By Jennifer Vazquez

Observer Correspondent

HARRISON

There are many stories and personal accounts that reflect the importance and the changing factor that sports, discipline, hard work and passion have on the lives of numerous. This fact holds true to no other than Josef Manuel owner and instructor of Cutting Edge Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

In an exclusive interview with The Observer, Manuel, an international champion-winning jiu jitsu fighter, vividly recounts the point in time when he became interested in this martial arts form and the important role this sport has had in his life.

Manuel, a first-generation born of Puerto Rican parents, was born and raised in Newark where he was raised. Being smaller than others his age and in his neighborhood he was bullied.

One day I was at the playground, on the swing, he said. Next thing I remember seeing were trees, leaves and boots.

This particular incident was a turning point in his life as he became adamant to become stronger and wiser never allowing another to intimidate or physically hurt him or others in that manner again.

Because of my size I was constantly being bullied, he said. Thats how my quest began. That quest to find out, what I can do, how I can prepare myself to not have to go through that againThere has to be some sort of self defense that I can learn to never have to go through that again.

According to Manuel, since money was tight during his youth, it wasnt until he was old enough to earn a living that he decided to finally learn jiu-jitsu, the fighting art form that had always captivated him.

Read more here:
Josef Manuel: A story of dedication and success

While Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao is leaving the position this year, his time in office has been a personal success in at least one aspect: the fortunes of his extended family have risen to at least $2.7 billion.

Almost all of that money appears to have been made during his tenure, David Barboza of the New York Times reports.

Barboza also notes that Wen "has broad authority over the major industries where his relatives have made their fortunes".

Here's some of the assets he found:

The holdings include a villa development project in Beijing; a tire factory in northern China; a company that helped build some of Beijings Olympic stadiums, including the iconic Birds Nest; and Ping An Insurance, one of the worlds biggest financial services companies.

Following the scandal of Bo Xilai and the subsequent investigation of his own unusually large finances, there's been a lot of scrutiny of official corruption in China. Foreign executives have long complained that hiring the relatives of Chinese "princelings" and officials on inflated salaries was part and parcel of doing business in China.

The New York Times may be expecting some consequences. When Bloomberg looked into the financial dealings of incoming President Xi Jinping (and found that, like Wen's family, they appeared to be billionaires), Bloomberg.com was blocked in China.

More From Business Insider

Originally posted here:
Wen Jiabao's Family Is Much Richer Than Anyone Realized

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/5w6zhq/successes_and) has announced the addition of the "Successes and Failures Case Study: Birchbox" report to their offering.

Birchbox is part of Datamonitor Consumer's Successes and Failures series. These case studies examine best-in-class examples of innovation and marketing - supported by Datamonitor's consumer insight research - to drive success.

Effective innovation is difficult to come by, but it is the key to sustained competitive advantage in the consumer packaged goods industry. Lessons can be learned from both successes and failures. This case study looks at how Birchbox - a subscription-based personal care sampling service - has successfully reimagined product sampling to provide a "win-win" scenario for both consumers and brands.

Scope

- Access comprehensive analysis of global successes and failures in the consumer packaged goods industry to drive ideation and inspiration.

- Obtain country-specific consumer insight to understand the consumer attitudes and needs that underpinned innovation success/failure.

- Avoid costly investments by learning important lessons from companies and brands that have failed or under-delivered.

- Obtain a broader appreciation of the CPG industry by gaining insights from both within and outside of your category.

Highlights

Go here to read the rest:
Research and Markets: Successes and Failures Case Study: Birchbox - A Subscription Based Personal Care Sampling ...

CHARLESTON, S.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Nonprofit organizations around the world are looking to expand use of mobile technology, grow online fundraising and improve donor communication and multichannel engagement.

These are just some of the findings from the 2012 State of the Nonprofit Industry report, released today by Blackbaud, Inc. (NASDAQ: BLKB), featuring survey results from more than 1500 respondents from nine countries covering approaches to overcoming common challenges, fundraising trends, and use of mobile and interactive technology.

