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One of the world’s top luxury consignors, The RealReal, is unequivocally shifting the way we shop, accessorize and experience fashion as a whole. The company knows all too well that luxury goods will always be a global hot commodity. They want others to understand that their pre-owned luxury goods can have a resale value of up to 80 percent. The company has positively encouraged its members to resell what they no longer use instead of discarding it in the trash. This not only helps its members make a good return on their investments, but it also helps to promote recycling.

As of today, the RealReal has over 9 million members and is reportedly worth more than $450 million. They have consigned over 8 million luxury items including ultra-rare pieces by Louis Vuitton, Manolo Blahnik, Chanel, Celine, and Rolex through its online, brick-and-mortar and pop-up shops. The luxury consignor’s chief merchant for its San Francisco office, Rati Levesque, focuses on educating its merchants on what’s currently trending up or spiraling down. She uses real-time data so the sales team can decide what item’s resale price should be raised, or what item should be stored away until it’s trending again.

The world of fashion is very fickle and ever-changing, a top designer’s piece that was once deemed outdated can make its way to the top again in an instant. And that is exactly what this company wants you to remember; your luxury goods will always have the potential to stay marketable. Levesque, an economics major, used to own an upscale boutique before she helped launched the RealReal back in 2011. The real-time data that she constantly updates her sales team with are eventually used to help each consignor successfully resell their goods. It’s up to them to let the consignors know that those fabulous pairs of Gucci boots are now selling like hotcakes, and now is the perfect time to give up a pair if they’re no longer wearing them.

Levesque also researches the past history of any type of luxury item that was ever consigned through the company. If an item didn’t sell well in the past, it was simply because it was overpriced. They would have to price these items a bit lower in hopes to see them move out of their ever-increasing inventory. She explained that everything showcased in-store is also available online during the same time. Due to this feature, the brick-and-mortar stores have practically turned into miniature warehouses where items can be picked, packed and shipped out if needed.

To help the sales team keep a constant eye on their inventory, the company relies on an RFID chip that is placed inside every tag. They can easily locate a vintage Louis Vuitton dress to have it shipped out immediately if it sells online. Or, if a customer takes an item in the fitting room, it will conveniently be placed on temporary hold online. The company has hired a team of stylists at their brick-and-mortar stores in New York, NY and Los Angeles, CA, to help push out inventory. They are trained to converse with their customers, in a rather tactful way, to let them know that what they’re buying will still hold its resale value and that they can make a nice profit when they’re done using it. It is a win-win situation that millions worldwide can’t help but agreed with.

Has your garage door been playing tricks on you lately?  It sometimes acts lazy to let you out and other times don’t close properly? These are the common garage door issues that homeowners in US, experience every now and then. In most cases the dying batteries are the common culprits. Issues with external opener, remote opener or main opener batteries could make garage doors undependable in no time. In such cases, simply replacing the batteries can bring back the garage door into its earlier working stage.

However, in many situations, it is not the batteries that are responsible for the problems. Sometimes, even after changing the batteries the garage door won’t open or close properly. There might be other some issues that are affecting its performance. Here are some of the major garage door issues highlighted by the experts at J & J Garage Door & Electric Openers; a leading garage door repair service in Algonquin, who also provide their services in places like Palatine, Elgin, Deerfield, Northbrook, Mount Prospect, McHenry, Cary, Arlington Heights and Buffalo Grove.

Let us discuss some of the major issues that need professional attention.

 

• Doors Open But Won’t Close

 

Usually, this happens when an object on the ground blocks the path of the invisible beam transmitted by the sensors of the s. However, it can also happen as a result of debris build-up on the tracks or sensors getting misaligned; both of which can prevent the rollers from moving forward to shut down the garage door.

 

• Strange Sounds

 

Have you been listening to unusual noises every time the garage door opens and closes? This usually happens when the torsion spring of lifting cables gets broken. Since, the springs operate under immense stress; this causes unwanted noise and could pose a safety risk too.

 

• Problem with Tracks

 

The rollers and tracks are in operation for number of times in a day, which makes them susceptible to wear and tear. Most of the times the tracks fall out of alignment or the bolts in the brackets come loose. Sometimes, the tracks get damaged after getting bumped by the car while parking, causing additional strain in operation. All these situations can cause serious issues with the door. Contact a garage door installation and repair service before it’s too late.

