured on clothing or accessories, many more people could own and enjoy it, instead of only the person who bought the original,” says Varma.

“Women lean toward stylish and artistically designed clothes that make us look beautiful and stand out in a crowd. I was delighted to see the artistically designed, stylish clothes on Le Galeriste’s website, which are high fashion. Unique and yet quite affordable.”

Varma has since ordered several items from her collection for herself, including a dress based on her painting ‘Hope Beyond Borders’, a top with a sunflower design and a scarf from her ‘Woman Defined’ collection. She says she’s pleased with how well her paintings have been reproduced, and found the material to be of exceedingly good quality, with the custom fitting perfect.

A bonus is the ability to share her clothing with other women without having to manage a physical storefront. “Le Galeriste leaves me free to create art, which is my lifeblood,” she says.

Spreading POD
The aforementioned businesses are far from being the only POD companies. The world of e-commerce and POD is evolving quickly, with more and more companies such as Threadless, Society6, and Printful entering the market. Some, such as Redbubble.com and Le Galeriste, offer a full service program which includes printing, marketing, and fulfillment. Others, such as Printful offer a drop-shipping service that can be integrated with e-commerce platforms such as Shopify or Etsy.

Etsy is a hugely successful e-commerce company, listed on the NASDAQ, that supports artists and artisans by providing a marketing platform, which in return for a small fee, gives them access to global markets. Artists, artisans, and collectors can showcase products which range from vintage and handcrafted items to print-on-demand items, including jewellery. With the refinement of 3D processes, 3D printers can now produce custom-designed jewellery in gold or silver.

And because the market is not yet saturated, as the printed-fabric business appears to be on the verge of becoming, it represents an excellent business opportunity.

The future of retail
We don’t think the pandemic or the rise of POD companies and online marketing platforms will spell the end for brick-and-mortar stores, although some independents and chains have closed in this past year.

But there are important lessons for traditional retailers. Consumers are turning from mass-produced goods and looking for customized quality products, produced in an environmentally responsible way.

What seals the deal is when they find the ‘perfect thing’ no one else has, and which they perceive as expressive of their own individuality. And it’s with just the click of a mouse.

The post Print on Demand<p class="company">The Intersection of Retail and Art</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

The global pandemic has forever changed how we live and how we work, signaling the end of office centricity as companies shift to a permanent work-from-home culture.

Certainly, there has long been remote work using the internet as a connection to a central office. And now the office of the future will be a digital hub connecting remote workers.

Gone are the days of long commutes, expensive downtown office real estate and water cooler gossip. In fact, many remote workers were already spending more time off-site well before COVID. Forbes reports that 31 percent were doing so all the time or almost all the time in 2016 versus 24 percent in 2012.

“People are more productive working at home than people would have expected. Some people thought that everything was just going to fall apart, and it hasn’t. And a lot of people are actually saying that they’re more productive now,” says Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook.

Based on internal employee surveys, he says that remote workers could make up 50 percent of the Facebook workforce in the next five to 10 years.

Another fact driving this change is the job market reality, with over 50 percent of office workers saying they were actively seeking employment offering flexible work-from-home options.

The banking industry is one that is out in front of the trend, leading the way from dedicated office space and glitzy office towers. Banks are updating their virtual capabilities to electronically service clients, with remote employees providing customer service. So when you call in for help with your credit card, you’re likely talking to someone set up at home, multi-tasking with laundry duty.

While banks and tech giants such as Facebook, Shopify and Twitter have generous telecommuting policies in place for staffers, the public sector is also rapidly moving in this direction and, surprisingly, so is manufacturing.

So, how are workers adapting to the changing working conditions?

Forbes reports that 56 percent of bank employees rate the transition to at-home-work as positive, with the public sector not far behind at 53 percent and manufacturing at 37 percent. Manufacturing jobs are difficult to transition to work-from-home scenarios, but remote-operated robotics are changing operations, and roles such as human resources, finance, sales and marketing are shifting to offsite work.

Health care, embroiled in the frontline battle with the pandemic, is also moving toward off-site work with jobs in finance, personnel and executive staff leading the trend. Patient care has also been impacted by the work-from-home model, with many health care services offering enhanced telehealth and video-call options.

