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OPPO Holds “Design in Tech” Workshop, Interpreting Innovative and Elegant Design Aesthetics of OPPO Products

OPPO

LONDON, UK - Media OutReach - 23 September 2022 - OPPO presented at the 2022 London Design Festival as the support partner and hosted Design in Tech Workshop interpreting the innovative and elegant design aesthetics of OPPO, and the mission to elevate life through technological artistry. Design professionals including Patrik Schumacher, Principal of Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA), Professor Rama Gheerawo, Director of The Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design at Royal College of Art, and young creators shared their experiences, and discussed about the fusion of technology and design. During the festival, OPPO also holds OPPO Renovators 2022 exhibition, featuring classic product designs and the winning entries from Renovators Emerging Artists Project. OPPO pursues the synergy of aesthetic satisfaction and innovative technology to create elegant products As leading smart device brand, OPPO believes that the application of technology and product design ultimately returns to a combination of design aesthetics and core needs of users. OPPO is committed to connecting technology with people through elegant design and ultimately transforming cutting-edge technology into user-perceivable detail. “Technology for Mankind, Kindness for the World” is not only OPPO's mission but also OPPO’s response to future trends in technology and design. At the workshop, OPPO Design spokesperson Xi Zeng shared OPPO’s persistence in innovative and elegant design and its efforts to break through boundaries. The concept of “going over every possible technical obstacle in details and striving for simplicity and elegance in design” runs through OPPO’s product design process. “Product design embodies our emotions and ideals.” said Xi Zeng. In recent years, OPPO has continued to explore innovation in new form factors of smartphone. After several years of refinement and innovative breakthroughs, Find N brings the overall using experience of a foldable smartphone to a whole new level. Neil Monger, OPPO Product Marketing Manager, talked about the Find N’s golden ratio and waterdrop hinge design stories. To ensure that the screen of OPPO X 2021 rollable phone automatically retracts and extends smoothly as a picture scroll, structural engineers and designers have implemented several technical innovations into the rollable display and traceless design. This not only retains the thin appearance of the rollable display to greater extent but also proposes new possibilities for the future development of intelligent devices. OPPO is also dedicated to presenting elegant design and comfortable experience for users. OPPO ColorOS 13 was released in August this year. Its Aquamorphic Design draws inspiration from nature, integrating the inclusive and healing features of water into the visual language of the system to create a concise visual experience and user-friendly UI. The curves from nature also inspired OPPO's elegant product design. OPPO Find X5 series’ volcano-like back cover design mimics the curves of nature and is made of microcrystalline ceramic material, giving the rear design an organic feel for a natural tactile experience. Design Masters Gather at the V&A Museum to Discuss the Future of Technology and Design OPPO and Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) have been in partnership over the new OPPO headquarters project since 2020. As partners, Zaha Hadid Architects recognized OPPO's design principles and appreciated the coincidence in design insights between ZHA and OPPO. At the workshop, Patrik Schumacher, Principal of ZHA, delivered inspiring speech. As one of the most prominent thought leaders within the fields of architecture, urbanism and design, Patrik provided an insight into the ZHA's design philosophy and his understanding of the relationship between people, technology and design. He said that technology is absolutely fundamental to human freedom, to human prosperity on this planet. That’s the true dynamic for progress of this world. Professor Rama Gheerawo, an advocate of inclusive design, talked about the importance of inclusive design: “A core component of accessibility is the human reaction, such as the joy you feel when holding a phone with a comfortable, smooth tactile touch. That is a part of accessibility and a part of Inclusive Design.” Encouraging Art and Tech Innovations, OPPO Aims to Build a Global Community for Young Artists to Exchange Ideas and Grow In 2019, OPPO launched the Renovators Emerging Artists Project. By initiating a global competition, OPPO aims to empower young creators worldwide and encourage them to innovate through art and tech. During the London Design Festival, OPPO also held the Renovators 2022 Exhibition at the Cromwell Place. The artworks presented in the exhibition were from the 2022 Renovators global competition which ended in early September. After the workshop, participants also went to the exhibition area to enjoy the artworks created by young artists from more than 30 countries. The exhibition attracted a large number of visitors who were captivated by the imaginative and creative works of art and the exquisite designs of OPPO products. Participants of Renovators 2022 showed their unique thinking around topics such as smart living, low-carbon and environment protection, traditional culture inheritance, technology, human society development, and many others. OPPO hopes that young creators around the world will gain inspirational strength to overcome challenges, and maintain their passion for creation. About OPPO OPPO is a leading global smart device brand. Since the launch of its first mobile phone - “Smiley Face” - in 2008, OPPO has been in relentless pursuit of the perfect synergy of aesthetic satisfaction and innovative technology. Today, OPPO provides a wide range of smart devices spearheaded by the Find X and Reno series. Beyond devices, OPPO also provides its users with ColorOS operating system and internet services such as OPPO Cloud and OPPO+. OPPO has footprints in more than 60 countries and regions, with more than 40,000 employees dedicated to creating a better life for customers around the world. Contact Details OPPO International PR Team press@oppo.com

