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Building Bridges Newsletter
Supporting businesses by lending good money to good businesses!
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 May is a time of remembrance of all those brave men and women in all branches of military service who selflessly sacrificed their lives in battle to make America great. We thank you all for your service to our country!
We also celebrate mothers every- where this month, for without the graciousness of our mothers, we would not exist!
We hope you enjoy this issue of Building Bridges and will share it with others!
Happy May!
Lisa Hultz
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American Made: "Dingdong, Avon Calling!"
 Peddling books door-to-door in the late 1870s, David McConnell found a sure-fire way to make himself more welcome as he traveled his rounds throughout the East. On each stop, the young pitchman gave his customers (mostly women) a small vial of perfume he had concocted in exchange for their time. Much to his surprise, on return trips he discovered that his perfume was more in demand than his books.
So, in 1886 McConnell gave up bookselling, created the Little Dot Perfume Set (five home-brewed floral fragrances in little bottles) and launched a business of his own. Operating out of "a room scarcely larger than an ordinary kitchen pantry" in  New York City with his wife as sole assistant, he was "bookkeeper, cashier, correspondent, shipping clerk, office boy and manufacturing chemist" for the new enterprise, which he called the California Perfume Company.
Soon however, McConnell hired Mrs. P.F.E. Albee, a former colleague in the book business, to sell his product door-to-door. When the New Hampshire widow took to the road, she sold not only the five fragrances, but also a new career option for women. Inspired by McConnell and encouraged by Albee, women responded enthusiastically to the newfound opportunity for flexible, respectable employment.
 Like the oak tree that became its symbol, McConnell's company grew from a small beginning into the mighty thing. In 1928, impressed by the resemblance of the countryside surrounding Shakespeare's home in England to that around his laboratory in Suffern, New York, McConnell dubbed a new product line Avon, and in 1950 the California Perfume Company officially became Avon Products, Inc. By the time the beauty products giant reached its centennial, some 40 million women across the nation and around the world had worked as "Avon ladies."
(Source: Discovering America's Past, 1993)
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This Month In History
 z Irish-born American labor leader Mary "Mother" Jones was born, May 1, 1830. Enduring misfortune early in life, she devoted her life to advancing the cause of the labor union, giving her last speech on her 100th birthday.
z Alan Shepard became the first American in space, May 5, 1961.
z On May 7, 1945, in a small red brick schoolhouse in Reims, Germany, Gen. Alfred Jodl signed the unconditional surrender of all German fighting forces, thus ending WWII in Europe, effective one minute past midnight on May 9th.
z Songwriter Irving Berlin was born in Tyumen, Russia, May 11, 1888. At the age of four, he moved with his family to New York City and later began singing in saloons and on street corners to help his family following the death of his father.
z On May 20, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act opening millions of acres of government-owned land in the West to "homesteaders" who could acquire up to 160 acres by living on the land and cultivating it for five years, paying just $1.25 per acre.
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May Business Book Pick
 The Promise of a Pencil: How an Ordinary Person Can Create Extraordinary Change, by Adam Braun. Hardcover, 272 pages; published by Schribner, Mar. 18, 2014; ISBN-10: 1476730628, ISBN-13: 978-1476730622.
The riveting story of how a young man turned $25 into more than 200 schools around the world and the guiding steps anyone can take to lead a successful and significant life.
Adam Braun began working summers at hedge funds when he was just sixteen years old, sprinting down the path to a successful Wall Street career. But while traveling he met a young boy begging on the streets of India, who after being asked what he wanted most in the world, simply answered, "A pencil." This small request led to a staggering series of events that took Braun backpacking through dozens of countries before eventually leaving one of the world's most prestigious jobs to found Pencils of Promise, the organization he started with just $25 that has since built more than 200 schools around the world.
The Promise of a Pencil chronicles Braun's journey to find his calling, as each chapter explains one clear step that every person can take to turn your biggest ambitions into reality, even if you start with as little as $25. His story takes readers behind the scenes with business moguls and village chiefs, world-famous celebrities and hometown heroes. Driven by compelling stories and shareable insights, this is a vivid and inspiring book that will give you the tools to make your own life a story worth telling.
*All proceeds from this book will support Pencils of Promise.
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Thoughtful Thoughts
 People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.
- Mother Teresa (1910-1997)
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May Humor
 A girl came running in tears to her father, "Dad, you gave me some terrible financial advice!" she cried.
"I did? What did I tell you?" asked the father.
"You told me to put my money in that big bank, and now that big bank is in trouble!"
"What are you talking about? That's one of the largest banks in the world," he said. "Surely there must be some mistake."
"I don't think so," she sniffed. "They just returned one of my checks with a note saying, 'Insufficient Funds'!"
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May 5: Cinco de Mayo; May 6: National Nurses Day; May 8: Mother's Day; May 15: Police Officer's Memorial Day; May 20: Be a Millionaire Day; May 21: Armed Forces Day, National Waitstaff Day; May 26: Sally Ride Day; May. 30: Memorial Day
Note: Mazon Associates will be closed on Monday, May 30th in observation of Memorial Day.
FAQ: How long must I be in business to become a Mazon client?
Mazon Associates specializes in helping growing businesses as well as start-up companies with accounts receivable financing. We do not require that you be in business for any specific length of time to participate in our factoring services.
If you would like to find out more about our services for your business and/or apply for an account with Mazon Associates, please phone us at 972-554-6967 (toll-free 800-442-2740 or visit our website at
$$$ Refer and Earn $$$
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Business contacts, friends, family and acquaintances -- you just never know when someone you know might need Mazon's accounts receivable factoring services! Visit our referral page for more information.
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About Our Clients
Our clients are traditionally businesses that are manufacturers, distributors and service companies in the following areas: advertising / marketing / apparel / design / courier & delivery services / equipment repair & maintenance / environmental services / graphic design / signage & printing / staffing & employment services / security services / catering & food services / legal services / light construction / telecommunications / transportation services. Our clients may include start-up, early-stage growth and high-growth businesses; under-capitalized businesses with historical operating losses; businesses with cash flow problems having a cash flow need; businesses with tax liens or turnaround situations; businesses who may not currently meet a bank's credit criteria. Our clients have delivered services or products to other businesses and have business-to-business invoices that can be independently verified. Most of our clients have come to us through referrals from current and former clients. We rely heavily on word-of-mouth marketing to bring in new clients -- and we offer a lucrative referral program. Our clients are located in any of the 50 states in the U.S.A. Our clients are not companies with a majority of consumer receivables such as retail businesses, progress billings, third party pay medical receivables and certain construction-related businesses.
For more information about becoming a client, please contact us by telephone 972-554-6967 or toll-free 1-800-442-2740, or visit our website:
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