How Customer Support Can Become Customers Supporting Each Other

Toronto, Ontario -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/20/2007 -- Would a doctor be willing to hand over the stethoscope to his patients and let them diagnose each other? If he did, few of them would likely ever return. How about a pilot who trades his cockpit chair for a seat in coach and lets a passenger fly? There would undoubtedly be a public uproar. But when it comes to small business owners, entrepreneurship expert Evan Carmichael believes they are in a class all their own.

There are few entrepreneurs left who have yet to venture online and discover the vast possibilities that exist therein. But are they really grasping the power of the Internet to its fullest potential? Carmichael says no.

"Nowadays, every businessman and his dog have a website," he says, "but most are failing to take advantage of their greatest resource –their customers."

Carmichael points to Flickr, one of the world's most popular online photo management sites, as an example of what he means.

"Flickr has a very active user forum in which members will often answer each other's questions," he says. "They're saving Flickr staff time in not having to research and respond to all of the questions themselves, and by and large, their answers are exactly what the users wanted to know."

Letting customers help themselves is one of the latest trends being embraced by online businesses, and there are a variety of ways to do it.

"First, like I said, websites need to have forums where customers can post any questions they have or answer others they might know," says Carmichael. "Not only does this save time, but it also helps build trust and loyalty among your customers and keeps them engaged in your company." To that end, he suggests using product giveaways to encourage user support and reward those members who are the most active online.

Carmichael also finds the use of a FAQs page (Frequently Asked Questions) helpful, but with a twist: "FAQ pages are often the first page people go to for help. To really engage your customers, make it a wiki and give them the power to edit the page themselves."

Finally, with the massive growth of all things instant messaging, Carmichael suggests the incorporation of an instant chat application on websites. "Make it possible for customers to see who else is online at the same time and send instant messages," he says. "That way, you can make customer service something both fun and convenient."

But just how ready and willing are customers to spend their time online helping each other? And what if the answers they give are actually wrong?

"Obviously, there still needs to be some moderating of your site to make sure every question gets answered, and answered correctly," says Carmichael. "But for the most part, customers like to share their own experiences and there is never anything wrong about that."

So, while a doctor or pilot might get sued for taking a step back and giving up control to the customer, entrepreneurs face a different fate. "It's not an easy thing for us to do," says Carmichael, "but give up the reins and watch your customers rule!"

Evan Carmichael is available for an interview. Please contact him at evan@evancarmichael.com.

Evan is an entrepreneur and international speaker. Evan's website, http://www.evancarmichael.com/ is the world's #1 website for small business motivation and strategies. With over 160,000 monthly visitors, 1,350 contributing authors, and 25,500 pages of content no website shares more profiles of famous entrepreneurs and inspires more small business owners than http://www.EvanCarmichael.com. Evan has been interviewed by newspapers, radio stations, and television stations including The New York Times, The Globe and Mail, Metro, CHUM FM, CityTV, Global TV, OMNI TV, Enterprise, and the Toronto Sun.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Five Tips To Keep Entrepreneurs Motivated In Their Search For Success

Toronto, Ontario -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/10/2007 -- That one big client you wanted to land just turned you down; that star employee you wanted to hire left you hanging; and, the thousands of dollars you spent on marketing are having little effect. Meanwhile, your competitors seem to be getting everything right.

It is a familiar picture for most entrepreneurs. Obstacles present themselves on a daily basis and you can't do anything about it. Or can you?

Entrepreneurship expert Evan Carmichael suggests you can. "As entrepreneurs, we may never be making as much money as we want, be growing as fast as we want, or be networking as wide as we want, but none of that matters as long as we have one thing," he says. "Motivation."

Entrepreneurs are by definition risk-takers, and if they're going to keep taking those risks and staring uncertainty in the face, they need to learn how to stay motivated through it all, says Carmichael.

"No problem is too big for the person who has the drive to keep going," he suggests. "With drive, you can overcome everything and achieve anything."

Carmichael admits, however, that motivating yourself, not to mention those under you, is no easy task. So, how does one do it?

First, he suggests, remember the oldest trick in the book. "Rewards," says Carmichael. "Nobody likes to admit it, but we're all a little bit selfish. Give yourself or others an incentive to work for and watch the productivity go up."