September 23, 2022 03:39 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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LiveChat Helps Brands Get their Customer Service Ready for Younger Customers

LiveChat

LiveChat, a customer service platform with a 20-year presence on the market, witnessed plenty of changes in business communication first-hand. This time, the company took a closer look at younger customers’ needs and offers suggestions on how businesses can meet them. According to the forecast report released today by LiveChat, companies should continue to invest their resources in modern technology solutions for customer communication to gain more traction in their chat. Following the market observations, younger customers demand easy, effective service providing them with personalized experiences that are in line with their needs and values. The predictions presented in the report are based on the LiveChat usage data gathered over two years between July 2020 and June 2022. The team has analyzed 1.7 billion chats from 59,558 businesses worldwide and combined them with global trends. The Generation Z Trends Forecast Report focuses on people who were born between 1997 and 2012, so now their ages range from 10 to 25. Many of them already have a job or two on their resumes and disposable income to spend on products and services. They value immediate feedback while looking for recommendations and immediate answers while looking for support. “When communicating with Gen Z, it’s all about their convenience, availability and simplicity. Omnipresence is a must as most of the communication happens on the go. That also means the solution is expected to be provided right away, so make sure you have the right tools for the job,” says Szymon Klimczak, CMO at LiveChat. The current state of live chat shows that companies understand the high importance of this tool in their communication processes. A business chat application is a key engagement channel and an integral part of any business’s digital strategy. It helps to fulfill the expectations of convenient, fast, and meaningful service. Yet, simply having the tool implemented on a website is not enough to improve customer experience, especially among younger customers. Key takeaways: In December 2022, businesses can expect twice as many monthly chats compared to the same period in 2021, with more and more Gen Zers doing their holiday shopping online. To get ahead of the curve, companies should keep their first response time between 35-40 seconds because that’s the range businesses will be working in by midway 2023. Support agents should not force a change in their writing style with more and more emojis. The predictions suggest that customers do not need them to communicate their message. LiveChat’s data presents that businesses can expect a 38% increase in the number of bot chats between June 2022 to June 2023. That means that this is the right time for companies to invest in chatbot technology as it is getting out of the adoption phase in customer communication. To download "The Generation Z Trends Forecast Report," visit the website: https://www.livechat.com/gen-z-communication/. About LiveChat LiveChat is a complete customer service solution that offers several ways for businesses to communicate with buyers. Our industry-leading portfolio of products includes LiveChat, ChatBot, HelpDesk, and KnowledgeBase – all designed to enable contact with companies at any time and through a variety of communication channels. A wide range of business customers use the platform because of its customization capabilities and limitless integrations. LiveChat encourages tech firms and developers to build their own solutions on the platform’s back-end, allowing organizations to configure the application to fit their specific needs. It also integrates with all popular messaging channels and hundreds of other tools such as Shopify, Hubspot, and Google Analytics. Founded in 2002 with offices in both Poland and the United States, LiveChat is actively used by more than 36,000 companies worldwide and supports over 75 million chats monthly. Learn more at www.livechat.com. Contact Details LiveChat, Inc. Patrycja Bilińska p.bilinska@livechat.com Company Website https://www.livechat.com/

September 22, 2022 02:08 PM Eastern Daylight Time

“Ready for Ron” Team Growing, Generating Tremendous Support, Amplifying Pro-DeSantis Message

