Experts offer advice to entrepreneurs

Do your research, be sure to network, pick partners who have complementary skills and make sure your product is amazing.

Starting or growing a business can be daunting for an entrepreneur. So have a plan, give only a sliver of your business away to investors, know how much money you need and how you will spend it, and demonstrate your passion when searching for capital.

Experts doled out that advice and more at The Miami Herald’s Small Business Forum on Thursday at Florida International University.

About 100 attendees — budding entrepreneurs, small-business owners and others — gleaned tips and inspiration during a series of panel discussions.

Matt Kuttler, co-president of ReStockIt.com, started three businesses with his business partner, who started as his high school friend.

“The background is trust,” he said, advising entrepreneurs to choose someone with similar values, and to ask themselves: “Can I work with this person? Can I respect them?” In that way, though they have had disagreements, “Ultimately, the mutual respect brings us back,” Kuttler said

Before founding ReStockIt.com, which the partners sold four months ago to a Baltimore company, Kuttler did lots of research and networked with everyone he could, asking questions.

Know what you want and what you don’t want when searching for a venture, he counseled. For example, if you don’t want to work nights and weekends, don’t start a restaurant. And be aware that even though you can have a thriving personal life, you will always be thinking of your business.

Alberto Perlman, chief executive and co-founder of Zumba Fitness, energized attendees with his tale of starting and growing the Miami business, which combines exercise with entertainment. Zumba classes are now found in 140,000 locations in 186 countries, and the company has sold 12 million DVDs.

“One of the biggest business lessons of Zumba,” said Perlman, the keynote speaker, “is that the product has to be magical. It has to be amazing.”

Other lessons he offered: only give investors or licensees “a sliver of the business” —only what they need. Always “give people more value than what they are paying for.” And spend the money to hire “A” players.

To find financing for a small business or start-up, get help putting together a business plan and a loan application from organizations like SCORE and Partners for Self Employment, their executives said.

Marjorie Weber, Miami-Dade chapter chair of SCORE, advised being careful not to borrow short term if your needs are long term.

And when you are asked, “ ‘How much do you need,’ never answer with ‘How much can you give me,’ ” said Cornell Crews Jr., program director at Partners for Self Employment. “Always know how much you need and how you are going to spend it.”

When pitching to potential investors, do your homework to see what they are interested in, and make a good first impression, said Darius G. Nash, co-founder of G3 Capital Partners, a mid-market and early-state investment company.

“Image matters,” he said.

To present your business, frame it in terms of a problem and a solution, said Melissa Krinzman, founder and managing director of Venture Architects.

“If you don’t have a problem you are solving for your customer, you don’t really have a business,” she said.

What’s more, show your passion and commitment, said Boris Hirmas Said, chairman of Tres Mares.

“I love clever ideas; I love clever people,” he said.

And find someone who believes in you, because the road ahead may be bumpy, he said. “You don’t want people to pull the plug on you.”

Finally, expert coaches critiqued entrepreneurs’ pitches so they could shine.

Among the tips: begin with a provocative sentence to explain why your business solves a problem. Go from ‘why’ to ‘what’ to ‘how,’ to ‘who,’ and always ask for something — like an investment or advice. Also, offer what experience you and your team have in your field.

Speak directly into the microphone and take your hands out of your pocket.

“Showing your hands shows you have nothing to hide,” said Michelle Villalobos of Mivista Consulting.

And share your passion, said David Suarez of Interactive Training Solutions.

“If you can make your audience feel what you are feeling,” he said, “you have done most of your job.”

Read More..

Missed flight connections at MIA blamed on understaffed border and customs officials

For a picture of the nation’s border struggles, look at the long lines and understaffed international-passenger checkpoints at Miami International Airport.

Up to 1,000 passengers in a single day have missed connecting flights at the airport — the busiest in the nation for international flights — because they’re held up at the Customs and Border Protection facility.

And the problem could get even worse next month because of looming federal budget cuts, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Wednesday after visiting the airport.

“Everything we are trying to do here — the additional staffing, overtime, technology…. will come to a screeching halt,” Napolitano said.

