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Nas Daily Joins Leading Creator Economy Agency Narrative as Advising Partner

Narrative Group

Narrative Group (“Narrative”), an industry-leading creator economy agency, today announced that Nuseir Yassin (“Nas Daily”) is joining as an advising partner. Yassin will serve as a key member of Narrative’s leadership team, bringing deep content creation expertise and a focus on guiding and mentoring fellow content creators. This addition follows a record-breaking year for the agency, which grew its client base by +150% in the US and expanded its services to Europe, adding clients from France, Germany, and the UK. Yasin will work closely with Narrative’s founder and CEO Regev Gur to support the growth of the company and its global network of social media influencers and content creators. "Nuseir is a pioneer and a visionary. We are thrilled to welcome him to Narrative,” said Gur. “His skills, experience, and reach are a tremendous asset to our firm. With him on board, we are delivering an added layer of creativity and expanding our clients’ access to a growing number of leading content creators.” In 2016, Nuseir Yassin decided to leave a rewarding high-tech job and travel around the world, during which he launched Nas Daily, a vlog on Facebook where he documented his adventures. By conveying messages of love and understanding in his daily videos, he quickly became an influencer with more than 3.8 million Instagram followers and 10 million YouTube subscribers. "I have known Regev for some time, and have been extremely impressed with the work and explosive growth at Narrative,” said Yassin. “I am proud to join the firm as a partner and an advisor. Narrative is among the quickest to spot new industry trends and we share the passion for quality content. I look forward to joining Regev and the team to support the company’s growth and provide great service to our clients.” The creator economy is estimated to be worth more than $100 billion and is in constant growth. In just five years, the market grew from 1.7 billion dollars annually in 2016 to 9.7 billion dollars in 2020. Narrative is a leading influencer marketing company based in New York City, New York. Founded by Regev Gur in 2018, the company manages mega marketing campaigns for global technology firms. With a focus on strategic influencer programs, Narrative serves clients across 40 countries around the world including big tech companies like Google and Meta (formerly Facebook). To learn more about Narrative, visit www.narrativegroup.co/ Contact Details For media inquiries contact shir@narrativegroup.co

November 18, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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The Chicago School of Professional Psychology Supports Second-Career Students

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

After a dozen years working in the wine industry, millennial Joy Makin is shifting her career focus to counseling individuals who are often forgotten by society. As a doctoral candidate in forensic psychology at the Los Angeles campus of The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, she says her goal is to help formerly incarcerated men and women get back on track with their lives. “I was tired of feeling like I was just making more profit for some corporation when I was working for wineries,” she said. “It’s important to me to be able to make a difference and I am hoping I will be able to do that as a forensic psychologist.” A native of a small farming town in California’s Central Valley, Makin said she had a front-row seat to the effects of alcohol and drug addiction. “I want to help people find ways to cope without harming themselves or others,” she said. “We all mess up and deserve a second chance in life.” Makin is just one example of The Chicago School’s second-career students who are poised to become the next generation of psychotherapists, counselors and psychologists with real world experience. She and her fellow graduates will enter a wide-open job market where the need is growing while many mental health professionals are reaching retirement age. A recent Chicago School graduate, Dr. Charles Robinson, was a classroom teacher for years in Illinois urban schools where he saw how his students struggled with mental health challenges. “I felt I could help to address core issues such as anxiety, depression and stress, which adversely affect learning,” he said. “I chose The Chicago School, and earned a doctorate in school psychology so I could more effectively support students in my community.” Another graduate, Dr. Bethany Patterson, had to juggle family, work and school, while seeking a doctoral degree at The Chicago School’s Washington D.C. campus. A military spouse and mother of three, she graduated last month and is already employed as clinical director at Helianthus Positive Behavior Supports, a provider of counseling services to children and families in Virginia and North Carolina. “I needed a school that was supportive and respectful of the military lifestyle because I had unique needs,” she said. “I found a place where the learning environment is optimized by active learners with diverse cultures,” she said. “Today I embody The Chicago School’s values of innovation, service, and community by creating a space for military spouses to encourage each other and further their education.” About The Chicago School of Professional Psychology: Integrating theory with hands-on experience, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology provides education rooted in a commitment to innovation, service, and community for thousands of diverse students across the United States and globally. Founded in 1979, the nonprofit, regionally accredited university now features campuses in iconic locations across the country (Chicago, Southern California, Washington, D.C., New Orleans, Dallas) and online. To spark positive change in the world where it matters most, The Chicago School has continued to expand its educational offerings beyond the field of psychology to offer more than 30 degrees and certificates in the professional fields of health services, education, counseling, business, and more. Through its engaged professional model of education, commitment to diversity and inclusion, and an extensive network of domestic and international professional partnerships, The Chicago School’s students receive real-world training opportunities that reflect their future careers. The Chicago School is proud to be a part of TCS Education System, a nonprofit, integrated system of colleges and universities that works collaboratively to advance student success and community impact. To learn more, visit www.thechicagoschool.edu. Contact Details Vivien Hao +1 323-893-4743 vhao@thechicagoschool.edu