 

• Issues with Rollers

 

Rollers come in different types, steel, nylon and plastic. All these have different life-expectancies. When installing the garage doors, people pay least attention to the material of rollers. Rollers of the garage doors need to be cleaned and lubricated every year to maintain efficiency. Not doing so shall increase the chances of having serious problems in future.

 

• Broken/Eroded Seals

 

Broken and eroded seals in garage doors act as entryways for pests. They are harmful for the stuff kept in the garage. If left unaddressed, soon they’ll make their way to the interiors, causing a huge amount of damage and mess. One has to stop their entry right at the garage door.

In case you have any of the above problems, it is best to call a garage door installation and repair service in your area. These people usually have years of experience dealing with all the problems mentioned above. They’ll also be able to answer all your queries related to garage doors and their maintenance.

Traveling is one of the most rewarding experiences we may embark on, and once returning home, many feel they are no longer the same. Through travel, we begin to see, taste, hear, and love the world in different ways. We discover artifacts of history and come to experience new landscapes that truly take our breath away. We learn that despite our obvious differences, we share similar values and are interconnected no matter how far away we may be from one another.

While our values are universal, the language barrier continues to limit the relationships we may form with one another. This is something Ryan Zhang, Founder of Langogo AI, has set out to change. Embarking on a trip to Japan with his wife, the pair soon came to realize that while they were able to travel among geographies, they were unfortunately unable to travel among cultures.

Becoming A Part Of the Conversation

Fortunately, Langogo’s translation device http://bit.ly/2P6kq8E will let you do just that. Fuelled by artificial intelligence, the handheld device makes traveling smarter, opening a universal conversation with the power of technology. Combining Neural Machine Translation, Cloud-Sim Technology and AI assistance, the device is capable of connecting users to sixty different languages in less than one second. It includes two built-in microphones and noise canceling technology to produce the most accurate translations and to empower new two-way conversations. Connect with locals in English, Spanish, Catalan, Chinese, Danish, German, Finnish, French, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Swedish, among many other languages. Become smarter on the go and enjoy your travel experience with peace of mind and confidence.

Translating Better Experiences

Langogo’s AI assistant, Euri is your new “go-to” travel companion. Now, you may discover exchange rates, directions and trip advice on the go. With all of the information you may ever need at your fingertips, you are now able to become fully immersed in the culture and enjoy a worry-free travel experience.

Connecting Anywhere With Anyone

In the past, we as travelers were merely passive observers. Now, we may connect, and create relationships with practically anyone. With its own built-in global Internet, Langogo makes these transformative connections possible anytime anywhere, allowing users to roam in 72 countries without a local sim card. “We are Voice AI experts and travel enthusiasts. Langogo not only helps you connect with people around the world in different languages, but it also helps you stay connected to the Internet wherever you are,” says Zhang.

Langogo is the world’s very first pocket translator with global-wifi and it is about to change the travel experience for the better. “I expect that you’ll see people talking with each other with Langogo when you travel cross-border in the next two years,” he says. Taking a taxi, ordering food, or shopping at the local market, we are now speaking the same language and capable of understanding one another more deeply than ever before.

Join The Global Conversation

No longer lost in translation, we may begin to find ourselves and the ways we are all the same. We may make our travels smarter and our connections deeper, understanding the fundamental values spoken across the globe. With the power of technology, we are ready to join in on the conversation and remove the language barrier for good.

 

There’s no need to put up with the winter blahs this year. Travel agencies, resorts, and airlines have all teamed up to offer the best tropical getaway deals in years. It doesn’t take much searching to find the right fun in the sun venue for singles, couples, and families. And if you book your flights now for vacations in January and February you can save significant money. Put these hotspots on your list:

Pattaya, Thailand

There are over 20 miles of pristine beaches surrounding this lively town on the Gulf of Thailand. For adults, the nightlife is nearly as vibrant and diverse as in Bangkok itself. For couples and families, the beaches offer endless swimming, sunbathing, and shell collecting opportunities.

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Kid friendly Punta Cana caters to the SpongeBob Squarepants and Mutant Teenage Ninja Turtles crowd, with popular cartoon characters available for interactions and photos on the beach, at the pool, and even around the conch bar — where they serve up the best conch stew this side of paradise.

