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CMMC Center of Excellence Announces Engagement Agreement with Ignyte Assurance Platform

Interoperability Clearinghouse

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Center of Excellence ( CMMC COE ), hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public-private partnership serving the public and private sectors for more than 15 years, is excited to announce a partnership with Ignyte Assurance Platform, a leading provider of software and consulting expertise for cyber risk, cyber compliance, and cybersecurity standards mapping and assurance. This unique partnership will extend efforts to identify and include proven capabilities within the CMMC COE Marketplace to improve cybersecurity protection and resilience for the global defense industrial base network of contractors, vendors, and suppliers. Ignyte Assurance Platform delivers a software product to assist with data collection, analysis, and to help streamline processes across multiple security frameworks at once. The capability developed by Ignyte Assurance Platform supports an organization’s efforts around security, governance, risk management, and compliance and provides a tested and proven range of solutions to improve overall cybersecurity protection and resilience while meeting requirements of standards such as CMMC. The executed Engagement Agreement establishes a collaborative engagement between Ignyte Assurance Platform and the CMMC COE to partner in the furthering of their respective and complementary missions and objectives regarding the adoption, use, and expansion of CMMC based cybersecurity practices, risk management, and compliance for the DIB contractor, vendor, and supplier community of providers creating a broader CMMC ecosystem globally to improve security and resilience. “This is exciting opportunity for us”, said Mr. John Weiler, Chairman of the Board at CMMC Center of Excellence, “This new partnership will further help advance the goals and objectives for improving the supply chain security and resilience of the US Department of Defense (DoD)”. “While CMMC seems like a brand-new framework for someone outside the industry, we’ve been working on automation of its predecessor legislative and industry requirements such as DFARS 252.204-7012, NIST 800-171 and FedRAMP since 2012, eliminating manual components and automating governance processes” said Mr. Max Aulakh, Founder and CEO of Ignyte Assurance Platform. “We recommend implementing NIST 800-171 for now, because it’s the first logical step in CMMC adaptation. NIST domains cover 110 controls out of 130 required for Level 3 of CMMC. Joining IT-AAC / COE in this initiative, we are not just bringing educational resources to the table, but have the means to utilize our technology to speed up and simplify CMMC adoption for the DoD Supply Chain” Specific actions will include: The co-development of CMMC advisory services, cyber training and education programs to accelerate CMMC certification, increase cyber adoption and improve cyber protection & resilience. Co-sponsor symposiums, training programs and podcasts leveraging their combined cyber and IT expertise. Host regular working groups, with other partners, to enable collaboration and communications. Source qualified CMMC/ cyber professionals to serve as advocates. Establish an independent Industry Cyber Security Advisory Council with peer organizations to advise and educate leaders across government and industry on the continued evolution and effectiveness of CMMC. The CMMC-COE ( http://cmmc-coe.org ) and Ignyte Assurance Platform partnership will focus on bringing together the many disparate cyber and national security communities of interest to reduce complexity, improve awareness, and accelerate industry effort to become more cyber resilient against the growing threats from nation states and criminal enterprises. The CMMC-COE establishes both a Market Place and Knowledge Clearinghouse that will include resources that support the overall effort, including white papers; tutorials; recorded webcasts; presentations; and more that will help reduce the cost and burden on small and medium size contractors already struggling from the impact of COVID. For more information on the CMMC COE, please visit http://cmmc-coe.org email info@cmmc-coe.org or call 703-863-3766 For more information on Ignyte Assurance Platform, please visit https://ignyteplatform.com/ About Us ---------- CMMC-COE.ORG is a unique non-profit public-private partnership, with a vision to accelerate Cybersecurity Maturity Model (CMM) adoption, and reduce time & cost for security compliance for our partners by leveraging commercial best practices, CMMC standards, and innovative solutions for a measurable success. Our mission, focused on DOD mission objectives, cost containment and expeditious CMMC compliance, is to help the DIB improve cyber posture and resilience, and simplify its acquisition. The CMMC-COE is hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public/private partnership (P3) chartered in 2007 as an honest broker to reach outside the confines of the Federal IT advisories that lack dynamic reach into the Global IT Market, and dedicated to the adoption of commercial IT management standards of practice and innovations emanating from the Global IT market. Team IT-AAC has already demonstrated the value of its decade long investment, and provides a unique value to agencies seeking to achieve accelerate the transformation of legacy processes and systems. Our Just-in-Time SMEs apply an innovative suite of Technology Business Management and Agile Acquisition Processes needed to assure the business value of commercial IT. The Interoperability Clearinghouse (ICH), is the managing partner that make up the 24 NGO/SDO organizations that make up the IT-AAC. ICH provides the contract vehicles, clearances, and critical resources proven to guide sustainable, measurable and repeatable processes needed to drive better investment decisions as the speed of mission need, while aligning existing processes, methods and workforce with IT reform mandates contained in Clinger Cohen Act, FITARA, IT MGT Act, EO13838. Contact Details Bob Dix +1 703-975-6633 bob.dix@it-aac.org Company Website https://cmmc-coe.org

