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The Importance of Nutrition

During the holidays, our personal health tends to fail miserably. As Valentine’s Day and Easter approach, the various candies can be hard to ignore as well. These guilty pleasures are around us all year long, causing it to be extremely difficult to focus on our nutrition. Nutrition is one of the most important aspects of our lives, dealing with the foods we eat and the amount of exercise we are doing. Having good nutrition can affect other aspects of life such as your mood, sleep, self-esteem, and stress.

Many people believe that having good nutrition means that they have to change their entire diet and give up everything they love, but that is not the case. Foods can be eaten in moderations and one chocolate will not be the end of the world. Eating healthier and exercising regularly can be a challenge for many people, therefore there are nutritionists and personal trainers in St. Louis that are there to help. A nutritionist will be there to guide you along the way and help create a plan for your diet. There are many simple ways to do that including tracking foods with an app that will not require too much of your time. These people will be your biggest motivators other than yourself, so it is important to have a strong bond filled with trust. Focusing on your nutrition can be one of the best things to do for your body, and it deserves it.

Ed Mayuga, AMM Communications Partner, Presents at Feb. 20 St. Louis Society of Association Executives (SLSAE) Luncheon

image of Ed MayugaFebruary 13, 2018 (St. Louis) – Ed Mayuga, AMM Communications partner, a leading St. Louis-based firm that offers PR, digital marketing, communication skills training, and talent acquisition, is the luncheon speaker for the Feb. 20 St. Louis Society of Association Executives (SLSAE), where he is presenting, “Using Social Media Effectively for Associations.”

The program will be held at the Missouri Society of CPAs located at 540 Maryville Centre Dr., St. Louis, MO, 63141, from 11:15 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Tickets are $35.00 for SLSAE members and $50.00 for non-members. To register, please click here.

The program is about how social media has been around for nearly 15 years, and associations and company are still not using it and testing it to its fullest potential. The purpose of this discussion is to provide three ideas for social media marketing that attendees can implement after attending this session. Ideas that will be discussed include:

  • LinkedIn for B2B marketing
  • Facebook and Instagram for B2C marketing
  • Pay-per-Click advertising through Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Google AdWords

Founded in 2008 by Ann Marie and Ed Mayuga, AMM Communications, a PR and digital agency, serves clients throughout the St. Louis region and nationwide. The firm has evolved from its initial offerings of public relations and social media consulting to evolving into one of the only digital public relations firms in St. Louis using the Paid Earned Social Owned (PESO) model when working with clients. The PESO model was created by Gini Dietrich, PR-thought leader and founder of the influential blog, http://spinsucks.com.

AMM Communications has also been voted one of the “Best St. Louis Public Relations Firms” by the readers of Small Business Monthly for eight consecutive years from 2010-17. Also, the firm was selected by Small Business Monthly as one of its “2017 Future 50” companies, an award recognizing privately held companies that are key economic indicators for regional business growth.

Founded in 2008, AMM Communications LLC, the St. Louis-based PR and digital agency, and talent acquisition firm, provides media relations, digital public relation, business development, crisis communications, content marketing, internal communications, communications skills training, digital marketing, reputation management, social media consulting, and executive search services for businesses nationwide. AMM Communications is WBE certified, and has been voted one of the “Best PR Firms in St. Louis” by Small Business Monthly from 2010-2017. We want to help you … Drive your sales. Communicate better. Hire well. For more information, please visit, http://ammcommunications.com or call 314.485.9499.

Purk & Associates, P.C., Voted by Small Business Monthly’s Readers Among “2018 Best in Customer Service St. Louis Companies”

February 5, 2018 (St. Louis) – Purk & Associates, P.C., a nationally recognized, independently owned St. Louis-based accounting and management advisory firm, was voted by the readers of Small Business Monthly’s as one of the “2018 Best in Customer Service St. Louis Companies.”

“It is an honor to be voted by the readers of Small Business Monthly as one the best companies in St. Louis that provides outstanding customer service,” said Bill Purk, CPA, Purk & Associates President and Co-Founding Shareholder. “Our team members are focused on delivering consistent, valued-oriented results for our clients every day that exceeds their expectations.”

For nearly a decade, Purk & Associates has consistently been selected by the readers of Small Business Monthly for a variety of the publication’s “Best in Company” awards including “Best in Customer Service,” “Best in Quality,” ‘Best Accounting Firms,” “Best in Value,” “Future 50,” and several of its team members have been selected “Top Small Business Accountants” and “Top Small Business Executives.”

A link to Small Business Monthly’s “2018 Best in Customer Service St. Louis Companies” is available here.

Founded in 2009 with headquarters in St. Louis, Purk & Associates, P.C., is a nationally recognized and award winning, independently owned accounting and management advisory firm that delivers a full range of tax, accounting, audit and consulting services. At Purk & Associates, our focus is to help our clients achieve more financial and business success. To learn more, please visit www.purkpc.com.