Optimism in the nonprofit sector varies based largely on how an organization communicates with its constituents and the technologies it employs, said Marc Chardon, Blackbauds chief executive officer. Generally, nonprofits that adopt multiple engagement channels have a more optimistic outlook on their ability to recruit new donors, retain existing donors and grow individual contributions in the coming year.

Key findings from the survey include:

For more comprehensive data and a breakdown by country, visit http://www.blackbaud.com/soni to download the full report.

About the survey

The State of the Nonprofit Industry survey is disseminated via a unique collaborative worldwide network of nonprofit country institutes, associations and NGOs including: L'Association Franaise des Fundraisers, Centro Studi Philanthropy, Daryl Upsall Consulting International, Deutscher Fundraising Verband, Fundraising Institute of Australia (FIA), Fundraising Institute of New Zealand (FINZ), and The Resource Alliance. This years survey was fielded in June 2012 and reports on data from more than 1,500 respondents in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and the United States. Conducted annually since 2004, the survey questions uncover:approaches to overcoming common nonprofit challenges, fundraising trends, and the use of mobile technologies.To download the complete report, visitwww.blackbaud.com/soni.

About Blackbaud

Serving the nonprofit and education sectors for 30 years, Blackbaud (BLKB) combines technology and expertise to help organizations achieve their missions. Blackbaud works with more than 27,000 customers in over 60 countries that support higher education, healthcare, human services, arts and culture, faith, the environment, independent K-12 education, animal welfare and other charitable causes. The company offers a full spectrum of cloud-based and on-premise software solutions and related services for organizations of all sizes including: fundraising, eMarketing, social media, advocacy, constituent relationship management (CRM), analytics, financial management and vertical-specific solutions. Using Blackbaud technology, these organizations raise more than $100 billion each year. Recognized as a top company by Forbes, InformationWeek, and Software Magazine and honored by Best Places to Work, Blackbaud is headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina and has operations in the United States, Australia, Canada, Mexico, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. For more information, visitwww.blackbaud.com.

Originally posted here:
Multichannel Engagement Key for Nonprofits’ Fundraising Success

Matt Kenseth (left) has spent much of his Sprint Cup career in Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s shadow, especially during their rookie year in 2000.

Peter Cosgrove/AP

Matt Kenseth has spent his entire NASCAR career racing in the margins of celebrity status. He's one of the sport's most accomplished drivers of the past 13 seasons, winning 24 times since his Sprint Cup rookie year in 2000 and capturing the 2003 series title. He consistently runs in the top 10 and has made the Chase for the Championship every year except 2009.

Still, despite all his sustained success, Kenseth never lingers for long on center stage. That's partly because he doesn't seek the attention, but it's also because fate continually moves the spotlight away from Kenseth. He won Cup Rookie of the Year honors the same season that a fellow named Dale Earnhardt Jr. broke into the series. (In fact, quite a few people probably think Earnhardt was the rookie of the year that season.) During Kenseth's championship season, he made it to Victory Lane only once. So even as he was proving that he was that year's best driver, the primary focus week after week often went elsewhere.

This year has been a prime example of how Kenseth's racing ability continually gets overshadowed. He won the Daytona 500, a race that forever will be remembered for Juan Pablo Montoya slamming into a jet dryer and igniting a fireball that caused a two-hour delay. Earlier in October Kenseth took the checkered flag at Talladega as all the attention was focused on a 25-car melee behind him. Then just this past weekend Kenseth's victory at Kansas was mostly a footnote in a race dominated by talk of a slick track, spinning cars and a deadlocked Chase race.

It's always been this way for Kenseth. He won seven times during his two seasons in the Nationwide Series in 1998 and 1999, the same two years that Earnhardt won 13 races and back-to-back Nationwide championships. As the duo prepared to make the move to Cup racing in 2000, they were asked to pose together for a photo shoot. The photographer wanted Kenseth to stand behind Earnhardt and slightly to one side of him, so Kenseth was partially obscured.

