In fact, the Florida resident has made a career of it. Matt R. Coben spends his days filling seats and emptying kegs as the Taproom Manager for the Funky Buddha Brewery. While he is constantly juggling various administrative tasks, he maintains a passion for innovative, craft beer.

But Matt R. Coben‘s passion for beer bubbles over into his personal life as well. As an avid traveler, he’s made it his mission to drink up at the most interesting breweries around the world. Call it a pursuit of “hoppy-ness.”

His most recent stop has been Norway. With a rich brewing tradition that dates back to the Vikings, the country truly raises the bar. With this in mind, Matt R. Coben pours over these four craft breweries worthy of a “cheers.”

Ægir BrewPub

Just to get to Ægir, you’ll have to traverse one of the world’s largest and deepest fjords. So, it’s fitting that this elevated brewery is named after the god of the sea in Old Norse mythology. The pub leans heavily into the Viking aesthetic, from the driftwood walls to the dragon head motif. Throw back a few pits beside the oversized fireplace or sprawl out on a fur rug. Although its award-winning brews are the toast of the town, Matt Coben encourages guests to sample the aquavit. This is a distilled spirit produced primarily in Scandinavia.

Nøgne Ø

While other breweries were adrift, Nøgne Ø floated ahead. Meaning “naked island,” the name was pulled from a poem, designed to symbolize the uncharted path taken by the brand’s founders to create a new beer that deviated from traditional lagers. For them, it was about experimenting with new flavors, ingredients, and seasonal concoctions. The result of this never-ending journey has been critical acclaim and fanfare. Not only is Nøgne Ø one of the country’s leading suppliers of craft beer, but it’s also been consistently rated as one of the best breweries in the world.

Grünerløkka Brygghu

Grünerløkka Brygghus is the microbrewery you’ve been waiting for. But there isn’t anything small about this Oslo staple. In addition to the relaxed atmosphere and English-infused pub food, the brewery serves more than 20 beers on tap. While there are a few imports and other local faves on the menu, most of this selection is brewed in-house. Matt Coben recommends the Bringebææærliner Weisse. Although it might be a mouthful to say, this raspberry-forward sour is even better for your taste buds.

Svalbard Brewery

If you’re craving a cold, refreshing beer, simply head north. And don’t stop. Svalbard Brewery proudly boasts that it’s the world’s northernmost craft brewery. But, as Matt Coben points out, this distinction presents some challenges. Svalbard Brewery, nestled at the tip of the North Pole, is only accessible by boat during the summer. Schedule a tour in advance to learn how the production team overcomes and embraces these unique obstacles. And, as an added bonus, enjoy the awe-inspiring, Arctic scenery.

Please tell me about yourself, your interests, and what you’re passionate about.

I’m Stephanie V. Smith, Everett City Councilor, mother to Harlowe (5) and Harrison (3), and wife to Mike. I am a huge NFL fan (go Pats! but temporarily a Bucs fan as well), and I love the Red Sox. I read ALOT, probably two books a week on my kindle, and am an avid TV watcher of all dramas (Dick Wolf is the man).  Fun Fact: When I worked at NBC, I worked in Dick Wolf’s building in his office. However, these days, my life mainly revolves around my children.

I am also very passionate about youth services in my local community. I have been very active in local politics since I was younger. I remember watching the Board of Alderman when I was just a little girl and writing in my notebook issues with the ordinance they passed about fining people for shoveling snow in the street.  I went to Northeastern University through GE’s rigorous financial management program, where I traveled the world for five years (another passion) and learned about different cultures. Now I am a consultant for Digital Technology products at Moderna.

Tell me about how you and Deanna Deveney crossed paths.

I met Deanna when I was running for City Council in Everett. She was the Director of Communications and always went out of her way to come over and say hello to my kids at every event and me and me. 6She made my kids feel very welcome at all times, which meant a lot to me as a Mom who was running for political office but had two kids in two at all times.  

Is there a particular situation that occurred or a specific skill set that Ms. Deveney possesses that drew you to her?

Deanna is passionate about everything she does.  She always gives 110%, and it shows.  She is excited about the entire process when she is putting on events.  From the minor details in planning to make sure everyone is taken care of who is at the event, no matter who you were or what position you held.  Deanna is genuine and cares, which drew me closer to her.  

How did your professional relationship grow after you began working collaboratively?

Once I became elected to the City Council and spent more time with Deanna professionally, I could see how much she really cared.  She always said hello to everyone; she took care of her staff and treated them as equals.  She was always willing to sit down and talk, bring my kids to her office to grab a snack, and just be there.  

