Tickets Now on Sale for 2011 Life is good® Festival; Fundraiser Helps Kids Face Life-Threatening Challenges

GoodBiz113 profilee Life is good® ["Life is good® Festivals Unite Communities, Help Kids Face Unfair Challenges"] is excited to announce the lineup for its 2011 Life is good Festival.

Set to take place Sept. 24-25 in Canton, Mass., a suburb of Boston, the multi-faceted fundraiser combines world-class headliners and nationally known musical talent on three stages, including several of today's most popular children's performers. This one-of-a-kind festival aims to raise $1 million to benefit the Life is good Playmakers, the action arm of the Life is good Kids Foundation.

The two-day music and fundraising festival is hosted by Life is good®, a Boston-based company that spreads the power of optimism through its colorful collection of apparel and accessories and through its social mission to help kids overcome life-threatening challenges.

The annual event will make its return to historic and picturesque Prowse Farm at the foot of the Blue Hills, just minutes from Boston. Once again, Life is good has partnered with Superfly Presents, nationally-recognized producers of the iconic Bonnaroo and Outside Lands festivals to assure a first-class festival experience for all ages.

The 2011 Life is good Festival will feature national headlining artists Ray LaMontagne, The Avett Brothers, Michael Franti and Spearhead, The Levon Helm Band, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Brandi Carlile, Martin Sexton, Raphael Saadiq, Ingrid Michaelson and The Hold Steady, as well as The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Maceo Parker, Tristan Prettyman, The Ryan Montbleau Band, Zee Avi, Dwight and Nicole, and Jenny Dee and the Deelinquents.

Kindie rock superstars Imagination Movers and The Laurie Berkner Band will headline the Good Kids Stage, alongside special kids' performances from Keller Williams and local favorite Ben Rudnick and Friends. The full talent line-up is listed below, and complete festival information can be found at www.lifeisgood.com.

While the festival features great music, an array of games and activities, diverse local food, and hands-on art projects, the goal of the weekend is to create a community of fundraisers. Each ticket buyer will be directed to a personal fundraising page that supports the Life is good Playmakers.

Festival-goers who raise funds will be rewarded with exclusive backstage hospitality, preferred concert viewing, artist meet-and-greets, plus other prizes. These fundraisers will be called VGPs -- i.e., Very Good People -- and will have a truly amazing concert experience.

Tickets for the 2011 Life is good Festival went on sale on June 16, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. Visit http://www.lifeisgood.com to purchase tickets and register to fundraise for the event. Adult single-day tickets are $65; $120 two-day tickets are also available. Tickets for children ages 2-12 are available for $20 for a single-day tickets and $35 for a two-day ticket. Children under 2 are admitted free of charge.

"The 2010 Life is good Festival set a new standard for all-ages entertainment, while raising significant funds for the Life is good Kids Foundation," said Bert Jacobs, chief executive optimist for Life is good. "In 2011, we are looking to build on this success by raising even more funds to help kids in need. We are so excited about the line-up, and look forward to everyone engaging in the fundraising effort to make this the most successful Life is good festival to date."

Life is good has raised over $6.5 million for kids in need since 2003. The Life is good Kids Foundation is a registered 501[c][3] nonprofit committed to helping children overcome life-threatening challenges, such as violence, illness, extreme poverty and natural disasters.

Its Playmakers initiative provides innovative training and support to the frontline child-care professionals dedicated to helping these children, so that all involved lead healthier, more joyful lives. To date, the Life is good Playmakers have trained more than 2,500 Playmakers across the country who have provided joyful, healing play to over 130,000 kids.

The site for the festival -- Prowse Farm in Canton -- is a historic 44-acre property managed by the Friends of Prowse Farm, a nonprofit volunteer organization. The property is located at the gateway of the Blue Hills Reservation, public parkland that has been set aside for recreational use.

Prowse Farm is fully accessible via public transportation, with all-day shuttles to and from the nearby Rte. 128/University Avenue train station. A large number of free parking spots are also available.

For more information on the Life is good Company, the Life is good Kids Foundation and the Life is good Festival, please visit www.lifeisgood.com/festivals.