Secondly, make sure everybody on your team knows what they're supposed to be doing. "Come together to create goals, and give people clear roles for proceeding," says Carmichael. "People will work better if they know exactly what's expected of them and by when."

Carmichael's third suggestion is to create an environment that people will like working in. "You want to strike a balance between fostering a team spirit and encouraging individual success. As social beings, we like working in groups, but we also like knowing that our hard work and creativity will be accepted and recognized."

Fourthly, ensure that there is a free flow of communication between everyone. "Your staff should know that by coming to you with a problem, they won't be punished," says Carmichael. "By being friendly and offering constructive criticism, you can motivate your troops without resorting to fear."

Finally, Carmichael suggests that those entrepreneurs who work alone often have it tougher than everyone else since there's no one else to keep them on their toes. But that doesn't mean they should give up. It just means they need to dig deeper to find their drive.

"Solopreneurs need to constantly go back to their dream, to their original vision,' he says. "If that dream is no longer something you want for yourself, then chances are you won't find success anyway. But, if that dream is still alive, then fight to keep going. What got you started in the first place can keep you going through to the end."

Evan Carmichael is available for an interview. Please contact him at evan@evancarmichael.com.

Evan is an entrepreneur and international speaker. Evan's website, http://www.evancarmichael.com/ is the world's #1 website for small business motivation and strategies. With over 160,000 monthly visitors, 1,350 contributing authors, and 25,500 pages of content no website shares more profiles of famous entrepreneurs and inspires more small business owners than EvanCarmichael.com. Evan has been interviewed by newspapers, radio stations, and television stations including The New York Times, The Globe and Mail, Metro, CHUM FM, CityTV, Global TV, OMNI TV, Enterprise, and the Toronto Sun.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

How Entrepreneurs Can Find Value in Facebook

Toronto, Ontario -- (ReleaseWire) -- 07/26/2007 -- When was the last time you wrote on somebody's wall? We're not talking about when you were five years old and you took crayons to your mother's gleaming white living room walls. We're talking about on Facebook, the Palo Alto-based online networking site that is taking the world by storm. If you're an entrepreneur and you don't have an answer to that question, or if you don't even know what that question means then your business is in trouble.

So says entrepreneurship expert Evan Carmichael, who has become a firm believer in the power of Facebook for businesses. "Facebook is no longer just about teens looking to find old friends, or maybe even old flames," he suggests. "Today, Facebook is about making new connections, and everyone from your sister to your colleagues to your competitors are starting to find their way online."

Once shunned by the corporate world in favour of the more professionally-geared LinkedIn, small and big businesses alike are beginning to embrace Facebook as a potentially valuable tool to establish and cultivate professional relationships.

According to TechCrunch, MySpace remains the leading social networking site with 46 billion page views per month, but Facebook has been slowly growing to now stand at 15 billion page views per month. And, while MySpace might be more accepted among adolescents, Facebook has proven more popular among people with a university education.

But, just how exactly can businesses make the most of the tools on this rapidly expanding site? There are a number of ways, says Carmichael.

"First of all, it's simply a great way to connect in a much more community-oriented way than sites like LinkedIn allow. And I don't just mean that because you can put pictures up." Instead, Carmichael stresses the value of being able to join groups that are related to your business. "You can see who else has joined, send group messages, see or post relevant workshops and events, and so much more."

Facebook also allows for a good opportunity to promote your company, suggests Carmichael. "You can update your status and post notes about new product developments that you're working on next. You can post pictures of a new book you may be launching, or even advertise and sell your products in the Marketplace. You can also read other people's updates to see if there may be room for collaboration or to lend your services."

Once you make any changes to your profile, that information is automatically sent to all your friends' news feeds. "So, in this sort of viral way, you can be slowly building your brand," says Carmichael. "If you choose your friends wisely, you will be creating a very solid reputation for yourself."

Finally, there are those entrepreneurs who are discovering the value of Facebook applications, third-part mini-programs that can run on the site. Since the platform was first made available in May, its popularity has exploded, says Carmichael, with even LinkedIn creating a job search application on Facebook. "When your competitors start coming to you, you know you're on to something."