Orlando, Florida

If you book far enough in advance you can get discounts on everything; hotel rooms, Disney World passes, and Inland Waterway tours, to name just a few. If you come down in February you can spend a day in a real citrus orchard picking oranges, lemons, and even kumquats to take home or to trade for gift cards to local restaurants and boutiques.

Dating people of a different race used to carry a stigma, but that stigma has long since faded away. This stigma causes people to shy away from dating people of another race, with black people being afflicted as much as anyone else. Fortunately, the stigmas of old are finally becoming well known for how ridiculous they have always been.

While you may not have realized this until now, Afroromance is one of the best interracial dating sites you can visit. Check it out today, and learn what you have been missing.  

Dating Other Races and Having Unique Experiences

A great dating experience does not need to conform to a certain culture’s usual expectations. Much like the traditional “dinner and a movie” can seem lame to a more experienced and cultured person, doing the same kinds of dates with the same race over and over again can get boring and cliché. Fortunately, dating someone from a different race allows you to experience entirely new types of dates, where you do different things.

In addition to having new experiences, you can get new thoughts on similar experiences. When a person from a different cultural tradition and you see the same sight, you can talk about how differently you interpret it from your different backgrounds. These backgrounds and their differences can make for some very interesting conversations, if you allow them to.

Breaking Down the Ridiculous Stigmas

There are ancient and absurd stigmas that have circulated among some cultures about the black community for many years, and these are completely wrong in nearly all occasions. The notion of people being “ghetto” only applies to a particular subset, most of whom would not be online dating in the first place. As well, when you really meet people from the black community, you learn how absurd the stigmas were in the first place.

Many young women and men are career professionals who want to build great relationships, have families and live in wonderful neighborhoods. These are the kind of people you should be dating, if you are serious about getting with someone permanently. And if you happen to just want to keep it casual and short term, this is also an option in many cases.

People are People

One of the weirdest and worst parts of the modern world is the idea that when a person comes from a different cultural tradition, they have to think of the world in a vastly different way. This could not be further from the truth in almost every case. People are basically the same around the world, and no matter what their skin color may be.

When you begin dating people of a different race, all of the stereotypes begin making less and less sense. By the time you have dated half a dozen people from a different race, the stereotypes seem entirely unfounded in nearly every case. Without racial stereotypes to hold you back, you can begin to see the fact that everyone can have a great time and potentially build something real with anyone else.

 

Jeunesse Global has risen from obscurity to become one of the top-selling health and beauty brands in the country today. The company was founded in 2009 by industry pioneers Randy Ray and Wendy Lewis as a means to pass their idle time in retirement. Little did the veteran entrepreneurs know that they would soon be sitting atop a global health and beauty empire that would be putting up a strong fight against some of the most established names in the business.

Ray and Lewis had both spent their entire lives in the field of direct-selling, founding some of the top companies in the industry. As they neared their 70s, the innately industrious couple decided to take a crack at retirement. They wanted to spend more time with each other and with their growing number of grandchildren. However, neither Ray nor Lewis had anticipated exactly how much of a change it would be to go from the fast-paced and exciting world of running their own business to one of having little or nothing to do.

It quickly became apparent that Ray and Lewis needed something more than days of sitting around and watching television to keep them satisfied. They were born to be entrepreneurs. So, the couple founded a small startup out of their garage that they named Jeunesse. Before long, Jeunesse started taking to the skies.

With Ray’s innate ability to sell both the business plan and the company’s products and Lewis’ decades of experience developing cutting-edge products across many different industries, the couple was able to quickly start growing Jeunesse Global at an exponential pace. By the end of the company’s first year, it had already done more than $1 million in sales. By its fifth year, Jeunesse Global was doing business in dozens of countries, with its products being sold by thousands of independent Jeunesse Global business owners and millions of customers worldwide.

And all of this success has been the product of the company’s dynamite compensation plan and its ability to field some of the best products that the global health and beauty industry has ever seen. Ray and Lewis were able to quickly spot underserved market niches for which they developed cutting-edge, highly effective products.

One example of this has been the company’s micro-crème and anti-aging formula, Instantly Ageless. Instantly Ageless is a deep-cleansing micro-crème that eliminates close to 100 percent of the grime and dirt that gets into the skin’s pores. This prevents the formation of blemishes due to irritation and infection. Instantly Ageless can keep users’ complexions clean and blemish-free, giving a healthy and youthful glow to the skin with just a single application each day.