“It means not adding Customs officers, we’re going to be starting to furlough Customs officers,” she said. “Not adding overtime to cover peak periods, but eliminating overtime.”

If Congress comes up with a deal to avoid the cuts — under the so-called sequester — the agency either needs to shift resources to properly staff its Miami facility or get more money to hire more officers. One solution for getting more cash: Tapping Miami-Dade taxpayers to help foot the bill.

Absent a Congressional deal, however, Napolitano also warned that Transportation Security Administration officers might be furloughed as well, meaning travelers should arrive at busy airports like MIA an hour early and citizens re-entering the United States could wind up waiting twice as long to get back in the country.

U.S. Rep. Joe Garcia, a Miami Democrat, toured the airport with Napolitano and said earlier that the situation at the airport encapsulates what’s wrong with Congress as well as the entire immigration system.

“We’re having a big debate over fixing our borders in Mexico, but we can’t even get a rich Argentinian businessman through Customs on time because we don’t have the proper staffing,” Garcia said before the press conference.

Garcia noted that up to half of the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States overstayed their visas and probably flew into the country — they didn’t cross the U.S.-Mexico border.

“We have to focus on a broader solution,” Garcia said.

While he toured the airport with Napolitano and U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Garcia noted that half of the 72 booths at the international-passenger checkpoint were unstaffed on Wednesday.

U.S. Rep. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Miami, joined the tour at the airport, but she slipped away before cameras caught her with the Democrats. U.S. Rep. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, also a Miami Republican, met Napolitano earlier Wednesday at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale but couldn’t make the airport tour because he had engagements in the Naples area. Diaz-Balart called for more officers in South Florida.

After touring the facilities Wednesday, Napolitano pointed out that the lines are better now than in the past.

Almost as soon as the new $180 million facility opened in July, it was understaffed and plagued with long lines.

Gov. Rick Scott wrote to Napolitano in September and again on Wednesday, asking for more Customs and Border Protection staff. He said the long lines and missed flights were bad for Florida’s reputation and therefore its bottom line.

“CBP has not been able to meet the necessary staffing numbers in the new facility. As a result, customers, often numbering well over 1,000 daily, and their baggage are misconnected and must be re-booked on later flights, many leaving the next day,” Scott wrote.

During one 30-day study in February 2012, nearly 5,000 American Airlines customers missed their connecting flights as a direct result of delays in CBP processing.

Napolitano said she was able to provide a few more staff at peak times and that it helped alleviate some of the long lines.

The airport’s director, Jose Abreu, said wait times are down as are the incidence of missed flights. But up to 700 people daily can miss flights because they’re held up in lines, waiting to be processed by border officers.

To further shorten lines, Napolitano said, her agency would like to increase a pre-screening program for low-risk international travelers and hire more border officers in cooperation with local officials.

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez, who met with Napolitano and the congressional members, said he’d be willing to try to pitch in county money to help.

Wasserman Schultz, the Democratic National Committee chairwoman, said she and the other South Florida congressional members will try to pass legislation giving local governments the ability to help underwrite the costs of federal border officers.

But, she said, the looming federal budget cuts need to be handled quickly.

“Deep cuts to Customs and Border Protection operations will mean less staffing and even more frustrated passengers,” she said.

Read More..

Michael Jackson Son Prince Michael Interviews Oz the Great and Powerful

Having grown up in show business, Prince Michael proved to be a gifted interviewer as he conducted his first sit-down as an ET correspondent.

PICS: Bewitching Oz the Great & Powerful Posters

Michael Jackson's 16-year-old son impressed Oz the Great and Powerful stars James Franco and Zach Braff as well as director Sam Raimi with his confidence and competence on his first assignment.

"You're doing awesome," Braff gushed. "You're a natural."

Prince Michael returned the compliment, praising their work in the fantasy flick and getting Franco to shed some light on how he approached playing the lead role of Oscar Diggs, a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics.

"I saw that his particular transformation would allow for comedy," Franco explained. "Because he's a conman -- that would get him into a lot of awkward situations that could be played for comedy."