Ready for Ron

Ready for Ron, a draft committee encouraging Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to run for President is seeing growing momentum as the only credible organization working to draft, and elect, Ron DeSantis President in 2024. Ready for Ron launched an advertising and grassroots mobilization effort in late May to convince Ron DeSantis he has the support to win the Presidency in 2024. The PAC also filed a formal Advisory Opinion Request with the Federal Election Commission to defend their right to share the names of Draft petition signers with Governor DeSantis to convince him to run –an act of Constitutionally protected political speech. A new draft advisory opinion from the FEC is expected in the coming days. In addition to the progress at the FEC, a series of recent op-eds and news coverage show the significant and growing support DeSantis has throughout the country among political veterans and grassroots activists alike: Ed Rollins, Ready for Ron Senior Strategist wrote for FoxNews.com “…An alternative is clearly needed, and worthy up-and-comers like Gov. Ron DeSantis exhibit many of the same leadership qualities that made Reagan so successful. Americans are ready for a leader like DeSantis to reclaim Reagan’s vision for America, follow in Donald Trump’s footsteps, and lead from the front… Vanessa Porras, a Venezuelan immigrant, software engineer, cybersecurity consultant, and advocate for Ready for Ron PAC wrote for TownHall.com, “…Americans don’t need politicians who experiment with socialist policies, such as student load cancellation. In 2024, we need an actual leader who is willing to call out the radical Left…Ron DeSantis is that leader. We as ‘Ready for Ron’ because we’re ready to defeat socialism – before it’s too late..." Business executive, author, commentator, and Ready for Ron advocate, Joseph Semprevivo wrote in the South Florida Sun Sentinel, “Ron’s results speak for themselves. Florida-based employers have added jobs for 27 consecutive months, exceeding the national rate for 16 consecutive months since April 2021…Business expansion. Job creation. Economic growth. Those are the staples of the DeSantis platform, and Floridians are ready to see it go national. All Americans should be ready for Ron’s resurgence…” Lilian Rodrigues Baz, Ready for Ron’s Chief Legal Counsel wrote in The Washington Times, “…From Florida to the blue states north and west, America is ready for Mr. DeSantis. He will make America great again, carrying on the Trump tradition and inspiring hope in our country yet again. It can’t come soon enough…” “Americans want more Florida-style freedom and prosperity, not more inflation, crime, and out of control spending we get from the Biden Administration, stated Lilian Rodríguez-Baz. “We are building the biggest grassroots movements ever, and with support for DeSantis growing like this, it will happen even quicker than anticipated.” “We are 100 percent committed to drafting and electing Ron DeSantis in 2024. Ron DeSantis is the best choice to carry the America-First agenda forward,” Ed Rollins said. “In record time, Joe Biden has undone so much of what was gained, and is poised to do more harm to our country. In this time of crisis, we need a new kind of young, energetic, charismatic leadership to stand up for America.” Ready for Ron continues its TV and online advertising efforts to engage with the tens of thousands of Americans who already signed the petition at www.ReadyForRon.com to Draft Ron DeSantis to run in 2024. ### For more information or to schedule an interview with a ‘Ready for Ron’ spokesperson or advocate, please contact Dan Rene at 202-329-8357 or dan@readyforron.com Contact Details Dan Rene +1 202-329-8357 dan@readyforron.com Company Website https://www.readyforron.com/

September 22, 2022 12:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Trust Relations President and Founder April White Named Finalist in 19th Annual Stevie® Awards for Women in Business

Trust Relations