But the real secret behind Instantly Ageless is the fact that it contains Jeunesse Global’s secret anti-aging formula, APT-200. APT-200 was developed on behalf of Jeunesse Global by some of the leading organic chemists and anti-aging product developers in the world. The molecule has been shown to reduce the incidence of wrinkles while also preventing new ones from forming. Instantly Ageless is also able to restore skin elasticity that has been naturally lost to the aging process. All told, Instantly Ageless is able to wipe years off of a user’s apparent age, helping people to look and feel their best in just a couple of minutes per day.

What do you think of consigned items for sale? You might think of electronics or specific brands of clothing being sold at a thrift store. Does luxury goods come to mind? It probably does not.

A new startup called The RealReal is changing the way people view consignment and luxury goods. This company is not only changing how people see consignment and luxury items but how people shop for them as well. This novel idea is now allowing people to snap up luxury brands such as Luis Vuitton, Gucci, Chanel and many more at a fraction of their original prices.

People who want luxury but don’t want to pay the high costs of a new item now have an entire marketplace of consigned luxury goods to choose from. The RealReal has almost anything and everything you can think of. You can buy pants and leather goods for men. For women, there are dresses, swimsuits, handbags, purses, jewelry, boots, sandals, shirts and much more to purchase.

Most shoppers at RealReal are women, though men do make up a significant market segment as well. The founder of the luxury consignment market says that while men purchase less of the goods, they return their items much less frequently. In the end, she says it evens out. The success of this concept no doubt points to the fact that there is a strong demand for used luxury goods at bargain prices when compared to their original selling prices.

Strong sales have led to investors pouring in hundreds of millions of dollars into the venture. The luxury consignment store recently raised an additional 50 million dollars in funding. This was an investment by Great Hill Partners.

It is interesting that many of the people that sell their used luxury brand clothing or accessories are also buyers. Founder Julie Wainwright says that this helps keep a steady flow of inventory for the company. Many of the buyers are also repeat buyers. This is why her company has been able to not only survive but thrive in this niche luxury market.

Many people are hopping onto RealReal’s bandwagon either as buyers or sellers. For sellers, it is an easy way to make money off luxury items they may no longer need or want. For the buyer, the lure of buying a luxury item at a relatively low price is an irresistible lure. After all, it is not like you see luxury items for sale at inexpensive prices at every used clothing store, pawnshop or Goodwill.

RealReal is mostly an online or e-commerce operation. Most of the sales are made online. Their website has a massive amount of items available for purchase that can change daily.

A pop-up store in Manhattan for a few weeks did so well that Julie Wainwright said that she decided to open up a brick and mortar store in SoHo. That store offers a wide selection of used luxury items for sale. It is profitable and attracts thousands of shoppers who enjoy perusing the great variety of clothing and accessories available at the store. Wainwright said that men also accounted for about a third of the buyers at the SoHo brick and mortar store. Women dominate the online sales.

The success of the RealReal consignment store can be traced to its bargain prices and guarantee of authenticity. Experts authenticate every item. People who want to sell their brand name item must bring it to one of many RealReal offices where an expert looks at it. If it passes the test, then it will be listed for sale or displayed at its brick and mortar store. Authenticity, a clever online platform, and great prices are the secret to RealReal’s success in the secondhand luxury goods market.

How do take your event marketing to the next level by generating the necessary hype? Let’s start with the details as the first step in how to make an event successful.

Delegate the Details

This one should go right alongside your written event plan. When deciding the details of your small business event, also choose who will be accountable for each. It’s easy, as small business managers, to give yourself a lot of responsibility. But you’re going to be busy looking after your business, so don’t burden yourself with way too many event details.

Delegating is often as not as easy or as simple as hiring someone to help – an event planner, a caterer, someone who has knowledge and experience about these events. If that’s not in the budget, you can still assign details from your plan to employees or volunteers. Holding an event to boost business doesn’t have to bring your business to a halt – divide the details, delegate them and keep everyone in the loop with regular communication.

Venue

This is more than likely going to be one of the major costs of your overall budget and there are many things to think about when picking a venue. Is a purpose built venue compulsory or could deliberation be given to a neutral space, such as a warehouse or outdoor marquee, which could be done up?  Or perhaps an unusual, outdoor venue would be better? Some of the key problems to think about include cost and service delivery; what are the hidden costs such as, stewarding, traffic marshals, first aid provision, furniture, electrical supply and most importantly the catering? There are frequent venue sourcing agencies that can help you find the perfect venue and negotiate the best rates.

