Pensacola, FL (PRWEB) July 24, 2012

Michael Gray, Jr., founder and CEO of MEG Financial, Inc., a national life and disability insurance specialty brokerage agency has collaborated with renowned marketing advisor, author and consultant Dan S. Kennedy, to co-write "The Ultimate Success Secret: Strategies From America's Most Trusted Advisors." The purpose of the book is to provide insight to everyone seeking to grow personally, professionally and financially.

The section of the book authored by Mr. Gray focuses on "How to Find an Advisor You Can Trust", a critical factor in building a successful relationship, especially when dealing with money and finances. Mr. Gray states, "in this day and age, with all of the financial schemes, "book cooking", market volatility and economic uncertainty, finding an advisor you can trust should be your #1 priority."

About Michael E. Gray, Jr. Over his 19+ career, Michael Gray, Jr., CEO of MEG Financial, Inc., has worked with tens of thousands of individuals and businesses nationwide as a trusted advisor and consultant with respect to life and disability insurance. The experience gained over the years has allowed Michael to grow both personally and professionally and to really understand the importance of helping others. During this time, Michael has developed 3,000+ clients and many have become very good friends.

About MEG Financial MEG Financial is a Florida based corporation that provides life insurance and financial services consulting to individuals and businesses in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. MEG represents over 80 of the nations most respected life and disability insurance companies. Niche areas of focus include term life insurance, universal life, disability income insurance, finding insurance for people with tough medical conditions, business insurance including key person insurance as well as estate planning.

For details on how you can order a copy of "The Ultimate Success Secret: Strategies From America's Most Trusted Advisors" contact Paula Pope.

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Michael Gray, Jr., CEO of MEG Financial, Co-Authors Book "The Ultimate Success Secret: Strategies From America's Most ...

The end has come for Big Mamas Cheesecakes, at least for now.

In 2010, demand for Big Mamas creations was so huge that owners Carrie and Joe Fanizzi moved the bakery from a small storefront in Mattydale to Northern Lights mall.

But the cheesecake company is now closed, due to a combination of economic issues, limited traffic in Northern Lights and personal reasons, said co-owner Carrie Fanizzi.

Its really awful to have to close, but whats been unbelievable is the response people calling and saying how much they liked Big Mamas and theyll miss it, Fanizzi said.

About 80 percent of Big Mamas cheesecakes were sold wholesale to restaurants, leaving the rest for retail sales from the mall store.

Fanizzi, who was in business with her husband Joe, started the company in 2007. Its first restaurant customer was The Retreat in Liverpool. The Fanizzis later went into a partnership with Carol and David Trytek.

Carrie Fanizzi said she still has the cheesecake-making equipment, and is considering her next move. That could mean restarting in some fashion or perhaps selling the brand.

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Once a local success story, Big Mama's Cheesecakes is now closed

OXFORD, England, July 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

The debts associated with a University place are persuading a growing number of would-be professionals to find alternative routes to career success. This year 50,000 young people have decided they will not go to University. However, many astute young people are exploring the option of taking a job in their field of interest and undergoing professional training to get the academic background they need for promotion.

They are earning while they are learning - rather than incurring mountains of personal debt. Even better, many of them are finding that switched-on employers are willing to support them with their studies.

This proven route to career success is perfect for self-starters who want an independent life at 18 and beyond - and don't want to burden themselves or their parents with debt. It is a highly winning formula.

The Oxford College of Marketing has seen many students with 'A' levels go on to do the Professional Certificate in Marketing, followed by the Professional Diploma in Marketing and finally the Professional Postgraduate in Marketing. From there they can become Chartered Marketers -the most prestigious marketing title in the world and a recognised rank generating status and income.

One of our own tutors is an example of how this can work. She came to the Oxford College of Marketing with A Levels. Having worked her way up to postgraduate level she is now a Chartered Marketer and is running her own company - as well as training other ambitious marketers.

But it's not just marketing where this route can work. Many professional institutes offer professional training - for instance the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and the Chartered Institute of Public Relations.

Of course career success is as much about position as salary. Many non-graduates are concerned that their pay levels will always be behind those of their graduate colleagues. However, by the time most of our self-starters get three years' work under their belt and the Professional Diploma, they are at the same level as their graduate counterparts - some even earning more.

Now isn't that something worth working for?

How to work your way to career success

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Learn While you Earn - The Professional Qualification Route to Career Success

CHICAGO, July 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Sodexo and Unilever today celebrate Feeding Our Future, an annual summer program that provided more than 22,000 free meals to local youth this summer. Volunteers from Sodexo, Unilever, and The Campus Kitchens Project gathered at Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center with more than 125 area children to celebrate the program's success and educate the program participants on the benefits of healthy eating.

