Business and Financial News

Great deal for Zynga and their investors as they take $100 million from Google at a great valuation. The big thing for Zynga other than new revenue is it diversifies them away from Facebook. It’s also a nice vindication for those who have seen ahead on gaming as a huge and serious business. Not long ago, it was not. Will be interesting to see this deal unfold and the dynamic between Zynga and Facebook change. Via Techrunch:

Google has quietly (secretly, one might say) invested somewhere between $100 million and $200 million in social gaming behemoth Zynga, we’ve confirmed from multiple sources. T

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This guest post was written by Dawn Rivers Baker, Dawn Rivers Baker, aka The Journal Blogger, is the editor and publisher of The MicroEnterprise Journal, and the self-proclaimed Socrates of the small business blogosphere.

The jury may be out on any number of issues when it comes to American life in the 21st century — we’re only a decade in, after all — but one thing I think it’s pretty safe to say is that, in this day and age, speed matters.

I am reminded Captain Steve Hiller, the character played by Will Smith in many people’s favorite guilty pleasure movie, Independence Day (1996). Remember

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Following Yesterday’s Hype of Fastest Growth in 4 Years, June Retail Sales a “Mixed Bag”

Courtesy of Mish 

The Wall Street Journal reports Retailers Turn in a Mixed Bag for June Sales.

U.S. retailers reported mixed results for June, with some stores benefiting from aggressive promotions and others hurt by consumers’ continued restrained spending.

Retailers from department stores to teen retailers responded to limited demand with increased markdowns. Big sales during June are common as retailers try to clear shelves for fall merchandise, especially back-to-school apparel. But a

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Tour operator Shearings has bought its 50th hotel and unveiled plans to add up to 10 further sites over the next three years.

Wigan-based Shearings has acquired the 72-bedroom Charlecote Pheasant Hotel near Stratford-upon-Avon and is eyeing deals in areas including the Lake District, North Wales, Kent and Cornwall.

The Charlecote Pheasant, a country house hotel near junction 15 of the M40 close to Warwick and Leamington Spa as well as Stratford-upon-Avon, is Shearings’ first acquisition for two years.

It becomes the 14th hotel under the group’s Coast & Country brand.

Shearings’ investment follows a £10m refurbishment programme at its 49-strong hotel collection over the past 12 months.

The hotels division saw revenues rise eight per cent during 2009 to around £70m and Shearings chief executive Denis Wormwell said he expects further strong growth this year. I

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Whether you are a business of one or one hundred, taking time out of your busy day to help others can make more of an impact than you realize.

Vistaprint’s “Vistacares” program was established a couple years ago to get employees out of the office and volunteering in the community.  Last month, we sent 2 groups of employees out to the Charles River Conservancy to help clean up overgrown plants along the riverbanks and the Greater Boston Food Bank to help sort and salvage food that is distributed across eastern Massachusetts.

I volunteered at the Greater Boston Food Bank with 24 other employees and was amazed by the operation and outreach they have.  In only a couple of hours, we sorted through 5,330 lbs of food, out of which 4,264 lbs were salvaged for distribution.  According to the food bank, our team of volunteers was able to make 109 meals possible to local families in need!

Seeing these numbers demonstrate the impact you can make in one brief afternoon.

I came across a survey by VolunteerMatch and UnitedHealthcare where approximately 4,500 people were surveyed in early 2010 regarding the benefits of volunteering.  This survey found that:

• 8 in 10 Americans agree that they would volunteer more if their employers helped provide the opportunity
• But only 4 in 10 Americans actually have plans to volunteer in 2010
  • Those who participate in volunteering activities report higher levels of life satisfaction, sense of control over life and feeling physically and emotionally healthier.
  • Company involvement in employee volunteer opportunities can lead to employee well‐being and positive attitudes towards the employer.

In an earlier post, we discussed some ways that your company can start to build your own charity program and give your employees the opportunity to volunteer.

When planning your own employee volunteer program (EVP), you need to first answer these simple questions:

• What is your goal? Are you looking to volunteer for one day or a much larger commitment?  Would you prefer a team building activity or individual contribution? Answering th

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