February 08, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

2021 Will Be the Year of Meaningful Travel

YourUpdateTV

Airbnb released a new report and highlighted how 2021 will see a shift toward more meaningful travel as the pandemic continues to limit mass tourism and afflict the industry overall. When travel returns in 2021, it will be about connecting with loved ones through more personal trips, with mass tourism unlikely to return at any scale this year. Recently, Director of International Communications at Airbnb, Cassidy Blackwell, teamed with YourUpdateTV on a satellite media tour to discuss this trend and much more. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/f00q-568WXw In the report, US consumers say their near-term travel priority is to spend time with family and friends in comfortable, familiar and secure settings. Here are some additional findings from the report: Travel for pleasure is the out-of-home activity Americans have missed the most—over going to restaurants and bars, and attending sporting and other live events. A majority is ready to travel again: 54% have either already booked, are currently planning to travel, or expect to travel in 2021. This includes 57% of 18- to 29-year-olds, and 60% of 30- to 49-year-olds. The type of travel people have missed the most is visiting with family and friends. Business travel is the type of travel they have missed the least. Connecting with family and friends is also the type of travel that has grown most in importance as people look to travel after the pandemic: 41% say such travel has become “much more” important to them, almost twice the percentage who cite travel to accomplish personal goals (22%). Affordability is the top priority overall when it comes to choosing accommodation not just for the first trip but for future travel indefinitely (54%), beating health and safety protocols by 10 points. Nearly three in five Americans (58%) earning less than $50,000 per year say they are booked, planning or expecting to travel in 2021. Based on ongoing Airbnb guest survey data, a majority of guests—including 53% of all homes guests in 2019—tell us they choose Airbnb to save money while traveling. 56% of those under age 50 say they would be “much” or “somewhat more likely” to use an online platform which offers the ability to search for alternate energy and green accommodations. Only 28% of those aged 50+ say the same. For more information on these trends and much more, visit Airbnb.com About Cassidy Blackwell: Cassidy Blackwell is the Director of International Communications at Airbnb. In her role she is responsible for leading the teams across EMEA, APAC, LATAM and China to drive initiatives that help to advance business objectives, policy priorities and brand reputation. In her tenure as a marketing and communications professional, Cassidy has experience in working in both tech, CPG, retail and philanthropy, with specialized experience in empowering women, people of color and other underserved communities around the world. Cassidy has been named one of Fast Company's Most Creative People in Business, Brand Innovator's 40 Under 40 and a finalist for the Sage Group's Marketers Who Matter. About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