As the Government Affairs Director, can you tell me about the challenges and obstacles Deanna helped you or the City Council in general work through?

Deanna was someone you went to when you needed help navigating City Hall. She was always present in meetings and willing to find the answers to anything that was asked of her. She helped the City grow and expand its Communications and Community outreach.  She was a driver of the social media platforms, which helped residents to understand what was happening and what was occurring in the City and what resources they could use.  She made sure to connect the residents with City Hall to collaborate with City departments. During the pandemic, when City Hall was closed and residents had to go completely virtual to get services, she showed how they could still get what they needed even though the world was closed.  

She was a huge advocate in getting Everett a Covid 19 test center which was amazing to have in our city when it was difficult to get a test.  I could pick up the phone at any time of day or night and call Deanna, and if she weren’t the right person, she would find the right person to get what I needed to be done.  

What would you tell someone inquiring about Deanna’s skill set and worth ethic based on your experience working with her?

Deanna gives it her all. She goes above and beyond her job responsibilities and is one of the hardest, most passionate workers I have seen. Deanna has a tremendous drive and always with a smile on her face.  She makes you feel very comfortable and is welcoming to everyone.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Deanna would be an asset to any team. She has a very inclusive leadership style and empowers her team to deliver positive results. Deanna’s style and ability to quickly build relationships across all levels of government fostered a highly motivated and effective communications team which helped the City Council to articulate the progress of the City clearly.

Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. It’s a roller coaster ride of highs and lows, and it takes tremendous hard work, dedication, and tenacity to make it to the top. You need to be passionate about your business and have a clear vision of where you want to take it. You also need to be able to articulate your goals and what you’re looking to achieve. If you’re thinking about starting your own business, there are a few key questions you need to answer first:

1. What Problem Are You Solving?

As an entrepreneur, you need to be focused on solving a problem. Offering a product or service that is already on the market is not going to cut it. You will end up competing on price, which is a race to the bottom. According to Michael Chavira, Managing Partner of Axiological Solutions, you need to be able to articulate what problem you are solving and how your product or service is going to solve it in a better way than anyone else. Providing a solution to a problem is the best way to ensure that your business will be successful.

2. Who is Your Target Market?

You cannot get into business without having a target market in mind. That’s like shooting an arrow without knowing where you’re aiming. You need to have a clear understanding of who your target market is, what their needs and wants are, and how you’re going to reach them. Trying to sell to everyone is a surefire way to fail.

Ideally, you need to research the market to identify an audience and a problem that is not being solved. Once you have that, you can focus on reaching that market and solving their problem.

3. What is Your Competitive Advantage?

To be successful, you need to clearly understand your competition and what you’re doing differently to solve the problem better than they are. This is your competitive advantage. It sets you apart from the rest and gives you the edge you need to succeed. It’s essential to be able to articulate your competitive advantage so that you can communicate it to your target market.

4. What is Your Business Model?

Your business model is how you’re going to make money. There are various business models out there, and you need to choose the one that makes the most sense for your business. Do you want to charge for your product or service? If so, how much? Or are you going to generate revenue through advertising or sponsorships? There’s no right or wrong answer here, but you need to have a solid plan for making money.

5. How Much Money Do You Need to Get Started?

Starting a business takes money. There’s no way around it. You need to clearly understand how much money you need to get started and where that money will come from. Are you going to self-fund, or are you going to seek out investors? How much can you realistically expect to raise? Answering these questions will give you a better idea of whether or not starting a business is the right decision for you.

In summary, succeeding as an entrepreneur is not easy. But if you’re willing to put in the effort, it can be a gratifying experience. If you’re considering starting your own business, answer these five key questions first. They’ll help you determine if you’re on the right track and give you a better chance of success.

Advances surrounding robotic prosthetics are continuing apace in 2022. These advances are the result of massive investment in the sector. The most advanced form of prosthesis available, new developments now occur on a daily basis. It’s an area of particular interest for entrepreneur, executive, and philanthropist Kevin Mulleady.

Robotic prosthetics fulfill the same primary purpose as other prosthetics. With that, robotic prosthetics serve, first and foremost, to replace missing limbs. Traditionally, prosthetics have fallen into four main categories. These main categories consist of transfemoral, transhumeral, transradial, and transtibial prostheses.

Each of these prostheses delivers one or more unique functions tailored toward replacing lost limbs from different parts of the human body. Now, the robotics sector is looking to take things one step further. This step comes as robotic prosthetics seek to deliver massive additional functionality to existing options.

