Maker-Space in The New Urban Downtown Mesa

Yours truly has been "on the beat" walking, synchronizing, absorbing and getting in-touch all around downtown for nine months, not exactly the new kid on the block birthing this blog site. 

For some mysterious reason I was always put off by, yet on the other hand very curious about  this location with performance art-on-the-couch in the window in the "historic and authentic" downtown. Heat Sync Labs is wildly wonderful . . . maybe it brought back times gone by, the wild and wonderful good high-energy creative 20-something + 30-something [yea, 40- and 50-something also] years living in cities like Philadelphia, Boston and New York > getting excited all over again . . . but here in Mesa?
Believe it.

ICYMI > Why Should You Be a Voice For Public Transit?

In case you missed it, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed a transportation bill with three years of funding with the possibility of longer-term funding after the three-year period. With strong bipartisan support, the Committee approved the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015.

While this is certainly a step in the right direction, there could still be a long road ahead of us. The full House still needs to vote on the legislation, and we will continue to advocate for the funding levels to be increased for public transportation. The next step will include the House and Senate reconciling their two bills into a final bill and then sending it on to President Obama.

Even though the House bill raises concerns about the need to increase the funding levels, this development will at least enable the process to move forward. We are hopeful that Congress will be able to pass a final bill with increased investment in public transit before the end of the year.

This is it—crunch time. The deadline for Congress to pass long-term transportation funding is just around the corner.

http://www.publictransportation.org/Pages/default.aspx

Collaboration portal helping small business find funds

Arizona groups launch equity crowdfunding site to connect businesses with capital

By Devin Conley | Cronkite News | POSTED: Oct 23, 2015

The biggest challenge for Arizona entrepreneurs today is access to capital, said Dan Nienhauser, executive director of Arizona Collaboratory Inc.

To address the issue, the Arizona Technology Council has partnered with Arizona Collaboratory Inc. to launch the Arizona Collaboratory Capital Connectivity Portal.

ABOUT THE COUNCIL

The Arizona Technology Council is the driving force behind making our state the fastest growing technology hub in the nation; connecting and empowering Arizona’s technology community. As Arizona’s premier trade association for science and technology companies, the Council is recognized as having a diverse professional business community. The Arizona Technology Council offers numerous events, educational forums and business conferences that bring together leaders, managers, employees and visionaries to make an impact on the technology industry. Council members work toward furthering the advancement of technology in Arizona through leadership, education, legislation and social action. These interactions contribute to the Council’s culture of growing member businesses and transforming technology in Arizona.
This online platform is the first aimed strictly at Arizona technology companies and investors, organizers said.
The portal has two goals: connect startups with investors to generate capital and prepare businesses to manage the funds.

Technology Advocacy & Technology Public Policy

The Council is one of the state’s leaders in driving a pro-growth, business-focused state and federal technology agenda. The Council serves as a voice for the technology community, testifying before the legislature on a regular basis and as part of the Council’s annual Governor’s Celebration of Innovation, its Public Policy Committee selects ten Arizona legislators with a track record of supporting the technology industry to be honored during the awards ceremony.

A Voice for the Technology Industry - The Council supports key ideas, goals, legislation, and initiatives that enable Arizona to:

• Create an environment that supports technology related jobs
• Improve the business climate for the technology industry
• Provide sources of capital that encourage entrepreneurship
• Train and attract the required talent to compete in a global innovation economy

New Fashion Center on Main Street? > It's More Than That

The grand old man on Main Street architecture, The Pomeroy Building - one of downtown's "beige" buildings with a colonnade and red tile roof - Pomeroy's Men's Store & Mission Outfitter @ 136 has leased adjoining space under the same roof to Backstage Attire @ 138 that's been opened for about three weeks now.
Some may say that's an unlikely [and surprising] side-by-side retail business pair, but it goes to show the unexpected positive developments for the future of retail in the New Urban Downtown Mesa where the old welcomes the new. Both attract their own customers in their own ways for clothing and accessories. Pomeroy's has been doing that since 1959.