February 05, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Video

Scents of Space: Citizen Helps to Create a Relaxing Environment at Home

YourUpdateTV

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/izrNOXrEqMI In a time where working remotely, virtual school and stay-in date nights have taken on a whole new meaning, your home environment has never become more important. Leading watchmaker, Citizen, launches a new innovative scent diffusing wellness clock – Sensory Time™ for home and offices. This multi-functional sensory clock is fully integrated, time saving and a life enhancing product. Our homes are our sanctuary; it is one of the few places where we feel comfortable, safe, and at peace. However, with the current events, many of us need to try to transform our homes into a more relaxing place, helping us to cope with all the stress that we might feel. Caroline Fabrigas, CEO of Scent Marketing Inc. and Co-founder of Scent Invent Technology partnered with Citizen, D S Simon Media, and YourUpdate TV on a nationwide media tour to discuss the ways the scents can be used to create a relaxing home environment and discuss the launch of the new scent-diffusing wellness clock from Citizen called Sensory Time™. The use of scent has become a vital part of everyday life as the pursuit for health and wellness increases. Created in partnership with IFF (International Flavors & Fragrances), one of the largest fragrance houses globally, the end result was an innovative, scent diffusion system that provides high quality aromas. Sensory Time is available with two essential oil blends: Lavender Escape and Citrus Boost. Lavender Escape is a calming, uplifting blend of aromatic and woody noted for a sense of calm and a feeling of comfort and balance. Citrus Boost is an uplifting surge of stimulating botanicals for a sense of rejuvenation. This noiseless aroma machine can use essential oil directly without any water. Water based evaporators or fans destroy all the properties of the essential oil which are important for well-being. By using solid state diffusion technology the scent machine preserves all the good properties of the essential oil while providing a subtle diffusion Sensory Time also uses 100% essential oil, leaving nothing to waste. Nano particles leave no residue and allow you to scent a 500 cubic square feet house or office space subtly and efficiently. Replenishment oil supply will be sold to separately. Sensory Time is offered in three modern designs: White on Expresso Wood (CC1038), White on White (CC1036), and White on Dark Grey (CC1037). All clocks retail at $99.00. Sensory Time’s other unique features include precision timekeeping with a 24-hour digital clock and alarm for the scent diffusing mode, a Bluetooth wireless speaker that delivers pitch perfect sound, USB power source for extra charging capabilities and a modulating wellness light that adjusts to suit your mood. Sensory Time is the perfect gift for this holiday season. It is available at www.citizenwatch.com/sensorytime. About Citizen Watch: Citizen, a pioneer in watchmaking and innovation since 1918, promotes excellence and creativity with a deep-rooted respect for craftsmanship. Citizen advocates “Better Starts Now,” searching for and accomplishing goals that cultivate positive change. Driven to create timepieces enjoyed by citizens all over the world, Citizen formed an alliance partnership with Disney in 2018, another powerhouse brand with similar values. With a long-term partnership in place, Citizen participates in activations surrounding the Disney Parks, Marvel, Star Wars and more. Citizen is the Official Timepiece of both Walt Disney World and Disneyland with branded clocks in both theme parks. In addition, in 2020 Citizen joined 1% for the Planet, pledging to donate 1% of its website sales in the U.S. to support global nonprofit organizations focused on the environment. At Citizen, our purpose started with a simple yet revolutionary challenge to ourselves: to think about power differently. For over 40 years, CITIZEN’s proprietary Eco-Drive® technology has harnessed the power of light from any natural or artificial light source to convert it to energy, eliminating the need for any battery replacement, using a renewable energy to keep batteries from landfills. All watches require power, but very few consider the source that power comes from, and what impact it may have on not just the wearer, but the world at large. Eco-Drive isn’t an ordinary power source — it’s one with purpose built in. About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

February 05, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Video

Tayler Jade in Partnership With OC Hit Factory and DNT Entertainment to Release Part One of Sexy Dual Single “Temporary/WYA” on February 12th

