“Femanomics” – The Midas 100 for Top Female Tech Investors

Suzie — Wed, 16 May 2012 19:23:27 +0000

Just read this great article from Forbes and had to share here. Melissa Pierce, founder of Pitch Conference, has put together a fabulous list of the top 105 women in venture capital and angel investment that she thinks everyone should know. It’s always so inspiring to see the ways in which our fellow business women are changing and improving the world around us. Are there any women in the venture capitalist arena you would add to this list?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/reuvencohen/2012/05/15/femanomics-the-top-women-in-venture-capital-and-angel-investing/

FEMANOMICS: The Top Women in Venture Capital and Angel Investing

At Forbes, we love our lists. We have lists for just about everything. One of our more popular lists is “The Midas 100” of top tech investors. It’s actually a great list, but sadly, there is something lacking. Women. Apparently there are only 5 of them on the 2011 edition.

In a recent post over at techcocktail.com, Melissa Pierce, the founder of Pitch Conference takes it upon herself to create her own “The Midas 100? for women tech investors. She has taken the work of Cindy Gallop’s Twitter campaign entitled “Female VC’s Everyone Should Know,” where she listed over 50 female venture capitalists, and created a great listed she called “FEMANOMICS: 105 Women in Venture Capital and Angel Investment You Should Know.”

In her post, Pierce says “Building off of Cindy Gallop’s tweets and adding in the knowledge and collective brain power of my small but amazing network, I was able to put together a list of, not 5, not 50, but ~~105~~ [200+] women in the investing world that you should know.”

(Quick Update: I just received a message from @melissapierce on twitter noting that her list now tops more than 200 women investors. You can view the complete list she has put together via a Google Docs spreadsheet. She also notes that the list isn’t a “top” list, it’s just a list, alphabetized A-Z)

Here are the ~~top~~ first 20.

Rhnata Akhunova
Geraldine Alias – North Bridge Venture Partners
Cyan Banister
Amy Banse – Comcast Ventures
Rachel Botsmen – Collaborative Fund
Corinne Bright – Onset Ventures
Eileen Burbidge – White Bear Yard
Christina Cacioppo – Union Square Ventures
Marissa Campise – Venrock
Carmen Chang – NEA
CeCe Cheng – First Round Capital
Julie Chin
Meg Devine – North Bridge Venture Partners
Monica Dodi – Women’s VC Fund
Tracy Doree – MMC Ventures
Edith Dorsen – Women’s VC Fund
Lara Druyan - G&B Partners
Esther Dyson – EdVenture Holdings
Amy Errett – Maveron
Catarina Fake

*Note: If there is no venture fund listed, the women are private investors.

You can see the complete list here. You can follow Melissa Pierce on twitter at @melissapierce

Three of Five Parents Want Kids Involved In Car Buying Process

Suzie — Tue, 08 May 2012 19:50:06 +0000

In an impressive rise from just a few years ago, more parents now are interested in having their kids be a part of the car buying process. The preferences of the kids are often different from those of the parents, but the overall experience of helping pick a vehicle is what parents seem to care most about. The article below, from Family Car Guide, has the scoop. Do you have kids? And if so, do you want them to help pick out your family car?

Three Of Five Parents Involve Kids In Car-Buying Decisions, Study

By Suzanne Kane

3,569 views April 17, 2012

It may come as a shock to some automakers, and a few parents, but a new proprietary study from The Family Room finds that three of five parents (57 percent) today involve their kids in car-buying decisions.

The story, originally appearing in Advertising Age, caught our attention, and we wanted more details. In a telephone interview, George Carey, CEO of The Family Room, told FamilyCarGuide that things have changed rather dramatically since the last survey in 2009. At that time, just 38 percent of parents surveyed said they involved their children in the car-buying decision process.

The latest study, conducted in 2011, looked at a number of different categories including automotive, vacations, electronic purchases, and others. The result is a lot of information about the relative purchase influence of kids vs. parents, how often parents are conferring with their kids on cars to buy and what cars not to buy, as well as what brands are most aspirational to kids and their parents.

Favorite brands – kids vs. parents

Any guess as to which brands are the favorites among kids and their parents? You might be surprised. Kids gravitate toward the Jeep brand as their number one choice, at 18 percent. That’s followed by Chevrolet and Ford, tied at 17 percent each, then Toyota and Honda in a tie at 16 percent, and Volkswagen at 13 percent. Dead last: Chrysler and Mazda, tied at just 2 percent each.

As for the parents, the choices were more clear-cut, involving no ties among the top five choices. Toyota came in at number one with 29 percent, followed by Honda (24 percent), Ford (21 percent), Chevy (19 percent), and Jeep (9 percent). At the bottom and tied at 3 percent each: Hyundai and Mazda.

One point worth noting is that the survey didn’t get model-specific, so there’s no breakdown as to which Jeep or Chevy or Ford or Toyota, for example, kids or their parents most preferred.

Carey did comment, however, that NASCAR, based on many metrics, is the most popular family sport in America today and, to the extent kids are getting information about new cars, this is one source. That may account somewhat for the high percentages for Chevy and Ford, at least where kids are concerned.

What’s Changed?

Grab your Crayons and Markers: U-Haul Is Hosting a SuperGraphics Coloring Contest

Suzie — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:47:04 +0000

U-Haul has officially launched its very first “SuperGraphics Coloring Contest.” SuperGraphics, for those who may not recognize the term, are the images that appear on the sides of U-Haul moving vans, and illustrate entertaining facts about states and provinces. The contest will run monthly, and will feature a U-Haul selected graphic. Contestants will be able to post their submissions on the U-Haul website, and even share them with friends and family in order to collect votes.

At the end of each month, the three top winners will win a $50 gift card and special prize. They will also be automatically entered into the SuperGrand prize drawing: the winner of that drawing will get to have their U-Haul SuperGraphic drawing rendered on the side of a U-Haul moving van near or in their hometown. Even better, U-Haul will host an unveiling party for the winner, so their friends and family can be there to see the winner’s artwork on one of U-Haul’s moving vans.

To enter, visit www.uhaul.com/supergraphics/coloringcontest/, download the month’s U-Haul SuperGraphic, and get to work! When you finish, upload it to www.uhaul.com/supergraphics/coloringcontest/ and then share the photo online with your friends and family so they can start voting for you to win.

Although winners for the month will be announced at the end of each contest, it seems contestants will have to be patient to find out about the SuperGrand prize, which will not be announced until May 5, 2013.

This would be a great project for your kids to enter, and there are several different age categories to choose from.

Have fun!

Don’t Delay Car Care – It Could Cost You!

Suzie — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:49:16 +0000

Here’s a great article from AutoZone, shared from carsforgirls: motorists should be aware of the long-term costs that can arise from delaying car care. We all count on our cars to get us where we need to go safely and efficiently, so it is worth the initial pay out to keep our four wheeled friends running well down the road. Call your Baierl dealership to schedule any maintenance work your vehicle needs as soon as you can – it’s important!

For Motorists, Delaying Car Care Is Costly Decision

Drivers count on their vehicles to get them to their destinations safely, but how well a vehicle runs depends on how much effort motorists put into protecting their investment in their cars. According to the National Car Care Council, about 70 percent of vehicles on the road are in need of some repair. And a recent article from StockMarketsReview.com revealed that 40 percent of consumers involved in repair decisions are postponing car maintenance or repair on their primary vehicle.

“Delaying service on critical items such as brakes, batteries or mechanical components can seriously affect a vehicle’s safety and performance,” said AutoZone’s Jimmie Swims, category manager for brakes.

Motorists in recent consumer surveys reported delaying manufacturer-recommended scheduled service and replacing wear items such as brake pads and tires.

“Maintaining and replacing key components such as brakes and batteries at proper intervals can keep vehicles on the road and help prevent dangerous and costly breakdowns in the future. The key is to be proactive. Take care of your car so it can take care of you,” Swims said.

To help motorists get and stay safely on the road, AutoZone is offering these tips from Bruce Bonebrake, certified Master Automotive Technician and host of Weekend Mechanic on the DIY network.

“A lot of conditions affect how well a car performs, from the driving conditions to how well the car is maintained,” Bonebrake said. “With that in mind, motorists should make time to show their cars some TLC before problems arise.”

Perform routine scheduled maintenance checks.Motorists should check their owner’s manual for a schedule of recommended maintenance intervals from the vehicle manufacturer. If the owner’s manual has been lost, many websites, such as the National Car Care Council’s web site www.carcare.org, offer a recommended maintenance schedule for vehicles.

Be proactive. Don’t wait for a breakdown to check important car components such as brakesand batteries. Proactive checks and preventative maintenance of these critical car parts can be the difference between staying on the road and being stranded on the roadside.

Give brakes a check-up. Hazardous road conditions can lead to increased use of Antilock Braking Systems (ABS), which can cause premature wear of all brake system components.

Baierl Helps You And Your Team Get to Work!

Suzie — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 19:06:41 +0000

You’ve heard about our cars, trucks, and SUVs – now check out our commercial vehicles! We help you get the job done with a fantastic selection of top quality work trucks, work vans, cargo vans, cutaway vans, panel SUVs, dump trucks, and low cabs, all at unbeatable prices.

Browse the full inventory online and stop by our dealerships to see our commercial vehicles for yourself!

Suzie’s April Picks Are Here!

Suzie — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 13:52:29 +0000

Check out my top car, truck, and SUV picks for April. Got any more you’d add to the list?

Suzie’s April Picks

Car

2012 Chevrolet Sonic

The Chevrolet Sonic is all-new for 2012. The new subcompact comes loaded with personality, and is available in enough configurations to suit most buyers.
Read More

SUV

2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

The Outlander Sport is an entry-level small SUV from Mitsubishi. Although much of the mechanical structure comes from the already established and larger 7-passenger Outlander, the Sport is distinguished by its more compact dimensions.
Read More

Truck

2012 Honda Ridgeline

The Ridgeline comes in three trim levels–RT, a new-for-2012-Sport, RTS and RTL–and they are all powered by a 3.5L, 250-hp V6 engine that makes 247 lb-ft of torque and utilizes a drive-by-wire electric throttle.
Read More

What are you doing to target the female consumer?

Suzie — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 20:35:26 +0000

The following is a wonderful article from women-drivers.com, speaking to dealerships about the power of being women-friendly. We take this subject very seriously at Baierl and our happy female customers let us know we’re doing it right!

What are you and your team doing to target and accommodate the female consumer?

View the full article on women-drivers.com here.

Top 10 Certified Women-Drivers Friendly™ Dealers in the US

The female consumer has spoken and out of 1300 dealerships in the United States receiving reviews, the Top 10 Certified Women-Drivers Friendly™ Dealers are in for 2011. The Certificate acknowledges the positive, consistent and respectful experiences women had at these dealerships and was presented to the following personnel.

Wright Nissan – Tom Hull, GM
Sheboygan Auto – Jared Romanoski, GM
Rohrich Toyota – Mark Podrosky, GM
North Hills Toyota – Carlos Echevarria, GM
Monroeville Chrysler Jeep – Vic Olive, GM and Jeffrey Mountain, IM
Kelly Mitsubishi – Chris Saraceno, VP and Partner and Tom Carey, GM
Day Ford – Debbie Day, Owner and Peter Flaherty, GM
Day Chevrolet – Debbie Day, Owner and Dave Steward, GM
Baierl Chevrolet – Mike Paolucci, GM
Haasz Chrysler – Tyler Kline, GM

READ MORE

Jazz Appreciation Month Is Coming!

Suzie — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 15:38:14 +0000

April is Jazz Appreciation month! Join us at the Cabaret at Theater Square for these featured Jazz performances each Tuesday in April.

Opening acts are FREE and open to the public. The main acts are in the Cabaret Theater, and are priced from $25-$35.