At the celebration, children ages 4 to 12 joined with Sodexo nutritionists and chefs in an educational tasting program to learn about healthy food choices, perform taste experiments, and sample healthy foods to identify their personal food preferences. Nutrition education activities took students through 6 different learning stations where they made yogurt parfaits from fresh fruit and dairy; sampled vegetables prepared in different ways; experimented with whole grains; learned about healthy protein alternatives; gained understanding about sugar in snacks and beverages; and even participated in a MyPlate relay race as a way to incorporate physical activity. Healthy lunches were also served, which included whole wheat wraps with red pepper hummus, grilled veggies and black beans with a side of fruit and cheese.

Since 1997, Sodexo's Feeding Our Future program has provided more than 268,000 summer lunches to youth from low-income households in Chicago who rely on free and reduced-priced meals during the academic year. The Feeding Our Future program at Northwestern University is run by a team of dedicated college students and Sodexo employees through The Campus Kitchens Project. Feeding Our Future now operates in 24 cities in the United States and is made possible in Chicago by a grant from Sodexo Foundation, the anti-hunger charitable arm of Sodexo, Inc., and matching funds from Unilever. Across the nation, Sodexo employees work closely with local hunger-relief organizations, partnering vendors and clients to prepare and distribute the meals to children at local feeding sites.

"The Campus Kitchens Project and Sodexo Foundation agree that young people play a critical role in the fight to end childhood hunger," said Michael Curtin, CEO, The Campus Kitchens Project. "By participating in Feeding Our Future, student volunteers at the Campus Kitchen at Northwestern University develop valuable leadership skills while making a meaningful impact in their community."

Childhood hunger continues to be a growing problem in the U.S. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, approximately 16.2 million children in America struggle with hunger. Findings from a 2011 study conducted by Feeding America, a national hunger-relief charity, show that the child food insecurity rate in Illinois topped 22 percent, with more than 350,000 children at risk of hunger. The resulting impact of that hunger frequently includes health issues, poor academic performance, and limited future employment opportunities.

"There is one simple thing that any of us can do to offer our children a leg up in the world. Feed them," said Robert A. Stern, chair, Sodexo Foundation. "Feeding Our Future does just that, helping to fill the gap of the 19 million U.S. children not reached by other supplemental nutrition programs during the summer months."

This summer, Feeding Our Future will provide 400,000 summer lunches to youth in Atlanta; Boston; Buffalo, N.Y.; Camden, N.J.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Chicago; Denver; Detroit; Fort Worth, Texas; Honolulu; Houston; Indianapolis; Los Angeles; Miami; New York; Norfolk, Va.; Oklahoma City; Pittsburgh; San Jose, Calif.; St. Cloud, Minn.; St. Louis; Syracuse, N.Y.; Terre Haute, Ind. and Washington.

Programs like Feeding Our Future exemplify the positive contributions that large corporations are making in support of local communities. Working in collaboration with Sodexo are 26 of its vendor partners, including The Coca-Cola Company, Unilever, Sysco and The Schwan Food Company. Together they are providing more than $103,000 in funds which allows Sodexo Foundation to implement these essential supplemental nutrition programs in cities nationwide. Thanks to these efforts, by the end of this summer Feeding Our Future will have provided more than 3 million free summer lunches to children since the program began in 1997.

"Unilever Food Solutions proudly partners with Sodexo on the Feeding Our Future program, as it ties in so closely with our own beliefs and vision to make a difference. Our goal is to have an impact on the vitality and nutrition of millions of people, and childhood hunger is certainly a part of that," said Ted Skodol, director of customer marketing.

To make a contribution to the fight against hunger or for more information, please visit http://www.sodexofoundation.org.

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Sodexo, the Campus Kitchen at Northwestern University and Unilever Celebrate Success of Annual Summer Feeding Program

Lesley Young/Special to The Commercial Appeal

Jennifer Milburn, 40, of Cordova, dropped from a size 14-16 to a size 4 while working with a personal trainer three days a week and working out on the stationary bike and elliptical machine by herself two to three days a week.

"I saw myself, and I was so depressed," Jennifer Milburn says of weighing 190 pounds. She promised her herself she would do something about, and she did.

Jennifer Milburn hated having her picture taken, even on a family trip to Walt Disney World

"I saw myself, and I was so depressed," said Milburn, 40.

When she returned from Florida that March of last year, she promised herself and her husband she would do something about it.

"I sat down with Joe (Solomito) at Results (Personal Enhancement Studio) and told him I would do whatever he told me to do," Milburn said.

Weighing in at 190 pounds, she met with Solomito three days a week at the Cordova gym for weight lifting and 30 minutes of cardio exercise.

"I had a very bad knee, so I used the bike because it strengthens the knee," she said. "I also noticed it strengthened my butt."

On other days, Milburn spent 30 minutes exercising on the elliptical machine and 30 on the stationary bike on her own.

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Success Story: Promise turns into career change

Really, I dont know why so many people are annoyed with President Obama for saying that personal success is almost always a product of our system in America, with the benevolent federal government leading the way. Certainly, thats true, and I will attempt to prove it based on a brand-new investigation of very successful folks.

New York Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey was once a mediocre performer, but he became a star by perfecting the knuckleball. Word is that Nancy Pelosi took the pitcher aside and demonstrated just the right spin to put on his delivery. The former Speaker of the House is too modest to take credit, but she does want to tax Dickey at a higher rate now that hes a 1 percenter.

Did you know that Clint Eastwood was a struggling actor until California Gov. Jerry Brown taught him to squint and say things like, Feeling lucky, punk? Apparently, Brown learned that phrase from a former girlfriend, singer Linda Ronstadt, and generously passed it along to Eastwood. However, there is no truth to the rumor that Browns autobiography will be entitled: Dirty Jerry.

She wont admit it, but Lady Gagas career took off when New York Sen. Chuck Schumer advised her to lose the poker face and loosen up a little. Taken aback by the blunt advice, the former Catholic-school girl took it to heart and replaced her blue blazers with ripped fishnet stockings and rhinestone halter-tops.

The rest, of course, you know. But what you might not know is that Schumer was the inspiration for the Gaga hit: Born This Way.

Likewise with Simon Cowell. The Englishman was looking for a TV niche when he ran across Congressman Barney Frank, who advised him to insult just about everybody and wear tight undershirts in public. After watching Frank on cable TV, Cowell adopted his scorched-earth verbal style and ever since has amassed hundreds of millions of dollars. Fortunately for Cowell, when Frank told him to invest in Fannie Mae, he declined, believing Fannie was an obscure rapper.

But the topper is LeBron James. As a kid in Akron, Ohio, LeBron was directionless, wandering around the boulevards looking for something to do. Then one day a suave stranger showed up on the playground and began shooting hoops with LeBron and his crew. The man showed the youngsters a variety of basketball moves, including the fade-away jump shot. From the jump, LeBron was enthralled and thus began his steady climb to basketball greatness. That strangers name: Barack Obama.

And now you know the rest of the success story.

Veteran TV news anchor Bill OReilly is host of the Fox News show The OReilly Factor and author of the book Pinheads and Patriots: Where You Stand in the Age of Obama. To find out more about Bill OReilly, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at http://www.creators.com. This column originates on the website http://www.billoreilly.com.

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Now you know the rest of the success story

Eden Hazard has set his sights on a successful season with Chelsea and hopes to build on last year, when the English giant won the Champions League and FA Cup.

The versatile attacker joined the Blues from Lille in the summer transfer window and he is keen to become a key figure at his new club.

"Chelsea's goals for the new season? We have not discussed it with the coach yet, but I guess that we want to do as well as last season," Hazard stated to reporters. "I do not really have any personal objectives. I just hope to play as many games as possible. I am not the type of person to set certain goals. The most important thing for me is to get regular first-team action and do well."

The attacker then went on to discuss Salomon Kalou's move from the Blues toles Dogues, and Hazard hopes the Cote d'Ivoire international can help his former side to Ligue 1 glory again.

"His move is a good thing. He is a great player, a big star. I hope that he can do at Lille what he did at Chelsea, and help the team to more trophies."

Lille was crowned Ligue 1 champion in 2010-11, but had to settle for third spot last term.

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Hazard aiming to help Chelsea repeat 2011-12 success

By Malcolm Manness - July 22, 2012 | Tickers: AAPL, XRX | 0 Comments

Malcolm is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinions of our bloggers and are not formally edited.

Understanding Apple #2: Success = (O +V) * F

Why are Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) products so successful? The answer is simple and complex.

You may love Apple and their products, or hate them to the core, but what cannot be denied is that Apple now has the highest market cap of any company, their products are trend setters, and currently they are trading at rather low multiples, especially regarding forward earnings.

Warren Buffet has the maxim: Invest in what you know! So, for those who want a unique perspective on Apples success, I have a series of articles 'Understanding Apple.' I hope you will find them helpful and provocative. Part-1 was a brief outline of Apples history.

In Part-2 I discuss the reasons for their success. Part-1 listed mostly indisputable, historical facts. Here I am more subjective, giving readers my unusual viewpoint. Though not entirely original, Ive been saying this for many years.

Why are Apple products so successful? The answer is quite simple.

Of course the investor wants to know how they accomplish this. So the real question is How do they do this?

I suggest:

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Understanding Apple #2: Success = (O +V) * F

Sunday, July 22, 2012

HERE is a simple story of how a Cebuano dream came true.

Back in the 70s, when mountaineering was starting to become popular among Filipinos, a group of friends who loved the outdoors and were enthusiasts as well, decided to manufacture their own equipment.

Get updates on President Benigno Aquino III's address to nation.

It started as something personal for this group of men. But the idea of actually doing it as a business inevitably arrived when their colleagues in the mountaineering community started noticing their personal gear and inquired about purchasing equipment from them.

With very small capital, struggling young architects Efren Junks Muaa, Randy Su and Dindo Sugatan formed Habagat Outdoor Equipment and set up shop in a borrowed garage in midtown Cebu City.

Habagat started out as a hobby and was initially intended for our personal use because, back then, it was rather difficult to acquire equipmentwith the market dominated by expensive foreign products that had to be imported through shipping, or with the help of friends who lived or traveled overseas, shared the men behind Habagat.

Truly, success did not come overnight for the company. The first models that the engineers personally designed, patterned and sewed were even done on an old sewing machine. Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, a lot of people in the country todayespecially those inclined with the outdoor activitieshave the brand name etched automatically into their consciousness.

And to think this is a brand proudly conceived in Cebu City.

Habagat is one of the two or three companies that pioneered manufacturing outdoor gear and equipment in the country. But we definitely set the standard for quality through continuous research and innovation, and by having our products field-tested by athletes and outdoorsmen before we introduce them to the market.

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Sailing to success

Whether we're thinking about starting a small business, or just thinking about what career path to choose, it's important that we follow our passions. When we think about what is needed to be successful in life and in our work, we usually think about characteristics like value, talent, ambition, intellect, discipline, persistence and luck. What many of us often fail to include in this recipe for success is passion. The passion we have, or don't have, for our work should not be underestimated. Sometimes this ingredient could make the biggest difference of all.

SEE: 5 People Who Turned Career Disaster Into Success

The True Meaning of Success Before we talk about what I mean by passion and why it's so important, we must first explore what the true meaning of success is a bit further. Success is usually assumed to be associated with large sums of wealth or a high level of fame, but true success is not all about money,.

Success is, or at least should be, primarily defined as an achievement of something desired. So, the most successful people are the ones who achieve the things they most desire. What we desire the most, even more than money, is to be proud of what we do with our lives. This is especially true when it comes to our work. A truly successful person is one who is proud of the work he or she does. That, is the true meaning of success. Now, a lot of money shouldn't be the primary definition of success, but it's a reasonable goal to have. We all want to have enough money to sustain ourselves and our family. The thing is, if we're truly passionate about the work we do, there's probably a better chance that money will follow.

What I Mean by PassionWhen I speak of passion, I don't mean it in the romantic way. What I mean by passion is the powerful feeling of enthusiasm we all have inside of us. We are all enthusiastic and passionate about something, whether its finance, food or a favorite sport. That enthusiasm is very powerful. When we can combine it with our work, we are setting ourselves up well for achieving true success.

Why Passion Is so Important When we are enthusiastic and proud of the work we do, the better equipped we'll be to overcome the many obstacles that will surely arise in the process of starting a business or moving up in a career. Also, the more enthusiasm we have, the more inclined we are to work harder at improving ourselves. This will allow us to continuously get better at the work we do. The better we get at our work, the better we can get paid for doing it.

Ensuring we are passionate about our work will not only provide us with a meaningful career, but it will also give us a good chance of being paid well. The passion we have for our work can be the difference between making a living or making a killing.

SEE: The 10 Greatest Entrepreneurs

The Successful of Our Time Steve Jobs One of the most successful companies in the world today is Apple. When we think of Apple we also think of Apple's ex-CEO, the late Steve Jobs. Carmine Gallo wrote an article called, "The Seven Success Principles Of Steve Jobs," which outlines seven key factors that are responsible for Jobs' success. The article is based on multiple interviews with Apple employees and Steve Jobs himself. Believe it or not, the No. 1 principle in this article is, "do what you love." Steve Jobs believed in the power of passion, and once said, "people with passion can change the world for the better." Jobs claimed that the passion he had for his work made all the difference.

Chris Gardner Chris Gardner, the once homeless man turned multi-millionaire stockbroker that Will Smith plays in the movie, "The Pursuit of Happyness," once expressed what he believes is the secret to success. He stated that he believes the secret is to "find something you love to do so much, you can't wait for the sun to rise to do it all over again." He explains that the most inspiring leaders are those who don't work at a job, but pursue a calling.

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Follow Your Passions And Success Will Follow