Tayler Jade

Tayler Jade has partnered with Thomas Barsoe, Founder/CEO of OC Hit Factory and Dani Thompson, Founder/CEO of DNT Entertainment, to introduce her brand and new music to the world. “Temporary/WYA” are the first two of five singles to be released by Jade in 2021. Part one of the accompanying dual sequel music video will premiere on YouTube just in time for Valentine’s Day; the steam coming off this is sure to fog up your screen. Tayler Jade has partnered with Thomas Barsoe, Founder/CEO of OC Hit Factory and Dani Thompson, Founder/CEO of DNT Entertainment, to introduce her brand and new music to the world. “Temporary/WYA” are the first two of five singles to be released by Jade in 2021. The music production by Robbie Crebar and Mikey Francis, vocal production by Thomas Barsoe, and lyrics by Tayler Jade and Jacquie Hishmeh, are mesmerizing, witty and sensual. There is a feeling of gravity that draws you in and leaves you wanting more; which you will get in part two of this dual single/video sequel which will follow in mid March. “ ' Temporary/WYA ' will have you on the edge of your seat. It gives you all the feels of young love, passion, excitement, uncertainty and anxiety that many can relate to in new relationships,” says Dani Thompson. The music video was Directed by Nik Shaw, Asst. Directed by Elliot A. Gannon, DP’d by Ksusha Genenfeld, Produced by Thomas Barsoe, and Lead Actors starring alongside Tayler Jade include Eric Guilmette and Ian Peterson. The cast and crew consisted of 22, and was shot at a private residence in Los Angeles following all Covid 19 production guidelines. More about Tayler Jade: Tayler Jade is an American Pop/R&B singer-songwriter and recording artist from Orange County, California. Her main goal with her music is to empower young women to be confident and comfortable in their own skin. Jade’s main musical influences are female powerhouses such as: Tori Kelly, Ariana Grande, Madison Beer, Victoria Monet and Summer Walker. Tayler Jade is an American Pop/R&B singer-songwriter and recording artist from Southern California. She has spent the past 2 years in the studio working on her first original EP which will be released in 2021 as a series of singles, starting with “Temporary” on February 12th. Her electrifying voice and sultry beats create a physical reaction that is sure to send chills down your spine. Her main musical influences are female powerhouses such as Tori Kelly, Ariana Grande, Victoria Monet and Summer Walker. Learn more at https://www.taylerjade.com/ Contact Details DNT Dani Thompson +1 714-496-5152 taylerjadepr@dntagency.com Tayler Jade Jason Jepson 949-394-7033 jason.jepson@taylerjade.com Company Website https://www.taylerjade.com/