"They were trying to get this cool look, and they kept having me move farther over and over behind him where you couldn't see all of my face," Kenseth recalled with a smile earlier this year. "Finally I said, 'Look, why don't I just leave.'"

Actually, leaving is the one thing that has brought attention to Kenseth this season. It was announced in late June that Kenseth will depart Roush Fenway Racing at the end of this season after 14 years with the organization to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing. The move caught most people by surprise, primarily because the low-key Kenseth had always seemed content to stay in the comfort zone he had created at Roush.

Kenseth never has been specific about why he is leaving Roush, though money undoubtedly has something to do with it. When asked about the situation last month, Kenseth replied, "Timing really is everything. There have been a lot of changes over there [at RFR], going into this year being in the last year of my contract -- trying to get sponsorship secured and trying to figure out what was going on for sure. [...] I got into May and still didn't really have anything done and weren't even really talking about a whole bunch of stuff. I had this opportunity come up with Joe and JD [Gibbs] talking to me about coming over there and racing. And it was something that really interested me a lot."

Some might claim the decision cost Kenseth a shot at this year's Sprint Cup championship. The announcement that he was leaving came out just before the race at Kentucky Speedway. He finished seventh in that race and third a week later at Daytona, leaving him atop the series point standings. Then Kenseth hit a major slump, managing only three top-10 finishes and one top-5 over the next 13 races. When he left Dover with a 35th-place finish on Sept. 30, Kenseth was last in the standings among the 12 Chase drivers, his title hopes gone just three races into the Chase.

Read the rest here:
Cary Estes: Despite constant success , Matt Kenseth has remained in shadows throughout career

By Zachary Pea | Published 22 hours ago

Many MSU groups cater to specific interests or demographics, but one program offers something everyone wants simple guidelines to success.

The student-driven organization, the MSU Advantage Program, kicked off its Success Series Tuesday night by bringing motivational speaker and author, Eric Thomas, to the Erickson Hall Kiva to speak to students.

Tony Nuckolls, MSU alumnus and vice president of training and development at Quicken Loans, accompanied Thomas, also an MSU alumnus, to the Erickson Hall Kiva stage to speak about the importance of networking to personal success.

I would really recommend that students cry out to alumni, faculty and staff, Thomas said. I believe that with the right support of human resources and financial support, any student has the ability to do well.

African American and Latino male graduation rates have dropped to about 32 percent in the past six years, according to Thomas.

Being in Detroit, my biological father wasnt in my life, and then I dropped out of high school, he said. It took 12 years for me to get an undergraduate degree, but I did it.

Dont quit; just keep going, is what economics senior Walter Bivens said he stresses to everyone attending MSU Advantage Program events.

The MSU Advantage Program includes members who are economically strict, who grew up on the wrong side of lifes tracks, those with depression issues and even those who excel in academics, according to Bivens.

Were looking to save all students, from the 4.0 student to the student whos on academic probation, to make sure they graduate and stay the course, Bivens said.

Read this article:
Speaker lays out guidelines for success

FIU quarterback Jake Medlock had his best game statistically as a Panther last week, throwing for 380 yards against Middle Tennessee State. All those yards, however, couldnt take away the hurt of a 34-30 loss.

I would have settled for 1 yard passing, even a half-yard, if that would have gotten us the win, Medlock said. I just want a W. Thats all I want, and it doesnt matter how we get it.

Wins have been a rarity for FIU this season; the Panthers are 1-6 with an 0-3 Sun Belt Conference record.

In the fourth game of this season, Medlock broke his foot against Louisville and sat out the next two contests against Louisiana-Lafayette and Arkansas State both losses.

Hes a tough guy, FIU coach Mario Cristobal said of Medlock. Youre not going to find guys tougher than him, and youre not going to find guys that are more committed than him. Hes the kind of guy you want at that quarterback position.

Hes a leader, hes smart, hes tough, and hes a worker.

Against Middle Tennessee, he was also efficient, completing 24 of 38 passes with two touchdowns and no interceptions. The 380 yards are the second-highest by an FIU quarterback in the schools brief 10-year football history, only behind Paul McCalls 400 yards in a 57-50 overtime loss to Florida Atlantic in 2008.

Hes throwing the ball well, Cristobal said. Hes throwing the ball on time, and he has become a real strong team leader. His best football is ahead of him, and we expect him to have a great career here at FIU.

He knows he can do even better, and hes hungry to do better.

As for the broken foot, which has been heavily wrapped, Cristobal said, Hes still banged up. Hes not even close to 100 percent.

See original here:
FIU Panthers’ Jake Medlock puts team’s success above self

DENVER, Oct. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Things are running like clockwork. Profits are high, salary is excellent, perks are plentiful. The media is calling, coverage is positive. Then poof - it's gone. Like many entrepreneurs, Brian Gast lived in a bubble filled with delusions of grandeur and a sense of import. In his new book, "The Business of Wanting More: Why Some Executives Move From Success To Fulfillment And Others Don't," Gast shares not only his personal story, but presents the transformational Q7 Process which will help executives, struggling between success and happiness, achieve both.

Somewhere along his journey, Gast says, "I became fascinated by the workings of the psyche and committed myself to dissolving the illusions that kept me from seeing what was true about myself and the world. Something deep inside told me that my life was no accident; that I, in fact, was uniquely equipped to help busy executives discern what truly fulfills them. Taking what I learned about transforming human behavior, I created the Q7 Process to help executives move from success to fulfillment."

The Q refers to the quadrant, one quarter of the four-dimensional grid comprised of Feeling, Acting, Thinking, and Being; the 7 refers to the seven steps of the process. These steps span three stages: Preparation (steps 1, 2, and 3); Transformation (steps 4 and 5); and Integration (steps 6 and 7):

Step One: Take a Fearless Inventory of Your Life

Step Two: Create A Vision For Your Life

Step Three: Remove The Barriers To Fulfillment

Step Four: Burst Your Bubble

Step Five: Build Your Court Of Support

Step Six: Create a Personal-Practices Regimen

Step Seven: Draw A Road Map To Your Future

Visit link:
Business Leaders Are Learning That Success Does Not Always Equal Fulfillment

HAMILTON, Bermuda, Oct. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --In its 150th anniversary yearlong celebration, Bacardi celebrates its tremendous success as the world's largest privately-held spirits Company and the incredible drive and perseverance it took to get there following the illegal confiscation of its assets in Cuba on October 15, 1960 52 years ago. While that event was an extraordinary event in the Company's history after nearly 100 years of being in Cuba, it became a critical turning point to propel the family-owned Company and its namesake BACARDI rum brand to take on a greater international profile. This turned BACARDI into the globally recognized brand it is today. In fact, within 20 years following the loss of the Company's assets in Cuba, BACARDI rum became the number-one premium distilled spirits brand in the United States. Less than a year after that, it was the number-one selling spirit brand in the world.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/53412-bacardi-rum-150-anniversary-illegal-cuban-confiscation-international-grow

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121015/MM89922)

"The fact that Bacardi has persevered to become a recognized global brand, as well as a leader in the spirits industry shouldn't be surprising to anyone who understands both the culture and spirit of the Company," said Facundo L. Bacardi, Chairman of Bacardi Limited. "Resilience and perseverance are part of our 150-year DNA, not only as a family, but as a Company. We've survived bankruptcy, rebellions, devastating earthquakes, the U.S. prohibition era, the Cuban Revolution and exile from our homeland, and through it all, we've known that nothing can break the indomitable spirit of the family or the spirit enjoyed the world over. Difficult times may come again, but the lessons of our Company's past are clear to never count us out."