The movie imagines the origins of L. Frank Baum's beloved character from The Wizard of Oz. After Oscar Diggs (Franco) is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he first thinks he's hit the jackpot -- until he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone's been expecting.

Oz the Great and Powerful hits theaters March 8.

Read More..

USPS delivers -- fashion

The USPS is putting their stamp on fashion.

Heavy duty coats, hats, jackets, footwear and clothing inspired by mail carriers will soon be hanging on the racks at premium department stores like Nordstrom, Macy’ s and Bloomingdale’s.

The cash-starved U.S. Postal Service partnered with Cleveland-based clothing company Wahconah Group to license it’s own line called “Rain, Heat & Snow” that is crafted to support electronics like iPods.

“We don’t want people to look like mailmen,” said Wahconah marketing chief Bob Carlston.

“We’re looking to incorporate iconic elements of their long and rich history of delivering the mail for us.”

Designers at Wahconah company are working closely on designs and sketches with the USPS, who will receive a small percentage of the sales. The inventory will be made in the U.S. with fabrics sourced from around the world including Italy, Mexico and Asia.

“We won’t be using stamps (for tagging),” Carlston said.

“Think of a Pea coat with really nice brass buttons from an old historic postal service uniform.”

An outerwear line for men will be introduced in Spring 2014. They’re also working on a women’s line.

The designs and price points are still undecided but Carlston predicts a premium wool Pea coat will retail for around $500.

“This agreement will put the Postal Service on the cutting edge of functional fashion,’ said Postal Service corporate licensing manager Steven Mills in a statement.

But some aren’t so sure that the Postal Service can pull it off.

“If it looks the price and you can see the quality and fashion in it - yes, I’d wear it,” said student Jesse Williams, 22.

“It is important that they (USPS) deliver what they are saying. And if it keeps me warm and dry, that’s a bonus.”

Read More..

Barbie Dreamhouse coming to Sawgrass Mills

Barbie fans will get to step into a real-life Malibu Mansion starting next month at Sawgrass Mills.

The Sunrise mall will be the only place in the United States to feature the first life-sized replica of the Barbie Dreamhouse. Located in the Oasis section at Sawgrass, the Dreamhouse will feature pink elevators, an endless closet, a walk-in “glitterizer” and a dazzling “diamond” ring display. Girls will be able to enjoy this unique interactive experience, including LED touch screens where they can digitally try on Barbie’s fashions.

The only other Barbie Dreamhouse Experience will be located in Berlin, Germany.

“It is a real coup for Sawgrass Mills to get this first-ever global experience, which will only enhance our already successful mix of retail, dining and entertainment concepts,” said Luanne Lenberg, vice president and general manager of Sawgrass.

The original Barbie Dreamhouse debuted in 1962 and has been a popular place for girls to play house with their Barbie dolls

Admission to the Dreamhouse at Sawgrass will start at $14.95, with special packages available for groups, families of five and a VIP Megastar Experience. The Dreamhouse will run through the end of 2013. For more information and pricing, visit www.barbiedreamhouse.com.

Read More..

Miami imam accused of aiding Taliban declares innocence at federal trial

An elderly Miami imam accused of contributing money to the Pakistani Taliban declared his innocence from the witness stand in federal court Tuesday, saying he despises the U.S.-designated terrorist organization.

Hafiz Khan, testifying during his trial in his native Pashto language through an interpreter, said the money he sent from Miami to Pakistan was meant for his family and a religious school known as a madrassa that he founded in the Swat Valley region decades ago.

Khan, 77, the frail former leader of the Flagler Mosque in Miami, tried to portray himself as a naturalized U.S. citizen who embraced his new country — contrary to the fiery anti-American and anti-Pakistan government figure captured on secret FBI recordings of his phone conversations before his arrest in 2011.

“We are innocent [of] these accusations,” Khan testified, speaking for himself and other family members charged in the material-support terrorism case.

Asked by one of his defense attorneys whether his madrassa for boys and girls catered to Taliban fighters, Khan said: “We have no connection to them whatsoever. We hate them.”