	Gregory Porter Tuesday, April 3 \| Cabaret at Theater Square Grammy-nominated vocalist Gregory Porter is considered “the one to watch” by jazz aficionados everywhere. He is the only vocalist that Wynton Marsalis will work with at Jazz at Lincoln Center. His first CD received international accolades, and he wowed audiences at the Pittsburgh JazzLive International festival.
	Chuchito Valdes Tuesday, April 10 \| Cabaret at Theater Square Chuchito Valdes is following in the famous footsteps of his father, jazz pianist, Chucho Valdes and his grandfather, Bebo Valdes, continuing to be a leader as one of the best Latin jazz pianist in the world. With his trio, he creates an electrifying show that drives audiences wild. His shows are on fire with energy and passion.
	Cory Weeds Quartet with Joey DeFrancesco Tuesday, April 17 \| Cabaret at Theater Square Vancouver’s Cory Weeds is all jazz, all the time. Saxophonist, jazz club owner, producer, leader and side-man, he leads this quartet with very special guest, Hammond B-3 king, Joey DeFrancesco. DeFrancesco has toured with Arturo Sandoval, Frank Wess, Benny Golson, James Moody, Steve Gadd, Elvin Jones, Jimmy Cobb, George Benson, John Scofield, Joe Lovano, and many more.
	Rachelle Ferrell Tuesday, April 24 \| Cabaret at Theater Square Vocalist Rachelle Ferrell has made her mark as a crossover artist who is equally at home with urban contemporary pop, gospel, jazz and classical music. She has arguably one of the most distinctive voices in music today.

Join us every Tuesday at the Backstage Bar for BNY Mellon presents JAZZLive!

JazzLive is sponsored by

Finance Refresh – How Much Should You Spend On A Car?

Suzie — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 17:38:51 +0000

.

WORKING WITH YOUR BUDGET…

How much should I spend on a car?

This is one of those questions for which there’s really no correct answer that applies to everyone. That said, there probably is a limit to how much of our income each of us should be willing to devote to a car, assuming we have finite resources and other financial goals to achieve, like, say putting our kids through school and retiring in comfort.

Determining your limit, however, is a somewhat subjective matter that may vary from person to person.

The best article I found on “Working with your Budget” is from CNN/ Money author William Phillips. He says, that one way to consider this issue is to look at what other people do. In a story that Jeanne Sahadi wrote for CNN Money last year, “Are You Spending Too Much On Your Car?”, she noted that the average consumer pays an estimated 11 percent of his or her gross monthly income on a car payment, which would translate to a monthly payment of about $550 (11 percent of $5,000 per month).

She also noted that at least one financial planner felt that percentage was too high, and that it ought to be closer to 8 percent, which in the case of a $60,000 annual income translates to a monthly payment of $400.

A lot depends on your loan

Those payments can translate into quite different car prices, however, depending on the level of interest rates and the term of the loan. (For simplicity’s sake, I’ll ignore the question of a down payment.)

For example, if you take out a 60-month auto loan at 6 percent (roughly the current average for a new-car loan listed at Bankrate.com, a $400 payment (8 percent of your $60,000 income) is enough to finance just under $21,000. Take out a 36-month loan and pay the average rate of 5.7 percent, and you’re able to finance about $13,000.

If you buy when rates are higher, you get less car for the same loan term. If rates were to rise to 9 percent, then a $400 payment and a 36-month loan would finance a car with a sales price of about $12,500.

So we’re talking quite a range, depending on rates and the term of the loan. You can get more car by extending the term of the loan, but you don’t want to end up in the position of having the car give out and have a resale value lower than the remaining balance on the loan.

Keep in mind too that there’s more to the cost of a car than just the loan payments. You’ve got to pay for gas, maintenance and repairs and depreciation, the loss in value as the car ages. A gas-guzzler that breaks down a lot and has poor resale value will cost you more over time than a sturdier more fuel-efficient car that maintains its value better.

You can get an idea of a car’s total cost by checking out sites such as Edmunds.com and Intellichoice.

A personal choice

So where does this leave us on the issue of how much you ought to spend on your car? As I said earlier, this is a personal decision. If having a flashy car or an expensive model that screams “I’m successful!” is truly important to you, then I suppose there’s nothing wrong with devoting an outsize portion of your income to a car. Whatever makes you happy.

Just be aware that some of the money you’re pouring into your wheels could be going to your 401(k) plan or your kid’s 529 plan or saving for a house down payment, etc. That’s a tradeoff you’ll have to make for yourself.

My feeling is that I’d rather shovel more money into retirement investments than get more flash and horsepower. But then again, who knows. If my investments grow large enough and I begin to feel more financially secure, maybe what’s left of the 16-year-old motor head in me will gain the upper hand, and I will splurge for my dream car.