February 04, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

#KpopTwitter achieves new record of 6.7 Billion Tweets globally in 2020

Media Outreach

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - Media OutReach - 4 February 2021 - While 2020 changed the way that we enjoy many different types of entertainment, K-pop continued to be a worldwide cultural phenomenon and one of the most global communities on Twitter today. Fans connected with their favorite K-pop artists and participated in conversations with each other around the world, setting a new global record of 6.7 billion K-pop related Tweets in 2020. With over 300 K-pop Topics to follow on Twitter, it's now easier than ever to see and participate in the best conversations every day about the K-pop artists you love. "Even in a year where the sounds of K-pop were not able to fill the arenas and venues that they typically do, the #KpopTwitter community set a new worldwide record and K-pop artists continued to energize their global fanbase on Twitter. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic last year, Twitter provided the most thrilling social soundtrack for K-Pop fans, and enabled them to share their love for their favorite K-pop artists with their friends, as well as make new ones all over the world," said YeonJeong Kim, Head of Global K-Pop Partnerships at Twitter. Passionate fans with non-stop conversations: Top 20 markets by Tweet volume The markets generating the most buzz about K-pop showed that the genre's popularity continues to grow in markets where it's secured a foothold - even pushing new markets to the top. Surging conversations from fans in Indonesia and India generated enough Tweets to push both higher in the 2020 rankings, with Indonesia taking the #1 spot, and India entering the top 10 for the first time. Despite fierce competition, Brazil and Mexico managed to retain their spots in the top 10, while Spain reached the top 20 for the first time due to the passion of the K-pop fans there. The top 20 markets Tweeting about K-pop ranked by Tweet Volume in 2020 were: Indonesia Thailand South Korea Philippines USA Brazil Malaysia Japan Mexico India Argentina Peru Vietnam UK France Chile Singapore Canada Turkey Spain K-pop popularity on the rise across the world: Top 20 markets by unique voices Looking at the top 20 markets by unique voices reveals a diverse range of markets, highlighting the increasingly global nature of the K-pop community. K-pop increased its mainstream appeal in several of the largest markets worldwide as Japan and the USA topped this country list with the most number of people who Tweeted about K-pop in 2020. In addition, K-pop fandoms are growing larger across the globe, with other markets like Turkey, France, and Saudi Arabia moving up this country list. The top 20 markets Tweeting about K-pop ranked by number of unique voices in 2020 were: Japan USA Indonesia South Korea Philippines Brazil Thailand Malaysia Mexico India UK Turkey Argentina France Spain Canada Saudi Arabia Vietnam Russia Chile Worldwide favorites: Most-mentioned K-pop artists Even without many events and tours, the biggest K-pop artists continued to drive conversations among their passionate fans. The top most-mentioned artists, including BTS ( @BTS_twt ), NCT ( @NCTsmtown ), EXO ( @weareoneEXO ), and BLACKPINK ( @BLACKPINK ) all released new music projects for their fans last year to help them get through 2020. The top 10 most-mentioned K-pop artists on Twitter in 2020 were: BTS ( @BTS_twt ) NCT ( @NCTsmtown ) EXO ( @weareoneEXO ) BLACKPINK ( @BLACKPINK ) GOT7 ( @GOT7Official ) TREASURE ( @treasuremembers ) SEVENTEEN ( @pledis_17 ) TOMORROW X TOGETHER ( @TXT_members ) TWICE ( @JYPETWICE ) ATEEZ ( @ATEEZofficial ) The songs that defined 2020: Most mentioned K-pop songs Many different songs, whether from the early part of 2020 or just before year-end, helped us make it through 2020. The biggest may not surprise you - by offering "Dynamite" in part for its fans in English-speaking countries, BTS helped to make it one of the year's biggest songs. Fans of other groups, like GOT7 and NCT 2020, generated plenty of conversations for their favorite artists' comeback singles, "Breath" and "RESONANCE," respectively. The top 10 most-mentioned K-pop songs on Twitter in 2020 were: Dynamite, by BTS ( @BTS_twt ) ON, by BTS ( @BTS_twt ) Black Swan, by BTS ( @BTS_twt ) Life Goes On, by BTS ( @BTS_twt ) Breath, by GOT7 ( @GOT7Official ) RESONANCE, by NCT 2020 ( @NCTsmtown ) How You Like That, by BLACKPINK ( @BLACKPINK ) MORE & MORE, by TWICE ( @JYPETWICE ) Boy With Luv, by BTS ( @BTS_twt ) Shadow, by BTS ( @BTS_twt ) The new kids on the block: Fastest-rising K-pop artists Exciting artists emerged onto the scene or took flight in 2020, tantalizing fans with buzzworthy teasers and promising debuts. Each artist's approach was different - from TREASURE's ( @treasuremembers ) approach of solo debuts and their The First Step EP series, to TXT ( @TXT_members ) making their Japanese debut and second EP just months apart. In addition to TREASURE, many of the fastest-rising artists appeared here for the first time, including ENHYPEN ( @ENHYPEN_members ), THE BOYZ ( @WE_THE_BOYZ ), and IZ*ONE ( @official_izone ). The top 10 fastest-rising K-pop artists on Twitter in 2020 were: TREASURE ( @treasuremembers ) TXT ( @TXT_members ) ATEEZ ( @ATEEZofficial ) Stray Kids ( @Stray_Kids ) ENHYPEN ( @ENHYPEN_members ) WayV ( @WayV_official ) THE BOYZ ( @WE_THE_BOYZ ) SuperM ( @superm ) IZ*ONE ( @official_izone ) ITZY ( @ITZYofficial ) Connecting artists with fans: livestreams, virtual award shows, and more In the new normal, artists found new ways to stay connected with fans to replace the concerts, events, and other activities a typical year would bring. The #TwitterBlueroom produced many of the most popular livestream viewing opportunities to get to know the top K-pop artists better. The #TwitterBlueroom gave K-pop artists the ability to talk live directly to their fans on Twitter, as well as a chance to hear exclusive behind-the-scenes stories and other insights not available elsewhere - sometimes, artists like BLACKPINK ( @BLACKPINK ) even used the #TwitterBlueroom to give their fans content that they personalised for them. Embeddable Tweet: https://twitter.com/BLACKPINK/status/1328624032787230720 To close out 2020, Twitter partnered with MAMA (Mnet ASIAN MUSIC AWARDS) to bring K-pop fans' favorite artists closer to them than ever before. The hashtags #2020MAMA and #MAMA2020 topped Twitter real-time trends worldwide and in 68 markets, with a whopping 126 million Tweets related to 2020 MAMA generated from October 29 to December 6. #2020MAMA also marked the first time use of the 'Twitter Stanbot', the exclusive high quality, slow motion videos of K-pop artists and K-drama casts, with these videos viewable only on the official @MnetMAMA Twitter account. Other #OnlyOnTwitter content like 1:1 Q&A, Emoji, Fleets, and Voice drove conversations and trending topics about album launches, key artist milestones, and more, to bring fans closer to their favorite K-pop artists. More than music, K-pop idols and fans band together for social causes on Twitter As shown by #YearOnTwitter, the second most-Tweeted hashtag of 2020 was #BlackLivesMatter as the world mobilized and amplified the need for equality and social justice. K-pop fans, as well as their favorite idols, participated in the movement by mobilizing others to use the hashtag and join the cause, as well as raise funds through initiatives like #MatchAMillion. The #KpopTwitter community's involvement in the #BlackLivesMatter movement gave fans another way to stay connected and express their views on broader issues in society. In 2021, K-Pop will come back bigger than ever. #TwitterBlueroom, alongside other only-on-Twitter online content, will give fans to follow their favorites closely, until concerts and events come back in full force. And with comebacks tours already starting, there's a full year of music and your favorite idols ahead. Come join the #KpopTwitter conversation today to see and talk about your favorite K-Pop idols and stay updated with other K-Pop fans around the world! About Twitter, Inc. Twitter (NYSE: TWTR) is what's happening and what people are talking about right now. To learn more, visit about.twitter.com and follow @Twitter. Let's talk. Contact Details Twitter Inc. Dickson Seow (@dseowtwtr), Director, Global Communications Planning & Campaigns dseow@twitter.com The Hoffman Agency Singapore David Okubo or Brenda Neo TwitterSG@hoffman.com Twitter Korea Heejung Shin, Head, Communications & Business Marketing heejungs@twitter.com