November 17, 2022 11:00 AM Pacific Standard Time

Minuteman Press Franchisees Dawn and Dean Seifert Celebrate 15 Years in Youngstown, Ohio

Minuteman Press International Inc

Dawn and Dean Seifert, owners of two Minuteman Press franchises in Youngstown and Warren, Ohio, are celebrating 15 years in business for their Youngstown location, which opened in May 2007. Minuteman Press in Youngstown is located at 3200 Belmont Avenue, Youngstown, OH 44505. In January 2020, Dawn and Dean purchased Minuteman Press in Warren located at 2460 Elm Road NE, Unit 500, Warren, OH 44483. Prior to franchising with Minuteman Press, Dean grew up in a family-owned print shop while Dawn worked in banking. They decided to own a business “to set our own destiny,” says Dawn. When asked about their success and longevity over the past 15 years, Dean says, “There are 4 keys to our business: Being able to have two of our four children work with us in the family business. Our customer service – we never tell a client that something can’t be done. We update our equipment when needed to make sure we operate efficiently. Following the Minuteman Press franchise system and marketing to our clients and community.” Dawn adds the following insights on how they have successfully marketed the business. She says, “There are 4 primary ways we have grown our business: Getting involved in the community and sponsoring various local events. Visiting our clients on a regular basis. Providing customers with our branded promotional items. Utilizing email marketing campaigns.” For Dawn and Dean, their high-demand products from clients include “custom printed brochures, branded promotional products, and full-scale direct mail marketing campaigns that include graphic design, printing, and mailing.” Dean says, “People still like to have something to hold onto and printing is the perfect way to put your brand in their hands and make a lasting impression.” Today, the local business community is looking bright. Dean shares, “We are excited to be part of a community along Liberty’s Belmont Avenue Business Corridor, which is the Mahoning Valley’s home base for many family-owned businesses. We are local businesses supporting each other and our customers. One of the biggest rewards of owning this business is building real relationships with our clients and having them become part of our family.” As part of the Minuteman Press franchise system for 15 years, Dawn and Dean share their three key benefits of franchising: “The corporate and local regional offices are always just a phone call away. The training was perfect for us and laid the foundation for how we operate our business. The Minuteman Press FLEX software helps us manage our business – it is easy to learn and operate/maintain.” As for what advice they would give to other businesses owners right now, Dean says, “Don’t try to do everything yourself. Also, treat your employees right and share your growth with them.” For more information about Minuteman Press in Youngstown, Ohio, visit https://minuteman.com/us/locations/oh/youngstown/ For more information about Minuteman Press in Warren, Ohio, visit https://minuteman.com/us/locations/oh/warren/ Learn more about #1 rated Minuteman Press franchise opportunities and to see Minuteman Press franchise reviews, visit https://minutemanpressfranchise.com Contact Details Minuteman Press International Chris Biscuiti +1 631-249-1370 cbiscuiti@mpihq.com Company Website https://minutemanpressfranchise.com

