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Monday, February 28, 2011

“Trust William – Trilogy Natural Health Beauty Products That Harness Nature’s Beatifying Powers - PRLog (free press release)”

“Trust William – Trilogy Natural Health Beauty Products That Harness Nature’s Beatifying Powers - PRLog (free press release)”


Trust William – Trilogy Natural Health Beauty Products That Harness Nature’s Beatifying Powers - PRLog (free press release)

Posted:

PRLog (Press Release)Feb 14, 2011 – Trust William is very proud to be one of the United Kingdom's leading stockists of the Trilogy range of natural health products.

Trilogy natural health products are the brainchild of two Australian sisters who saw that there was a niche in the natural health beauty products and in 2002 they launched Trilogy. The Trilogy range of products focus on achieving the best results for skin and beauty treatment, providing not only a function such as cleansing, toning, exfoliating, refreshing or moisturizing, but also to harness the health and nutritional benefits of nature in all their finished products. The company is called Trilogy based upon the three founding concepts – simplicity, purity, and vitality. With Trilogy, it doesn't just stop at skin care as they also offer a large range of body and hair natural health beauty products.

Trust William http://www.trustwilliam.com/ Brands/Trilogy/ Products found it easy to see the value of Trilogy natural health beauty products. Not exclusively the commercial value of Trilogy but the hugely qualitative aspects of Trilogy.

Trilogy's mission and ethos is exemplary and echoes the goals of Trust William – to use nature's healing powers in natural health products, minimise our impact on natural resources, to be small, ethical yet provide meaningful ways for consumers to improve their wellbeing through natural health products.

Trust William http://www.trustwilliam.com/ Brands/Trilogy/ Products currently stock a large range of Trilogy cleansers, oils, moisturizing creams, face lotions, hydrating cream, toners, firming serums, lip creams, shave balms and creams.

While each trilogy product will have unique active natural ingredients, the most common natural ingredients include:-

• Rosehip. Used in oils to minimise the appearance of wrinkles, smooth skin and improve moisture levels. Key to both Trilogy and Trust William is the use of certified organic Rosehip to ensure that the best medicinal and beauty aspects of Rosehip are sealed in without any additional chemical or inorganic compounds.

• Aloe Vera and Green Tea. Often overlooked in the natural beauty market, Trilogy's range of men's products include shave gel and after shave balm. Belnded with natural oils, these men's products refresh, sanitise, soothe and calm shaved skin.

Trust William will continue to track all Trilogy products as they are produced and will ensure that they are the first stockists to bring them to market in the United Kingdom.

ABOUT TRUST WILLIAM – TRILOGY NATURAL HEALTH BEAUTY PRODUCTS

Trust William is a company that is very much rooted in harnessing the health and healing properties of natural ingredients. Tracing its roots as far back as 1846, Trust William have pioneered the use of natural health alternatives, and today the company aims to demystify the world of natural health products.

Working to the company slogan of "bring home natural healthcare", Trust William offer an extensive range of natural health products that are predominantly made from the "Big Six" natural ingredients - Aloe Vera, Echinacea, Manuka Honey, Tea Tree Oil, Glucosamine and Omega 3.

Trust William's website offer a secure shopping environment for those that are looking for the most competitively priced natural health products and the website boasts a 97% customer satisfaction rate.

CONTACT

Trust William Ltd
Trust William Customer Service
Freepost RRYS-XZLZ-HXGB
Trust William Limited
11 Stanhope Gate
London
W1K 1AN
Tel: 0800 046 1846
customerservices@ trustwilliam.com
http://www.trustwilliam.com

Trust William is a company that is very much rooted in harnessing the health and healing properties of natural ingredients. Tracing its roots as far back as 1846, Trust William have pioneered the use of natural health alternatives

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Sunday, February 27, 2011

“New Market Study Published: Health and Beauty Specialist Retailers - Mexico - PR Inside”

“New Market Study Published: Health and Beauty Specialist Retailers - Mexico - PR Inside”


New Market Study Published: Health and Beauty Specialist Retailers - Mexico - PR Inside

Posted:

2011-02-28 05:50:14 - Fast Market Research recommends "Health and Beauty Specialist Retailers - Mexico" from Euromonitor International, now available

A slow economic recovery in 2010 helped the channel to record slightly faster growth rates compared to 2009. Parapharmacies/drugstores recorded the fastest retail value sales growth of 8%, followed by beauty specialist retailers (7%) and "other" healthcare specialist retailers, which is comprised mostly of nutrition stores and opticians (5%). Parapharmacies in particular offer a product line that is unmatched by

other health and beauty specialist retailers. The successful mix of groceries,...

Euromonitor International's Health and Beauty Specialist Retailers in Mexico report offers insight into key trends and developments driving the industry. The report examines all retail channels to provide sector insight. Channels include hypermarkets, supermarkets, discounters, convenience stores, mixed retailers, health and beauty retailers, clothing and footwear retailers, furniture and furnishing stores, DIY and hardware stores, durable goods retailers, leisure and personal goods retailers. There are profiles of leading retailers, with analysis of their performance and the challenges they face. There is also analysis of non-store retailing: vending; homeshopping; internet retailing; direct selling, as available.

Product coverage: Beauty Specialist Retailers, Chemists/Pharmacies, Convenience Stores, Department Stores , DIY, Home Improvement and Garden Centres, Forecourt Retailers, Furniture and Furnishings Stores, Independent Small Grocers, Jewellers, Mass Merchandisers, Media Products Stores, Other Healthcare Specialist Retailers, Other Leisure and Personal Goods Specialist Retailers, Parapharmacies/Drugstores, Pet Shops and Superstores, Sports Goods Stores, Stationers/Office Supply Stores, Traditional Toys and Games Stores, Variety Stores, Warehouse Clubs.

Data coverage: market sizes (historic and forecasts), company shares, brand shares and distribution data.

Why buy this report?

* Get a detailed picture of the Health and Beauty Specialist Retailers market;
* Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change;
* Understand the competitive environment, the market's major players and leading brands;
* Use five-year forecasts to assess how the market is predicted to develop.

Euromonitor International has over 30 years experience of publishing market research reports, business reference books and online information systems. With offices in London, Chicago, Singapore, Shanghai, Vilnius, Dubai, Cape Town, Santiago and Sydney and a network of over 600 analysts worldwide, Euromonitor International has a unique capability to develop reliable information resources to help drive informed strategic planning.