February 03, 2021 08:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

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New Year, New Finances

YourUpdateTV

With the new year underway, it’s a great time to make some financial resolutions to help manage your money. In an increasingly digital world, it’s now more important than ever to harness the power of digital tools so you can level-up your financial journey in the year ahead. Recently, personal finance expert, Farnoosh Torabi, teamed up with Capital One and YourUpdateTV on a nationwide satellite media tour to share tips and digital banking resources to help consumers across the nation get set for financial success in the year ahead. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/8FpRQjEfQvc Shopping Smart When it comes to finances, the first place to look is your last few credit card statements, said Torabi, who recommends scrutinizing every purchase to make sure they fulfill a need. And, as we rely more and more on our phones for digital transactions, it can be easy to make impulse purchases, she said. According to Torabi, small behavioral shifts, like avoiding late-night spending, can help you mindfully shop and avoid unnecessary purchases. When you do shop, shop smart. Searching for discounts and coupons is one easy way to save, and, luckily, there are great digital tools out there that can do the work for you. For example, Capital One Shopping is an online tool that finds you better offers, automatically applies the best coupon code at checkout, and lets you know when prices drop on products you’ve viewed and purchased. The best part is it’s free and accessible for anyone in the U.S. via a browser extension download or mobile app on your phone. Getting Organized for Tax Season With tax season just around the corner, it’s never too early to get organized so you can get prepared and maximize your return. Torabi recommends filing your taxes online or by using a tax software to avoid costly errors. This is another great time to take advantage of digital tools like Eno, the intelligent assistant from Capital One, which is available to customers via text, email, mobile app and online. Eno proactively sends customers a personalized year-end summary of possible charitable donations made with their Capital One card so they can see what might be eligible for tax deductions. Protecting Yourself Online Protecting your personal information is paramount, which is why Eno creates virtual card numbers to disguise and protect your actual credit card number when making online purchases. You simply install the browser extension, and next time you’re checking out, you’ll be provided with a unique virtual card number specific to that site. And, it’s worth the reminder, said Torabi – do your research! If a site is new to you, glance at the Better Business Bureau or do a quick online search to make sure it’s a reputable merchant. If it feels too good to be true, it probably is! For more information about digital tools from Capital One, visit capitalone.com About Farnoosh Torabi: Farnoosh Torabi is one of America’s leading personal finance authorities — hooked on helping you live your richest, happiest life. As a Contributing Editor to Oprah Magazine and NextAdvisor, host of primetime series for CNBC and creator of the Webby-nominated podcast So Money, Farnoosh has become our favorite go-to money expert and financial friend. The New York Times calls her advice, “perfectly practical.” About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