November 17, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Sekur CEO Alain Ghiai Explains How LinkedIn Hacks Occur And How Sekur Private Data Helps Protect Against Hacks

Sekur Private Data Ltd

Alain Ghiai, CEO of Sekur Private Data Ltd. (OTCQX: SWISF) (CSE: SKUR) (FRA: GDT0), recently spoke with Jane King at New To The Street about a flurry of North Korean hacking schemes that have hit LinkedIn. North Korean hackers are using LinkedIn, an open-source network, to compromise personal devices and steal available information. Essentially, the hacker pretends to be a new business connection and requests to connect outside of LinkedIn on another open-source network like WhatsApp, an internationally used personal and business communication app. They send a link and once they are connected on WhatsApp, which includes access to your phone number, the hacker is able to install malware viruses and apps that effectively steal your data and compromise your device. What Makes Open Source So Vulnerable? Open-source software is software with source code that anyone can inspect, modify and enhance. In other words, the software design is publically accessible. Programmers who have access to a computer program’s source code can change or hack anything they have available. LinkedIn, Facebook and WhatsApp are all examples of open-source software. The majority of Big Tech is open source because at the turn of the century when Web 2.0 was expanding, open source allowed developers to share code and create usable solutions to expand technology. These days open source is considered a vulnerability. Proprietary or closed-source software is the opposite of open source. These networks and programs have a source code that only the person, team or organization who created it and maintains exclusive rights to can modify. Sekur is an example of a proprietary or closed source. Sekur is a US-listed cybersecurity and internet privacy company with roots in Switzerland that provides private and secure communications and data management. It uses military-grade encryption security and combines it with its proprietary encryption and Swiss data privacy laws. All user data is protected by the Swiss Federal Data Protection Act (FADP) and the Swiss Federal Data Protection Ordinance. The company’s use of some of the strongest privacy protection in the world for individuals and entities makes its Swiss-hosted services attractive. Sekur is a closed-loop platform with multiple layers of privacy and security. Its products like SekurMail and SekurMessenger offer users complete privacy because its code is unavailable for the manipulation that causes hacks. The Future For Sekur Ghiai shared in the interview that Sekur expects third-quarter financial results to be higher than the second quarter because of the increases in subscribers for its email, text and other products. The company lowered expenses over the past few months and says this will contribute to a strong fourth quarter. To watch the full interview, click here. Sekur Private Data Ltd. is a Cybersecurity and Internet privacy provider of Swiss hosted solutions for secure communications and secure data management. The Company distributes a suite of secure cloud-based storage, disaster recovery, document management, encrypted e-mails, and secure communication tools. Sekur Private Data Ltd. sells its products through its websites www.sekur.com and www.sekursuite.com, and approved distributors, and telecommunications companies worldwide. Sekur Private Data Ltd. serves consumers, businesses and governments worldwide. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. Contact Details Corporate Department corporate@sekurprivatedata.com Company Website https://sekurprivatedata.com