The site still isn't perfect, says Carmichael. "There needs to be more space to promote business relationships. From being able to explain in more detail how you know someone, to maintaining a separate list of professional contacts versus other friends, there's a lot Facebook could do to broaden its appeal to business owners."

In the meantime, however, Carmichael says it should not be overlooked. "Any entrepreneur who wants to live to see tomorrow needs to embrace the technology of tomorrow, and for now, that's Facebook."

Evan Carmichael is available for an interview. Please contact him at evan@evancarmichael.com.

Evan is an entrepreneur and international speaker. Evan's website, http://www.evancarmichael.com/ is the world's #1 website for small business motivation and strategies. With over 130,000 monthly visitors, 1050 contributing authors, and 22,500 pages of content no website shares more profiles of famous entrepreneurs and inspires more small business owners than EvanCarmichael.com. Evan has been interviewed by newspapers, radio stations, and television stations including The New York Times, The Globe and Mail, Metro, CHUM FM, CityTV, Global TV, OMNI TV, Enterprise, and the Toronto Sun.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

How Corporations Are Turning To A New Tool For Success

Toronto, Ontario -- (ReleaseWire) -- 07/11/2007 -- Love them or hate them, these days it seems as if everybody has one. No, we're not talking about mothers-in-law or Blackberries. We're talking about blogs, those online hubs that often seem to find themselves at the centre of so much controversy. But what used to be platforms used by tech-savvy teenagers to rant and rave about social woes are now becoming sophisticated tools in a company's arsenal of weapons.

A recent poll by BlogOn found that 55 percent of corporations are now blogging. 91.4 percent of those use blogs for internal communications, while 96.6 percent use them for external outreach. Those figures drop significantly among Fortune 500 companies, of which, according to the Fortune 500 Business Blogging Index, only 8 percent reportedly maintain public blogs.

Entrepreneurship expert Evan Carmichael is not surprised by those numbers. "While many of the largest companies are reacting slowly to the rising trend of corporate blogging, it is a rising trend nonetheless," he says. "The longer businesses take to recognize that, the longer they are delaying their own success."

Corporate blogs are generally used for two purposes: to communicate with a company's own employees, or as a promotional tool to reach its target market. "Because they are fast, cheap, and easy to use, blogs are becoming a new must-have for all companies, big and small," says Carmichael. "They create an open dialogue between executives, staff, and customers, raise a company's visibility, and generally help to build its credibility."

Google, one company that is at the forefront of the corporate blogging phenomenon, has taken things to the next level. "Google has let its employees use blogs for everything from sharing code and meeting minutes, to personal things letting colleagues know what the other is thinking about," says Carmichael. "They've created a blog that is not only efficient, but helps to create a sense of community."

For some, however, that ease of use does not make up for the numerous challenges that seem inherent in blogs. "Some companies struggle to maintain enough enthusiasm to keep a blog going, while others find it difficult to garner that enthusiasm in the first place," says Carmichael. "Then, there's also the challenge of dealing with comments that might not be appropriate for the whole world to see."

While many companies leave the blogging up to the CEO, some have taken a bottom-up approach, placing the responsibility squarely on its employees. This, says Carmichael, could have many ramifications. "It's great that some companies want to involve their staff in their blogs, but they need to go about it in a smart way. Make sure there is some sort of corporate policy in place that establishes guidelines for blog content."

According to Technorati, a popular blog search engine, there are over 91.1 million blogs on the Internet today, with more than 175,000 new ones being created every day, and over 18 blog updates every second. "Just look at those figures," says Carmichael. "If a company is not getting in on those numbers, it's missing out."

Evan Carmichael is available for an interview. Please contact him at evan@evancarmichael.com.