What is water-based collision repair and why should you ask for it?

A man painting a car with water-based automotive paintAt some point in time, every car owner is going to experience some manner of body damage to their vehicle. From everyday wear and tear around handles and keyholes, road hazards and weather, an automobile’s body is going to take a beating.

While most car owners do not think much about these little touches of character, a collision, even minor fender bumps, will require some attention from a professional. While minor dings can often be pulled or beat back into shape, the paint doesn’t always have the flexibility to bounce back as well.

The next time you are looking for an auto body shop in St. Louis, before you even get an estimate, you need to ask if they use water based collision repair.

Water-Based vs. Thinner/Oil-Based Collision Repair

Traditionally auto body shops used industry-specific paints for collision repair. Up until more recent innovations, these paints would be used with thinners and have an oil base that was used as a means to have the paint cling to the car’s surface. Water-based paints offer the same benefits of oil/thinner-based paints in terms of quality, longevity and ability to blend into the surrounding paint. However, water-based paints are extremely eco-friendly when compared to traditional paints. Water-based paints generate 75% less pollutants than oil/thinner-based paints. This fact alone has lead to the majority of manufacturers switching to water-based paints.

When you are locating an auto body shop in the St. Louis area, be sure they are using the most up to date collision repair techniques. Due to the fact it produces so much less hazardous waste than traditional methods, many states have even begun to phase out, or even outlaw the use of thinner/oil-based paints. If a shop does not offer water based collision repair then you should keep shopping for the sake of your car and the environment. One company in St. Louis that is no stranger to the superiority and flexibility of water based collision repair is Shur-Way Auto Body, which first brought the practice to the area.

Don’t be fooled by terminology or misconceptions.

Water-based paints may mistakenly conjure up the notion that the pain being used is inferior, but nothing could be further from the truth. Another name for water-based is waterborne, which is the more common term used among auto body shops. In industry reports, which documented statistics and asked for perspective from those who worked in, produced, and even taught the auto body trade, waterborne paints were found to offer several advantages over oil-based paints.

Thanks to industry wide innovations today, waterborne paints not only meet or exceed the quality and expectations of oil/solvent-based paints, they are also more resistant to being contaminated and tend to have quicker dry times. With the phasing out of older style paints and higher flexibility when it comes to blending custom colors, waterborne paints are also becoming more diverse in their offering of colors, which means that collision repair for exotic finishes is less troublesome. No matter the age or make of your vehicle, when you are looking for a quote on body work, re-touching, or collision repair, be sure the company you take it to uses waterborne paint to ensure the highest quality and most up to date materials are used.

Fyndus Selected as Exclusive E-Commerce App by Huawei MENA, World’s Leader in Telecommunications Equipment Manufacturing

Fyndus Icon

  • Huawei selects the Fyndus mobile application as a partner for eCommerce in the Middle East/North Africa (MENA).
  • Fyndus App will be installed as a core application on all new Huawei phones in MENA, and pushed to existing devices in a software update.
  • Both companies will share resources to jointly work with local telecom provider partners.

Jan. 23, 2018 (St. Louis) – Fyndus, LLC, a global leader in the e-commerce shopping experience with how consumers and merchants help one another, announced today an exclusive partnership with Huawei of the Middle East/North Africa (MENA), the international leader in telecommunications equipment manufacturing.

In 2017, Huawei had 4 percent of the mobile phone market in MENA (2Q, 2017). The Huawei – Fyndus strategic partnership will co-brand and co-promote the value each company brings to its customers. Both companies provide innovative technology and create a shopping experience for the user that gives access to the best prices on merchandise, services and dining on a handset.

Affan Waheed, CEO, Fyndus said: “After a successful rollout of our app in Dubai, we wanted to find ways to maximize value with smartphone users. The teams at Huawei and Fyndus identified immediately the enormous opportunities between our two companies to better serve our respective customers and to improve their experiences with each company.”

Founded in 2016, Fyndus has experienced explosive growth with thousands of current users throughout the Middle East, with parts of India and Pakistan having the largest number of users. Fyndus test-marketed the app first in India before launching in the United States late last year.

“Our vision is to empower our users with an app that saves them time and money by finding the best local deals, services and dining experiences regardless of where they are in the world,” added Waheed.

 

Contact:

Ann Marie Mayuga

314.485.9499

annmarie@ammcommunications.com

@stlpr

 

About Fyndus

Fyndus, LLC, is the global leader that changes the consumer retail shopping experience with brick and mortar, and e-commerce using an app. Fyndus is different from other e-commerce platforms because it rewards buying behavior patterns, provides savings to buyers by eliminating the middleman, and offers merchants and service providers the tools to better manage the consumer buying experience. With headquarters based in St. Louis, Missouri and offices located internationally throughout Europe and the Middle East, Fyndus is changing the way people shop globally, save money, and help local businesses thrive. Fyndus…Discover. Shop. Save! To learn more, please visithttps://Fyndus.com.