The question is: are employees who work from home more productive?

Stanford University economics professor Nicholas Bloom is convinced that is the case and conducted a robust experiment to demonstrate this fact.

Bloom and his research team took a group of 1,000 employees who volunteered to participate in the study. They separated the volunteers by birth dates: even-numbered birthday celebrants got to work from home four out of five weekdays, while those with odd-numbered birthdays continued to work from the office. The workers in this experiment had repetitive, easy to track tasks that could be easily quantified and compared so the productivity could be readily measured.

This research continued for nine months and the outcomes demonstrated that at-home-workers were 13 percent more productive. The results surprised the researchers who also discovered that 4 percent of that 13 percent productivity increase came from workers being able to complete more tasks per minute because of fewer interruptions. The remaining 9 percent of the productivity increase came from more minutes worked per shift because of lack of commuting time, shorter lunch breaks and fewer sick days.

Of note, participants in the experiment had to meet a couple of key requirements. They had to have no children living at home, their office had to be a room that was not a bedroom and they had to have access to quality broadband.

Now, it’s not only research projects that are promoting work-from-home. “Now that companies have built the framework – and experienced the cost and time savings associated with it – there’s no real reason to turn back,” says Mark Lobosco, Vice President of Talent Solutions at LinkedIn.

Working from home does come with its drawbacks, of course. Critics of work-from-home cite a loss of camaraderie and office culture, a loss of creativity, a higher likelihood of work-related stress and a reduction in career opportunities. Working from home also blurs the work and home boundaries, and workers can find it hard to switch off, complaining of feeling overworked due to a loss of visibility with managers and the perceived pressure to appear busy and deliver higher levels of productivity. And women reportedly experience the most difficulties from balancing work and home priorities, given that women take on most of the responsibilities for unpaid childcare and household upkeep.

Even with these challenges, however, more and more companies are trending to offer work-from-home options for employees, and many businesses are flourishing while adapting to the changing work and home behavior of consumers.

“As we’ve moved to virtual work, we haven’t just coped, we’ve actually thrived,” said Suresh Kumar, Chief Technology Officer at Walmart, in an internal memo from May of 2020.

“We are more focused on the things that have the greatest impact for our customers, associates and the business,” Kumar said to his team. “We are making quicker decisions and acting. Meetings are now more inclusive of people regardless of location, level or other differences. We have great momentum and need to figure out how to carry it forward.”

With so many people working from home, corporate IT has struggled with security, making cybersecurity a major business growth area. Many businesses are investing in cybersecurity to help protect company data, computers and phones.

The work-from-home reality has also changed how people shop. E-commerce sales in the United States increased 40 percent year-over-year as of August 2020. Post-pandemic, economists anticipate that the convenience of online shopping will remain a reality and traditional retail will need to adapt to offer expanded online options.

Fast food companies have also prospered because of the greater number of employees working remotely. These companies have quickly adapted to changing consumer behavior by creating ordering apps, contactless pick-up and home delivered meals. Sales reported from Uber Eats doubled in the second half of 2020 and, like home shopping, changing consumer work habits are expected to maintain this growth.

Companies offering at home connected fitness have also increased in popularity with many gyms being shuttered by the pandemic and at home workers looking to maintain their levels of fitness. And with limited leisure activities available because of the pandemic health restrictions, computer gaming has boomed, with sales up 23 percent from the year previous. Gaming is not likely to continue to grow at this rate as some workers return to traditional office space, but the bar has been raised and consumer entertainment habits have been altered with more time at home and away from the office environment.

And, of course, remote software work applications have also benefitted from more work-from-home activity. Video chat platforms, instant messaging and other collaboration software platforms have become mainstream as at home workers need to connect with remote colleagues. Post-pandemic, some workers will return to the office, but many will continue to work remotely and these platforms will continue to grow and evolve.

One difference: people will expect to see professional haircuts on those Zoom calls going forward as salons and barbers reopen.

What will corporate ladder climbing and office networking look like by 2025? Much different, so get ready.