November 17, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

FINTECH.TV AND KATZ MEDIA GROUP ANNOUNCE EXCLUSIVE SALES PARTNERSHIP TO BRING ADVERTISERS FINTECH NEWS CONTENT

FINTECH.TV

November 17, 2022 – New York, NY – FINTECH.TV, the leading global news media platform focused on Digital and Impact investment content, including live reporting on the latest news and perspectives in finance, blockchain, technology, Crypto and NFT’s, today announced a partnership with Katz Digital Video, a division of Katz Media Group, the nation’s largest media sales organization delivering dynamic advertising solutions and insights for brands and agencies. As part of the new agreement, Katz Digital Video will exclusively represent the domestic sales of FINTECH.TV’s advertising assets, including streaming inventory and sponsorship opportunities. This announcement follows the launch of FINTECH.TV’s new studios on the floors of the New York Stock Exchange and the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), and new lead anchor, Alicia Nieves. Vince Molinari, Founder and CEO of FINTECH.TV said, “As we continue to grow worldwide and create a true daily global streaming network focused on blockchain, digital assets and sustainability, Katz Digital Video is the perfect partner to help advertisers and agencies reach our engaged audience through our impact investment news content.” “Katz helps marketers engage with consumers in unique and meaningful ways. Adding technology investment content to our ecosystem of audio, video and digital offerings further establishes Katz as a one-stop-shop for brands to reach diverse audiences with unparalleled scale,” said Mark Gray, CEO of Katz Media Group. “Katz offers advertisers an expansive digital video portfolio with exclusive marketplaces and one-of-a-kind solutions that deliver scale and targetability,” said Doug Pfaff, President of Katz Digital Video. “Adding FINTECH.TV’s first-of-its-kind news platform — covering finance, blockchain, technology, Crypto and NFT’s — allows us to bring additional scale and compelling inventory to the marketplace.” “Katz Digital Video’s senior leadership and team will take FINTECH.TV’s sales effort to the next level. Katz has incredible knowledge, experience, and success in the OTT space. We look forward to creating great mutual success stories for our clients,” said Merry Ewing, Head of Network Sales at FINTECH.TV. About Katz Media Group: Katz Media Group is the largest media representation company in America, delivering advertisers’ local impact on a national scale. Katz provides access to over 250 million weekly active consumers across the country through its three companies - Katz Radio Group, Katz Television Group and Katz Digital Group – collectively serving as the trusted sales partner to more than 3,300 radio stations, 700 television stations and an expansive portfolio of video and audio digital partners. With audiences in every market, Katz uses its unparalleled national reach, latest technology, data, and strategic insights to create custom campaigns to help advertisers target and connect with local consumers nationwide. Katz is based in New York City, with 13 regional offices. For more information, visit us online at www.katzmedia.com and www.katzmulticultural.com. About Katz Digital Video Katz Digital Video offers America’s most dynamic one-stop-shop for digital video solutions, providing marketers access to an ever-expanding portfolio of more than 1300 publishers and exclusive marketplaces — Katz OTT and Katz Live — designed to make digital media buying easy. Katz OTT is the largest aggregator of impressions in a unified ecosystem, reaching viewers at scale with impression-level data and targeting. Katz Live is the first-ever live streaming marketplace with exclusive digital feeds of music, sports, e-sports and entertainment available to target your audience when and where they consume media live. Katz’s immense audience reach combined with proprietary technologies enables brands to custom target consumers at scale where they are – by platform and geography — providing granular reporting, real-time analytics, and insights with premium content. For more information, visit us online at www.katzdigitalvideo.com. FINTECH.TV is a global media platform bringing top thought leadership interviews in finance, blockchain, technology, sustainability, impact investing, SDGs and ESG. With a studio presence at leading international exchanges, including the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ, and the London Stock Exchange, FINTECH.TV is distributed globally on their digital and broadcast platform. Contact Details FINTECH.TV Lauren Hurvitz lauren@fintech.tv Katz Digital Video Jennifer Savage Jennifer.savage@katzmedia.com Company Website https://fintech.tv/

November 17, 2022 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Beer Lovers Holiday Guide