February 03, 2021 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

Video

MarketFinance Business Booster Fund announces first winners of grants

Stockwood Strategy

Fintech business lender MarketFinance has today made three grants of £5,000 each to winners of the MarketFinance Business Booster Fund. Over 500 virtual pitches were received and 5 were shortlisted. These businesses were put to a social media vote before three winners were selected. The three winning entries came from ethical breastfeeding clothing brand The Bshirt, smart food labelling specialist BlakBear and independent children’s literacy charity The Economist Educational Foundation. Inner city young people’s charity XLP and creative agency Collaborative Creations were the other two businesses to make the shortlist. Anil Stocker, CEO of MarketFinance commented: “We launched this initiative as a small boost to help the successful businesses pivot, scale or grow in 2021. We want to support more of the UK’s hardest working and most exciting SMEs. In addition to the grant, we will offer the time and skills of our expert staff to help their leadership teams. Whether they need tech, marketing, finance or communications support, we will provide the resources to help them get to where they want to go. The winners' applications were highly commended and we wish them all the very best for the year ahead. ” On being the first beneficiaries of grants from the MarketFinance Booster Fund, the winners’ comments: Lisa Lessaware, co-founder of The Bshirt said: “This means so much to our business. This grant will be used to launch exciting new ethical products to help women breastfeed more comfortably and ultimately for longer.” Michael Kasimatis, co-founder at BlakBear said: “We’re thrilled to receive this grant. It will help drive the technical and regulatory development. Initiatives like this truly help deliver research and innovation to the market. Thank you, MarketFinance". Harriet Boland, Fundraising & Partnerships manager, at The Economist Educational Foundation said: “We are delighted to receive a grant from the MarketFinance business booster fund! This money will help us grow and reach thousands more young people and enable them to have inspiring discussions about current affairs in schools." The Business Booster Fund was established in December 2020 and forms part of a commitment from MarketFinance to SMEs. The Fund makes grants of £5,000 available to UK small businesses, along with expert advice from MarketFinance’s team. The fund has been designed to develop innovative entrepreneurs even further. MarketFinance looked for entrepreneurs that represent our community as a whole, and is keen to support companies that value diversity, inclusion and giving back. Anil Stocker added: “We know that the winners, and all SMEs in general, face challenging times as we deal with both the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic challenges ahead. For that reason, it has been exciting to see a very wide range of innovative approaches from so many applicants to grow their businesses. It was difficult to narrow the awards down to a small number of outstanding winners and we look forward to supporting them with a variety of talent and resources at MarketFinance”. ENDS About MarketFinance MarketFinance is a business finance company with offices in London and Manchester. The online platform enables businesses to access a range of flexible finance solutions - quickly and easily. This smart technology is backed by help from real people so business owners can save time and focus on growing their business. Since 2011, MarketFinance has advanced over £3 billion to companies across a range of sizes and sectors, providing working capital and finance for everything from paying staff and suppliers to launching new products or services and accelerating growth. MarketFinance is backed by Barclays, Santander InnoVentures, European venture capital fund Northzone (invested in Klarna, iZettle and Trustpilot), and private equity group MCI Capital (also invested in iZettle, Azimo and Gett). Contact Details MarketFinance Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@marketfinance.com Company Website https://marketfinance.com/