“The future we envision for work allows for infinite virtual workspaces that will unlock social and economic opportunities for people regardless of barriers like physical location,” says Andrew Bosworth, Facebook Reality Labs Vice President. “It will take time to get there, and we continue to build toward this.”

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With an estimated population of 31,000 and growing, Cibolo has a number of exciting plans on the horizon, particularly in the manufacturing and industrial sectors. With approximately 370 new homes and 1,200 new residents each year, the city is considered one of the fastest growing along the I-35 corridor, leading to it proudly embracing its moniker, “City of Choice.”

“City of Choice is the tagline that we’ve chosen as we continue to grow exponentially every year,” says Christine Pollok, Public Relations Manager. “New residents choose to relocate to Cibolo for various reasons, but the main ones are our small-town appeal, our diverse business offerings and our outstanding school district. We do have one of the top school districts in the state of Texas which attracts many families to our area.”

With the health and happiness of residents in mind, Cibolo is also working to improve quality of life projects, by extending hike and bike trails all around the city so residents can traverse Cibolo in a variety of ways.

“You can get around by bike or scooter or take your kids out for a walk, which is something that’s hard to find these days,” she says.

Cibolo is also proud of its unique Miracle League Field – a special needs, accessible ball field featuring a hard, rubberized surface so that special-needs children or wounded veterans in wheelchairs can enjoy sports without risk of injury.

“That was passed by our residents and several of our Community Partners, businesses that are here that have donated to get the project up and running,” says Pollok. “We’re getting close to finishing this year. That’s something that sets us apart in the quality of life offerings. We’re very excited for that.”

On the manufacturing side, AW Texas, a 159-acre automatic transmission plant scheduled to open in September, is a huge economic boost for the city, set to gain 900 new jobs in the next five years. A subsidiary of Aisin AW Co., Ltd., and a leading manufacturer of transmissions around the world, the project is a result of a collaboration between the City of Cibolo, Guadalupe County, Guadalupe Valley Electric Cooperative (GVEC), the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation, and the State of Texas.

“The area near the AW Texas site has now become an incentive for more manufacturing and industrial businesses,” says Dustin Morris, Business Development Coordinator. “We’re very thankful for that opportunity and definitely attribute a lot of our booming manufacturing growth and interest to them.”

Continuing to attract businesses is an ongoing process. When it comes to retail frontage, Cibolo is unique, says Morris. There’s a very small portion of frontage along the I-35 corridor, which for a lot of cities in Texas along that corridor, is a very profitable commercial area.

“You don’t typically see a lot of industrial. It’s a lot more commercial because of the traffic,” he says. “It’s nice that we have some visibility on that frontage to participate in that competitive commercial area.”

The challenge, he says, was in finding a developer that would successfully develop that singular piece of land. Without multiple pieces over a long stretch of road, they wanted to find someone who would do “great things” with that piece of land.

“We were very fortunate that Faskin Oil & Ranch was the development company that came in, purchased the property in partnership with their third party development firm and master-planned it beautifully,” says Morris. “They’ve finished Phase 1 and there are a few businesses already there.”

Major attractions in the area include Santikos Entertainment, which has built a state-of-the art movie theater, bowling alley, arcade, sports bar, and restaurant.

“They were kind of like our anchor business,” says Morris. “They were the very first ones to put their walls up and really made the site attractive to other businesses just purely with the pull of such a well-known name in San Antonio.”

There’s also Magnolia Pancake Haus, another San Antonio favorite. “They’re very competitive in terms of their location, but we were very fortunate to also recruit them,” he says.

And finally, Willie’s Grill & Icehouse, another Texas staple. “They’ve already been great community partners,” says Morris. “They’ve donated a little over $8,000 to the Cibolo Police Department as well as our school district. Right from the get-go they’ve been very invested in our community.”

Investing in the community is always a priority when looking to draw new businesses to the area, says Pollok. “When large businesses like AW Texas or large developments come in to our city, we make sure they align with our goals and that they want to be partners with us and beautify our city and increase amenities for our residents.

“It not only benefits the city to have those amenities, but it benefits their business as well. That way people can live work and play in the area.”

When it comes to Cibolo’s I-10 frontage, Morris also wants to highlight how collaborative the city is with its community development partners. The GVEC, GVSUD and Centerpoint Energy have been instrumental in helping the city grow there.