Evan is an entrepreneur and international speaker. Evan's website, http://www.evancarmichael.com/ is the world's #1 website for small business motivation and strategies. With over 130,000 monthly visitors, 1050 contributing authors, and 22,500 pages of content no website shares more profiles of famous entrepreneurs and inspires more small business owners than EvanCarmichael.com. Evan has been interviewed by newspapers, radio stations, and television stations including The Globe and Mail, CHUM FM, CityTV, Global TV, OMNI TV, Enterprise, and the Toronto Sun.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Internet the New Hot Spot for Entrepreneurs

Toronto, Ontario, Canada -- (ReleaseWire) -- 10/11/2006 -- Yahoo! eagerly snatched up the photo-sharing site Flickr, media mogul Rupert Murdoch hedged his bets on MySpace, and Google recently agreed to purchase the video entertainment site YouTube for $1.65 billion. Wherever you look, entrepreneurs who were once struggling to make a presence for their fledgling companies in the vast maze of the Internet are now seeing their hard work pay off, quite literally.

Married entrepreneurs Stewart Butterfield and Caterina Fake were sitting in their Vancouver home one day, trying to find ways to improve their struggling online gaming company. Shortly after creating a program that would let their users share photos with each other over the Internet, Flickr was born. Sixteen months later, Flickr had grown at such a rate that Yahoo! was compelled to buy it for $30 million.

Flickr is just one of the many latest startups taking advantage of the new online boom. The success of such other online companies as MySpace and YouTube demonstrates the new high-tech wave that is rolling in, a wave that entrepreneurs are ready and willing to ride for all its worth.

Entrepreneurship expert Evan Carmichael believes this rising trend of digital entrepreneurs is one that is likely to continue for some time. "IT industries have recently been growing at more than double the rate of the overall economy," he says. "As long as this continues, entrepreneurs will no doubt be competing to find their spot within that growth."

This new digital economy is not something that can just be ignored, says Carmichael. "75% of Americans have home access to the Internet. Online traffic is doubling almost every 100 days. Businesses that aren't ready to take advantage of that will find themselves trailing the pack."

As the online consumer market continues to expand so too does the number of entrepreneurs ready to meet the demand. "With low overhead costs and no market barrier, small online startups find little standing in their way," says Carmichael. "All they need is an idea and an understanding of both the online and offline structure of business."

The rules of engagement might be the same but new best practices are being established by entrepreneurs industry wide. Company blogs and pay-per-click advertising are just two of the strategies online companies are beginning to now take advantage of to make the most of their online venture.

Whereas the likes of Google, now known as Web 1.0 companies, are already well established, these newer Web 2.0 companies are just beginning to emerge. "From boom to bust and back again, tech is once again becoming hot," says Carmichael "The Web has come alive with entrepreneurial activity and not only are these entrepreneurs making a profit for themselves, but they're actually changing people's habits and the way the world does business."

As new digital applications and companies spring forth at a rapid rate, entrepreneurs are proving that they will not be left behind. "If your business is not ready to ride the Internet 2.0 highway," says Carmichael, "you had best get out of the way."

Evan Carmichael is available for an interview. Please contact him at evan@evancarmichael.com.

Evan is an entrepreneur and international speaker. At the age of 19, he became an owner and Chief Operating Officer in Redasoft, a biotechnology software company. The company quickly grew to over 300 organizations as clients, including NASA and Johnson & Johnson, in 30 countries. He started Evan Carmichael & Associates with the goal to give entrepreneurs the Inspiration to follow their passion and the strategies they need to succeed. Evan has delivered over 100 keynote presentations to entrepreneurs in North America, Europe, and Asia. He has been interviewed by newspapers, radio stations, and television stations including The Globe and Mail, CHUM FM, CityTV, Global TV, OMNI TV, Enterprise, and the Toronto Sun. Evan's website, http://www.evancarmichael.com"">http://www.evancarmichael.com/ is the world's #1 website for small business motivation and strategies.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

College Students Choose Entrepreneurship

Toronto, Ontario, Canada -- (ReleaseWire) -- 07/20/2006 -- Gone are the days when you graduate from university and are forced to send out your resume to so many places that you lose count in the hopes that someone, somewhere – anywhere – will give you a chance and hire you. It didn't matter if your degree was in Latin American history and you were offered a job as a clerical assistant with the Ministry of Transportation – "I'll take it!"

Today, college students aren't willing to spend years working a job they dislike until something better opens up. Instead, they're seizing the moment, using their potential and creating that 'something better' now.

According to a recent survey of 3,000 business students, the Chicago-based Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO) found that 68% were interested in owning their own business. And, the desire to be one's own boss isn't limited to just business students; CEO has active members from a broad range of fields in over 500 colleges and universities across America.