Hire someone famous

It is important that you look in to getting someone who is recognisable to all to speak at your event in order to make people want to come to your event. If your event is about business, you may want to talk to Karen Brady agent, or sports events you might think about getting a sports personality to talk. Celebrities will make your event seem high-class and important and will definitely make more people want to come to your event.

Get Social

Social media has become top dog when it comes to event promotion. With over a billion accounts on Facebook and more and more people entering the social media space everyday it would be unwise to ignore it. Automated social media campaigns are great for planned content. You need to keep in contact with your followers, answering questions and staying on top of comments. You can even post videos of the event and guest speakers.

While using social media platforms, don’t miss out on Twitter. It is a tremendously powerful tool, which will let you add a widget. This will show everyone that people are talking about your event. You then can have a prior idea about the number of people that your event is likely to attract. Social media can be a fantastic tool when it comes to marketing. And it holds true for your event as well. When you are looking for more people to come to the event, you should use social media in the best possible manner to get maximum returns.

Develop a budget

This will provide you with a financial blueprint for the event. The budget should be specific, and include revenue opportunities (sponsorship, ticket sales, donations, etc.) as well as expenses such as printing, permits, insurance, speakers, food, supplies and security. Maintain good records, keeping track of all income and expenses. Also, expect the unexpected, extra expenses will come up — so plan ahead.

Music has been a central element in many people’s lives, bringing story, language and resonance to our experiences and cultural identities. Through music, we may connect in a meditative way and bring about inner peace and greater focus in ourselves. Over the past decade, there has been a shift in the way we interact with music. The Ukulele has grown in overwhelming demand and for the first time ever; the instrument has sold in greater volumes than the guitar. The tiny and affordable instrument offers a poetic tone, demonstrating that learning an instrument can be accessible to everyone.

The Internet has created a booming stage for music lovers who wish to learn how to play the ukulele. With YouTube videos, music websites, and apps at your fingertips, it is becoming easier than ever to learn new chords and to become a self-taught musician.

The universal platform of the ukulele is expanding even wider as new developments allow you to take the instrument wherever you go. Developed by Novako Music, the Ava Ukulele is making waves as the perfect travel companion for adventurers across the world. Its novel features include compact storage as well as earphone compatibility so you may enjoy playing music without disturbing others in your environment. The instrument also produces electric signals to initiate amplification through a loud speaker. With the Ava Ukulele, travelers can delve into the introspective journey of the instrument, and share with others along the way.

Considering the universal nature of the instrument, it makes sense that the Ava Ukulele has received its grand echo of success through Crowdfunding.

In recent years, Crowdfunding has become a popular means for connecting diverse individuals and garnering support for entrepreneurial ventures. Put simply, crowdfunding involves gathering funds through local, national and international means. The act allows entrepreneurs to extend their project, cause or idea into a wide network that wouldn’t otherwise be possible and seek support in an efficient space.

There are a variety of crowdfunding websites welcoming ventures from various backgrounds. While some seek to represent ventures in niche themes and utilities, others provide an open environment for accessibility.

Kickstarter is a resource that is typically used by small businesses and start-ups. The website is aesthetically focused, encouraging businesses to promote their products in the most visually attractive way possible. Through visual storytelling, Kickstarter gives businesses an extra push to launch their ventures in a compelling way. Since mid-June, Kickstarter has helped to fund more than 145,000 projects, thanks to its fourteen million ‘backers.’

Platforms like Kickstarter are being supported tremendously by the power of social media. Through social engagements, campaigns are reaching wider audiences with a viral potential and connecting more deeply to potential funders through associations with the individuals behind the campaign. Crowdfunding provides incentives, both physical and digital, compelling active involvement.

The nature of contribution on this platform provides for accessibility as well. With multiple tier options and an attitude of ‘everything helps’, potential funders no longer feel pressured to unfist a tremendous amount of cash upfront. Instead, campaigns become an effort of building together.

Just sixteen hours following the launch of its Kickstarter campaign, the Ava Ukulele attained its $30,000 goal. The early success of the product is a nod to the impact of global sharing and a success story for adventurers, entrepreneurs, and music lovers across the world.  Whether its sharing music, a project, or an idea, we can all play our part in supporting inspiration and our universal passions. Working together, we are all connected.