Later, Khan testified he was “totally against” the Taliban’s use of violence, such as beheadings and the destruction of property to impose extreme Islamic, or Sharia, law on people.

Khan also sought to clarify that his anti-Pakistan rhetoric was provoked by the government’s shutting down of his madrassa for safety concerns during a violent conflict with the Taliban in 2009.

In one FBI-recorded phone conversation, Khan was quoted saying: “They are such big motherf---ers for shutting down the education for the little kids.”

On the witness stand, he testified that if the United States took over Pakistan, “it would be good, because there would be law.”

Khan, who moved with his family to the United States in 1994, has been on trial since early January on four charges of providing material support to a terrorist organization. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison on each count.

The high-profile case has presented problems for prosecutors, who dropped charges against one of Khan’s sons for lack of evidence. U.S. District Judge Robert Scola also dismissed charges against another son, a Muslim cleric from Broward, during trial.

Prosecutors are expected to cross-examine Khan Wednesday.

His testimony came exactly one week after his defense team tried to take direct testimony from 11 witnesses in an Islamabad hotel, by transmitting the examination to the Miami courtroom through an Internet connection that mysteriously went silent in Pakistan. The signal was cut off, either because of a technical glitch or the Pakistan government’s intervention, during the testimony of a suspected Taliban soldier.

A suspected Taliban fighter named Noor Mohammed, who described himself as a street vendor with five children, had testified, “I never fought for the Taliban,” before the feed went dead.

He followed a Pakistani shopkeeper, Ali Rehman, a co-defendant in the Miami indictment against Khan. Rehman testified that he and Hafiz Khan did not supply thousands of dollars to the Taliban to aid its terrorist mission against U.S. interests overseas — that the money instead went to Khan’s relatives living in the Swat Valley.

The FBI opened the investigation after U.S. banks reported suspicious financial transactions between Khan’s accounts in the United States and Pakistan starting in spring 2008. With that evidence, authorities obtained a warrant to wiretap Khan’s phone conversations with relatives and associates here and in Pakistan. A confidential government informant was also deployed.

According to an indictment, Khan and to a lesser extent other Khan family members sent roughly $50,000 to the Taliban between 2008 and 2010.

The indictment said the family’s money helped back the Taliban’s purchase of guns and other resources for assaults on the Pakistan government and U.S. interests, including bombing attacks killing dozens of people in the Swat Valley and the attempted bombing in New York City’s Times Square.

The indictment does not tie Khan-family money to any specific acts of terrorism. But in recorded phone conversations, Khan praised the 2010 Times Square bombing plot as well as al Qaeda — and called for a global jihad.

Khan supported not only attacks on Pakistani officials and soldiers, but also civilians who backed the Pakistan government, according to the recordings.

In one recorded conversation, Khan complained: “Doesn’t one of them have the guts to do a suicide attack so they can teach them a lesson?”

Read More..

Why is 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' Star LeVar Burton Disappointed in the New 'Star Trek' Films?

The entire cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation was on hand at Creation Entertainment’s Grand Slam Convention: The Star Trek and Sci-Fi Summit in Burbank, CA last weekend, meeting fans, signing autographs, and otherwise "making it so," reminiscing about their time on the iconic space-faring adventure drama -- and LeVar Burton, who played the eye visor-sporting Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge, opened up to ET about his disappointment with the new Star Trek film franchise.

"J.J. [Abrams] [is] a very good director, he really is," he told ET. "He
directed the hell out of the first movie. I'm really interested to see
what he wants to talk about in his upcoming movie. [But] I'm
disappointed, quite frankly, that his timeline negates the existence of Next Gen. I think that's silly."

Exclusive Pics: 'Walking Dead' Stars Take Aim

Burton went on to talk about what initially drew him to Star Trek,
telling us, "I loved seeing people of color on TV when I was growing
up. It wasn't all that often, and I always have been a huge science
fiction fan, and so [when] [Star Trek creator] Gene Roddenberry's vision
of the future was one that included people that looked like me, [it]
was huge in terms of developing my self image as a young person."