Increasing numbers of college students are choosing to become entrepreneurs – to take that risk and go it alone. Entrepreneurship expert Evan Carmichael of www.evancarmichael.com has witnessed this trend first-hand. "Students are beginning to realize that it can be done, that they can become successful on their own terms," he says. "Bill Gates and Michael Dell started out when they were in school and look where they are now."

Examples of successful student entrepreneurs are not just limited to celebrities, says Carmichael. "Students have seen their mothers and fathers run their own companies, their aunts and uncles. It doesn't have to be a pipe dream," he says. "With hard work and dedication, students are discovering that they can make anything happen and they can start now."

From being your own boss and setting your own goals to experiencing the rush of independence, both the financial and emotional payoffs for college entrepreneurs can be huge. And, college campuses are proving to be an ideal setting for these startups. "With the great advertising potential from the close-knit environment and their own media outlets, campuses are one of the best places to experiment with starting your own business," says Carmichael. "Not to mention the fact that at any time, you can go knock on the doors of some of the brightest minds in the country and get free advice."

According to a recent survey by the Young Entrepreneur Foundation, 90% of high school teachers say their students are interested in becoming entrepreneurs, but 75% have no idea where to turn. Colleges are beginning to fill that void, with an increasing number offering entrepreneurship-focused courses in order to help their students get off on the right foot. 80 years ago, the first program of its type began at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and ever since, such programs have ballooned to over 2,220 courses at over 1,600 schools nationwide. While the jury is still out about whether or not entrepreneurship can be taught and learned, this growth is nonetheless evidence of students' increasing interest in trying their hand at it.

The U.S. Small Business Administration says that nearly two-thirds of college students intend to be entrepreneurs at some point in their careers. "There is no better time or place to start your own company than while you're in college," says Carmichael. "And, if you decide it's not for you, at least it gives you more real world experience for when you do have to go hunting for that job."

Evan Carmichael is available for an interview. Please contact him at evan@evancarmichael.com.

Evan is an entrepreneur and international speaker. At the age of 19, he became an owner and Chief Operating Officer in Redasoft, a biotechnology software company. The company quickly grew to over 300 organizations as clients, including NASA and Johnson & Johnson, in 30 countries. He started Evan Carmichael & Associates with the goal to give entrepreneurs the Inspiration to follow their passion and the strategies they need to succeed. Evan has delivered over 100 keynote presentations to entrepreneurs in North America, Europe, and Asia. He has been interviewed by newspapers, radio stations, and television stations including The Globe and Mail, CHUM FM, CityTV, Global TV, OMNI TV, Enterprise, and the Toronto Sun. Evan's website, http://www.evancarmichael.com"">http://www.evancarmichael.com/ is the world's #1 website for small business inspiration and strategies.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

The Rising Trend of Environmentally Friendly Entrepreneurs

Toronto, Ontario, Canada -- (ReleaseWire) -- 06/30/2006 -- The International Energy Association predicts that by 2030, there will be a worldwide increase of over 50% in the demand for primary energy. And, as the pundits have been saying for years, traditional energy sources will not be able to meet this growing demand.

Some people have been reacting to this with fear, and others with pessimism, but a growing number of entrepreneurs are responding to this with new ideas. They are finding innovative and creative ways to help save the planet. And, they're not doing it because it makes them feel warm and fuzzy inside, although it might do that too. They're doing it because they recognize the potential for profit; they see the demand and they are setting out to fill that void.

Entrepreneurship expert Evan Carmichael believes that the recent dramatic growth in the alternative energy industry is enticing more and more entrepreneurs to get on board. "Green energy is one of the fastest growing industries today," he says. "It is no wonder that entrepreneurs are trying to catch the wave. There is definitely money to be made here."

A recent study by green-technology consulting firm Clean Edge suggests that by 2010, the alternative energy industry will generate over $82 billion worth of electrical power, up from just under $10 billion today. The solar industry is predicted to grow to $51.1 billion in annual sales by 2015 while the wind industry is expected to grow from its current sales of just over $11 billion to $48.5 billion in 2015. A similar growth is expected with fuel sales, increasing its sales from today's $0.9 billion to $15.1 billion in 2015. "That's a flashing opportunity sign for entrepreneurs," says Carmichael. "This market is ripe for the picking."

