BUILDING BRIDGES
Supporting businesses by lending good money to good businesses.
September 2010 - Vol 3, Issue 9 |
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| Greetings! | |
Thank you for continuing to subscribe and read our newsletter each month! We enjoy finding newsworthy articles and hope you enjoy the entrepreneurs that we showcase. This month we are featuring Dolly Parton. She has an interesting life story and continues to amaze me with her diverse entrepreneurial ventures. We wish each of you continued success with your life's work.
If you are new to our newsletter, or you want to re-read prior articles, I would like to remind you that all of our newsletters are archived on our website, www.Mazon.com.
All the best,
Lisa Mazon
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$$$ Refer & Earn $$$ |
 You never know when someone you know might benefit from Mazon's factoring services for their business. Our referral program just might put some additional cash in your hands! View details at the end of this newsletter, and forward this issue to a friend. |
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| Entrepreneur of the Month: Dolly Parton |
Known by many simply as "Dolly," Dolly Rebecca Parton is more than a big award-winning country singing star. A little girl with big dreams, she was born on January 19, 1946, the fourth of 12 children born to Robert Lee Parton (a tobacco sharecropper) and his wife Avie in tiny Locust Ridge, Tennessee (Sevier County), in the Great Smoky Mountains. Dolly started singing and writing her own songs when she was a young child - by the age of nine, she sang on local radio, and by age 10 she was a regular on a local television show, "The Cas Walker Farm and Home Hour." The day after her high school graduation, Dolly headed for Nashville to pursue her singing dreams. On her first afternoon in town, she met Carl Dean (a truck driver) at Wishy Washy Laundromat in Nashville and they married two years later on May 30, 1966 in Ringgold, Georgia. After one year as a demo singer in Nashville, she joined the popular "Porter Wagner Show" in 1967, which launched her career in the music industry, and earned her numerous music honors. Dolly left the show in 1974 and continued as a solo artist, winning the 1975 and 1976 CMA's (Country Music Awards) Female Vocalist of the Year honors and 1978 Entertainer of the Year. In the 1980s, Dolly took a turn at acting and starred in several highly successful films. Never abandoning her first love of singing and songwriting, she has sold more than 100 million records worldwide and won countless awards including eight CMA and seven Grammy Awards (including Best Bluegrass Album for "The Grass is Blue" in 2000 and Best Female Country Vocal Performance in 2001 for "Shine" from her Little Sparrow album). She has taken more than 20 songs to No. 1, including the mega hit, "I Will Always Love You." In 1999 she received the highest honor bestowed upon a country music performer when she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Dolly Does Dollywood. Pigeon Forge, Tennessee (in Sevier County) sits in a valley in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, on land that was once Cherokee hunting ground. A treaty in the 1700's opened the valley up for settlement, and through slow growth, was incorporated on April 4, 1961. Shortly after incorporation, brothers Grover and Harry Robbins of North Carolina built and opened a small Civil War theme park then just outside the new city limits, called Rebel Railroad which featured a simulated Confederate steam train being attacked by Union soldiers, with a general store, blacksmith shop and saloon. In 1966 when the Civil War Centennial excitement was fading, they transitioned to a Wild West theme, and sold the property to Art Model (then-owner of the Cleveland Browns football team). New attractions were added and the name changed to Goldrush Junction. The park was again sold in 1976 to Jack and Pete Herschend (Branson-based Herschend Family Entertainment), who made $1M in improvements and renamed the park Silver Dollar City Tennessee in 1977 as a sister park to their original frontier park, Silver Dollar City near Branson, Missouri. In 1985, the popular park drew approximately 350,000 visitors. In 1986, Dolly Parton and the Herschends formed Dollywood Company and purchased the 118-acre park, with Dolly sharing her entertainment expertise, her love of the Great Smoky Mountains and her name to the well-known park, with Herschend Family Entertainment as operating partner in the new company. The park name was changed to Dollywood.
In its first year of operations, Dollywood drew 1.3 million visitors, an increase of approximately 75% from 1985. Dollywood consistently entertains more than two million visitors annually (a 54% increase over its inaugural 1986 season and a 160% increase over its 1985 attendance. More than $162 million has been invested in park expansions and additions since its first season of operation. Except for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Dollywood is the most visited attraction in the state of Tennessee, and employs approximately 2,000 people during the peak operating season, making Dollywood Company the largest employer in Dolly's native Sevier County. Positively impacting the economy, each season the Dollywood Foods Team uses more than 3 million pounds of ice, 46 tons of french fries, more than 100,000 feet of aluminum foil, and 750,000 pairs of disposable gloves. Dollywood's Wardrobe Shop uses more than 24,000 feet of fabric to sew 7,650 costumes each season. To find out more about Dollywood and what it has to offer visitors, go to www.dollywood.com.
 Dolly is also a successful author of several books: an autobiography, a children's book and a cookbook of her favorite recipes, "Dolly's Dixie Fixin's." With her love of books and writing, she developed and launched Imagination Library in Sevier County in 1996 so every preschool child from birth until his/her fifth birthday could have his/her own collection of books, regardless of the family's income. Each month a carefully selected age-appropriate book arrives by mail from the "Book Lady," as Dolly is affectionately known to her younger fans. Imagination Library is currently at work in 1,100 communities in three countries (the USA, Canada and the United Kingdom). More than 560,000 children receive books each month through the generosity of local sponsors and the Dollywood Foundation. More than seven million books will be distributed in 2010. Dolly's Imagination Library marked a milestone on June 11, 2010, as she presented the reading program's 25 millionth book to four-year-old Kumar Stewart of Birmingham, Alabama. Imagination Library is a unique opportunity for everyone to do something simple and powerful for preschoolers. "By inspiring parents to read to their children, we can help them Dream More, Learn More, Care More and Be More!" (www.imaginationlibrary.com).
In addition to her music awards, Dolly was one of six Kennedy Center honorees recognized in December 2006 for their outstanding career contributions to American culture. At the young age of 64 years, Dolly carries on with no signs of slowing down, and promises that she'll never retire. And, she says that not a day goes by that she doesn't write. When not traveling, she spends time out of the lime-light with her husband Carl Dean (notoriously reclusive) at their home in Brentwood, Tennessee. Carl runs an asphalt road-surface-paving business in Nashville and has always shunned publicity, and rarely accompanies her to any events (he has only seen her perform once). Although they have no children, the couple partly raised several of Dolly's younger siblings (her nieces and nephews refer to her as "Aunt Granny"), and they are the sole guardian of a family friend's son who was orphaned.
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| When will I receive funding for my factored invoices? |
 When you become a Mazon Associates factoring client, it will take several business days for us to set up your account in our computer system and your initial funding will take from 3-5 days. After that, invoices submitted for factoring by 10:00 a.m. are funded the same business day via wire transfer to your bank (funds are instantly available in your bank account), ACH (funds are available in your bank account the next business day), you may request check via pick up from our office in Irving, Texas the same day, or check via mail.
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Patriot Day, September 11th |
 On September 11, 2001, four planes were hijacked. The hijackers then deliberately flew three of the plans into two important buildings - the Pentagon in Washington DC and the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York. The fourth crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The loss of life and damage that these hijackings caused form the biggest act of terrorism ever on United States soil. Nearly 3,000 people died in the attacks and economic impact was immense. The attacks have greatly increased attention to national security in the United States. This has had huge implications for United States national and international politics. This is particularly true for the relationships between the United States and Islamic countries in the Middle East.
Patriot Day is an annual observance on September 11th to remember those who were injured or died during these terrorist attacks. On the direction from the President, the flag of the United States of America should be displayed on the homes of Americans, the White House and all United States government buildings in the throughout the world. The flag should be flown at half-mast as a mark of respect to those who died on September 11, 2001. Many people observe a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) which marks the time that the first plane flew into the World Trade Center. The flag of the United States is often displayed around images of the events on September 11th to remind Americans that our country remained strong in the face of massive terrorist attacks.
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| Electronic Bankruptcy Noticing |
 Are you working with customers, unaware that they have filed for bankruptcy protection? Normally, when a person or company files for bankruptcy, the bankruptcy court will notify vendors who are owed money (only if they are listed as a creditor in the bankruptcy filing) by mail. Occasionally, Mazon Associates will receive bankruptcy notices for our clients, which are noted in our system and forwarded to the client.
The U.S. Bankruptcy Courts now offers Electronic Bankruptcy Noticing (EBN), a free service that allows court notices to be transmitted electronically, delivering them faster and more conveniently. If you choose to enroll in this service, you can receive bankruptcy notices on the same day they are produced at the court; can access your court notices 24/7; court notices that would be mailed to multiple locations can be routed to a centralized address; storing notices to your computer means you never lose a paper copy; and court notices can easily be forwarded to others or to your attorney. For more information on this free service and to sign up, visit Electronic Bankruptcy Noticing at http://ebn.uscourts.gov.
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| Notary Facts |
 eNotarization is the practice of signing and notarizing documents electronically. This type of notarization is still developing and has not yet been authorized for widespread use by Notaries. Because eNotarization requires the use of computers and electronic systems far different from traditional ink stamps and paper, it is necessary for Notaries to become knowledgeable with basic computer systems, internet usage, e-mail and other necessary hardware and software to be able to perform paperless notarizations.
Any Texas notary may perform an electronic notarization. An electronic notarization must meet all of the requirements of any other notarization, such as the requirement that the signer personally appear before the notary to acknowledge the document. In addition, the notary's electronic seal must reproduce the required elements of the notary seal.
In addition, the Texas Uniform Electronic Transaction Act ("TUETA") applies to transactions that the parties agree to conduct electronically. TUETA includes a section providing for an electronic notarization:
§322.011. NOTARIZATION AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT. If a law requires a signature or record to be notarized, acknowledged, verified, or made under oath, the requirement is satisfied if the electronic signature of the person authorized to perform those acts, together with all other information required to be included by other applicable law, is attached to or logically associated with the signature or record.
An online version of TUETA (MSWord) may be found at the Texas Legislature Online web site. For assistance in resolving technical questions about electronic notarizations, you may wish to contact a notary public association, such as the National Notary Association.
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| Product Recalls |
The following recent recalls were issued by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. More details can be found at www.cpsc.gov. THHN Electrical Wire (Mfg: Cerro Wire, Crothersville IN); Hickory handle sledge hammers (Imp: White Cap Construction Supply, Costa Mesa CA); Portable Dehumidifiers (Mfg: LG Electronics Tianjin Appliance Co., China); Solar Lighted Cantilever Umbrellas (Imp: Bed Bath & Beyond, Union NJ). To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's hotline at 800-638-2772.
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| September 2010 Holidays, Observances, Celebrations and Events |
 Sept. 6: Labor Day; Sept. 11: Patriot Day; Sept. 12: Grandparents Day; Sept. 16: Stepfamily Day, Mayflower Day; Sept 17; Citizenship Day, Constitution Day and Week; Sept. 19: Talk Like a Pirate Day; Sept. 21: International Day of Peace; Sept. 22: American Business Women's Day; Sept. 23: First Day of Autumn; Sept. 24: Native American Day; Sept. 25: National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims; Sept. 26: Johnny Appleseed Day; Sept. 15th thru Oct. 15th: National Hispanic Heritage Month.
Notice: Mazon offices will be closed on Monday, Sept. 6th in observance of Labor Day. We will resume normal business hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 7th. You may still submit invoices during our closed hours via fax, e-mail or drop-slot to be processed on Monday.
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| Sniffle or Sneeze? No Antibiotics Please |
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has news for parents (and others!) this cold and flu season: antibiotics don't work for a cold or the flu. Antibiotics kill bacteria, not viruses. And colds, flu and most sore throats are caused by viruses. Antibiotics don't touch viruses - never have, never will. And it's not really news. It's a long-documented medical fact. But tell that to parents seeking relief for a child's runny nose. Research shows that most Americans have either missed the message about appropriate antibiotic use or they simply don't believe it. It's a case of mistaken popular belief winning out over fact. According to public opinion research, there is a perception that "antibiotics cure everything."
Americans believe in the power of antibiotics so much that many patients go to the doctor expecting to get a prescription. And they do. Why? Physicians often are too pressured for time to engage in lengthy explanations of why antibiotics won't work. And, when the diagnosis is uncertain - as many symptoms for viral and bacterial infections are similar - doctors are more likely to yield to patient demands for antibiotics
The problem is, taking antibiotics when they are not needed can do more harm than good. Widespread inappropriate use of antibiotics is fueling an increase in drug-resistant bacteria. And sick individuals aren't the only people who can suffer the consequences. Families and entire communities feel the impact when disease-causing germs become resistant to antibiotics.
The most obvious consequence of inappropriate antibiotic use is its effect on the sick patient. When antibiotics are incorrectly used to treat children or adults with viral infections, such as colds and flu, they aren't getting the best care for their condition. A course of antibiotics won't fight the virus, make the patient feel better, yield a quicker recovery or keep others from getting sick.
A less obvious consequence of antibiotic overuse is the boost it gives to drug-resistant disease-causing bacteria. Almost every type of bacteria has become stronger and less responsive to antibiotic treatment when it really is needed. These antibiotic-resistant bacteria can quickly spread to family members, school mates and co-workers - threatening the community with a new strain of infectious disease that is more difficult to cure and more expensive to treat.
According to the CDC, antibiotic resistance is one of the world's most pressing public health problems. Americans of all ages can lower this risk by talking to their doctors and using antibiotics during the cold and flu season.
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| Thoughtful Thoughts |
 A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said, "I am blind, please help." There were only a few coins in the hat.
A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words. Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy.
That afternoon, the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?"
The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way. I wrote, 'Today is a beautiful day but I cannot see it.' "
Both signs told the people that the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people that they were so lucky that there were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?
Moral of the story: Be thankful for what you have. Be creative. Be innovative. Think differently and positively. When life gives you 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1,000 reasons to smile. Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear. Keep the faith and drop the fear.
The most beautiful thing is to see a person smiling - and even more beautiful is knowing that you are the reason behind it!!!
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| Mid-Life |
 As Bob was approaching mid-life, physically he was a mess. Not only was he going bald, but years of office work had given him a large pot belly. The last straw came when he asked a woman co-worker out on a date, and she all but laughed at him. That does it, he decided. I'm going to start a whole new regimen. He began attending aerobics classes. He started working out with weights. He changed his diet. And he got an expensive hair transplant. In six months, he was a different man. Again, he asked his female co-worker out, and this time it was different - she accepted.
There he was, all dressed up for the date, looking better than he ever had. He stood poised to ring the woman's doorbell, when a bolt of lightning struck him and knocked him off his feet. As he lay there dying, he turned his eyes toward the heavens and said, "Why, God, why now? After all I've been through, how could you do this to me?"
From up above, there came a voice, "Sorry. Didn't recognize you."
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Earn 10% Monthly Referral Fees! |
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No Expiration Date!
  Most of Mazon's clients have come to us through referrals of current and former clients. We rely heavily on word-of-mouth marketing to bring in new clients. Our monthly referral payment to you is 10% of our monthly factoring fee (determined at the time of client sign-up) and continues for as long as the business remains with Mazon Associates.
Potential clients include start-up businesses, high-growth businesses, undercapitalized businesses with historical operating losses, businesses with tax liens, turnaround situations. Other potential clients could be businesses who have been turned down for a bank loan and/or do not currently meet a bank's credit criteria; have delivered a service or product to other businesses and have invoices that can be independently verified; expresses cash flow problems and have a cash flow need; and/or companies expecting rapid growth. The potential client can be located in any of the 50 United States.
Prospects are usually businesses that are manufacturers, distributors and service companies. Traditionally, Mazon has had businesses in the following areas: advertising; apparel, courier/delivery services, environmental service companies; manufacturing; printing; start-up and early stage/growth companies; staffing companies; telecommunications; and transportation.
We do not accept businesses which have a majority of consumer receivables such as retail businesses, progress billings, third party pay medical receivables and certain construction-related businesses.
For more information on our referral program, please contact Lisa Mazon at 972-554-6967 ext. 238 or 1-800-442-2740, or by email lisa@mazon.com.
(You are not required to be a Mazon client to refer a business and receive a referral fee but we will require your information to send you a form 1099-MISC for paid fees at the end of each year.) |
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 If you liked this issue of Building Bridges, please forward it to a friend. We invite you to share your newsletter thoughts with us. If you would like to submit an idea, article or joke for consideration in a future issue of Building Bridges, or just want to tell us how we are doing, please email our creator and editor, Linda Burson, at MazonNewsletter@Mazon.com.
Building Bridges carries no paid advertising. All articles, images and links are for our readers' knowledge and enjoyment only.
Mazon Associates, Inc.
600 W. Airport Fwy., Irving, TX 75062
P.O. Box 166858, Irving, TX 75016
Telephone: 972-554-6967 Toll Free: 800-442-2740
Fax: 972-554-0951
Business Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
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