For more information or to purchase this report, go to:
- www.fastmr.com/prod/123403_health_and_beauty_specialist_retailer ..

Partial Table of Contents:

Health and Beauty Specialist Retailers in Mexico
Euromonitor International
February 2011
List of Contents and Tables
Executive Summary
A Slower Than Expected Recovery Puts Pressure on Retailing
Chedraui Goes Public and Expands in the North of the Country
Grocery Sales Grow Faster Than Non-grocery Sales
Price-based Competition Remains the Norm in 2010
Real Economic Recovery Expected To Be Delayed Until 2011
Key Trends and Developments
Adverse Economic Climate Permeates Retailing in Mexico
Slow Economic Recovery Affects Newly Created Retailer-owned Banks
Internet Retailing Is the Preserve of the Young, Educated and Affluent
Chedraui's Ipo To Shape Chained Grocery Retailing
Large Chained Grocers Expand Into Smaller Cities
Market Indicators
Table 1 Employment in Retailing 2005-2010
Market Data
Table 2 Sales in Retailing by Category: Value 2005-2010
Table 3 Sales in Retailing by Category: % Value Growth 2005-2010
Table 4 Sales in Retailing by Grocery vs Non-Grocery 2005-2010
Table 5 Sales in Store-Based Retailing by Category: Value 2005-2010
Table 6 Sales in Store-Based Retailing by Category: % Value Growth 2005-2010
Table 7 Sales in Non-Grocery Retailing by Category: Value 2005-2010
Table 8 Sales in Non-Grocery Retailing by Category: % Value Growth 2005-2010
Table 9 Sales in Non-store Retailing by Category: Value 2005-2010
Table 10 Sales in Non-store Retailing by Category: % Value Growth 2005-2010
Table 11 Retailing Company Shares: % Value 2006-2010
Table 12 Retailing Brand Shares: % Value 2007-2010
Table 13 Store-Based Retailing Company Shares: % Value 2006-2010
Table 14 Store-Based Retailing Brand Shares: % Value 2007-2010
Table 15 Non-Grocery Retailers Company Shares: % Value 2006-2010
Table 16 Non-Grocery Retailers Brand Shares: % Value 2007-2010
Table 17 Non-store Retailing Company Shares: % Value 2006-2010
Table 18 Non-store Retailing Brand Shares: % Value 2007-2010
Table 19 Forecast Sales in Retailing by Category: Value 2010-2015
Table 20 Forecast Sales in Retailing by Category: % Value Growth 2010-2015
Table 21 Forecast Sales in Store-Based Retailing by Category: Value 2010-2015
Table 22 Forecast Sales in Store-Based Retailing by Category: % Value Growth 2010-2015
Table 23 Forecast Sales in Non-Grocery Retailing by Category: Value 2010-2015
Table 24 Forecast Sales in Non-Grocery Retailing by Category: % Value Growth 2010-2015
Table 25 Forecast Sales in Non-store Retailing by Category: Value 2010-2015
Table 26 Forecast Sales in Non-store Retailing by Category: % Value Growth 2010-2015
Appendix
Operating Environment
Cash-and-carry
Definitions
Summary 1 Research Sources
7-eleven Mexico SA De Cv
Strategic Direction
Key Facts
Summary 2 7-Eleven Mexico SA de CV: Key Facts
Summary 3 7-Eleven Mexico SA de CV: Operational Indicators
Internet Strategy
Company Background
Private Label
Summary 4 7-Eleven Mexico SA de CV: Private Label Portfolio
Competitive Positioning
Summary 5 7-Eleven Mexico SA de CV: Competitive Position 2010
Avon Cosmetics SA De Cv
Strategic Direction
Key Facts
Summary 6 Avon Cosmetics SA de CV: Key Facts
Internet Strategy
Company Background
Competitive Positioning

Full Table of Contents is available at:
-- www.fastmr.com/catalog/product.aspx?productid=123403&dt=t

About Euromonitor International

Euromonitor International is a world leading independent provider of business intelligence on industries, countries and consumers. Their business intelligence products include award-winning online information databases, market reports and business reference books. Founded in 1972, Euromonitor International is a privately owned company with offices in London, Chicago, Singapore, Shanghai and Vilnius. Euromonitor has a team of over 600 in-country analysts worldwide, giving them a unique capability to deliver high quality and reliable business information. View more research from Euromonitor International at www.fastmr.com/catalog/publishers.aspx?pubid=1009

About Fast Market Research

Fast Market Research is an online aggregator and distributor of market research and business information. We represent the world's top research publishers and analysts and provide quick and easy access to the best competitive intelligence available.

For more information about these or related research reports, please visit our website at www.fastmr.com or call us at 1.800.844.8156.

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Saturday, February 26, 2011

“New Market Study Published: Health and Beauty Specialist Retailers - Hong Kong, China - PR Inside”

“New Market Study Published: Health and Beauty Specialist Retailers - Hong Kong, China - PR Inside”


New Market Study Published: Health and Beauty Specialist Retailers - Hong Kong, China - PR Inside

Posted:

2011-02-27 03:02:49 - Fast Market Research recommends "Health and Beauty Specialist Retailers - Hong Kong, China" from Euromonitor International, now available

As the Hong Kong economy recovers from the prior downturn, tourist arrivals similarly grow, of which Mainland Chinese tourists account for over 60%. For Mainland Chinese tourists, beauty products rank as one of the top items to purchase in Hong Kong. Furthermore, retailers such as Sa Sa, too, advertise in China, driving up brand recognition and awareness; consequently becoming a

brand targeted by these tourists.

Euromonitor International's Health and Beauty Specialist Retailers in Hong Kong, China report offers insight into key trends and developments driving the industry. The report examines all retail channels to provide sector insight. Channels include hypermarkets, supermarkets, discounters, convenience stores, mixed retailers, health and beauty retailers, clothing and footwear retailers, furniture and furnishing stores, DIY and hardware stores, durable goods retailers, leisure and personal goods retailers. There are profiles of leading retailers, with analysis of their performance and the challenges they face. There is also analysis of non-store retailing: vending; homeshopping; internet retailing; direct selling, as available.

Product coverage: Beauty Specialist Retailers, Chemists/Pharmacies, Convenience Stores, Department Stores , DIY, Home Improvement and Garden Centres, Forecourt Retailers, Furniture and Furnishings Stores, Independent Small Grocers, Jewellers, Mass Merchandisers, Media Products Stores, Other Healthcare Specialist Retailers, Other Leisure and Personal Goods Specialist Retailers, Parapharmacies/Drugstores, Pet Shops and Superstores, Sports Goods Stores, Stationers/Office Supply Stores, Traditional Toys and Games Stores, Variety Stores, Warehouse Clubs.