In the U.S., venture capitalists invested over $150 million into green-focused startups in 2005, double the amount of the previous year. From solar photovoltaics to biofuels to organic foods, all of the largest venture capital firms are now backing clean technology projects.

"The overwhelming amount of media attention surrounding global warming has helped drive the demand for sources of alternative energy," says Carmichael. "This is one of the few industries where supply cannot outpace demand. Entrepreneurs are picking up on this and using it to their advantage."

But, as with starting a business in any other industry, Carmichael stresses the importance of properly understanding the field first. "Before entrepreneurs can enter the marketplace, they really need to educate themselves," he says. "This is a highly technical and fiercely competitive industry, so you can't just jump in there."

Once an entrepreneur has the sufficient know-how and the capital to join the industry, Carmichael predicts that their future will be limitless. "Entrepreneurs have only just begun to scratch the surface of the industry's potential," says Carmichael. "It may be an uphill battle with conventional power, but it's a battle that can be won and a fight that is worth it."

Evan Carmichael is available for an interview. Please contact him at evan@evancarmichael.com.

Evan is an entrepreneur and international speaker. At the age of 19, he became an owner and Chief Operating Officer in Redasoft, a biotechnology software company. The company quickly grew to over 300 organizations as clients, including NASA and Johnson & Johnson, in 30 countries. He started Evan Carmichael & Associates with the goal to give entrepreneurs the Inspiration to follow their passion and the strategies they need to succeed. Evan has delivered over 100 keynote presentations to entrepreneurs in North America, Europe, and Asia. He has been interviewed by newspapers, radio stations, and television stations including The Globe and Mail, CHUM FM, CityTV, Global TV, OMNI TV, Enterprise, and the Toronto Sun. Evan's website, http://www.evancarmichael.com"">http://www.evancarmichael.com/ is the world's #1 website for small business inspiration and strategies.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Top industry experts share their small business loans secrets

Toronto, Ontario, Canada -- (ReleaseWire) -- 06/23/2006 -- "Dreams offer little collateral." So said the great entrepreneur Walt Disney, who was no stranger to the challenges of finding ways to finance those dreams. He was describing the difficult environment in which small businesses today find themselves: little capital and a lot of risk.

You have the dream, you have the energy and you have the commitment, but now what? How do you find the capital to turn those dreams into reality? Where can you find the money you need to get your business up and running? How do you determine the best type of loan for your venture and how do you go about getting it? A new resource at http://www.EvanCarmichael.com/Small-Business-Loans/ is here to help you!

By putting you in touch with experts in the area of small business loans, this site will help quell your fears and answer all the questions you may have, including:

1. What are the different types of small business loans?
2. Which type of small business loan should I apply for?
3. How do I write a sound small business loan proposal?
4. What do I have to offer as collateral?
5. How do I create a realistic estimate for how much I need?
6. How do banks make their decisions?
7. How do I choose the right bank to apply to?
8. How long does the loan application process take?
9. What are my chances of receiving a loan?
10. What can I do if I am turned down?

The experts at http://www.EvanCarmichael.com/Small-Business-Loans/ are at your disposal. Their combined years of tried, tested and true strategies will help you get your business idea off the paper and onto the streets. Visit the site today to stop talking about your dreams and start living them!

Evan is an entrepreneur and international speaker. At the age of 19, he became an owner and Chief Operating Officer in Redasoft, a biotechnology software company. The company quickly grew to over 300 organizations as clients, including NASA and Johnson & Johnson, in 30 countries. He started Evan Carmichael & Associates with the goal to give entrepreneurs the inspiration to follow their passion and the strategies they need to succeed. Evan has delivered over 100 keynote presentations to entrepreneurs in North America, Europe, and Asia. He has been interviewed by newspapers, radio stations, and television stations including CHUM FM, CityTV, Global TV, OMNI TV, Enterprise, and the Toronto Sun. Evan's website, http://www.evancarmichael.com/ is the world's #1 website for small business inspiration and strategies.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm