Great Holiday Pet Gifts
Pet Expert Kristen Levine shares what to buy for pets this holiday season.

As the author of "Pampered Pets On A Budget", Kristen Levine has been striving to make the world a better place for pets for more than 25 years. Show pets how much they are appreciated; Kristen has holiday gifts and products to help. 

A PET PAMPERING DESTINATION

PetSmart has everything needed to do anything for pets this holiday season. PetSmart's Chance & Friends Holiday "Chance" puppy and "Cherish" guinea pig toys are a great way to surprise a pet while also giving back to pets in need. When you purchase Chance & Friends toys, PetSmart will donate one dollar to nonprofit PetSmart Charities. They also have the Merry & Bright Small Pet Charcuterie Board Chew and Merry & Bright Pop-Up Tunnel Cat Toy. PetSmart has dozens of toys for under 10 dollars. For more information, visit www.petsmart.com

SPECIAL GROOMING TIPS FOR THE HOLIDAYS

A clean pet is a healthy pet, and Kristen loves the new Project Watson eye wash for dogs. It is formulated to target and clean dogs' eyes with a gentle pH-balanced formula that helps keep the eyes free of dirt and buildup that may cause infection. It is made with naturally inspired, high-quality ingredients such as sodium, a component of natural tears. Project Watson eye wash for dogs is part of a full line of dog care products developed by the experts at Bausch + Lomb, evaluated by veterinarians and designed to remove foreign materials, pollen and other irritants. For more information, visit www.bausch.com

PET-FRIENDLY TRAVEL TIPS

The holidays are a time for family, fun and of course, travel. That means bringing the whole family. For that, use Baymont by Wyndham. In addition to having over 300 pet-friendly hotels across the country, it also comes with great amenities like free breakfast, free Wi-Fi, Wyndham Rewards points and more. Best of all, they just recently launched an all-new pet-friendly travel guide, with tons of tips to make planning that next trip easier than ever. Check it out at BaymontInns.com/PetFriendly.

HEALTHY, HAPPY PETS

Pamper those pets by keeping them healthy. HICC PET™ is a pet health and wellness brand that supplies natural pet hygiene products designed to pamper pets at home and when traveling. HICC PET™ offers its best-selling pet glove wipes, and plant-based coconut oil series right now for $30. Infused with coconut essence, the hypoallergenic wipes calm inflammation, hydrate skin, and reduce skin infection. Made from microfiber cotton with antimicrobial properties, the gloves work to remove dirt stains, moisturize, and heal common skin irritations for pets. For more information, visit hiccpet.com

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Range Sports, a division of entertainment management company Range Media Partners, today announced that industry leader Greg Luckman joins as Co-President working with existing President Will Funk, who launched Range Sports in July 2022. 

Range Sports manages and advises best-in-class sports talent, properties and brands while also investing in owned and operated IP. In conjunction with Range Media's existing film and television production studio, Range Sports also operates a robust non-scripted and scripted content production business. The addition of Luckman will provide the opportunity for Range Sports to accelerate growth in all areas.

"I've known and respected Greg for years and couldn't be more excited to welcome him to the team. He's an outstanding executive with a long successful history building world-class sports marketing agencies. His deep understanding of the business and ability to connect with brands and properties will expand Range Sports' capabilities and greatly accelerate growth," said Will Funk, President of Range Sports.

Luckman began his career at Momentum Worldwide (an IPG company), where he rapidly rose through the ranks to become the President of the New York Office and the Global Director of the award-winning American Express account. In 2011, Luckman then became the Global Head of Brand Consulting at CAA Sports, a new division he launched, which grew to become an international team of 250+ people representing prestigious brand marketers such as Bose, JPMorgan Chase and Mondelez and managing over $2 billion in rights deals. Most recently, he served as the CEO of Allied Sports, an emerging sports marketing agency that represented clients including Cisco, LG, Orlando Magic and the NWSL. Luckman is a three-time recipient of the Sports Business Journal "Forty Under 40" award, making him an exclusive member of the SBJ Hall of Fame.