“It’s actually the city’s and the GVEC’s biggest push now with AW Texas,” he says. “All of our recruitment efforts have been focused on getting manufacturing, industrial, any kind of health care there as well. Even if it’s not necessarily a hospital, if they can manufacture any kind of medical devices we really want to bring that to this area because it’s severely lacking. It’s definitely the goal that we want as a city to have a very diverse business population.”

Viewed traditionally as a “bedroom community,” Morris says the city is currently calm and quiet, without a ton of traffic, which has its benefits: In terms of crime rate, Cibolo was named one of Texas’ safest cities this past year. Coupled with a high median household income and a great workforce population close to San Antonio – and Austin too, in terms of drive time – this is a big selling point, says Morris.

The workforce and the businesses collectively faced the challenge of navigating the pandemic over the last year and a half, but Cibolo managed to stay strong and united throughout.

“Cibolo didn’t suffer like some of our surrounding communities did,” says Pollok. “Our residents shopped locally, our tax base was diversified, and our businesses were shifted into essential means of production, so they could stay open and stay profitable during that time. And our budget didn’t take a hit whatsoever with sales tax or property tax during COVID-19.”

City Council actually voted right before the pandemic to lower the tax rate by a penny, so even with the decrease on that tax, they did see an increase in tax from last year.

“I think it’s comforting for our businesses to know that if something like this was to happen again, they wouldn’t be as severely affected as if they were living and working somewhere else,” says Pollok. “Aside from their internal pressures, we made sure we had a good climate for their businesses to continue.”

Because the city is a bedroom community outside of San Antonio with more rooftops than business tops, it’s lacking a diverse tax base, placing pressure on its operating budget. That’s now changing with businesses newly moving to Texas and the Cibolo area.

“We’re very fortunate that now we’re expanding our tax base, and diversifying and trying to alleviate that burden for our residents,” says Morris. “We’re very thankful that the city has such a pro-business approach and has moved to address the issue.”

It’s that dedication to businesses and those who reside in the city that has led to a number of accolades over the years. Both the City of Cibolo and GVEC were recognized multiple times throughout the year, which included receiving an award from the Texas Economic Development Council (TEDC) for the recruitment at AW Texas.

Cibolo also received a mention in the Governor’s keynote speech this year, as well as from Adriana Cruz, the Director of Economic Development for the Governor’s office. “It’s very nice to have Cibolo be spoken about so highly by such high-ranking officials in our government,” says Morris. “Definitely a lot of good things have come because of that.”

The Cibolo EDC also received a Gold Award from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) for their efforts during International Economic Development Week. “That was another nice award for the community on such a global scale, because a lot of people look to IEDC for good places to relocate their business or expand. To have fame on a global scale was wonderful. That was our big win.”

At the moment the city has a large number of big names in its pipeline, including Living Spaces, a large furniture store, which is one of the missing components in Cibolo’s tax base.

“With all of these new homes, especially in our area, going up every single year we had no competitive factor in that market,” says Morris. “Everyone was going to other cities and purchasing and bringing the furniture here, and now we have the opportunity to open up a furniture store in Cibolo and recoup those losses and obviously build on future years.”

The goal for the next 10 years, he says, is to build on the success they’re currently working through. In terms of the I-10, he’d like to see that completely developed into a major manufacturing hub for the city. In terms of quality of life, Morris says the city is interested in continuing interconnectivity for hike-and-bike trails throughout the area, along with establishing more sports fields.

“We want to make sure we welcome everybody we can to our city in terms of sports teams and sports events. The city would also like to see an event center of some kind on a large scale, so if there are any conferences or sporting events, visitors have the opportunity to stay local in terms of shopping and dining.”

While it’s difficult to know what’s happening 10 years ahead, Cibolo wants to ensure it provides the best possible quality of life to both its residents and businesses.

“Our residents will now have better drainage and better roads, so we’re very excited by that,” says Morris. “We also want to provide great workforce housing, whether that be homes for families or apartments – whatever the case may be. We just want to make sure we have everything that a business or family would need in Cibolo.”

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