Machine learning and epigenetics key says Kevin Mulleady

As not just an entrepreneur, executive, and philanthropist but also a qualified engineer, the New York-based businessman is interested in today’s robotic prosthetics space. Few have the focus on robotic prosthetics that he has, having now spent considerable time overseeing developments in the field.

It will come as no surprise to the businessman’s past and present peers. That’s as the robotic prosthetics sector spans numerous other, predominantly tech-forward industries. These industries range from traditional healthcare to biotech and tech-focused consulting, with Mulleady being well-versed in each of these and more.

Mulleady has founded and co-founded businesses in various sectors, including healthcare and biotech. That’s in addition to operations within fintech and miscellaneous consulting-focused lines of work.

Typically fulfilling executive roles within these and other companies, the philanthropic entrepreneur and engineer is celebrated by his colleagues for his ambitious, analytical, fearless, resourceful, and results-driven nature.

Now, and when it comes to robotic prosthetics, Mulleady has a firm focus on two key areas of interest: Machine learning and epigenetics. Crucially, it’s where machine learning and epigenetics intersect that Mulleady believes there’s the most value.

Robotic prosthetics and machine learning

Machine learning remains central to much of the work that’s happening within robotic prosthetics today, Mulleady reports. Smarter and more adaptive as a result, robotic prosthetics powered to one degree or another by machine learning continue to promise near-normal function in artificial limbs.

The ultimate goal of Kevin Mulleady and others focused on the field is to see robotic prosthetics facilitate genuine human-machine interfaces. Mulleady believes these interfaces will prove central to seeing robotic prosthetics turned into true extensions of the human body. Furthermore, it’s a goal, he says, that hinges in no small part on the added application of epigenetics.

Epigenetics and robotic prosthetics

As a field of study, epigenetics concerns the close links between human behavior, the environment, and how the body ultimately functions. It’s something that takes place at a genetic level. However, crucial to epigenetics’ role in robotic prosthetics, the process doesn’t involve permanent genetic changes. Instead, any established links are temporary and fully reversible.

And while epigenetics doesn’t physically impact an individual’s DNA sequences, Mulleady points out that it can change how a person’s body reads them. It’s here that epigenetics and robotic prosthetics become intrinsically linked.

One of the many potential results of this intersection between robotic prosthetics and epigenetics is the possibility of restoring senses like touch through artificial limbs. It’s something that epigenetics now both theoretically and demonstrably facilitates by intertwining human biology with cutting-edge robotics at a fundamental level.

Engineered so-called electronic skin, for example, allows for sensing humidity, pressure, temperature, and more where epigenetics and robotic prosthetics meet. Essentially, it’s the ultimate marriage of neuroscience and robotics, according to Mulleady.

Intersection of machine learning and epigenetics: Conclusion

It’s with all of the above and more taken into account that enterprising engineer and philanthropist Kevin Mulleady remains focused on the crucial intersection between machine learning and epigenetics within robotic prosthetics. With this firmly in mind, he believes that those working in the field will continue to break new ground in the coming years.

It’s for this reason, too, that robotic prosthetics will likely remain at the heart of the businessman’s extremely diverse portfolio of professional interests, which currently ranges from artificial intelligence to venture capital, moving forward.

Transacting quickly and securely is essential for businesses. QuarkChain is a unique, two-layer blockchain solution that can deliver over 100,000 on-chain transactions per second. QuarkChain’s innovative framework also prevents double-spending attacks, and its market-driven mining increases system throughput.

QuarkChain ICO

QuarkChain’s ICO took place in 2018, and raised an impressive $20,000,000, reaching 100% of its fundraising goal. QuarkChain enlisted the assistance of Benn Godenzi to ensure its ICO was successful. Benn’s list of successful ICOs includes EdenChain, WanChain, CryptoCurve, and Origo Network.

QuarkChain utilized a private-sale model for its ICO, releasing 20% of its total supply to private investors. Benn Godenzi’s numerous connections within the cryptocurrency space likely helped it achieve its private ICO fundraising goals.

What is QuarkChain?

QuarkChain aims to meet the global-commercial standard with high throughput, security, and its innovative sharding-based blockchain. Sharding essentially splits a blockchain’s network into smaller divisions, enabling more transactions-per-second. When transacting from one shard to another, transaction speeds increase even further.

Sharding typically raises security concerns since shards are often more susceptible to attack than non-sharded blockchains. However, QuarkChain addresses most security concerns commonly attributed to sharding by allocating 50% of its hash power to its root chain. With QuarkChain’s enhanced security and lightning-fast transactions, it’s poised to enhance commercial blockchain transactions in a significant way.