'Star Trek' Stars Take on Warp Speed Round

Burton joined such notables as Sir Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, and Brent Spiner, who played Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Commander William T. "Number One" Riker, and robotic Commander Data respectively, at the event, which was produced by Creation Entertainment, a company that hosts interactive film and television genre conventions throughout the year. For more information on upcoming Creation Entertainment events, CLICK HERE. 

And for more from LeVar Burton, including an exciting announcement about beloved children's show Reading Rainbow's new mobile app, watch the video!

Read More..

Judge blocks city from Ken Burns film footage

Famed documentary filmmaker Ken Burns today beat back an effort by the city to obtain raw footage and outtakes from his recent movie on the infamous "Central Park jogger" rape case.

A judge granted the PBS icon's request to quash a subpoena for the unused material on grounds that his production company, Florentine Films, is covered by the "reporter's privilege."

Manhattan Magistrate Judge Ronald Ellis ruled that Florentine proved its "journalistic independence" when Burns' daughter and collaborator on the film, Sarah Burns, "presented specific facts demonstrating an intent to publish at the time newsgathering commenced."

Ellis also said city lawyers were "misleading" when they claimed that Ken Burns told the trade magazine Variety that the "purpose" of last year's "The Central Park Five" was to spur settlement of a $250 million civil-rights suit filed by the five men whose convictions were tossed in 2002.

"Burns does not indicate what the film's 'purpose' is, and the quoted portion by defendants mischaracterizes the quote and Ken Burns' position," Ellis wrote.

The city claimed that it needed what Burns left on the cutting-room floor to help defend itself against wrongful-conviction claims by Antron McCray, Yusef Salaam, Kharey Wise, Raymond Santana and Kevin Richardson, whose pending suit was filed 10 years ago.

Ellis said upcoming depositions "will provide full access fo the main plaintiffs" and give city lawyers "the opportunity to pose questions concerning contradictions in the edited film and elsewhere."

Executive Assistant Corporation Counsel for Public Safety Celeste Koeleveld said the city was "disappointed" and considering its options.

"While journalistic privilege under the law is very important, we firmly believe it did not apply here," Koeleveld said.

"This film is a one-sided advocacy piece that depicts the plaintiffs' version of events as undisputed fact. It is our view that we should be able to view the complete interviews, not just those portions that the filmmakers chose to include."

bruce.golding@nypost.com

Read More..

Best photo apps for Android devices

Whether you want to slap a simple filter on your photo or get granular and change attributes like color levels and saturation, we’ve got a list of the Android apps you’ll want to use.

Snapseed

The good: With its unique gesture-based interface, this offers an incredible level of control over its effects and filters.

The bad: The tools and interface aren’t intuitive, so it could take a while to get familiarized. Also, the lack of a zoom function makes it difficult to see finer adjustments.

The cost: Free

The bottom line: If you’re a serious mobile photographer looking for an app with which to fine-tune your photos, Snapseed is your best choice.

Pixlr Express

The good: Offers more than 600 effects that all work well and are easy to use. Auto Fix and Focal Blur (tilt-shift) are particularly effective.

The bad: The app doesn’t warn you before backing out, which can result in lost work. A Recent Files picker upon launch would be nice.

The cost: Free

The bottom line: One of the most powerful Android apps in its category. Despite its minor flaws, it should be your go-to mobile photo editor.

Instagram

The good: An excellent way to turn mundane images into cool-looking photos you can share with friends. Mapping features mean people can easily browse all your geotagged shots.

The bad: Photo Map features default to showing all your geotagged shots, which could be dangerous under some circumstances.

The cost: Free

The bottom line: If you like taking retro-looking shots and sharing them, Instagram is tough to beat. Mapping features and frequent updates to the app mean your pictures will have a longer browsing life span.

Photo Grid

The good: Offers a huge menu of grid templates and a dead-simple interface for combining photos into framed collages.

The bad: The app unfortunately doesn’t let you customize the thickness of collage borders or the level of curvature on rounded panels.