Data coverage: market sizes (historic and forecasts), company shares, brand shares and distribution data.

Why buy this report?

* Get a detailed picture of the Health and Beauty Specialist Retailers market;
* Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change;
* Understand the competitive environment, the market's major players and leading brands;
* Use five-year forecasts to assess how the market is predicted to develop.

Euromonitor International has over 30 years experience of publishing market research reports, business reference books and online information systems. With offices in London, Chicago, Singapore, Shanghai, Vilnius, Dubai, Cape Town, Santiago and Sydney and a network of over 600 analysts worldwide, Euromonitor International has a unique capability to develop reliable information resources to help drive informed strategic planning.

For more information or to purchase this report, go to:
- www.fastmr.com/prod/123020_health_and_beauty_specialist_retailer ..

Partial Table of Contents:

Health and Beauty Specialist Retailers in Hong Kong, China
Euromonitor International
January 2011
List of Contents and Tables
Executive Summary
Economic Recovery Boosts Retail Sales in Hong Kong
Rise in Concept Shops and Pop Up Stores
Price Discounting Still Prevalent in Grocery Channels
Internet Retailing Fails To Secure Significant Share
Good Value Growth Expected for the Future
Key Trends and Developments
Economic Conditions
Internet Retailing
Government Regulation
Private Label
New Retail Concepts Work on Offering Consumers A More Holistic Shopping Experience
Retailers Go Green
Market Indicators
Table 1 Employment in Retailing 2005-2010
Market Data
Table 2 Sales in Retailing by Category: Value 2005-2010
Table 3 Sales in Retailing by Category: % Value Growth 2005-2010
Table 4 Sales in Retailing by Grocery vs Non-Grocery 2005-2010
Table 5 Sales in Store-Based Retailing by Category: Value 2005-2010
Table 6 Sales in Store-Based Retailing by Category: % Value Growth 2005-2010
Table 7 Sales in Non-Grocery Retailing by Category: Value 2005-2010
Table 8 Sales in Non-Grocery Retailing by Category: % Value Growth 2005-2010
Table 9 Sales in Non-store Retailing by Category: Value 2005-2010
Table 10 Sales in Non-store Retailing by Category: % Value Growth 2005-2010
Table 11 Retailing Company Shares: % Value 2006-2010
Table 12 Retailing Brand Shares: % Value 2007-2010
Table 13 Store-Based Retailing Company Shares: % Value 2006-2010
Table 14 Store-Based Retailing Brand Shares: % Value 2007-2010
Table 15 Non-Grocery Retailers Company Shares: % Value 2006-2010
Table 16 Non-Grocery Retailers Brand Shares: % Value 2007-2010
Table 17 Non-store Retailing Company Shares: % Value 2006-2010
Table 18 Non-store Retailing Brand Shares: % Value 2007-2010
Table 19 Forecast Sales in Retailing by Category: Value 2010-2015
Table 20 Forecast Sales in Retailing by Category: % Value Growth 2010-2015
Table 21 Forecast Sales in Store-Based Retailing by Category: Value 2010-2015
Table 22 Forecast Sales in Store-Based Retailing by Category: % Value Growth 2010-2015
Table 23 Forecast Sales in Non-Grocery Retailing by Category: Value 2010-2015
Table 24 Forecast Sales in Non-Grocery Retailing by Category: % Value Growth 2010-2015
Table 25 Forecast Sales in Non-store Retailing by Category: Value 2010-2015
Table 26 Forecast Sales in Non-store Retailing by Category: % Value Growth 2010-2015
Appendix
Operating Environment
Definitions
Sources
Summary 1 Research Sources
Aeon Stores (hong Kong) Co Ltd
Strategic Direction
Key Facts
Summary 2 Aeon Stores (Hong Kong) Co Ltd: Key Facts
Summary 3 Aeon Stores (Hong Kong) Co Ltd: Operational Indicators
Internet Strategy
Company Background
Chart 1 Aeon Stores (Hong Kong) Co Ltd: Jusco in Hong Kong
Private Label
Summary 4 Aeon Stores (Hong Kong) Co Ltd: Private Label Portfolio
Competitive Positioning
Summary 5 Aeon Stores (Hong Kong) Co Ltd: Competitive Position 2010
As Watson Group
Strategic Direction
Key Facts
Summary 6 AS Watson Group: Key Facts
Summary 7 AS Watson Group: Operational Indicators
Internet Strategy
Summary 8 AS Watson Group: Internet Presence
Company Background

Full Table of Contents is available at:
-- www.fastmr.com/catalog/product.aspx?productid=123020&dt=t

About Euromonitor International

Euromonitor International is a world leading independent provider of business intelligence on industries, countries and consumers. Their business intelligence products include award-winning online information databases, market reports and business reference books. Founded in 1972, Euromonitor International is a privately owned company with offices in London, Chicago, Singapore, Shanghai and Vilnius. Euromonitor has a team of over 600 in-country analysts worldwide, giving them a unique capability to deliver high quality and reliable business information. View more research from Euromonitor International at www.fastmr.com/catalog/publishers.aspx?pubid=1009

About Fast Market Research

Fast Market Research is an online aggregator and distributor of market research and business information. We represent the world's top research publishers and analysts and provide quick and easy access to the best competitive intelligence available.

For more information about these or related research reports, please visit our website at www.fastmr.com or call us at 1.800.844.8156.

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Thursday, February 24, 2011

“Research and Markets: UK Health & Beauty Retailers in 2010 - Cosmetics to See the Highest Growth Rate at 5.4% - Business Wire” plus 1 more

“Research and Markets: UK Health & Beauty Retailers in 2010 - Cosmetics to See the Highest Growth Rate at 5.4% - Business Wire” plus 1 more


Research and Markets: UK Health & Beauty Retailers in 2010 - Cosmetics to See the Highest Growth Rate at 5.4% - Business Wire

Posted:

February 24, 2011 07:00 AM Eastern Time 

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/440150/uk_health_beauty) has announced the addition of the "UK Health & Beauty Retailers 2010" report to their offering.

The UK health & beauty market has been resilient through the economic downturn. While there is an essential element to health & beauty consumers are increasingly viewing sectors such as skincare, as necessity items helping to drive growth. UK Health & Beauty Retailers 2010 examines expenditure trends, the performance of the market leaders and the opportunities and threats in the sector.