Ann Marie Mayuga, AMM Communications Partner, Profiled in The Native Society

image of Ann Marie Mayuga

Ann Marie Mayuga is AMM Communications co-founder and principal

January 23, 2018 (St. Louis) – Ann Marie Mayuga, partner and co-founder with AMM Communications LLC, a leading St. Louis-based PR and digital agency, and talent recruitment firm, was profiled in The Native Society, an online publication that profiles business and industry leaders on how to build successful businesses and how to build personal success.

Founded in 2008 by Ann Marie and Ed Mayuga, AMM Communications, a PR and digital agency, serves clients throughout the St. Louis region and nationwide. The firm has evolved from its initial offerings of public relations and social media consulting to evolving into one of the only digital public relations firms in St. Louis using the Paid Earned Social Owned (PESO) model when working with clients. The PESO model was created by Gini Dietrich, PR-thought leader and founder of the influential blog, http://spinsucks.com.

AMM Communications has also been voted one of the “Best St. Louis Public Relations Firms” by the readers of Small Business Monthly for eight consecutive years from 2010-17. Also, the firm was selected by Small Business Monthly as one of its “2017 Future 50” companies, an award recognizing privately held companies that are key economic indicators for regional business growth.

Founded in 2008, AMM Communications LLC, the St. Louis-based PR and digital agency, and talent acquisition firm, provides media relations, digital public relation, business development, crisis communications, content marketing, internal communications, communications skills training, digital marketing, reputation management, social media consulting, and executive search services for businesses nationwide. AMM Communications is WBE certified, and has been voted one of the “Best PR Firms in St. Louis” by Small Business Monthly from 2010-2017. We want to help you … Drive your sales. Communicate better. Hire well. For more information, please visit, http://ammcommunications.comor call 314.485.9499.

Purk & Associates Welcomes Nicholas Duncan as an Associate

Nick Duncan, Associate at Purk & AssociatesJanuary 16, 2018 (St. Louis) – Purk & Associates, the award-winning, nationally recognized accounting and management consulting firm, announced today that Nicholas Duncan joined as a new Associate.

In his new role, Duncan will ensure that auditing standards are met for client matters, and will work with individual and business clients on reviews, compilations, and audits.

“We’re excited to have Nicholas join our team. He has the work ethic, drive and determination to ensure that our clients are well served, and he has already proven himself as a strong team member by stepping up to take on additional responsibilities,” said Bill Purk, CPA, Purk & Associates President and Co-Founding Shareholder.

Prior to joining Purk & Associates, Duncan worked for a national accounting firm as an Audit Associate where he verified clients’ corporate benefit and compensation plans to meet federal and state compliance standards, and other related matters.

“I’m thrilled to be the newest team member to join Purk & Associates. What makes Purk & Associates unique is how the team members are committed, loyal and excited to come to work each day,” said Duncan.

“The Purk & Associates’ environment maintains a high standard of quality in our work and our client relationships. We are encouraged to provide the absolute best service and keep our clients informed frequently to ensure that their accounting needs are anticipated to help them reach their professional and personal goals,” added Duncan.

Duncan earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Missouri State University (MSU) located in Springfield, MO. While a student at MSU, Duncan served as the Chief Financial Officer for the Missouri State University Student Government Association where he reconciled and maintained a detailed record of Financial Reports of Expenditures of a budget of $300,000.

Founded in 2009 with headquarters in St. Louis, Purk & Associates, P.C., is a nationally recognized and award winning, independently owned accounting and management advisory firm that delivers a full range of tax, accounting, audit and consulting services. At Purk & Associates, our focus is to help our clients achieve more financial and business success. To learn more, please visit http://purkpc.com

Purk & Associates, P.C., Named Among Small Business Monthly’s “2018 Best in Quality” Companies

Bill Purk, CPA, Purk & Associates President and Co-Founding Shareholder

January 4, 2018 (St. Louis) – Purk & Associates, P.C., a nationally recognized, independently owned St. Louis-based accounting and management advisory firm, was recently voted as one of Small Business Monthly’s “2018 Best in Quality” companies.

“We are thrilled to be selected by the readers of Small Business Monthly as one St. Louis’ best in quality companies,” said Bill Purk, CPA, Purk & Associates President and Co-Founding Shareholder. “Our team members are focused on delivering consistent, valued-oriented results for our clients every day.”