The cost: Free

The bottom line: Even though it’s missing a couple of nifty customization tools other collage apps have, Photo Grid’s simple interface and outstanding menu of predesigned grids make it the best collage app on the market.

Read More..

Miami civilian panel to decide on police shooting of unarmed man

The city of Miami’s civilian oversight agency will decide on Tuesday whether to exonerate the Miami police officer who shot and killed an unarmed man, DeCarlos Moore, in 2010.

The agency’s independent counsel has determined that Officer Joseph Marin’s use of deadly force was reasonable and did not violate city policy.

But community activists believe the Civilian Investigative Panel’s investigation is flawed, and say members of the public have been deliberately blocked from voicing their concerns. They plan to challenge the investigation’s findings on Tuesday.

“The CIP has failed to take a real and serious look at the DeCarlos Moore shooting,” said Nathaniel Wilcox, executive director of People United to Lead the Struggle for Equality, the community group known as PULSE. “Instead of protecting the community, they’ve been more concerned about protecting the police department.”

Marin has already been cleared of wrongdoing by state prosecutors. He was one of seven Miami police officers who fatally shot black men in 2010 and 2011. Five of the men, including Moore, were unarmed.

In 2011, a coalition of community groups including PULSE, the ACLU and the NAACP called on the Civilian Investigative Panel to conduct an independent review of each case. The CIP’s complaints subcommittee took up the Moore shooting earlier this month. The full panel will hear the case on Tuesday.

Jeanne Baker, who chairs the Miami ACLU police practices committee, said the coalition tried to distribute its own report on the Moore shooting to the 13-member civilian panel in advance of Tuesday’s meeting. The coalition also asked for the opportunity to address the panel before the vote.

But both requests were denied by CIP Chairman Thomas Cobitz.

“The ACLU is essentially being stonewalled,” Baker said.

Cobitz said the agenda was too long to include the additional documents, and that Baker and other members of the coalition will be able to speak during the public comment part of the meeting, which comes after the vote.

“We do listen to the coalition,” Cobitz said, noting that members have spoken on the issue at prior CIP hearings. “We know their concerns. But our job is to look at the facts and evaluate things using a procedure. We can’t just change our procedure because our friends want us to.”

Marin was a rookie officer when he shot and killed Moore. On the night of July 5, Marin and his field-trainings officer, Vionna Brown-Williams, pulled up behind Moore’s white Honda Accord on Northwest First Place in Overtown and ran the license plate through a national database. The computer said the vehicle might be stolen.

Before the officers could conduct a traffic stop, Moore, 36, pulled over and got out of his car, according to the CIP investigation. The officers got out of their patrol car and ordered Moore to put his hands up.

“Suddenly, and without explication, [Moore] turned away from Officer Marin and began hurriedly walking or running toward the drivers’ door of the Honda,” the CIP report concluded. “Mr. Moore reached into the drivers’ door as if to retrieve something… As Mr. Moore emerged, Officer Marin saw a shiny, metallic object in Mr. Moore’s hand.”

Marin fired a single bullet to the head, killing Moore.

Investigators later determined that the metallic object was a clump of rock cocaine wrapped in aluminum foil. Further complicating matters, the computer system had made a mistake: Moore’s car was not stolen.

In 2011, Miami-Dade state prosecutors concluded that Marin was justified in using lethal force.

“After a thorough review of all the facts, evidence and witness statements and studiously examining existing Florida statutes, it is our conclusion that the shooting death of DeCarlos Moore did not involve any criminal violation of Florida law,” Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said at the time.

But family members and community activists were dissatisfied with the findings, and called on the CIP to conduct an independent investigation.

Baker, of the ACLU, said she was disappointed with the CIP investigation because it did not address whether Marin had followed proper procedure in the events leading up to the shooting. She said the analysis also fails to address whether Marin had adhered to the department’s use-of-force policy.

“There is no indication in the recommendation that the CIP complaints committee has looked at the policy and procedure violations that we believe need investigation,” she said.

Cobitz said he did not doubt that Marin followed protocol.

“Was it reasonable for a police officer to want to question someone driving a vehicle that appeared to be stolen? Absolutely,” he said.

Read More..