About the Life is good Company
The Life is good Company, based in Boston, Mass., spreads a fresh outlook on life with its colorful collection of apparel and accessories, and through its social mission to help kids overcome life-threatening challenges. For more information on Life is good, please visit www.lifeisgood.com.

About the Life is good Kids Foundation
The Life is good Kids Foundation is an accredited 501[c][3] public charity whose mission is to help children overcome life-threatening challenges -- including violence, illness, extreme poverty and natural disasters. Through its action arm, Life is good Playmakers, it provides training and support to the adults dedicated to caring for these children, so that all involved lead healthier, more joyful lives.

More than $6.5 million has been raised to date for children in need, principally through Life is good Festivals and the 100% of profits that the Life is good Company donates to the Foundation from nationwide sales of select products. For more information, visit www.lifeisgood.com/playmakers/.

About Superfly Presents
Superfly Presents was founded in New Orleans in 1996 by Kerry Black, Rick Farman, Richard Goodstone and Jonathan Mayers. Originally set up to become the leading independent local concert promoter, they created the Superfly During JazzFest series, which is now in its 14th year.

In 2002, they co-founded and continue to produce the iconic Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. Since its inception in 2002, Bonnaroo swiftly earned its status as the country's premier music and arts event, and Rolling Stone called the festival "one of the 50 moments to change the history of rock and roll."

In 2008, Superfly co-founded the acclaimed San Francisco-based Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival.

The company has also created the Superfly Marketing Group, a boutique entertainment-marketing agency designed to complement Superfly's diverse divisions. Superfly Marketing Group leverages the company's experience, expertise and industry relationships to develop brand partnerships geared towards the passionate entertainment and lifestyle consumer.

SOURCE: Life is good®
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Landrieu Votes Against Snowe Regulatory Amendment, Citing Lack of Congressional Review

Today, United States Sen. Mary L. Landrieu [D-La., pictured], chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, voted against a regulatory reform amendment by Sen. Olympia J. Snowe [R-Maine], ranking member of the Small Business Committee.

The Freedom from Restrictive Excessive Executive Demands and Onerous Mandates Act of 2011, S. AMDT 390, reforms the regulatory process to ensure that small businesses are free to compete and to create jobs, and for other purposes. It was opposed by numerous Senate committees because of the lack of congressional input in the ongoing efforts to provide regulatory relief for small businesses.

"Every day, small-business owners come to my office asking for regulatory relief, and I am committed to removing unnecessary burdens that get in the way of the day-to-day operations of businesses," said Landrieu. "This amendment, however, has yet to have a single Congressional hearing. Because Sen. Snowe’s amendment reaches so far outside of the realm of small business, it seems irresponsible for us to move forward unless it goes through the entire process.

"There have been at least four other regulatory reform bills filed this Congress, and I know the chair of the committee of jurisdiction is doing everything he can to schedule a full hearing in the near future.

"I recognize that some federal regulations are a burden on small businesses. I agree it is important to streamline them -- but there is a time and a place to deal with that issue.

"I have tried to be helpful to my colleague. Last summer, when the Small Business Jobs Act was pending here in the Senate, I personally worked with my ranking member to include several of her provisions on regulatory relief into that bill, now law."

Snowe filed a similar amendment to S. 493, the SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2011. During negotiations of S. 493, Landrieu offered to hold a hearing on Sen. Snowe’s regulatory reform amendment through the Small Business Committee, but Snowe declined. After five weeks of debate and 150 filed amendments, efforts to end debate and pass the long-term reauthorization of this important small-business program failed.

SOURCES: GovTrack.us, Library of Congress, U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, U.S. Small Business Administration
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President Obama Proclaims May 15-21 National Small Business Week 2011; Small Businesses Help Put Country Back on Track

President Barack Obama [pictured] hailed small-business owners as the backbone of the nation’s economy in his proclamation of the week of May 15-21 as National Small Business Week. The President declared those men and women to be the embodiment of America’s promise: "The idea that if you have a good idea and are willing to work hard enough, you can succeed in our country."