"I'm thrilled to be partnering with Will and the immensely talented team at Range. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to join a rapidly growing organization uniquely positioned to serve clients across representation, content creation, brand partnerships and properties in all facets of sports," said Luckman.

About Range Sports

Range Sports, part of brand marketing, talent representation and cultural capital firm Range Media Partners, works synergistically across Range's existing departments to produce live and on-demand original sports programming, manage and advise best-in-class sports talent, properties and IP, and invest in the future of sports content and distribution. Range Sports, in collaboration with Range Media Partners' Unscripted and Scripted entertainment departments, develops nonfiction projects, documentaries, and real-time series about the most compelling sports moments, stories, teams and athletes. Range Sports also advises properties for media rights sales, corporate/brand partnerships and consults for brands with regard to sports strategy and investment.

About Range Media Partners

Range Media Partners was founded in September 2020 with the mission of partnering with the world's most creatively ambitious minds to build cultural capital. Range's Managing Partners, Dave Bugliari, Mackenzie Condon Roussos, Rich Cook, Michael Cooper, Susie Fox, Matt Graham, Sandra Kang, Rachel Kropa, Natalie Bruss, Chelsea McKinnies, Peter Micelli, Mick Sullivan, Byron Wetzel, Jack Whigham and Partners Jeff Barry, Tanya Cohen and Kai Gayoso have formed a strategically curated group of leaders across talent representation, production, activism, brand storytelling, venture strategy and Web 3. The music division is helmed by Managing Partners Matt Graham, Jack Minihan, Tyler Henry, Melissa Ruderman, Chris Thomas and Evan Winiker, as well as Partners Michele Harrison, Greg Johnson, Rachel Douglas and Ace Christian. With clientele spanning film, television, music, literary, tech and activism, Range's thoughtful approach to representation is at the forefront of a vibrant new cultural era that is dynamic, diverse, and engaged. Range's venture platform (and rapidly expanding Web3 studio, which includes a multitude of client-driven NFT and PFP projects, and one of the world's first music-focused metaverse properties, Classick Club) both incubates and accelerates business through a shared services platform and proprietary consumer insights and data team built to scale talent and portfolio companies. Through strategic partnerships with investors Point72 Ventures and A+E Networks, Range guides exceptional talent into unlocking their full global value in all businesses and amplifies truly remarkable voices across every part of the entertainment ecosystem.

iQuanti: Nowadays, it's not uncommon to have a side hustle to supplement your income or explore your passion. From candle making to dog walking to freelance writing, there are endless opportunities to make some extra cash. Whether you're just getting started with your side hustle or you've been at it for a while, it's always helpful to have a checklist of things to keep in mind.

Here are 10 things that will help you make the most of your side gig:

1. Make sure you're marketing yourself well. Get the word out there about what you're offering and why people should care. Be active on social media, connect with potential customers and clients, and make sure your website is up to date. Sometimes building a platform and getting customers takes time, so be patient and consistent with your marketing efforts.

2. Be timely. When running your own business, it's easy to get bogged down in the details and lose track of time. Make sure you deliver your product or service on time and keep to your schedule. Especially if you're in a niche field, customers talk to each other, and they'll know if you're reliable or not.

3. Keep your main hustle in mind. Your side hustle should complement and supplement your primary source of income. It shouldn't take focus or time away from your full-time job, where you get the bulk of your income and your benefits — health insurance, dental, life insurance, and more. Do your best to keep a balance between the two.

4. Do your research. When you're first starting out, it's important to do your research and figure out what you're getting yourself into. Learn about your industry, understand the market, and know your competition.

5. Get feedback. Once you've got a few projects under your belt, it's important to get feedback from your clients or customers. This will help you improve your services and make sure you're on the right track.

6. Keep track of your income and expenses. When you're running a side hustle, it's important to keep track of your income and expenses for tax purposes. This will help you stay organized and save time when filing.

7. Make sure you're doing something you care about. It's easy to get burned out when you're working on something that doesn't interest you. Make sure you're passionate about what you're doing or you might lose motivation.

8. Keep your passion alive. Along the same lines, remember that your side hustle is a passion project and you're doing what you love. If you lose motivation, it can be helpful to remember why you're doing this in the first place, change things up slightly or even take a short break. 