February 03, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Jennifer Lang Financial Services Releases New 2021 Tax Planning Guide

Jennifer Lang Financial Services, LLC

Contact Details Jennifer Lang +1 877-487-8926 mail@jenniferlangfinancialservices.com Company Website https://www.jenniferlangfinancialservices.com

February 02, 2021 10:05 AM Eastern Standard Time

Video

New Suzy Research Shows Shift in Valentine’s Day Date Plans This Year

Suzy

Suzy, a real-time market research platform, today announced its new research report, “State of the Consumer: Valentine’s Day 2021,” shows that nearly 70% of consumers are planning to celebrate Valentine’s Day at home this year. The report found that while many Americans and their significant others will change their romantic dinner plans compared to last year, heart-shaped boxes of chocolates still have the hearts of those planning to give candy to the people they love. According to Suzy research, top Valentine’s Day gifts include: Candy (66%); Flowers (60%); Jewelry (54%); Greeting Cards (52%); Wine/Alcohol (42%); and Perfume/Cosmetics (45%). A night in and dinner at home for most Likely due to COVID-19 restrictions or concerns, more than one-third of respondents (38%) who went out for Valentine’s Day last year are staying home this year. Suzy’s research also revealed that 31% who stayed home in 2020 are sticking to the same plan this time around, while nearly a quarter (24%) plan to go out for Valentine’s Day – just as they did last year. Most respondents are cooking dinner at home this year (36%), followed by ordering takeout from a restaurant (28%). Only 23% are planning to dine at a restaurant this year. Candy remains Cupid’s arrow Despite the shift in Valentine’s Day plans, candy remains a Cupid’s arrow for consumers who are planning to give gifts this year. In fact, 86% of those surveyed plan to buy Valentine’s Day candy this year, most often for a significant other (69%), their children (49%) or themselves (41%). The most popular candy purchases are the timeless heart-shaped box of chocolates (29%), followed by Hershey’s Kisses and chocolate-covered cherries (tied at 22%), M&M’s and conversation hearts (also tied at 11%). Most Americans will spend between $10 and $30 on candy (36%). A smaller percentage will spend between $33-50 (18%), $50-100 (15%), and more than $100 (12%) on candy. More than half of consumers are planning to buy greeting cards for Valentine’s Day (53%), with 41% of cards going to a significant other, and 11% to their children. “Research shows that Valentine’s Day this year means a candlelight dinner in the kitchen instead of a night out on the town, and brands will have to adjust accordingly,” said Suzy President Avi Savar. “While spending is still expected to be on par with previous years, sales strategies will need to be adjusted to meet consumer’s ever-changing needs during the pandemic.” Suzy’s State of the Consumer: Valentine’s Day 2021 survey was conducted on Jan. 14, 2021, and included 538 respondents. A full report is available upon request. About State of the Consumer: Valentine’s Day 2021 Suzy’s State of the Consumer: Valentine’s Day 2021 study surveyed 538 U.S. consumers in January 2021. The samples are directionally representative of U.S. consumers and census-weighted across age, gender, ethnicity, and region to accurately reflect attitudes across the broader American consumer population. About Suzy Founded in 2017, Suzy is an enterprise software platform that puts the voice of the consumer at your fingertips. Whether you’re a novice or an expert researcher, Suzy delivers advanced tools combined with the highest-quality audience to deliver insights in minutes. Many of the biggest brands in the world use Suzy to deliver breakthrough products and experiences backed by data-driven decisions. To date, Suzy has raised over $35MM in venture capital funding from investors that include Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments, Foundry Group, Tribeca Venture Partners, Triangle Peak Partners, and Kevin Durant’s 35 Ventures. Learn more at www.suzy.com. Contact Details Catrine Thorrud suzy@trustrelations.agency Company Website http://suzy.com/

February 02, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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