The President’s proclamation was issued before the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 48th annual observance of National Small Business Week in Washington, D.C. [May 18-20]. The event honors outstanding entrepreneurs from across the country, and features announcement of the 2011 National Small Business Person of the Year, who is selected from among 54 small-business award winners from 50 states, D.C., Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

The President’s proclamation states: "Our country started as an idea, and it took hard-working, dedicated, and visionary patriots to make it a reality. A successful business starts much the same way -- ideas realized by entrepreneurs who dream of a better world and work until they see it through. From the family businesses that anchor Main Street to the high-tech startups that keep America on the cutting edge, small businesses are the backbone of our economy and the cornerstones of America’s promise.

"Throughout our economic recovery, persevering small businesses have helped put our country back on track. Countless new and saved jobs have come from small businesses who took advantage of tax relief, access to capital, and other tools in the Recovery Act, the Small Business Jobs Act, and other initiatives launched by my Administration to put Americans back to work.

"To ensure the stability of our recovery, we must continue to provide new opportunities for small-business owners and the next generation of entrepreneurs, who will help us out-innovate and out-build our global competitors to win the future.

"To support high-growth businesses, my Administration has launched Startup America, an initiative that will strengthen access to capital and mentoring, while reducing barriers to growth for small businesses. Entrepreneurship is essential to the strength and resilience of our economy and our way of life. Startup America will give entrepreneurs the tools they need to build their business into the next great American company.

"To encourage innovation, we released the Strategy for American Innovation, a report outlining my Administration’s plan to harness ingenuity. This means investing in the building blocks of innovation -- like education and infrastructure -- while promoting market-based growth through tax credits and effective intellectual property laws.

"The National Export Initiative is working to open markets to American businesses and support small exporters, who increase American competitiveness abroad and create good jobs here at home. We continue to create opportunity for businesses in underserved communities through new lending initiatives, expanded access to counseling, and technical assistance.

"We are also working to provide small businesses more opportunities to compete for federal contracts. This gives federal agencies access to some of our country’s best products and services while helping these businesses grow and employ community members.

"Through these and other initiatives, we are supporting the entrepreneurs and small businesses that provide work for half of American workers, and create two out of every three new jobs.

"Small businesses embody the promise of America: that if you have a good idea and are willing to work hard enough, you can succeed in our country. This week, we honor and celebrate the individuals whose inspiration and efforts keep America strong."

The full text of the President’s National Small Business Week proclamation can be found at:
http://1.usa.gov/NSBW2011.

National Small Business Week 2011 will be highlighted with two-and-a-half days of events in Washington, D.C., at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, where more than 100 outstanding business owners from across the country will be recognized. In addition to the State Small Business Persons of the Year, men and women involved in disaster recovery, government contracting, small-business champions, as well as SBA partners in financial and entrepreneurial development, will be honored.

Under the National Small Business Week 2011 theme of "Empowering Entrepreneurs," featured speakers include Sen. Jack Reed [D-R.I.]; Sen. Mary Landrieu [D-La.]; Valerie B. Jarrett, senior advisor to President Barack Obama; Steve Case, co-founder of AOL and chair of Startup America Partnership; Cathy Hughes, founder and chairperson of Radio One, and chair of SBA’s Council on Underserved Communities; SBA Administrator Karen Mills and SBA Deputy Administrator Marie Johns.

A complete agenda for the event is posted at http://bit.ly/AgendaNSBW. Also featured are a series of executive panel forums on Strategies for High Growth, Exporting and Social Media. The public can "attend" Small Business Week events virtually, via the SBA’s streaming video on the Web at http://bit.ly/WebcastNSBW.

Small Business Week 2011 co-sponsors include: Association of Small Business Development Companies, AT&T, AVAYA, CareerBuilder, Dun & Bradstreet, Google, International Franchise Association, Intuit, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, National Association of Development Companies, National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders, National Association of Small Business Investment Companies, National Association for the Self-Employed, National Small Business Association, Nomadic Display, Northrop Grumman, Office Depot, Raytheon, Sam's Club, SCORE, The Neat Company, Verio, Visa, the Wall Street Journal, and Women Impacting Public Policy.