9. Keep an eye on your profit margins. When you're running a side hustle, it's important to keep an eye on your profit margins and make sure you're not losing money. You might be spending more money on things like travel, shipping or materials than you're actually making. Knowing how much things cost and adjusting your prices accordingly will help you sustain your business in the long run.

10. Be prepared for bumps in the road. No business is perfect, and there will inevitably be some bumps along the way. The important thing is to stay positive and keep moving forward.

If you can keep these 10 things in mind, you may be well on your way to making the most of your side hustle. 

iQuanti: If you're interested in investing, you may have come across the term "junk bonds." But what exactly are junk bonds, how are they traded, and why are they considered riskier than other types of bonds? 

Let's look at what junk bonds are and how they work:

What are bonds?

To understand junk bonds, it's important to understand how bonds work in general. A bond is essentially an IOU. When you buy a bond, you're lending money to a government, municipality, corporation, federal agency or other entity known as the issuer. In return, the issuer promises to pay you interest over a specified term and to repay the loan when the bond matures or comes due. When you buy a bond, you become a creditor of the issuer. Of course, there are many different types of bonds with different features, but these are the basics.

Junk bonds explained

Junk bonds are corporate bonds that are rated below investment-grade by credit rating agencies. These agencies use letter grades to rate the creditworthiness of bonds. The ratings differ slightly between agencies but, in general, "AAA" is the highest rating and "D" is the lowest. The lower the rating, the more likely the company is to default. Bonds that are a certain B-level rating or below are considered junk bonds. 

Junk bonds typically have higher interest rates than investment-grade bonds, which makes them more attractive to investors looking for higher yields. However, junk bonds also carry a higher risk of default, which means that investors could lose all or part of their investment. Overall, junk bonds do offer higher returns, but the risk that the issuer will file for bankruptcy and you'll lose your original investment is considered much higher than investment-grade bonds.

How do you buy and sell junk bonds?

When it comes to investing in junk bonds, there are two main options: buying individual bonds or investing in funds, such as mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Buying individual bonds is riskier, as it concentrates your money in fewer investments. Investing in bond funds can provide diversification and professional expertise that can help reduce the overall risk. The best option for you will depend on your financial goals and risk tolerance.

Deciding whether to invest in junk bonds

Junk bonds are considered riskier than investment-grade bonds and can offer higher rewards. Ultimately, whether you invest in junk bonds at all will depend on your individual goals and risk tolerance. For this reason, it is important to research the investment carefully and weigh the risks and benefits of each option before deciding what is right for you.

The Digital Carbon Market (DCM) began to scale in early in 2022 after the launch of projects such as KlimaDAO, Moss.earth, Toucan Protocol and C3, which enable the integration of the Voluntary Carbon Markets (VCM) with blockchain and Decentralized Finance (DeFi) technology. 

Since KlimaDAO's launch on Oct. 18, 2021, significant progress has since been made in growing the DCM. Over 25 million carbon credits - representing 2.52% of all Verra-issued credits - have migrated onto the blockchain. KlimaDAO's offsetting infrastructure has also been increasingly adopted, with over 500,000 tCO2e being offset using the DCM to date.

KlimaDAO has now published its Introduction to the Digital Carbon Market - a report that aims to help readers orient the Digital Carbon Market ecosystem and leverage the open-access tools that have been built. The report also looks to the future, sharing insights on the transparent, neutral, and public infrastructure needed to accelerate the growth of the DCM and transform the carbon markets overall.

KlimaDAO will host the ON SET Webinar series, beginning on Feb. 7, 2023, to provide product walkthroughs and answer questions for those interested in learning more about the DCM. 

About KlimaDAO

KlimaDAO's mission is to accelerate the delivery of climate finance globally by building the transparent, neutral, and public infrastructure needed to scale the Digital Carbon Market. KlimaDAO provides tools, products and services to make accessing this market easy for all users. Contact us by filling this form. 

Savvy Cleaner Training is Accepting Scholarship Applications for 2023
Savvy Cleaner Training is Accepting Scholarship Applications for 2023

Savvy Cleaner, the wildly popular hub for house cleaning training, is again accepting scholarship applications for 2023 for house cleaners and maids.

Approximately 33% of people switched jobs in the last two years, according to a recent PBS NewsHour/NPR/Marist poll. A significant portion of those individuals started cleaning businesses either to serve as full-time replacements for their previous job or to earn extra money between jobs.

House Cleaning Companies on The Rise

With the pandemic came a newfound awareness of cleanliness's importance, which subsequently led to an influx of people looking for jobs in the cleaning industry. "However," as CEO Angela Brown of Savvy Cleaner points out, "without proper training and techniques, these new companies are at risk of damaging their customers' expensive belongings."

Professional home cleaning services have become increasingly popular in recent years. In fact, according to Home Cleaning Centers of America, last year, nearly 10% of all U.S. households paid someone to clean their homes for them. Additionally, the Freedonia Focus Reports released a study called Contract Cleaning Services: United States, which predicted that income from daily cleaning services will rise by 2.2 percent annually through 2025 in the USA alone.

Savvy Cleaner Scholarships

On Jan. 31, 2023, Savvy Cleaner will award 15 winners fully funded scholarships for the Savvy Cleaner Network, which includes courses on eco-cleaning supplies, equipment cleaning and sanitation, personal protective equipment, and how to clean and grow a successful cleaning company.

Savvy Cleaner is famous for its online tutoring, which helps students make money while they receive an education. "Our students see exceptional results from applying their learning in real time," says Angela Brown. "Rather than waiting until they've graduated, we encourage involvement and working from day one."

The scholarships provide membership to not only the Savvy Cleaner Network but also access to two live interactive mastermind sessions each month. These sessions allow business owners to connect, discuss best practices, and offer moral support throughout the training.

About Savvy Cleaner

Savvy Cleaner is a training and certification program for house cleaners and maids headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., USA. They produce the daily show and podcast Ask a House Cleaner and the shorts series Pro Cleaning Tips, which can be understood with closed captioning in 191 languages worldwide.

Savvy Cleaner will accept scholarship applications until Jan. 15, 2023, and encourage new, current and previous students to apply.

To apply and learn more about the scholarship program, visit https://savvycleaner.com/scholarship-application.

Lost Oak Winery, a family-owned and operated winery located in Burleson, Texas, is pleased to share the launch of a new holiday wine, Holiday 2020, just in time for festive celebrations. This annually produced red blend is made in a more fruit-forward style to complement any holiday meal or enjoy with friends and family this season.

The Holiday blend was harvested between August and September of 2020, spending an average of 16 months in oak, and bottled on Oct. 20, 2022. It features aromas of cinnamon and candied plums balanced with a hint of vanilla bean. According to the tasting notes, these are welcoming flavors with notes of strawberry and rhubarb preserves while the finish harkens back to the cinnamon aroma with warm tannins.

"Our Holiday blend is versatile and pairs wonderfully with holiday dishes for various occasions," said Roxanne Myers, President of Lost Oak Winery. "Whether you enjoy a traditional turkey or are a little more Texas and do tamales on Christmas Day, this wine is for you."

Founded by Gene Estes in 2006, Lost Oak Winery is located on the banks of Village Creek, with three cultivated vineyards, stately oak trees, and winding walking paths. The family-operated, woman-owned winery specializes in French-inspired wines that are 100% Texas. 

Texas is now the fifth-largest wine-producing state next to California, Oregon, Washington, and New York. Texas wineries contribute more than $13.1 billion of economic value to the state of Texas. 

To learn more about Lost Oak Winery or to purchase wines directly, visit www.lostoakwinery.com.

About Lost Oak Winery

Inspired by founder Gene Estes' creativity and passion for the art of winemaking, Lost Oak Winery was founded in 2006 in Burleson, Texas. The family-operated, woman-owned winery specializes in French-inspired wines that are 100% Texas. Lost Oak has continued its lengthy legacy with awards for its leadership role in the dedication to and support and promotion of the Texas wine industry, including its longtime affiliation with the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association.