YourUpdateTV

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/in1BavIM62o With the holiday season right around the corner, many of us are already in planning mode. Need some ideas for elevating your holiday entertaining and gifting? Recently, Sam Calagione, craft beer visionary and Dogfish Head founder, completed a satellite media tour to help fill your bar cart with innovative flavors that suit the season. He shared everything viewers and listeners need to enjoy an “off-centered” holiday – from elevating your cocktail game to beer and cheese pairing ideas, to unique gifts for the beer lovers on your list. As one of the first modern breweries to use exotic culinary ingredients and flavors, Dogfish Head has successfully brewed with just about everything – lobster, raisins, oat milk, black limes, scrapple, syrup, bone broth, and even snails. Here are some of Sam’s favorite beer products for this holiday season: Canned Cocktails: Launched in 2021, Dogfish Head used its 20+ years of distilling experience to create a line of delicious, spirits-based, ready to drink canned cocktails - scratch-made with two full-proof shots of Dogfish Head Distilling Co. spirits in each can and featuring real culinary ingredients. Bright and citrusy Blood Orange & Mango Vodka Crush and Lemon & Lime Gin Crush Light, refreshing and berry-delicious Strawberry & Honeyberry Vodka Lemonade and Blueberry Shrub Vodka Soda. The Bar Cart Variety Pack offers all the flavors in one place for your holiday hosting needs or if you can’t decide on just one. Dogfish Head x Cabot Creamery Collaboration: Many folks think of pairing cheese with wine, but beer and cheese pairings can be just as complex and delicious and is a great, new way to wow guests at holiday gatherings or parties. In August, Dogfish Head announced their collaboration with Cabot Creamery to brew The Perfect Pairing, a hazy pale ale scientifically engineered to be ‘the perfect pairing’ for sharp cheddar cheese, specifically Cabot’s Seriously Sharp Cheddar cheese. Clocking in at 5.5% ABV, The Perfect Pairing is unfiltered and hop-forward with juicy, citrusy notes of grapefruit and pineapple. It can be found in Dogfish Head’s Off-Centered Party Pack, which includes three other popular beers and a QR code that gives you the perfect cheese pairings for each beer - a complete holiday party spread in one package. Wake Up World Wide Stout: In September, Dogfish Head launched a new, breakfast-themed iteration of the brewery’s fan-favorite World Wide Stout, lovingly dubbed Wake Up World Wide Stout. Robust, sweet and warming, Wake Up World Wide Stout is a jet-black beer with deliciously balanced notes of espresso, sweet maple, roasted cacao and smoked honey for an “out-of-this-world” flavor profile. Clocking in at 15-17% ABV, it is brewed with regeneratively grown malts from Epiphany Malting, organic maple syrup from New Leaf Tree Syrups, oat milk from Elmhurst and organic coffee beans from Rise Up Coffee Roasters. As of mid-September, Wake Up World Wide Stout is available for purchase coast-to-coast in 4pk/12oz bottles, where legal. Crimson Cru: Just launched in October, Crimson Cru is the culmination of more than 225 years of collective brewing experience, thanks to a special and unique collaboration with Belgium’s Browerji Rodenbach. As part of Dogfish Head’s 2022 Off-Centered Art Series, this brew makes for a great holiday gift (no wrapping needed!) as it features bold packaging design and artwork from both breweries’ logos. Deep copper in color, Crimson Cru begins with Rodenbach’s world-renowned Grand Cru, a Flemish red-brown ale aged in oak casks, that made the overseas trek from Belgium to Delaware via tanker ship. After its cross-Atlantic journey, Rodenbach’s Grand Cru was artfully blended with an off-centered, 7.1% abv red ale infused with sumac and sweet orange peel that was then dry-hopped with Hallertau Blanc hops. The resulting beer is full-bodied and slightly warming with aromas of candied citrus, cherry, caramel and toffee, complemented by malty flavors of stewed fruits, plum, cherry, dried citrus and toffee. To find out more about these products and learn more about Dogfish Head, go to Dogfish.com About Sam Calagione: Sam Calagione has been focused on brewing beers with culinary ingredients since 1995, when Dogfish Head first opened as the smallest craft brewery in America. Today, Dogfish has grown into a 400+ person company and is one of the most recognized breweries in the country. Dogfish Head is based in Delaware with Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, an off-centered brewpub and distillery, Chesapeake & Maine, a geographically enamored seafood restaurant, Dogfish Inn, a harbor-front beer-themed motel and Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, a production brewery and distillery featuring a Tasting Room & Kitchen. Dogfish currently sells beer across the US and Dogfish Head Distilling Co. spirits in the mid-Atlantic region. In July 2019, Dogfish Head proudly merged with the Boston Beer Company. Sam’s innovative style and collaborative spirit has earned him a reputation as one of the industry’s most adventurous entrepreneurs and brewers. Sam has authored four books and was named the James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional in 2017. Sam, his wife and co-founder Mariah and their family reside in coastal Delaware Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