Backstage Attire has just started around October 1, 2015 with an entry that draws you into the store with large windows in front and on both sides with mannequins in rock attire, graphics, sculptures, and custom furniture,
The store is the brainchild of a cool, industrious corporate refugee from Phoenix who one day decided, after telling his wife, he wanted to do something new and quit his job . . . 45 days later, plans were made, a lease signed and it happened.
It was a pleasure to stop by and talk with Jim today - a Monday when few businesses are open downtown.
Having just made a post about the First Mesa Music Fest 2015 this morning, in walks a guy named Spaggs, an owner of Motormedia, who started plans for this live music event after talking with Mike Milano after the Super Bowl game year, figuring to feature 20-30 bands . . . it's now at 220+ for the two days in November.
Go see this new store and what it offers, meet the owner Jim  [link below to Facebook page]

The bronze statue of Wayne Pomeroy seems pleased with the arrangements - giving Backstage Attire and the Mesa Music Fest  a big High-5

 

You can find the store on Facebook >

 https://www.facebook.com/Backstage-Attire-546689302147126/

 

1st Mesa Music Fest Will Rock U Nov 13-15

This has been planned for months . . . your MesaZona blogger is catching up on what's happening next month The first ever Mesa Music Festival will be coming to downtown Mesa, AZ on November 13th – 15th, 2015! Just announced on 10/15: and here of October 14th in this 04:16 YouTube video

Hit up the website/GET INVOLVED  > http://www.mesamusicfest.com/get-involved/
Just had the pleasure of meeting Spags at Backstage Attire - this started out with figuring 20-30 bands . . . it's now at 220 bands who will be performing live

Don't Just Talk About Infrastructure > Support Getting The Money

Countdown to October 29 Transportation Deadline
Thousands of Voices for Public Transit Advocates Share Their Views with Congress
The U.S. House of Representatives is moving forward with its version of a multi-year transportation bill, which will include provisions for roads, bridges, and public transit. While it is far from a perfect bill, it is at least reassuring to know that there is finally movement on the issue in the House.
- See more at: http://voicesforpublictransit.org/blog.aspx?id=10-21-2015#sthash.Putc5WVm.dpuf

The Latest - APTA - Advocate

Sometimes, Congress works—or doesn’t work—in mysterious ways. Take public transportation funding, for example. For more than six years, Congress has been unable to pass a long-term transportation bill with increased funding for public transportation. There are many, many reasons for Congress to increase federal support for public transportation. Below, we share our top 10 reasons why Congress should move forward and pass a bill that increases America’s investment in public transportation. - See more at: http://voicesforpublictransit.org/blog.aspx?id=10-22-2015#sthash.GRwqqdj9.dpuf

Here's a very clear  visual showing the catastrophic drop in infrastructure funding - get the picture? . . . and why YOU need to take action for long-growth - not these 60 or 90-day extensions

People Move + Jobs Move

NJ Tech Council Awards 2014

Wayside gets $2.6M tax break for Oceanport move
Wayside Technology Group Inc WSTG plans to move from its Shrewsbury NJ  headquarters to the Oceanport portion of Fort Monmouth instead of Arizona after it was approved Thursday for a tax break of up to $2.6 million over 10 years, the chief executive officer Simon Nynens [in image to the left] said in an article from October 15, 2015.
Wayside would move more than 100 employees and create another 35 jobs in Fort Monmouth instead of moving to Mesa, AZ where it has another facility, Lifeboat Distribution.

What is http://www.lifeboatdistribution.com/ ?
Lifeboat Distribution, a subsidiary of Wayside Technology Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: WSTG), is an international value added distributor for virtualization/cloud computing, security, application and network infrastructure, business continuity/disaster recovery, database infrastructure and management, application lifecycle management, science/engineering, and other technically sophisticated products. The company helps vendors recruit and build multinational solution provider networks, power their networks, and drive incremental sales revenues that complement existing sales channels. Lifeboat Distribution services thousands of solution providers, VARs, systems integrators, corporate resellers, and consultants worldwide, helping them power a rich opportunity stream, expand their margin+ services revenues, and build profitable product and service businesses. For more information, visit http://www.lifeboatdistribution.com.

Lifeboat Distribution is a subsidiary of Wayside Technology Group.
In a July 30, 2015 Q2 results announcement Simon Nynens had this to say: "I am pleased to report solid financial results for Q2 2015. Overall, revenue increased 9% and Gross Profit increased 5% over the same period last year, due to continued strong performance from our Lifeboat Distribution team," said Simon F. Nynens, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "I am also pleased to announce that we have recently opened a Lifeboat Distribution sales office in Mesa, Arizona to enhance customer service for our Mid-west and West Coast customers . . .

Total sales for the second quarter of 2015 for our Lifeboat Distribution segment were $81.3 million compared to $70.0 million in the second quarter of 2014, representing an increase of $11.3 million or 16%.
http://news.sys-con.com/node/3392701
You can watch this dynamic CEO here in this YouTube video link > https://youtu.be/HC3dv8VPpNQ