Over the past several years, Purk & Associates has consistently been selected by the readers of Small Business Monthly for a variety of the publication’s “Best in Company” awards including “Best in Customer Service,” “Best in Quality,” ‘Best in Accounting Firms,” “Best in Value,” “Future 50,” and several of its team members have been selected “Top Small Business Accountants” and “Top Small Business Executives.”

To view the list of “2018 Best in Quality” companies in the January Small Business Monthly issue, please click on the following link, http://bit.ly/2EUGgYa.

Founded in 2009 with headquarters in St. Louis, Purk & Associates, P.C., is a nationally recognized and award winning, independently owned accounting and management advisory firm that delivers a full range of tax, accounting, audit and consulting services. At Purk & Associates, our focus is to help our clients achieve more financial and business success. To learn more, please visit www.purkpc.com.

Expanding the Commercial Lending Team — The Business Bank of St. Louis Welcomes Veteran Banker, Kathleen Tallis, as Vice President-Commercial Lending

St. Louis (Dec. 14, 2017) – The Business Bank of St. Louis (BBSTL) announced today that Kathleen Tallis joined as a Vice President-Commercial Lending.

In her new role, Tallis is responsible for generating commercial loans, identifying new business opportunities and managing client relationships. Tallis brings more than two decades of banking experience in commercial real estate, commercial and industrial (C&I), and Small Business Administration (SBA) lending.

“Kathleen adds depth and versatility to our commercial lending team. She is well known in the St. Louis banking community with a proven record for helping clients grow their businesses and identify unique lending opportunities.  We’re excited to have her level of talent and insight added to our team,” said Chris Frein, Chief Lending Officer at The Business Bank of St. Louis.

Tallis received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Hollins College located in Roanoke, VA.

Celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2017, The Business Bank of St. Louis operates a full-service banking facility in the heart of the Clayton business district located at 8000 Maryland Avenue, Clayton, MO, 63105. The mission of the Bank and the primary focus of the team members is to be the leading financial partner for St. Louis’ business owners, entrepreneurs and professionals who need customized solutions to guide them toward financial success. For more information, visit http://bbstl.com.

It Pays to Procrastinate! Fyndus Launches Dec. 14 “12 Days of Surprises” with BIG Holiday Gift Savings

Fyndus IconSt. Louis (Dec. 14, 2017) – It pays to procrastinate! Fyndus, an international geolocation discount and e-commerce application app that changes the way people shop, announced that its “12 Days of Surprises” holiday shopping program starts Thurs., Dec. 14 and runs through Mon., Dec. 25.

Fyndus is the ideal app for shoppers who want deeply discounted items, free shipping on a variety of products, and a broad selection of merchandise and services. During the “12 Days of Christmas,” which runs from Thurs., Dec. 14 – Mon., Dec. 25, offers a variety of items ranging from must-have phone accessories and the latest hand toys to outerwear and items for your car.

“The Fyndus app brings together the best in comparison of other ecommerce platforms”, said Affan Waheed, Founder and CEO of Fyndus. “The ‘12 Days of Christmas’ is our way to introduce new U.S. users to Fyndus and experience the variety of products and services available at deep discounts.”

“We already have more than 200,000 users and 3,000 merchants worldwide, and now we are ready to change the way people shop in the United States. There is nothing else like Fyndus available to smartphone users,” added Waheed.

Fyndus, which launched its U.S. iOS and Android app during the November Thanksgiving holiday, helps consumers locate and save significant amounts of money on products and services, and helps local merchants increase their holiday sales.  The app utilizes a smartphone’s GPS sensor that provides the user with local deals, while providing the opportunity to purchase a wide range of items directly from the app.

Launched in Asia, Europe and the Middle East in 2016, Fyndus has gained international popularity among users and merchants for its ability to quickly connect and eliminate unnecessary distractions online shoppers have because the user experience is customized because of individual buying patterns.

The app is popular among participating merchants because their goods and services are targeted directly to their ideal clients and the need for the middle-man is eliminated with the cost savings passed onto consumers.

In addition, Waheed said, “After the initial roll out of the discounts for local products and services in St. Louis, we intend to add eCommerce to the platform. Fyndus the first-and-only Manufacturer-to-Consumer (M2C) eCommerce app in the world, and will give users the power to order products directly from the manufacturer, at a significant savings, because it eliminates the middleman.”

 

About Fyndus

Fyndus, LLC, is the global leader that changes the consumer retail shopping experience with  brick and mortar, and e-commerce through the use of an app. Fyndus is different from other e-commerce platforms because it rewards buying behavior patterns, provides savings to buyers by eliminating the middleman, and offers merchants and service providers the tools to better manage the consumer buying experience. With headquarters based in St. Louis, Missouri and offices located internationally throughout Europe and the Middle East, Fyndus is changing the way people shop globally, save money, and help local businesses thrive. To learn more, please visit https://Fyndus.com.