Quick action in face of adversity

The story of Bacardi in Cuba once again demonstrates the Company's ability to adapt, stay relevant and continue to flourish amidst tremendous difficulties. Bacardi proudly proclaims a heritage that is uniquely Cuban, including the honor in 1910 as Cuba's first multinational Company. From humble beginnings in Santiago de Cuba in 1862, Bacardi the family, Company and brand succeeded despite tremendous personal and political upheaval in its first 100 years including war, bankruptcy and prohibition.

In fact, the threats by Fulgencio Batista's government during the 1940s-50s, which included his decision to nationalize Bacardi for one day, propelled Bacardi executives to safeguard the BACARDI rum intellectual property, secret formula and proprietary yeast critical to making BACARDI rum by moving them out of Cuba.

These prescient steps had already been taken when, on October 13, 1960, the new Cuban Revolutionary Government, which had come to power in 1959, approved Law 890 nationalizing all major industries and putting to an end to private property in Cuba. Besides foreign-owned property and entities, nearly 400 Cuban-owned companies, including banks and manufacturing facilities, were also illegally seized.

On October 14, Cuban regime army officers headed to the Bacardi sales office in Havana with a single-page document claiming control of the Cuban Company. But the new Cuban government made a critical error, and the repercussions live on in the world of rum today. The officers went to the wrong building and the wrong city of Havana. The Bacardi headquarters and production facility were in Santiago, on the other side of the country. Those responsible for seizing Bacardi had to catch a flight to get to Santiago. This gave Bacardi a 24-hour heads-up to destroy all of the BACARDI signature yeast which gives BACARDI rum its smooth taste and consistency no matter where in the world you enjoy it thereby preventing anyone else from ever making BACARDI rum in Cuba.

The following day, on October 15, officials of the revolutionary government showed up at the Bacardi headquarters in Santiago and forced Bacardi executives to sign an "Expropriation Document." With the stroke of a pen, the Company's Cuban assets were confiscated and the Bacardi family lost what had taken 98-years to build.

Continue reading here:
In Its 150th Year, Bacardi Celebrates Success, Resilience And Growth Since Illegal Confiscation Of Cuban Assets 52 ...

The ISU womens cross country team finally hit its stride at the Bradley Classic on Friday with the Redbirds picking up their first team title of the 2012 season.

Rachael Brewers time of 20:44 in the 6,000-meter race, good for second place, is the fastest all-time in ISU history and crushed her previous best time by 53 seconds.

Brewer is really starting to learn how to race and run up front, ISU head coach Jeff Bovee said. She has a fast learning [curve] and is soaking up everything from one race to the next.

Senior Elise Sigg placed seventh with a time of 21:27, while sophomore Kelly McShea finished in 12th place with a new personal-best time of 21:36. Kim Christensen crossed the finish line fourth for the Redbirds with a personal-best time of 21:58. Sarah Castel finished the scoring for ISU with a personal-best time of 22:13.

This was their best race of the season, Bovee said. They responded well from a set-back two weeks ago at the Griak Invitational and rose to the challenge. They ran a great team race The team built some great momentum headed into the Valley Championships in two weeks.

ISUs 102 points that earned them first place was 12 less than runner-up St. Louis.

On the mens side of the meet, the team placed 12th overall in the 8,000-meter distance with 296 points. Southern Illinois took the title with 54 points.

Daily Vidette Archive Photo: Rachael Brewer placed second at the Bradley Classic to help the ISU womens cross country team capture its first team title of the season. Brewers time of 20:44 is a new ISU record for a 6,000-meter race.

Sophomore Ryan Rutherford was ISUs top finisher, completing the race with a time of 24:27, the second fastest of his career, to finish in 12th place.

Ryan gave the team a big boost with his solid performance after taking the last few weeks off, Bovee said.

View post:
’Birds find success at Bradley