SOURCES: U.S. Small Business Administration, The White House
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May 18-20: During National Small Business Week, SBA Will Salute Small Businesses that Drive America’s Economy

The nation’s top entrepreneurs will be honored at the U.S. Small Business Administration’s National Small Business Week 2011 events, May 18-20, in Washington, D.C. Under the theme, "Empowering Entrepreneurs," a series of events and educational forums will mark the 58th anniversary of the agency and the 48th annual proclamation of National Small Business Week.

More than 100 outstanding small-business owners from across the country will receive awards while gathering for three days at the city’s Mandarin Oriental Hotel. There, they will meet with top administration officials, congressional representatives and national business leaders. The highlight of the celebration will be the announcement of the National Small Business Person of the Year.

Men and women also will be recognized for their involvement in disaster recovery, government contracting, and their support for small businesses and entrepreneurship. Awards will be presented to SBA partners in financial and entrepreneurial development -- including the year’s top SCORE chapter, Small Business Development Center and Women’s Business Center.

Interested parties can register online at www.nationalsmallbusinessweek.com, where a tentative schedule and other information are available. The event will also be webcast live at the website.

"Small-business owners and employees across America are proving their resiliency as they continue to drive the nation out of recession through economic growth and job creation," said SBA Administrator Karen Mills [pictured]. "National Small Business Week gives us an opportunity to honor their achievements and the spirit of entrepreneurship, innovation and determination that makes them the engine of our economy and our nation’s economic recovery."
The State Small Business Award winners and recipients of the Champion and other Entrepreneurial awards are nominated by local trade associations, chambers of commerce, plus business organizations and government agencies.

Small Business Week 2011 sponsors and cosponsors include: Association of Small Business Development Companies, AT&T, CareerBuilder, Dun & Bradstreet, Google, Intuit, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, National Association of Development Companies, National Association of Government Guaranteed Lenders, National Association for the Self-Employed, Nomadic Display, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Sam's Club, SCORE, Verio, Visa, and Women Impacting Public Policy.

SOURCE: U.S. Small Business Administration
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Registration Opens for 2011 DOE Small-Business Conference

This just in from the U.S. Department of Energy...

The time has come to register for the the 12th Annual U.S. Department of Energy Small Business Conference & Expo, taking place at the Kansas City Convention Center in Kansas City, Mo., from May 10-12, 2011.

Register as an Attendee
Register as an attendee for DOE's 12th Annual Small Business Conference & Expo, where you will build connections with like-minded business professionals; acquire invaluable information from general sessions and educational workshops; and solidify contract opportunities with prime contractors, government agencies, and large companies during the expo and matchmaking sessions.

DOE's last event brought in record attendance, and they want you to get in on the action. Register NOW and take advantage of early-bird registration before the discounts expire.

Attend as an Exhibitor
Attend as an exhibitor to showcase your products or services. Increase your visibility by sponsoring the event.

As an exhibitor or sponsor, your company will appear on the 2011 DOE Small Business Conference website, where more than 30,000 potential clients, customers and business partners will recognize you before, during, and after the event! Additionally, your business’ identity will be present throughout the venue and in the conference guide -- further establishing your place in the minds of folks representing those potential networks.

For more information, and to stay up-to-date on the conference and related news, visit the 2011 DOE Small Business Conference website, and be sure to follow the annual event on Facebook.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Economic Impact and Diversity
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May 10-12: U.S. Department of Energy to Host 12th Annual Small-Business Conference

This just in: The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization will present its 12th Annual DOE Small Business Conference & Expo at the Kansas City Convention Center, in Kansas City, Mo., on May 10-12, 2011.

The event will feature plenaries, educational workshops, an exhibit hall with 200-plus exhibitors and sponsors, as well as matchmaking sessions. Over 1,600 attendees will represent all levels of federal, state and local government agencies, large/prime contractors, small businesses and more.

The largest civilian contracting agency within the federal government, DOE spent over $25 billion in contracts in FY 2010. The 12th Annual DOE Small Business Conference & Expo is a great opportunity for small-business owners and large companies alike to network and partner. Registration for the event will open later this month.

For more information, check the event website http://smallbusinessconference.energy.gov/, or e-mail DOE at: InfoDOE@aetherquest.com.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utililization
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