Because QuarkChain is a Turing-complete smart contract platform, it’s compatible with Ethereum Virtual Machine decentralized apps (dApps). Ethereum Virtual Machine dApps are deterministic applications capable of running in isolated virtual environments, making them ideal for businesses interested in using smart contracts.

QuarkChain So Far

QuarkChain released its official whitepaper in February 2018. The detailed whitepaper is 47-pages long and covers QuarkChain’s technology, use cases, and roadmap. In late 2018, QuarkChain released its first MainNet smart wallet. In Q2 of 2019, QuarkChain released QuarkChain Core 2.0, adding more shards and enabling faster transactions. In late 2019, QuarkChain began its community governance efforts, allowing users to vote on new shard development.

QuarkChain began integrating Matic Network solutions into the QuarkChain platform in early 2021. The Matic Network is an off-chain solution that should allow QuarkChain to utilize sidechains, which run parallel to the existing blockchain. With QuarkChain’s two-layer blockchain and Matic’s sidechain features, QuarkChain may be one of the safest, fastest blockchain solutions on the market.

QuarkChain Price

It is unknown what QuarkChain’s private ICO price was during their initial price offering with Benn Godenzi. When QuarkChain first released their public sale, they traded around $0.23 per token. QuarkChain’s price is significantly lower today than when they first began trading, although this may be because they sold 20% of their supply before trading on public exchanges. Today, a single QuarkChain token trades for a little over $0.02.

Dr. Gregory Finkelson discusses trademarks and trade names and registration basics.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, June 19, 2022 — When establishing a business, there are many administrative responsibilities to take care of relative to registration, taxation, and more. According to Dr. Gregory Finkelson, this makes it all too easy for other necessary tasks, like registering for trademarks, to take the backseat as operations begin.

However, this process is extremely important to tap into the added protections of holding a trademark as soon as possible. Finkelson said many do not understand the basics of trademark registration and the benefits it provides, so they never consider it a priority until it becomes an issue.

Dr. Gregory Finkelson explains trademark basics

Trademarks and trade names are often confused, and they are not interchangeable terms. A trade name is just another way to refer to the name of a business. They can be registered with the home state of the business but are not a form of protection.

They are sometimes referred to as the “doing business as” name and are typically kept on file with the Secretary of State or a similar office at the state level to log the legal status of a sole proprietorship, LLC, or corporation.

With a trade name, basic common-law rights are afforded to a business. When a company is the first to use a term commercially, ownership can be enforced locally or within the state, but the legal claim can be tenuous and rarely crosses state lines.

A trademark is more robust and operates at the federal level with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, or USPTO, according to Dr. Gregory Finkelson. When the mark is registered, the business receives registration in an online database, and a public notice is published spelling out ownership of the trademark.

The range of protection afforded by a trademark covers the U.S. and also makes it possible to enforce the use of the trademark relative to the import of foreign goods. For example, a foreign company could not start under the same name and import products to the U.S.

Trademarks at the federal level are also able to use the official ® for the registered trademark symbol, while products registered elsewhere can only use the trademark or service mark designations.

Getting started early

While many defer registering a trademark at the start of a business, Dr. Gregory Finkelson reports it is best to get the process rolling early as it takes time.

Applications may not be approved for months, and the process — while straightforward — can have layers depending on the type of registration. Sometimes the services of a lawyer are required, particularly when a trademark would cover goods or services provided across several classes or categories.

What is protected by a trademark?

Many popular businesses are known by both a name and a logo or other intellectual property. Dr. Gregory Finkelson advises it’s important to realize a name trademark is not an umbrella for all assets.

Instead, trademarks need to be obtained for any intellectual property unique and popular for identifying a company. The intellectual property covered by trademarks can include logs and symbols associated with the business as well as words, key phrases, slogans, and specific designs. Each requires a separate application with the USPTO. 

Wellman Shew dives into the what and why employee benefits.

Small businesses need to offer their employees a variety of benefits. Not only does this help to attract and retain talent, but it also helps businesses by increasing productivity and employee satisfaction.

Some of the most popular benefits that small businesses should offer include: health insurance, 401(k) retirement plans, disability insurance, life insurance, paid vacation time (at least one week), paid sick days (at least 10), and paid holidays (at least 8).

Wellman Shew says that a small business is not required to offer health insurance as an employee benefit. However, it can be a great way to attract and retain employees.