I can see myself now, tooling down the highway in a hot-pink ‘59 Caddy convertible, the wind in my hair (or what’s left of it), the radio blaring Beatles tunes…

Prepare for the Cone Invasion…

Suzie — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:01:50 +0000

It might seem a bit early, but road construction season will be here sooner than any of us would like! Get a glimpse of what’s in store so you can plan accordingly.

Read this Post Gazette article on their website here.

Send in the cones: Road work slated

Tuesday, February 07, 2012

By Jon Schmitz, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

You’ve seen those winter safety checklists advising motorists to carry items such as a blanket, flashlight, shovel and sand. Here’s a partial summer checklist for local drivers: a good supply of soothing music, a functioning air conditioner and a full reservoir of patience.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will be orange-ing up the landscape again this season as it expects to start or continue 168 projects and spend $316.2 million on road and bridge construction in Allegheny, Beaver and Lawrence counties.

That is about what the department paid out last year, said District 11 Executive Dan Cessna. But PennDOT will start fewer projects this year — bid openings are expected to decline by about $90 million — as a state transportation funding shortfall starts to take hold. That will translate to a projected 30 percent decline in construction spending next year, he said.

The biggest new project is the $49.5 million Squirrel Hill Tunnel rehabilitation, which will cause eight full weekend closures of the westbound tunnel this year, on dates yet to be announced. The closures will shift to the eastbound tunnel next season.

PDF

» Road and bridge projects.

There will be westbound lane closures overnight and on the weekends when the tunnel stays open, Mr. Cessna said.

City of Pittsburgh and PennDOT crews will work on improving detour routes in March and April, repaving parts of Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill and Forbes and South Braddock avenues in Point Breeze and Regent Square. The first full weekend closure will be sometime in April but not on Easter weekend, he said.

Work will continue on three big projects on roads leading to Downtown: Route 28, where drivers will see major landscape changes and traffic shifts in a project slated to continue through late 2014; Route 65, where the closure at the Marshall Avenue interchange is now projected to last until Labor Day; and the Veterans Bridge-Crosstown Boulevard, where $36 million of work on 20 separate bridge and ramp structures will continue.

For the first time, long-term lane closures will be in place on the Veterans Bridge as it undergoes its first major rehabilitation since its opening in November 1988. Two lanes of traffic will be maintained in both directions, Mr. Cessna said.

A new challenge for those coming and going Downtown will be resurfacing of some 25 segments of ramps and connectors to and from the Fort Pitt and Fort Duquesne bridges, including ramps at the Grant Street exit of the Parkway East. Some closures of up to four weeks might be needed during the $8 million to $9 million project, which is scheduled for completion this year.

Among the other major projects scheduled to begin or continue this year:

• PennDOT will replace the bridges carrying Ardmore Boulevard/Route 30 over Electric Avenue in Chalfant, North Braddock and Forest Hills, reducing traffic to one lane in both directions for the next two construction seasons.

• There will be extra challenges for drivers on both sides of Allegheny County’s ongoing Broughton Road-Curry Hollow Road-Brownsville Road construction extravaganza. A bridge on Curry Hollow at the shopping plaza with Value City in Pleasant Hills will be replaced over two seasons, with traffic reduced to one lane in both directions. At Broughton and Baptist roads in Bethel Park, the intersection will be widened to provide turn lanes and new traffic signals will be installed. Also a two-season project, it may require full closures.

• The Ambridge-Aliquippa Bridge will close March 3 for a $16.6 million rehabilitation. Traffic will detour to the Sewickley Bridge, a 12-mile round-trip diversion to an already congested span. Work will halt in November and occur again next season. PennDOT also will resurface Route 65 from the Sewickley Bridge to the Beaver County line this year.

• Banksville Road will be resurfaced from McFarland Road to the Parkway West.

• PennDOT will spend $19 million to repair a record 19 landslides along state roads, Mr. Cessna said. A typical winter produces two or three such slides, he said. Spending that money will reduce the amount of paving it can do by about 30 to 40 miles.

Jon Schmitz: jschmitz@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1868.

First published on February 7, 2012 at 12:00 am