Scope:

  • Health & beauty expenditure 2000-2010e, category and channel performance 2005-2009 with forecasts for 2010.
  • Market shares 2005-2010e, sales, space, operating profits and margin and sales densities of the Top 13 retailers in the sector.
  • Outlook for the market including changing consumer shopping habits, emerging trends, and growth strategies for health & beauty retailers.
  • Profiles including Alliance Boots, Superdrug, The Perfume Shop, Asda, Tesco, Morrisons, Sainsburys, Lloydspharmacy, Debenhams and House of Fraser

Highlights:

  • Consumer expenditure on health & beauty products rose by 3.0% in 2009 to 17.1bn and we expect this trend to continue in 2010 with sales rising by 4.7%. Over the past five years, the sector has outperformed total UK retail, growing its share of UK retail expenditure from 5.5% in 2005 to 6.2% in 2010.
  • Cosmetics will see the highest growth rate in 2010 at 5.4% maintaining its 8.0% share of the health and beauty market. With new products being introduced continuously, innovation is a key driver in the cosmetics category
  • While department stores have faced strong price competition from grocers and have lost customers who have traded down to cheaper products not sold in department stores, the channel has managed to grow its share. Many customers continue to buy into premium health & beauty products as they become increasingly concerned with looking youthful.

Reasons to purchase:

  • Assess market potential and threats by accessing sector size data and seeing how consumers and retailers have reacted to recent economic turbulence
  • Comprehensive profiles provide essential information on business models and performance measures both crucial for benchmarking businesses

Key Topics Covered:

  • Executive Summary
  • Market Analysis
  • Company Data Analysis
  • Outlook
  • Alliance Boots
  • Asda
  • Avon
  • Body Shop
  • Debenhams
  • House Of Fraser
  • Lloyds Pharmacy
  • Morrisons
  • Sainsbury
  • Superdrug
  • Tesco
  • The Perfume Shop
  • Wilkinson
  • Smaller Retailers

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/440150/uk_health_beauty

Source: Verdict Research Limited

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Retail Futures Q4 2010: Health & Beauty - new market research report - Transworld News

Posted:

Retail Futures is a unique forecasting tool providing dynamic forecasts and analysis of market demand and price pressures every three months. A Sector Summary Report and seven UK sector and two UK channel forecasts are available (Clothing & Footwear, DIY & Gardening, Electricals, Furniture & Floorcoverings, Food & Grocery, Health & Beauty, Homewares, e-Retail, DIY Superstores).

Features and benefits
-Brief review of economic trends and how they impact retail, explaining how we believe key economic metrics will evolve over the next two years.
-Forecasts of how overall retail and retail sectors will fare over the next nine quarters, examining volume, inflation and overall growth rates.
-Category level forecasts are provided to fully inform growth strategies.

Highlights
Growth improves in Q3, though remains relatively weak
* Food remains the major driver of growth, though improvements are also seen in non food.
* Total volume growth also improves, though is still low at just 0.5%. Growth improves in Q3, though remains relatively weak

Inflation a major driver
* Increasing to 1.3% in Q3 and trending upwards in Q4
* Clothing & footwear a major driver of this - impacted by the weakness of sterling, rising cotton prices and increased transportation costs.

Clothing & footwear and health & beauty outperform...
* Both remain the only non-food sectors experiencing growth - both heavily driven by inflation.

Your key questions answered
Find out which retail sectors will perform the best at Christmas and build strategies around it.
This unique service provides constantly updated forecasts that ensures you are making the right decisions, based on the latest data.
The reliable and accurate data exposes opportunities for growth and is a key operational planning tool to aid tactical and strategic decision-making.

Click for report details: Retail Futures Q4 2010: Health & Beauty

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Wednesday, February 23, 2011

“Ugly beauty -- Gov. Brown's right on redevelopment - San Diego Daily Transcript” plus 1 more

“Ugly beauty -- Gov. Brown's right on redevelopment - San Diego Daily Transcript” plus 1 more


Ugly beauty -- Gov. Brown's right on redevelopment - San Diego Daily Transcript

Posted:

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Advertisement

(Editor's note: Gov. Brown proposes to terminate all California redevelopment agencies by July and use the money they raise to help bridge California's $25 billion budget gap.)

California's 60-year-old Redevelopment Law is a laudable, well-intentioned device for eliminating "blight." We're all aware of the run-down areas of many cities, depressingly riddled with graffiti and crime -- desperately in need of revitalization. However, many of us wonder how deserts, national forests and Ferrari dealerships can be defined as blight. The governor is right to abolish California's redevelopment agencies.

The wealthy desert communities of Indian Wells, Rancho Mirage and parts of the Mojave Desert have been declared blighted. A finding of "Blight," is a requirement for certifying a "Redevelopment Area" and to avoid sharing area property tax increases for schools, courts, county health services and police.

What's blight? Blight's whatever the government says it is. The city of Coronado has been declared blighted by its city council. San Diego once declared a Ferrari Dealership blighted. The Mammoth Lakes golf course in a national forest was declared blighted. Even our own National City declared its golf course blighted until Roger Hedgecock sued and the Supreme Court decreed that it wasn't blighted.

What causes blight? The principal cause is rigid zoning laws which don't allow for new and different uses dictated by changing consumer demand. All the money in the world wouldn't help many distressed areas (East Village downtown) if not rezoned. When private developers want to rezone deteriorating areas, it's pejoratively called "Gentrification." The private transformation of blighted neighborhoods is discouraged so as not to dislocate low-income residents. When the government does exactly the same thing it's spun as "Redevelopment." A secondary cause of blight is capital gains taxes which discourage long-time property owners from selling.

What do Redevelopment projects do? Stripped of pretense they in effect reduce taxes, reduce regulations, upzone areas, and hurry permits within specific neighborhoods. They enable government to subsidize some site improvements, the sorts of improvements builders are responsible for in the suburbs. (Wouldn't we all like our property taxes used for our personal landscaping with expensive paving stones in our own driveways/sidewalks?) Redevelopment is the government's way of conceding that less regulation and lower taxes really do lead to greater economic growth.

What's seen -- What's unseen

Petco Park is seen as a popular redevelopment success. What's unseen: The Padres pay less than 10 percent of its "$17,000,000 annual operating expense"; $17 million is the real cost of the many mythical benefits its boosters claim. Because all the money Petco loses is income to somebody -- the more it loses, the more successful it's considered.

Redevelopment law requires an "affordable" housing element. This has resulted in the government paying from $337,000 to nearly $500,000 for new low-income apartments (2.5 to 4 times the price of existing apartments). So expensive only the poor can afford to live in them.

CCDC (Centre City Development Corporation) is the most efficient pro-growth planning agency in San Diego, maybe the entire state. Even so, there's an ugly side to some of its redevelopment projects.

The ugly beauty of Horton Plaza

How many of you believe the Horton Plaza Redevelopment is a beautiful role model of success?

How would you know, by what criteria? After all, Shakespeare wrote, all that glitters isn't gold. One criterion of success is whether a project earns more money for the city than it costs. Another might be who pays and who receives the benefits. Those who receive redevelopment benefits downtown are not the same people paying for them.

How many know that in 1977 the $46 million proposed Santa Fe Towers on Broadway ($159 million in today's dollars) was killed so as not to compete with the proposed redevelopment of Horton Plaza?

How many know that University Towne Centre (11 miles, 20 minutes away) was reduced by two-thirds so as not to compete with Horton Plaza?

How many know the proposed Carmel Mountain Ranch "Regional" Shopping Center was not allowed in the city so as not to compete with Horton Plaza?

Horton Plaza: A beautiful end by ugly means.

Those who love the law, redevelopment and sausages best not see them made. Money, jobs and benefits that should have come from the above stunted private projects, the "unseen," never came to fruition. Also unseen, the taxes that would have been generated for the city, schools, libraries, police, courts and county health services that would have benefited San Diego residents who don't live downtown.

You can look to others to explain why government intervention is a catalyst for leveraging billions in additional development and why allowing private enterprise to initiate development is not a catalyst.

What's the solution?

Greenlining, aka Enterprise Zones, is an alternative to Government Redevelopment. Upon designating an area depressed all planning controls are to be relaxed except for health, safety and pollution standards. City councils must dispose of all vacant or abandoned property in their ownership, to be auctioned to the highest competitive bidder in the open market. New developments are to be exempt from rent, wage or price controls. Businesses migrating to the area would enjoy greatly reduced property taxes and no capital gains taxes if held for five years -- while being prohibited from accepting other government grants or subsidies. Enterprise Zones could be used only for the purpose of replacing blight -- period -- and not larded up with the usual impossible jobs and social programs.

The concept originated in Great Britain by professor Peter Hall, a noted socialist and Sir Geoffrey Howe, a Thatcher conservative. The objective: to eliminate government imposed economic disincentives to private investment. We all want a better environment. When profitable, entrepreneurs can produce a better environment by providing goods and services desired by consumers. After all, over 90 percent of this country was developed privately including many once depressed areas. By creating an economic climate where taxes and the cost of doing business are reduced the opportunities for profits increase, and profits induce businesses to go into deteriorating areas without a massive influx of public funds.


Schnaubelt, president of Citizens for Private Property Rights, has been a commercial real estate broker for 35 years and was a San Diego city councilman from 1977-81.

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New Market Research Report: Grocery Retailers - Czech Republic - PR Inside

Posted:

2011-02-24 05:54:22 - Fast Market Research recommends "Grocery Retailers - Czech Republic" from Euromonitor International, now available

Retail value sales of grocery retailers registered growth of 2% in 2010. This relatively low growth was caused (as in 2009) by the continuing recession as many Czech consumers reduced their expenses, even on food products.

Euromonitor International's Grocery Retailers in Czech Republic report offers insight into key trends and developments driving the industry. The report examines all retail channels to

provide sector insight. Channels include hypermarkets, supermarkets, discounters, convenience stores, mixed retailers, health and beauty retailers, clothing and footwear retailers, furniture and furnishing stores, DIY and hardware stores, durable goods retailers, leisure and personal goods retailers. There are profiles of leading retailers, with analysis of their performance and the challenges they face. There is also analysis of non-store retailing: vending; homeshopping; internet retailing; direct selling, as available.

Product coverage: Clothing and Footwear Specialist Retailers, Discounters, Electronics and Appliance Specialist Retailers, Food/Drink/Tobacco Specialists, Health and Beauty Specialist Retailers, Home and Garden Specialist Retailers, Hypermarkets, Leisure and Personal Goods Specialist Retailers, Mixed Retailers, Other Grocery Retailers, Other Non-Grocery Retailers, Small Grocery Retailers, Supermarkets.

Data coverage: market sizes (historic and forecasts), company shares, brand shares and distribution data.

Why buy this report?

* Get a detailed picture of the Grocery Retailers market;
* Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change;
* Understand the competitive environment, the market's major players and leading brands;
* Use five-year forecasts to assess how the market is predicted to develop.

Euromonitor International has over 30 years experience of publishing market research reports, business reference books and online information systems. With offices in London, Chicago, Singapore, Shanghai, Vilnius, Dubai, Cape Town, Santiago and Sydney and a network of over 600 analysts worldwide, Euromonitor International has a unique capability to develop reliable information resources to help drive informed strategic planning.

For more information or to purchase this report, go to:
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Partial Table of Contents:

Grocery Retailers in the Czech Republic
Euromonitor International
January 2011
List of Contents and Tables
Executive Summary
Retailing Begins Marginal Recovery in 2010
Chained Retailers Seek Ways on How To Maintain Consumers
Non-store Retailing Is More Affected Than Grocery Retailing
Chained Retailers Gain Ground
Retailing Will See Recovery
Key Trends and Developments
Economic Conditions
Internet Retailing
Government Regulation
Private Label
Strong Promotional Activities of Chained Retailers Attract Consumers
Close and Small Size Formats of Grocery Outlets Gain Popularity
Market Indicators
Table 1 Employment in Retailing 2005-2010
Market Data
Table 2 Sales in Retailing by Category: Value 2005-2010
Table 3 Sales in Retailing by Category: % Value Growth 2005-2010
Table 4 Sales in Retailing by Grocery vs Non-Grocery 2005-2010
Table 5 Sales in Store-Based Retailing by Category: Value 2005-2010
Table 6 Sales in Store-Based Retailing by Category: % Value Growth 2005-2010
Table 7 Sales in Non-Grocery Retailing by Category: Value 2005-2010
Table 8 Sales in Non-Grocery Retailing by Category: % Value Growth 2005-2010
Table 9 Sales in Non-store Retailing by Category: Value 2005-2010
Table 10 Sales in Non-store Retailing by Category: % Value Growth 2005-2010
Table 11 Retailing Company Shares: % Value 2006-2010
Table 12 Retailing Brand Shares: % Value 2007-2010
Table 13 Store-Based Retailing Company Shares: % Value 2006-2010
Table 14 Store-Based Retailing Brand Shares: % Value 2007-2010
Table 15 Non-Grocery Retailers Company Shares: % Value 2006-2010
Table 16 Non-Grocery Retailers Brand Shares: % Value 2007-2010
Table 17 Non-store Retailing Company Shares: % Value 2006-2010
Table 18 Non-store Retailing Brand Shares: % Value 2007-2010
Table 19 Forecast Sales in Retailing by Category: Value 2010-2015
Table 20 Forecast Sales in Retailing by Category: % Value Growth 2010-2015
Table 21 Forecast Sales in Store-Based Retailing by Category: Value 2010-2015
Table 22 Forecast Sales in Store-Based Retailing by Category: % Value Growth 2010-2015
Table 23 Forecast Sales in Non-Grocery Retailing by Category: Value 2010-2015
Table 24 Forecast Sales in Non-Grocery Retailing by Category: % Value Growth 2010-2015
Table 25 Forecast Sales in Non-store Retailing by Category: Value 2010-2015
Table 26 Forecast Sales in Non-store Retailing by Category: % Value Growth 2010-2015
Appendix
Operating Environment
Cash and Carry
Table 27 Cash and Carry: Sales by National Brand Owner: Sales Value 2006-2010
Table 28 Cash and Carry: Number of Outlets by National Brand Owner: 2006-2010
Definitions
Summary 1 Research Sources
Ahold Czech Republic As
Strategic Direction
Key Facts
Summary 2 Ahold Czech Republic as: Key Facts
Summary 3 Ahold Czech Republic as: Operational Indicators
Internet Strategy
Company Background
Chart 1 Ahold Czech Republic as: Albert in Vysoke Myto
Private Label
Summary 4 Ahold Czech Republic as: Private Label Portfolio
Competitive Positioning
Summary 5 Ahold Czech Republic as: Competitive Position 2009
Billa Spol Sro
Strategic Direction
Key Facts
Summary 6 Billa spol sro: Key Facts

Full Table of Contents is available at:
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About Euromonitor International

Euromonitor International is a world leading independent provider of business intelligence on industries, countries and consumers. Their business intelligence products include award-winning online information databases, market reports and business reference books. Founded in 1972, Euromonitor International is a privately owned company with offices in London, Chicago, Singapore, Shanghai and Vilnius. Euromonitor has a team of over 600 in-country analysts worldwide, giving them a unique capability to deliver high quality and reliable business information. View more research from Euromonitor International at www.fastmr.com/catalog/publishers.aspx?pubid=1009

About Fast Market Research

Fast Market Research is an online aggregator and distributor of market research and business information. We represent the world's top research publishers and analysts and provide quick and easy access to the best competitive intelligence available.

For more information about these or related research reports, please visit our website at www.fastmr.com or call us at 1.800.844.8156.

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Tuesday, February 22, 2011

“Guide to Skincare Conditions – “Skincare News” Presents Skincare & Beauty FAQ ... - YAHOO!” plus 1 more

“Guide to Skincare Conditions – “Skincare News” Presents Skincare & Beauty FAQ ... - YAHOO!” plus 1 more


Guide to Skincare Conditions – “Skincare News” Presents Skincare & Beauty FAQ ... - YAHOO!

Posted:

Finding the correct cause or treatment for a particular skin condition can be challenging. Whether a person suffers from hives, sun spots, rosacea or another condition, look to Chapter 15 of the Skincare & Beauty FAQ Handbook for tips on improving overall skin health.

Rancho Cordova, CA (PRWEB) February 22, 2011

Battling a skin condition like eczema, cold sores or impetigo can be frustrating for a person's body and self-esteem. The last section of Skincare-News.com's FAQ Handbook offers help for anyone who's struggling to achieve clear, healthy skin from head to toe. Find out how to identify and treat skin conditions, plus prevent future outbreaks from occurring.

» Q: What are some tips for managing keratosis pilaris?

A: Keratosis pilaris (KP) can be a frustrating condition. Thankfully, it doesn't affect the health of skin, but it does produce small, unsightly bumps. Though these bumps can't be eliminated, a person can minimize them. Here's what a person can do: Exfoliate with products that contain alpha hydroxy acids but avoid scrubbing aggressively, and use an ultra-rich moisturizer.

» Q: What is the treatment for psoriasis?

A: Mild psoriasis can be treated with topical ointments, such as cortisone, vitamin A derivatives and vitamin D derivatives. In severe cases, oral medications and ultraviolet light therapy may work.

» Q: Which foods are considered triggers for rosacea?

A: The following foods have been known to cause flushing: soy sauce, paprika, vinegar, tomatoes, avocado, eggplant, sour cream, yogurt, parmesan cheese, chocolate and spinach. White pepper, black, red and cayenne pepper are also known to trigger rosacea.

» Q: Are there any ways to get rid of stretch marks?

A: There's no known cure for stretch marks, but laser therapy and microdermabrasion are popular methods to smooth out stretch marks. Some people use creams to help stretch marks fade after prolonged use.

Read the complete FAQ section on treating skincare conditions, plus prevention and causes, at Skincare-News.com.

http://www.skincare-beauty-questions.com/chapter15.php

Skincare-News.com consistently covers all skincare and beauty topics from head to toe. Check out these latest articles:

Skincare & Beauty FAQ Handbook – Part 14: Skincare Routine & Lifestyle
http://www.skincare-beauty-questions.com/chapter14.php

A well-rounded beauty routine goes beyond a good cleanser and moisturizer. Knowing how and when to use products, as well as essential lifestyle tips like the potential damage of cigarettes and coffee, are keys to beautifully healthy skin. Learn the ins and outs of exfoliation, the truth about moisturizing and important facts about lifestyle choices and age-specific skincare. Find out more about creating an effective skincare routine in Chapter 14 of Skincare-news.com's FAQ Handbook.

Skincare & Beauty FAQ Handbook – Part 13: Sun Protection
http://www.skincare-beauty-questions.com/chapter13.php

For those who are concerned about aging, the number one tip for healthy skin long-term is widely known: sun protection. Not only does proper sun precaution safeguard skin from painful sunburn, it also helps prevent fine lines and wrinkles that come with aging. In this chapter of the FAQ Handbook, discover essential facts about sun exposure, tips on treatment, plus the low-down on tanning and skin cancer. Read on for the best ways to soothe a sunburn, the facts behind sun protection terminology, and how to prevent sun-related conditions like melanoma.

Skincare & Beauty FAQ Handbook – Part 12: Natural Skincare
http://www.skincare-beauty-questions.com/chapter12.php

For anyone who's ever wondered about making the shift to a more natural lifestyle, but wasn't sure where to start, this section of our FAQ Handbook can help. Get educated on natural ingredients like aloe vera, vitamin C and pomegranate, plus get tips on DIY remedies, essential oils and ways to "green" your lifestyle. Chapter 12 of the Skincare & Beauty FAQ Handbook offers excellent tips on refining one's beauty routine to reflect key changes, such as using more eco-friendly options or integrating DIY treatments into a current regimen. Find out more about the benefits of natural beauty choices.

About Skincare-News.com -- "Your Source for Intelligent Skin Care"

Skincare-News.com is the online source for consumers seeking intelligent beauty and skin care news, advice, tips and articles. Founded in 2005, Skincare-News.com features articles, news items and frequently asked questions on skincare and beauty-related issues. Skincare-News.com is located in Sacramento, California, but receives visitors from all around the world. For more information, visit http://www.skincare-news.com.

###

Bobby Lyons

800.893.9868
Email Information

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Future Peace Corps worker helps villages obtain clean water, improve health - Arlington Heights Daily Herald

Posted:

In spring, students throughout the country are pondering what college to go to, and on what path their choices will take them.

St. Charles East High School graduate Elizabeth Chadwick, who attends University of Wisconsin-Madison, probably never imagined her choices would take her across the world to Africa.

Advertisement

Chadwick, a 2007 graduate of St. Charles East, recently spent three weeks in the country of Uganda. Uganda is in the East African plateau, just south of Sudan, and just west of Kenya. While there, she was able to share her experiences with the Daily Herald, via e-mail.

Q. Where exactly are you, and what are you doing in Uganda?

A. "Oli Otya" ("hello" in Luganda language) from a bustling Internet cafe overlooking the chaotic streets of Kampala, Uganda! "Agande" means hello in Rukiga, a language spoken in the west, which is where I was when I e-mailed you last.

I just got back to the capital city of this east African country after spending 11 days in the rural southwest part of the country. (Seventeen) undergraduate students, including myself, have come here to study international health and nutrition for three weeks, as part of a study abroad program with the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Last semester we had seminars about Uganda's health care system and general issues of public health and social issues that Uganda is currently facing. After learning about all these things "textbook" style, we finally arrived here and got to see the reality of these issues.

Q. What are you doing on this trip?

A. We spent the time touring public hospitals, health clinics, malnutrition clinics, and meeting traditional healers (including a bone-setter). After touring Mulago (Hospital, in Kampala), the national referral hospital, we traveled west through the highlands along the Rwandan and Congolese borders to study rural health care.

Along the journey we hiked through a tropical rain forest, swam in Uganda's deepest lake, visited the source of the Nile River, walked along the equator, helped construct a rainwater collection tank, played many games of football (soccer) with the locals, saw many wild animals (including a hippo grazing in front of my door after arriving home after a New Year's celebration in a national park), endured frequent power outages, and slept peacefully every night under a mosquito net.

Q. Why did you pick Uganda, and with whom did you go?

A. At UW-Madison I have been involved with a student organization/nonprofit called the Village Health Project, which raises money for clean water and health projects in rural Uganda. Many of the projects we work on are in collaboration with this study abroad program. I knew that I needed to come here and see Uganda for myself.

All of the students are from UW-Madison and a few of us have been involved with VHP. Some of the information I learned here will be used to write a grant for a new VHP project to help provide healthy food for students at a primary school.

Q. What were your biggest challenges, personally, in Uganda?

A. One of the biggest challenges for me was seeing malnourished children in the rural villages; it just breaks your heart. Many of these children were orphans whose grandmothers were now taking care of them, but didn't have the means to feed them, or weren't feeding them nutritious foods. Most of them couldn't afford to take their children to the hospital (everything within the hospital itself is free, but transport there is too expensive for people).

When you see those situations you want to empty your wallet to help, but that's not a solution, especially when these situations are the result of much bigger, systemic problems. Why was that child orphaned in the first place? Was it AIDS? Why wasn't the grandmother buying or growing nutritious foods? How come the hospital isn't easily accessible?

Q. What were your greatest moments?

A. One of the greatest moments for me was visiting the home of a community health worker who had a rainwater collection tank in her back yard. The tank was built using funds from the Village Health Project and it was an incredible feeling to see how our fundraising work in Madison had been transformed into a life changing water system for a family in Uganda.

Most people must walk great distances to get their drinking water, which is usually from very contaminated, stagnant ponds. However, the rainwater collection tank gathers water from a gutter system on the roof of the house when it rains and can last through the dry season. I was elated to hear how thankful the family was for the tank and how much it has benefited them and their neighbors.

Q. How does a typical village in Uganda compare to St. Charles? And how does the city of Kampala compare to Chicago?

A. It's nearly impossible to compare any village in Uganda to a town in the U.S. If St. Charles were made up of red, dirt roads without stoplights, little electricity, thousands of bicycles, banana trees instead of oak trees, goats instead of squirrels, and outdoor fruit markets instead of restaurants, it just might look like a town in western Uganda.

Kampala and Chicago are similar only in that they both have terrible traffic jams. Most of the roads in Kampala are single lanes with few functional stoplights. There aren't many tall buildings in the city and despite its urban setting it is very green and lush. The streets are lined with markets and people. People selling newspapers and fresh fruits weave in and out of traffic looking to sell their goods to commuters. Huge Marabou storks are perched on top of every building and circle in the skies above when not busy munching on garbage.

Aside from cars, there are also matatus (public mini-buses), boda-bodas (motorbikes), and bicycles.

Q. Was this your first trip to Africa?

A. This is my second trip to Africa. In spring 2010 I studied abroad for a semester at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. However this is my first time to Uganda.

Q. What are you studying at UW-Madison?

A. I'm majoring in biology and getting a certificate in global cultures. I love biology because the complexity and beauty of living organisms is fascinating to me. I chose global cultures because I think learning about other people, places, languages and cultures is important for having a balanced perspective of people and the world.

Q. When will you graduate, and what are your plans?

A. I'm graduating this May. I've already accepted a job with the Peace Corps as a secondary (high school) science teacher in French-speaking West Africa (country to be determined). After that … who knows.

At this point I see myself going to medical school or getting a master's (degree) in public health, but I expect that my Peace Corps experience will have a lot of influence on the direction I head, afterward.

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Monday, February 21, 2011

“Health scare can inspire start of business - Tucson Citizen”

“Health scare can inspire start of business - Tucson Citizen”


Health scare can inspire start of business - Tucson Citizen

Posted:

Denise McQuillan beat back breast cancer.

Valérie Orsoni vanquished her brain tumor.

Tom Bonney triumphed over Hodgkin's lymphoma, as well as a subsequent heart attack.

They all overcame major medical issues, but this trio have another powerful attribute in common: They each harnessed what they learned during those daunting times — empathy, perseverance and the reminder that everyone's days are numbered — to forge a more fulfilling, entrepreneurial life.

In each case, that meant becoming their own bosses.

McQuillan opened a franchise of Hand & Stone, which offers massages and other spa services. Orsoni launched MyPrivateCoach.com, which provides consultations with fitness, diet, relationship and workplace coaches. Bonney created financial consulting firm CMF Associates, which specializes in recruitment, reorganizations and mergers.

The transition from patient to business owner shouldn't be surprising, says serial entrepreneur, 38-year cancer survivor and Who Says I Can't? author Jothy Rosenberg. Those who survive a significant health scare are given the gifts of perspective and enlightenment. Many learn that life can be fleeting, so rather than procrastinate on entrepreneurial dreams, they jump in.

"Having both of those (ailments) happen back-to-back forced me to think about what I really liked and wanted to do," says Bonney, who left a company CFO post to launch CMF in 2002.

"The cancer, in particular, solidified for me that life is really short and to do things that make you happy in your work," he says. "Working for someone else wasn't going to do it anymore."

Path to healing

CMF is centered on Bonney's financial and entrepreneurial acumen. He already was proficient in accounting and financial analysis when he set up shop.

But other sickness survivors, such as McQuillan, have diverted to unexpected routes.

"I was your typical corporate gal. I worked in banking and insurance for most of my career," says McQuillan. "I enjoyed what I was doing, but then I got that phone call after a mammogram."

The diagnosis: stage 2 breast cancer. Then 43, she had a mastectomy, chemotherapy and reconstructive surgery.

"They say cancer changes you, and it does," says McQuillan, now 47. "I decided that I wanted to do something that helps people."

In December, she used money from her investments and savings to open a Hand & Stone franchise in Cherry Hill, N.J.

"I know from personal experience how traumatic it is to go through chemo and radiation, and how soothing massage therapy can be for cancer patients," she says.

Communications major Loren Brill never thought of owning her own cookie company. But then she was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma at age 22.

Between treatments, she took culinary classes to occupy her time. She soon realized that there were limited options for sweets lovers who didn't want butter- and sugar-laden foods.

As a cancer patient, "you care about everything you put in your body," she says.

After beating lymphoma in 2006, she took several jobs in the food industry, but harbored the desire to launch her own firm. By December 2009, she gathered the confidence to focus full time on Sweet Loren's, which sells all-natural frozen cookie and brownie dough.

"I want to add value to the world in any way I can. I think Sweet Loren's can do that," she says.

"The product isn't going to change the world. It's not going to stop war. But cookies do make people happy."

Getting more control

Sometimes, it takes a health scare for an employee to fully realize the mental and physical drain of a toxic workplace. For those who feel beaten down, self-employment can look appealing, says Penny Damaskos, a social worker who leads the post-treatment resource program at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

"If they have their own business, then they have more freedom and more control," she says.

Others don't have the opportunity to leave on their own. In some cases, an uncaring or uninformed manager will fire a sick worker.

For instance, in 2009, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission settled a case in which a breast cancer patient was terminated because her employer assumed she couldn't keep up her normal role.

A manager may try to push out an ailing employee if they're worried about company health care costs going up — or that the worker's productivity will go down, says Damaskos.

Some managers are simply uncomfortable with sickness and disease, so they slowly begin to phase an employee out of meetings and group projects.

"You'd think employers would be sympathetic and understanding, and many are. But some are not," says Leslie Silverman, co-head of the Employment Law Counseling and Training Group at law firm Proskauer.

Makeup artist Ramy Gafni says his once-amicable relationship with management at a high-end salon became uncomfortable, and eventually contentious, after he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 1997.

Soon after he lost his hair and gained weight due to medication and chemotherapy, he began to feel alienated and marginalized. He and top management had differences about his role, and while he was still undergoing treatment, he was fired.

To earn money, Gafni offered cosmetic services from his New York City apartment. As his clientele grew, he pulled together enough money to launch his own makeup line.

"I remember thinking 'I'll show them, and they'll realize what a mistake they made,' " he says. "That was a huge motivator."

Twelve years later, Ramy Beauty Therapy has become a multimillion-dollar company with products sold around the country. Stars such as Renee Zellweger, Taylor Swift and Britney Spears have been clients.

And while the anger about being fired gave Gafni an added entrepreneurial spark, he says that situation also opened him up to his true calling.

"Much good came out of that very rough year," he says. "On a deeper level, I believe I was on a path I was supposed to be on."

Wake-up bite

The impetus to grab control of one's professional life doesn't necessarily have to come from a long, lingering illness. Any severe health scare can be a wake-up call.

Bill Douglas' enlightenment came soon after a coral snake's venom entered his body and attacked his central nervous system.

"In a matter of minutes I went from alive, well and healthy to paralyzed and near death," says Douglas, who was bitten while building a deck on his parents' Fort Lauderdale home in 1991.

He was given anti-venom, then spent several days in intensive care. There, he had lots of time to reflect on his life.

"I emphatically decided that the corporate life wasn't for me," says Douglas, now 46. "There were too many dreams within me that had yet to be pursued."

After he was released, he promptly quit his job at a Florida utility company. "I realized that I didn't want to be the guy in the corner office in 20 years," he says. Instead, he wanted to make his own schedule and live life on his terms.

He has since launched firms in areas such as sales, service logistics and information technology.

The health scare "was the jump-start of my entrepreneurial career," Douglas says. But even more than that, it taught him to value those around him, to say 'yes' when unexpected opportunities appear — and to have perspective when things go wrong.

"Life is a gift, meant to be enjoyed, pursued and shared," he says. "Failure happens, but life and health are worth so much more."

Copyright © 2010 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

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