April White, the president and founder of Trust Relations, has been named a finalist in the Most Innovative Woman of the Year - Advertising, Marketing & Public Relations category in the 19th annual Stevie® Awards for Women in Business, and will ultimately be honored as a Gold, Silver, or Bronze Stevie Award winner in the program. The Stevie® Awards are the world's premier business awards. They were created in 2002 to honor and generate public recognition of the achievements and positive contributions of organizations and working professionals worldwide. In short order, the Stevie has become one of the world's most coveted prizes. The Stevie Awards for Women in Business honor women executives, entrepreneurs, employees and the companies they run––worldwide. Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners will be announced during a gala event at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on Friday, November 11. Nominated women executives and entrepreneurs from the U.S.A and several other countries are expected to attend. The event will be broadcast on Livestream. This is the first time White has been named a finalist in The Stevie Awards for Women in Business. She was nominated by her colleagues for her leadership and vision that inspired Trust Relations, the first fully remote PR and integrated marketing agency that bypasses the traditional agency model by matching clients with a collective of industry experts across the globe and offering a full suite of PR and marketing services to deliver a 360-degree solution. The agency’s disruptive approach also includes facilitating a proprietary “Trust Analysis” to align clients’ authentic actions, goodwill and trust, and ensure their storytelling and storydoing are one and the same. “I am extremely honored to be named a finalist in the renowned Stevie Awards for Women in Business, alongside such a highly accomplished group of female entrepreneurs and industry experts,” says White. “When I started Trust Relations in 2019, I imagined reinventing the traditional agency structure and experience for both clients and employees. It has been incredibly rewarding to witness that vision come to life––and now be recognized for it. This award is a culmination of those efforts and the ongoing dedication of our amazing team.” More than 1,500 entries were submitted this year for consideration in more than 100 categories, including Executive of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Company of the Year, Startup of the Year, Women Helping Women, and Women Run Workplace of the Year. White is a Finalist in the Most Innovative Woman of the Year - Advertising, Marketing & Public Relations category. This year’s Stevie Awards for Women in Business event will be complemented by the fifth edition of the Women|Future Conference, a three-day educational and networking conference that will be presented virtually on November 8-10. “In its 19th year, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business received a remarkable collection of outstanding nominations,” said Maggie Miller, president of the Stevie Awards. “We’re looking forward to recognizing the Stevie Award winners in Las Vegas in November.” Details about the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, White’s nomination, and the list of finalists in all categories are available at www.StevieAwards.com/Women. About Trust Relations Trust Relations, founded in 2019, is a virtual integrated marketing communications firm that creates nimble and proactive “dream teams” for clients through a national network of the industry’s best and brightest practitioners. "Trust Relations" is a term coined by President and Founder April White to describe a new approach to strategic communications focused on communicating clients' authentic actions, values, and goodwill. In technology, trust relationships are an administration and communication link between two domains. In communications, they are a bond of mutual respect between a brand and the people it serves. The firm excels at identifying inspiring ways for clients to show their brand value by identifying supportive proof points and ideating creative activations that demonstrate their unique story and value proposition. For more information, visit www.trustrelations.agency. About The Stevie Awards Stevie Awards are conferred in eight programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards®, The International Business Awards®, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 nominations each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at www.StevieAwards.com. Contact Details Briana Cusimano marketing@trustrelations.agency

September 22, 2022 09:05 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Synthetic speech startup Murf AI raises $10Mn Series A to help your words find a voice

Murf

Murf AI, a fast-growing synthetic speech technology startup that is transforming the way voiceovers are created, is today announcing a $10M Series A funding round led by Matrix Partners India with participation from existing investor Elevation Capital, as well as prominent angel investors such as Ajay Arora - SVP Product, Disney Streaming, Ankit Bhati - Founder, Ola, Ashwini Asokan - Founder, Mad Street Den, Pushkar Mukewar - Founder, Drip Capital and Yamini Bhat - Founder, Vymo. Murf plans to use these funds to drive further product innovation, accelerate R&D, and scale its presence in focused geographies. Founded in October 2020 by IIT-Kharagpur class mates Sneha Roy, Ankur Edkie, and Divyanshu Pandey, Murf provides an AI-enabled SaaS tool that allows users to generate “human-like” voice overs for videos and presentations—without the need for complex recording equipment or hiring a voice artist. In May of 2021, the company raised a $1.5M Seed funding round led by Elevation Capital and a few angel investors which helped them recruit talent, invest in product innovation, and user acquisition. Since then, Murf has grown 22x in ARR and synthesised 1 million+ voice over projects. According to market reports, the global text to speech market is expected to reach $7.06B by 2028, growing at a 14.7% CAGR. In addition, the voiceover and the dubbing market is predicted to generate a total of $8B annually by 2027. Tapping into this unparalleled opportunity, Murf aims to make high-quality voice overs accessible to all by placing a simple yet powerful online voice studio in the hands of every content creator. From conversational to aspirational, casual to authoritative, excited to sad, cheerful to angry, Murf’s AI voices can simulate a variety of speaking styles and tones. The firm has a high-quality AI voice for every use case, including eLearning, advertising, podcasting, L&D, and audiobooks. While text to speech has been around for years, limitations in quality restricted the usage of the technology to primarily IVR and chat bots. Recent advances in AI and deep learning have however made it possible to build synthetic voices that mimic the natural prosody and pronunciation of human speech. Murf’s AI engine has been trained on hours of actual human speech to produce high-fidelity synthetic AI voices that mimic the nuances and subtleties, including the likeness, style, and uniqueness of the human voice. The 120+ human-parity AI voices offered by Murf Studio across 20+ languages are rich with emotion and intonation. The startup is also working towards bridging the diversity gap that exists in traditional text to speech platforms by ensuring the inclusion of voices across varied accents like African American, British, and Australian English. “Synthetic media is poised to become omnipresent in the near future and voice is at the core of it. At Murf, we continue to make advances in our speech technology to bring the diverse abilities of talented voice actors at our customers’ fingertips through AI. This Series A investment would further bolster our commitment towards simplifying and scaling voiceovers,” said Ankur Edkie, Co-Founder and CEO, Murf AI. Akin to the human brain, Murf’s AI-powered TTS can track and learn from a vast amount of contextual information to return a relevant response. Serving as an all-in-one voice solution, its simple-to-use AI voice generator enables users to add images, videos, and background music and sync the voiceover with the visuals and music. The platform also offers key features for smart pronunciations using IPA, voice customizations that enable users to change pitch, pause, emphasis, and speed, and ability to clone a voice. "AI-driven, life-like voiceovers are the next frontier in the text to speech market. Murf, with their stellar founding team and unique IP, is perfectly poised to gain a leadership position in this space. Their execution prowess and tech-first focus is evident in the solid traction and growth that they've demonstrated so far. We are really excited to double down on our partnership with Murf.", commented Mukul Arora, Co Managing Partner, Elevation Capital. “We’re big believers that AI will reinvent every market and Murf is reinventing a multi-billion dollar category with their AI-voiceover technology. Creating voiceovers is hard, and Murf’s unique IP makes it easy for every individual to create emotional and theatrical voices—faster, better, and cheaper. With phenomenal customer love and international traction, Murf is an early category leader and we’re excited to partner with Ankur, Sneha, and Divyanshu on their next phase of growth,” commented Pranay Desai, Principal, Matrix India. About Murf AI Murf helps businesses simplify the process of creating natural-sounding voiceovers using AI. The firm’s AI-powered Saas tool enables users to create lifelike voices for their content in a matter of minutes. From L&D, educators, authors, and podcasters to animators, product developers, YouTubers, freelancers, and corporate coaches, the platform has a voice for every creator across all industries. Murf’s curated voice library of 120+ realistic sounding AI voices in 20+ languages, is ideal for those on a tight budget who want to create voiceovers at scale. Murf’s geographic footprint spans worldwide, with 80 percent of its customers coming in from the US, Canada, and EU regions. For more information please visit https://murf.ai/ About Elevation Capital Elevation Capital is a leading venture capital firm which provides seed and early stage capital for emerging companies in India. Elevation Capital has been investing in India since 2002 deploying almost $2 billion of capital in over 150 companies. The firm announced its eighth pool of capital of $670 million in April 2022. The firm is led by Co-Managing Partners Ravi Adusumalli and Mukul Arora, along with three Managing Directors Mridul Arora, Deepak Gaur and Mayank Khanduja. The firm has invested in over 150 companies across Consumer Internet, SaaS, Fintech, Consumer Brands, Edtech, Healthtech and Web3/Crypto, and has offices in Bengaluru, Gurgaon and Salt Lake City. About Matrix Partners India Founded in 2006, the firm invests in Indian companies targeting the consumer and enterprise market at seed, early, and early growth stages. Matrix India has invested in several market-leading companies such as Ola (mobility), Dailyhunt (mobile local language platform), Razorpay (payments), OfBusiness (B2B Commerce, fintech), Five Star Business Finance (SME lending), Ola Electric (electric vehicles), DealShare (social commerce platform), Stanza Living (tech-enabled student housing platform), OneCard (mobile-first credit card), Country Delight (D2C dairy & fresh foods brand), GoKwik (e-commerce enablement platform), Captain Fresh (seafood marketplace), Bijnis (B2B platform for factories), MoEngage (intelligent marketing cloud platform), Superops (MSP software), Zupee (skill-based gaming app), Rocketlane (customer onboarding software), 100ms (live video infrastucture startup) and Itilite (corporate travel SaaS platform) among others. Matrix India has advisory offices in Bangalore, Delhi, and Mumbai. Further information is available at www.matrixpartners.in. To know more about our investment philosophy & ideologies, check out the #MatrixMoments podcast. Contact Details Murf Ai Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://murf.ai/

September 21, 2022 12:10 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Agora Data Secures $100M Credit Facility from Credit Suisse

Agora

Agora Data, Inc., the FinTech company transforming automotive financing by providing U.S. independent auto dealers and finance companies precision loan performance analytics and access to ample, affordable capital, closed a $100 million revolving credit facility with Credit Suisse Group AG. This latest transaction facility allows Agora Data to accelerate and expand its ability to deliver efficient capital to loan originators who offer in-house financing solutions for non-prime auto buyers. “This $100 million credit facility adds to Agora’s other capital strategies and is the latest of many strategic steps that support the expansion of our core mission to provide highly accurate loan performance data and low-cost capital to auto dealers who serve the non-prime buyer,” said Steve Burke, CEO, Agora Data. The new $100 million credit facility marks another milestone in Agora Data’s growth trajectory. The company closed the first-ever crowdsourced auto securitization in late 2020, ushering in a new way to provide independent auto dealers access to capital markets financing. Since then, Agora Data has closed multiple crowdsourced securitization s using its proprietary AI and machine learning algorithms. With patent pending modeling, Agora Data aggregates independent dealers and finance companies with auto loan portfolios ranging from $100 thousand to more than $60 million into a single securitization. Access to fair, competitively priced capital has been a challenge for auto dealers that offer in-house financing across the U.S. Before Agora, dealers were highly reliant on financing with high-interest rates, restrictions, and personal guarantees. Agora Data provides auto dealers with competitive and abundant financing and resources, such as advanced AI/ML modeling, that helps them construct their loan portfolios with high predictability and improved performance. This transformative fintech approach enables auto dealers to safely grow their business and offer improved lending terms to non-prime customers. Agora Data, Inc. Agora Data, Inc., an automotive industry fintech, is the nation’s leading resource for independent auto dealers and finance companies. Auto loan originators can secure affordable capital to build their own non-prime captive finance solution, obtain actionable loan performance data to optimize their lending portfolios, and leverage other products to grow their business safely. Powered by patent pending technology, originators can access real-time data analytics and planning resources to help optimize the performance of their portfolios. Agora Data made history by closing the first-ever crowdsourced non-prime auto securitization in 2020 and continually bringing groundbreaking products to an underserved market. For more information, visit www.agoradata.com or contact us at 1-877-592-4672. # # # Contact Details Shelly Vandeven +1 682-282-4130 media@agoradata.com Company Website https://agoradata.com/

September 20, 2022 09:06 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Indie Political Podcast Celebrates 1 Million Downloads in first 18 Months

UNFTR

Unf*cking the Republic (UNFTR) surpassed one million downloads in its first 18 months. The New York-based podcast covers political, economic and socioeconomic issues from a progressive perspective and regularly ranks among the most popular leftist political podcasts in the United States and Canada. Unf*cking the Republic (UNFTR), the popular independent political podcast covering economic and socioeconomic issues, recently surpassed one million downloads. The show was given an early boost when The New York Times called it “consistently compelling and educational, aiming to challenge conventional wisdom and upend the historical narratives that we’re taught in school. The host, a ‘quasi-anonymous political writer,’ according to the podcast’s synopsis, approaches the show with a playful and often coarse tone that never undermines the rigorous, serious content of its episodes.” The decision to host the podcast anonymously was made in an effort to put the content center stage instead of building a personality-driven show. The show is written and hosted by self-proclaimed “basic white guy” under the pseudonym “Max” and is co-hosted by the show’s producer known only as “99.” Sound design and engineering for the pod is provided by Manny Faces, an award winning producer and journalist based in Atlanta, GA. “We’re obviously beyond thrilled at the reception to the show,” said Max. “In order to move past the gimmicky nature of unknown hosts, which made it impossible to leverage social media in any meaningful way, we knew that the content had to be air tight and top notch. Word of mouth and support from our audience has allowed us to break through the clutter more than even we anticipated.” UNFTR launched in late 2020 with a handful of introductory episodes to establish the format and lay the groundwork for what would become a weekly foray into American politics, history, economics and socioeconomics. UNFTR officially launched the weekly format in March 2021. Its most popular episodes to date are “The Economics of Racism,” a two-part series titled “Libertarians are Exhausting” ( Part 1 & Part 2 ) and a deep dive into The Chicago School of Economics in which the hosts examine the life and legacy of the show’s arch nemesis Milton Friedman. “We approach American political history and current events through a progressive lens but take great pains to provide a balanced, nuanced and exhaustive account of public policy,” continues Max. “Sourcing and research are critical to the success. Attention to detail, providing clear and accurate information and taking a balanced approach despite the sometimes tawdry language has allowed us to forge a rather unique bond with our listeners. In return, they support the show both financially and intellectually as many of the topics come from the audience.” UNFTR is available on all major streaming platforms and more information about the show and the entire catalog can be found at UNFTR.com. The show is funded entirely by donations, memberships and a coffee partnership with a native roasting company based on the Poospatuck Reservation on Long Island. None of the content is gated and all of the episode essays can be found at unftr.substack.com. Contact Details Unf*cking The Republic Max unftrpod@gmail.com Company Website https://www.unftr.com/

September 19, 2022 10:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Minuteman Press Franchise in Cherry Hill, NJ Celebrates 30 Years in Business

Minuteman Press International Inc

When Frank Bittner, Jr. first worked alongside his dad Frank, Sr., it was March of 1990. “I was 17, still in high school, and it was the summer before senior year,” reflects Frank, Jr. “I was working on bindery and making deliveries for our Trenton shop, which we owned for two years before opening our Minuteman Press franchise in Cherry Hill. It’s amazing to think that was 32 years ago.” In October 1992, Frank, Sr. opened Minuteman Press in Cherry Hill, and 30 years later, Frank, Jr. and his wife Kelly are still owning and operating the family business. Frank, Jr. says, “The chance to work side by side with my dad for all those years was incredibly special. I started managing the shop in 1997, and Kelly and I bought the shop from my dad 5 or 6 years ago. My Uncle Joe also came on board early on and runs our Hainesport shop today, so this truly is a family business all the way around.” Keys to Success Frank doesn’t hesitate when sharing the biggest key to success for Minuteman Press in Cherry Hill. He says, “We build relationships with our clients, and we simply do not give them a reason to leave us.” He continues, “We’ve had many clients for over 20 years, and some since Day 1. For example, we’ve been working with some of the local car dealerships since we opened. Once customers find you and know they can rely on you, cost is not a factor because there is real trust in that relationship.” “What it really comes down to is being personable, developing that trust, and forming a tight bond that leads to residual / repeat customers. Providing that personal service along with the products they need is how we’ve been successful.” -Frank Bittner, Jr., Owner, Minuteman Press, Cherry Hill, NJ Expanding Products & Services During the pandemic, Minuteman Press in Cherry Hill remained open and operating as an essential business. As a result, Frank saw a trend that continues to help his business today. He shares, “One thing we noticed during the pandemic was that a lot of local municipalities were spending, buying additional products from us we hadn’t done for them previously. We had a rise in sales from those municipal groups, townships, and county offices. As a result, we are now taking more orders from them today, such as plastic ID cards and plaques for their employees. We already had done some of their printing for retractable banners, carbonless forms, and envelopes, and now we are getting to do more.” Just by contacting other local businesses during the pandemic to see how they were doing has helped increase business today. Frank shares, “We wanted to simply show that we care and still available to help our clients. At that time, we put a strong focus on in-house Every Door Direct Mail, and our EDDM business really took off.” He adds, “In addition to mailings, clients are now coming back to us with orders for trade show supplies, wide format printing, promo products, apparel, items for community events and job fairs, raffles and tickets for local events, and more.” “I think people still want something in their hands. They might be used to their phones but having a tangible printed marketing piece that shows bullet-points is special. Print will always be a vital tool of information.” -Frank Bittner, Jr. Marketing the Business Cherry Hill, NJ is the largest suburb in New Jersey outside of Philadelphia. It is home to mostly small to mid-sized businesses, as well as local schools and organizations. To market his business in Cherry Hill, Frank has followed the Minuteman Press system for over 30 years. Frank says, “I am in the same two networking groups that my dad first joined, the Voorhees Business Association (VBA) and the Marlton Business Association (MBA). We are also members of the Burlington County Chamber of Commerce. It is important to get involved and have that personal relationship with members of your community. No matter what you are selling, it’s you that they buy into. I am not a faceless entity, I am Frank the owner, and that makes a huge difference.” In addition, Frank also participates in the Minuteman Press Internet Marketing Program. “It’s great to have that program in place to generate online leads as it’s another we to secure orders and then develop relationships with clients.” Support from Minuteman Press When it comes to being part of Minuteman Press, support comes in many ways. Frank says, “The support from Minuteman Press is always there when I need it, and this has always been the case. They have helped with employee training and staffing, provided great advice, and our Regional VP Rich Hornberger is a tremendous asset to us. Rich truly cares about the owners in his region, and I always appreciate his input.” Frank also appreciates the FLEX software as he has seen its evolution and enhancements over the years. “FLEX is so valuable and robust for pricing, marketing, and management. It’s great to see that some popular suggestions from owners are implemented. I love the integration with our vendors and the idea of getting deposits ahead of time is fantastic. Anything to make quotes easier and receiving payments easier is a huge benefit to our business.” During the first days and weeks of the pandemic, Frank credits the daily emails and communications he received from Minuteman Press World Headquarters and Nick Titus for reassuring him at a crucial time. “The emails we received from Nick were fantastic and I looked forward to them every day. They also helped us quickly pivot by implementing new marketing strategies and sell essential products. When everything first shut down, I couldn’t help but think about my family and my business. That lasted 3 days, and then we came back into the shop, the phones kept ringing, and we did not miss a beat.” He continues, “Without assistance from corporate, and without that morale boost at such a critical time, I don’t know if we would have been able to bounce back so quickly. It was also a huge asset to have the other franchise owners in our system to exchange ideas and share advice. All of that was extremely valuable.” “We were encouraged to keep plugging away, and that’s what we did. We printed masks using heat transfer. We printed new menus for restaurants, and we filled our community with graduation signs for the local schools we had relationships with. By remaining open, we helped one of our energy customers ramp up their mailings with EDDM and personalized mailings, and their sales have doubled since the pandemic. They are now one of our biggest clients.” -Frank Bittner, Jr. Rewards & Advice for Others As he reflects on 32 years, Frank shares, “Flexibility and quality of life are the two biggest rewards to being your own boss. I have been able to set my own schedule and be there for my kids. I’ve allowed my employees to have that same flexibility so we can all share that same mindset of caring about the business but being there for our families” When asked what advice he would give to others, Frank says, “I am a big believer in cross-training my employees. My advice is to have one or two key people who can do everything from front to back. Also, don’t expect to come in and not be present. You need to be present, and you need to be proactive.” Frank concludes, “Minuteman Press International is always moving forward. They fine-tune what is the next step and are on top of industry trends. Take advantage of their knowledge and experience and follow the system. That’s what we’ve done now for over 30 years and counting.” Minuteman Press in Cherry Hill is located at 2060 Springdale Rd., Suite 700, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003. For more information, call 856-817-8400 or visit their website: https://minuteman.com/us/locations/nj/cherry-hill/ Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities and see Minuteman Press franchise reviews at https://minutemanpressfranchise.com Contact Details Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

September 19, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Catalis Expands Suite of Technology Solutions with Axiomatic Acquisition

Catalis

Catalis, one of North America’s leading government Software as a Service (SaaS) and integrated payments providers, is growing. Today Catalis announced it has acquired New Hampshire-based Axiomatic, a leading software provider that offers an array of web-based solutions and services throughout the United States for state property tax oversight and administration. Catalis is a trusted technology partner for thousands of US and Canadian government entities. Its acquisition of Axiomatic is part of its commitment to continue offering clients innovative technology and a growing suite of solutions, including building its Computer Aided Mass Appraisal (CAMA) subject matter expertise and offering a state-focused solution. “Catalis is thrilled to integrate Axiomatic’s solutions to automate the state property tax oversight process and to expand the valuation tools and workflow solutions we offer for end-users,” says John Kristel, CEO of Catalis. “Axiomatic’s state-level-focused tax oversight and administration solutions are a fantastic complement to Catalis’ existing product capabilities.” Founded in 2013, Axiomatic is the industry leader in modernizing property tax oversight agencies, from processes to software and policy. Its flagship product, PropTax, automates property tax oversight for state agencies across all stages of the property tax cycle through its fully configurable suite of web applications. Its easy-to-use interfaces provide state property tax administrators with the tools, automated workflows, geospatial integrations, and analysis needed to increase both efficiency and accuracy. “Catalis presented the perfect fit to the business and culture we have built over the past nine years,” says David Salzer, Co-Founder of Axiomatic. “Catalis shares Axiomatic’s traditions of excellent service, subject matter expertise, and a corporate ethos our clients and associates want to be a part of.” In 2021, a recapitalization co-led by growth equity firm PSG and leading global alternative asset firm TPG boosted Catalis’ valuation to more than $1 billion. Catalis’ latest acquisition aligns with its ambitions for expansion as the premier software and digital payments provider for North American governments. Late last month, Catalis announced a rebrand as part of the company’s natural progression. Catalis’ existing CAMA providers will directly benefit from this acquisition by gaining a deeper understanding of state reporting needs and requirements. In turn, Catalis will be able to help its county and municipal-level customers streamline their data reporting to state oversight agencies. “When we announced our rebrand, we assured our customers we would continue to provide incredible customer service and an expanded range of resources and solutions,” continues Kristel. “This acquisition is just the beginning.” About Catalis Catalis is the transformational SaaS and integrated payments partner powering all levels and sizes of government – municipal, county, state, and federal. With deep expertise, a proven track record, and innovative digital solutions, Catalis has empowered public servants across the US and Canada to modernize government and engage citizens. Catalis Tax and CAMA solutions are best-in-class and designed to meet the evolving needs of local governments. Catalis offers solutions that streamline processes and empower staff from billing and collections, escrow payment management, and property and tourist tax solutions, to CAMA software and mass appraisal services. For more information, visit www.catalisgov.com. About Axiomatic Axiomatic was founded in 2013 to serve the unique needs of state property tax oversight agencies. It develops purpose-built solutions to meet the unique challenges faced by state property tax administrators and their constituents. Axiomatic’s industry-leading suite of web apps delivers efficiencies, improves analytics, and allows users to access their information anytime, anywhere. For more information, visit www.axiomnh.com. Contact Details Eric Johnson EVP Government & Legal Affairs +1 612-309-7111 ericjohnson@catalisgov.com

September 19, 2022 06:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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