November 17, 2022 07:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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NORTH SIXTH GROUP ANNOUNCES INVESTMENT IN WINE FARM; LAUNCHES VINIAMO AS LEADING ONLINE DELIVERY PLATFORM FOR FAMILY-OWNED ITALIAN WINES

North Sixth Group and Viniamo

North Sixth Group today announced it has acquired a significant stake in WineFarm, a fast-growing digital platform for fine Italian wines. With the investment, WineFarm will be rebranded as Viniamo, the leading digital platform for fine Italian wines from family-owned wineries. Viniamo will be operated by wine and spirits industry veterans and WineFarm co-founders Brendan Papariello and Carmine Berardi. Papariello, who formerly worked at Breakthru Beverage Group, will serve as CEO. Viniamo has secured exclusive rights to sell a variety of labels from family-owned Italian wineries in America. All labels are family-owned and come from lesser-known regions of Italy that capture the essence and authenticity of true Italian culture. “So many regions in Italy have become well known across the world, however there are so many undiscovered regions that are rich with authentic, quality wine from family-owned wine makers that don’t have the resources or reach to distribute outside of Italy,” said Matt Rizzetta. “These are the wine makers that capture the essence of authentic Italy, and we are honored to bring them to the homes and tables of consumers in America through our venture with Viniamo.” Viniamo is operational in five states, providing delivery to customers in California, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, DC, with additional states expected to follow in the months ahead. “The wines in our catalog have been hand-picked to represent the best that Italy has to offer when it comes to family-owned wineries that hail from parts of Italy that are less recognized than the mainstream regions,” said Brendan Papariello, Co-Founder and CEO of Viniamo. “We created Viniamo to give these hard-working families the reach they deserve, and we can’t wait to introduce their wines to American consumers alongside our partners at North Sixth Group.” For more information, visit www.viniamo.co. ABOUT VINIAMO: Viniamo is the leading digital platform for fine, authentic Italian wines hailing from family-owned wineries across Italy’s many undiscovered regions. Viniamo is currently available to consumers in California, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, DC, offering quick and easy delivery to customers in these states. Viniamo will soon be available in additional states. For more information, visit www.viniamo.co. ABOUT NORTH SIXTH GROUP: North Sixth Group is a family office that takes a hands-on approach to its investments. The company has wholly owned and minority interests in a variety of investments across media, marketing, technology and sports and entertainment. Additionally, North Sixth Group dedicates financial, networking and human capital resources to community-based initiatives geared toward Passion, Purpose and Progress. For more information, visit www.northsixthgroup.com Contact Details N6A (For Viniamo) +1 212-334-9753 viniamo@n6a.com Company Website https://www.n6a.com

November 16, 2022 03:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

New Alvarez & Marsal Fall 2022 Consumer Sentiment Report - Highlights Impacts of Inflation, Weak Optimism