Health insurance

Wellman Shew explains that It can be challenging to find a plan for employers and employees. For example, some programs may have high deductibles or too many out-of-pocket expenses. This could make it hard for employees to afford their care needs, leading to them quitting their jobs.

The best way for a small business to offer health insurance as an employee benefit is by looking at all of the options available in their area or state. Wellman Shew says they should also consider the number of employees they have to find a plan that will work for them financially and help them.

401(k) retirement plans

401(k) retirement plans are a type of employee benefit that offers employees an opportunity to contribute a portion of their pre-tax earnings to an individual retirement account. These contributions provide many benefits, including tax-deferred growth and tax-free withdrawals in retirement.

Disability insurance

As the workforce grows, employers need to offer more benefits as an incentive for employees to stay with their company. One benefit that employers may want to consider is disability insurance, which provides a financial safety net if the employee becomes injured or sick and cannot work for some time.

Budget-friendly employee benefits

Wellman Shew adds that you can offer many different benefits to your employees, but it’s best to start with those that don’t cost too much money. These include:

– Flexible work hours

– Paid time off

– Work from home days

Why small businesses should provide employee benefits

According to Wellman Shew, employee benefits are one of the most important aspects of hiring, retaining, and motivating employees.

Some of the advantages that come from employee benefits include:

– Employee retention: Benefits can help retain employees by providing them with a competitive edge over other companies.

– Motivation: Employees are motivated when they feel their employer cares about them and wants to provide for their needs.

– Employee satisfaction: Employees feel more satisfied when they see that their employer invests in them and their future.

– Productivity: A happy employee is a productive one, so it’s essential to ensure that your employees have all the resources they need to succeed at work.

-Employees are more committed to the company they work for.

-The staff feel more valued by their employer.

– Workers may have a better work-life balance.

-Staff turnover rates decrease: They’re less likely to leave the company for other opportunities or companies.

-It’s a cost-effective way of attracting new candidates and retaining current employees.

Employee benefits are the incentives employers provide for their staff to attract, motivate and retain them.

Wellman Shew has been in the insurance for over four decades. As President and Agency Manager of Shew & Company Inc. for over 17 years, he is a specialist in employee benefits, Section 125 plans, health savings accounts, long-term care, 401k plans, life insurance, and disability insurance. 

Adding financial planning to your CPA business increases your cash flow and service offering to new clients and existing clients, per Barry Bulakites, a Denver financial services provider.

If you already have a CPA business, you already know that it’s largely a seasonal business. In order to smooth out your cash flow and increase your revenue, you can expand your services to include financial planning, suggests Barry Bulakites, President of Table Bay Financial Network and a Denver-based financial services provider.

As a Certified Professional Accountant, you face competition from tax preparation companies offering services through brick and mortar and online venues. However, you can offer something these companies do not. By taking a three-hour securities exam, you can include insurance planning, investment planning, and other wealth management services your clients need, according to Barry Bulakites.

Keep reading to learn more reasons to widen your knowledge and customer base in this manner.

Barry Bulakites Advocates Delighting Clients With Expanded Services

Financial planning services give your clients one more reason to stay with you and recommend your business to their colleagues and friends. You can provide a one-stop solution for wealth management, saving clients time, money, and stress, per Barry Bulakites.

Take estate planning, for example. Clients aim to minimize taxes and keep expenses down during the estate planning process. However, they also want to make sure that their beneficiaries receive as much of the estate as possible. Instead of going to multiple professionals, they can use your firm for their individual and business financial needs as well as estate planning and other financial planning matters.

It Makes You More Competitive

Bundle services help you stand out from other CPA firms and financial planning companies. You have already advised your customers regarding financial matters, and they trust you. Use this relationship to give your clients access to wealth management services that will help them with buying a home, funding their children’s education, and preparing for retirement, said Barry Bulakites.

Offer wealth management to diversify what your practice has to offer. To stand out from other CPA firms, according to Barry Bulakites, you must build a practice based on meeting all the clients’ needs. That includes accounting, tax preparation, and financial planning.

Provide Comprehensive Financial Services

When you provide guidance for current and future financial planning, you give your clients peace of mind. According to Barry Bulakites, they will appreciate the forward-thinking approach of combining these services. It will also help your clients make better financial decisions with a 360-degree view that encompasses both current and future goals.

Barry Bulakites Suggests that CPAs Leverage Their Insight

Barry Bulakites encourages CPAs to expand their service offering for the benefit of themselves, their staff, and their clients. After all, CPAs have more to offer than minimally trained tax preparers or online software that lacks insight into financial planning.