Alvarez & Marsal Consumer and Retail Group

Category spend down y-o-y for basic needs, experiences, gifts & indulgences 7 in 10 Consumers plan to spend less on holiday shopping Rising prices create concern across all age groups New York, NY —November 16, 2022— Global professional services firm Alvarez & Marsal’s Consumer and Retail Group (A&M CRG) today released its newest consumer report, Consumer Sentiment Survey Fall 2022, which looks at the impacts of inflation and resultant changes in consumer spending over the last year, as well as spending expectations into the holidays and for the coming six-month period. This is the third chapter of its bi-annual Consumer Sentiment Report, based on a survey of 1,500+ consumers matching the U.S. adult population according to gender, age, ethnicity, region and income. The report covers various changing behaviors in response to inflation, including around consumers’ holiday spending plans, shopping priorities by category, concerns over rising prices, other factors that will affect holiday purchase decisions, and more. “Our objective was to understand how inflation is affecting the American consumer in terms of their optimism or lack thereof, their buying patterns and expectations, and their preferred shopping channels – especially as we go into the holiday season” noted Jonathan Sharp, Managing Director at Alvarez & Marsal’s Consumer and Retail Group, and lead author of the study. “What we found is that extended inflationary pressures are causing U.S. consumers to retrench further and curtail even more their discretionary spending – even categories that had seemed somewhat immune in spring 2022 are now under pressure.” Additionally, many fear that inflation has yet to peak, with 65% of consumers expecting prices to continue to rise in the next 6 months. The study found that: Almost 9 in 10 consumers have adopted new habits in response to inflation; 7 in 10 are altering their holiday shopping habits Among shopping priorities by category, only grocery was up, vs. dining out, which was down by 40% Concerns over rising prices rise with age, as do plans to spend less on indulgences Consumer expectations on things getting better, saving more, having more money, and plans to spend the same or more on basic needs were all down year-over-year This year’s holiday season looks like it will also be impacted by consumer spending reticence. The most significant changes people are making is a reduction in their overall gift spending; 1 in 3 shoppers plan to spend less on gifts this holiday season. The report provides insights into the factors that will have an impact on purchase decisions this holiday, including shipping fees, more limited return policies, potential upcoming sales, holiday availability, and Buy Now Pay Later options. “Smart retailers will remain agile in responding to deal-hungry, penny-pinching consumers,” added Jonathan Sharp. “Inventory management, pricing and cost management will continue to be severely challenged.” To download a pdf of Consumer Sentiment Survey Fall 2022, please visit: https://alvarezandmarsal-crg.com/insight/am-crg-consumer-sentiment-survey-fall-2022/ The Alvarez and Marsal Consumer and Retail Group (CRG) is a management consulting firm that tackles the most complex challenges and advances its clients, people, and communities towards their maximum potential. CRG combines the best of A&M’s broader firm's bias toward action and practicality with deep consumer and retail industry experience. CRG partners with businesses across a wide range of categories including Food & Beverage, Beauty & Personal Care, Grocery, Mass Merchandise, and Apparel & Footwear to drive significant performance improvement. Contact Details David Schneidman dschneidman@alvarezandmarsal.com Company Website https://www.alvarezandmarsal.com/industries/retail/retail

November 16, 2022 11:47 AM Eastern Standard Time

Asure (NASDAQ: ASUR) Reports Strong Q3 2022 Earnings - Management Upbeat with Encouraging Top & Bottom Lines

Benzinga

Asure Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASUR), a cloud services provider in the Human Capital Management (HCM) industry, posted stellar Q3 2022 financial results at a time when Wall Street is unforgiving to slips in execution. With persistent inflation and a potential recession in 2023 on the horizon, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) crave efficiency. That’s made Asure’s HCM solutions more relevant than ever. The HCM company is also seeing benefits from record-low unemployment, which continues to offset any potential recession impact and higher interest rates help Asure generate float revenue. In a sense, some of the bad headlines dominating the financial news over the past year are positive for Asure’s business model, as they act as a hedge against recession. Recent News and Accomplishments During Q3 2022 Management’s strategy centers around increasing its number of integrations and partnerships to help SMBs cut costs and streamline their back office operations. HR solution provider PrismHR will now offer Asure’s Payroll Tax Management Services and FlexTax platform to its client base of over 80,000 organizations. "This new partnership provides an opportunity to significantly expand our payroll tax business into the PEO and ASO markets while enabling PrismHR to provide an alternative, standalone tax filing solution that complements their existing HR portfolio,” said Pat Goepel, Chairman, and CEO of Asure. “Our deep expertise in the complex landscape of payroll taxes uniquely positions Asure to deliver not only a user-friendly software solution to PrismHR’s customers but also the experienced counsel and support of a knowledgeable team of payroll tax experts." Asure recently entered into collaboration with Equifax and its The Work Number tool, which is available to its software users for income and employment verification. This approach to both provide its IP and leverage the technology of other providers when appropriate has allowed for Asure’s growth to be 100% organic as opposed to through acquisitions. “Equifax brings deep expertise in verification services, and through our integration with The Work Number, we’re delivering significant benefits to our 80,000 small business customers and reseller partners and their employees,” said Pat Goepel, Chairman, and CEO of Asure. "Employers will no longer have to spend time manually responding to verification requests, and their employees will have instant access, more seamless verifications in support of important life events." During Q3 2022, Asure expanded its tax filing capabilities to help CPA firms and tax pros to streamline services for the high-demand Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC), which is a COVID-era policy that provided businesses up to $26,000 per retained employee. Asure’s solution helps automate back-office transactional processes of calculating the compliant tax credits and filing the necessary quarterly amended returns to qualify for the ERTC. At Asure, we’re always seeking new ways for technology to support small businesses and the organizations that serve them. Our CPA partners were telling us they couldn’t keep pace with the volume of administrative work associated with ERTC demand. Our technology automates the back-office ERTC work so they can focus on high-value client work,” said Pat Goepel, Chairman, and CEO of Asure. “We’re excited about this new technology’s ability to help drive organic growth as it allows us to serve even more payroll and non-payroll clients alike.” Lastly, Asure announced the expansion of 401(k) plan options for small employers with an additional 80+ provider integrations. This helps SMBs to remain competitive in attracting top talent by offering more enticing retirement benefits. Furthermore, the integration allows clients to sync the Asure payroll system with the 401(k) platforms to streamline enrollment, reduce dual entry, and retain compliance. “In today’s job market, prospective employees have high expectations, even from smaller organizations. Making it easy to offer 401(k) options for retirement savings is just one way that Asure is empowering our customers to be more competitive, while also removing administrative burdens,” said Pat Goepel, Chairman, and CEO of Asure. ASUR: Q3 2022 Financial Results Breakdown Revenue rose 22% year-over-year to $21.9 million during the third quarter of 2022 ended September 30, 2022. Even more impressive, total bookings, a forward-looking metric measuring the total value of all contracts signed, were up 91% year-over-year. Asure did post a net loss of $4.5 million during the quarter. This appears worrisome when you consider that the same quarter last year featured $5.3 million of net income. However, accounting without context can be deceiving. The $5.3 million net income in Q3 of 2021 was the result of a $10.5 million ETRC. A more reliable comparison would be the adjusted EBITDA reading. Asure’s adjusted EBITDA of $2.1 million, which excludes the ERTC tailwind, shot up 71% relative to the prior year period. In other words, operating expenses are shrinking relative to revenue, leading to more profitability. Progress on both the top and bottom lines. Q4 2022 and Full-Year 2023 Guidance Estimates Continued Growth Management not only raised revenue projections for Q4 2022 but shared their guidance for 2023 - a revenue growth target of 9-13% while increasing margins to 14-16%. Specifically, Asure Software estimates Q4 2022 revenues to come between $23.5 million and $24 million, with an adjusted EBITDA goal of $3 million to $3.5 million for the quarter. For the full-year 2022, the HCM services provider sees total revenue coming in between $90 million and $90.5 million on an adjusted EBITDA range between $10.5 million to $11 million. Looking forward to 2023, Asure sees revenue coming in between $98 million and $102 million. Asure continues to showcase its resilience. While many SaaS companies are bleeding, Asure’s retention rate and revenue per client both rose year-over-year. The company continues to be well-managed and disciplined, even as the overall economy sees some volatility and uncertainty. Asure is a volatile micro-cap tech stock on paper, but it’s becoming increasingly clear that small and medium-sized businesses are viewing the company’s services and technologies as essential, not as a discretionary expense. Disclaimer: Spotlight Growth is compensated, either directly or via a third party, to provide investor relations services for its clients. 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November 16, 2022 11:35 AM Eastern Standard Time

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