TECHNOLOGY
PR Newswire | October 31, 2023
Extu announced GoTu Rewards, a fast to launch, flexible and affordable new incentive platform designed for companies of all sizes that want to initiate a basic loyalty program on a modest budget. GoTu Rewards is notable for its ease of use and exciting reward catalog featuring millions of options.
"Midmarket and SMB companies are frequently looking for programs to incentivize their sales teams, employees, resellers and consumers—yet many programs are too expensive and difficult to manage," said Extu's CEO Steve Prebble. "Recognizing this need, we've created the ideal solution with GoTu Rewards, a platform that takes the worry and work out of incentive programs."
With no monthly fees, GoTu Rewards' pay-as-you-go structure allows companies to purchase points or physical gift cards in bulk to deliver to their participants as needed. It reduces the administrative burden while offering a vast array of appealing rewards that keep participants engaged and earning. GoTu Rewards also provides companies with peace of mind by meeting Service Organization Control (SOC) 2 compliance requirements to ensure that sensitive corporate and participant data is safe.
William Lupo, Extu's Chief Revenue Officer, explained, "GoTu Rewards offers a back-to-basics program for companies or teams that want to be able to award people quickly and easily for a job well done. It's a high reward but low cost option with great perks for participants that are sure to spark motivation and drive revenue."
Prebble concluded, "Safety, speed and rewards that resonate are the hallmarks of GoTu Rewards—making it a perfect fit for companies that are looking to launch quickly and drive loyalty across their employee or sales networks."
About Extu
Extu, formerly known as Incentive Solutions and OneAffiniti, is on a mission to inspire growth. Extu provides through-channel marketing automation, an innovative online rewards platform, with millions of exciting online rewards, prepaid and gift card incentives, as well as group travel incentives. Our solutions are built to help manufacturers and dealers increase sales, capture mindshare, build customer loyalty and improve data collection throughout their channels. Founded in 1994, Extu incorporates powerful technology with real-time data, helping clients get a full view of reseller performance, and empowering channel marketers and driving growth.
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TECHNOLOGY
Business Wire | November 01, 2023
A new survey from Index by Pinger reveals that 67% of Americans have a small business, or do a side hustle or freelance work. And 75% of these respondents also work as an employee for another organization. The survey also revealed another 17% plan to start a business, side hustle or take on freelance work in the future.
“It’s really not surprising,” said Inc. Magazine small business columnist and best-selling author Steve Strauss. “The economy is one motivation for sure. But it’s also never been easier or more affordable to start a business or side hustle.”
The top reasons cited for starting their business, including side hustling and freelancing: 80% did it to increase their income, while 40% said they wanted to learn a new skill, and 30% said they wanted to be their own boss.
“This data shows that the American entrepreneur is alive and well, even in an uncertain world,” said Greg Woock, CEO of Pinger. “We have huge respect for anyone with the courage to choose their own path as a small business owner and we are committed to supporting them with innovative communication tools.”
Additional Findings
62% say they work more than 20 hours a week on their microbusiness.
63% hope their small business, freelance work or side hustle will become their full-time or “real” job.
Of the respondents who do not currently run a microbusiness, 49% said they would be willing to work hard at a side hustle “as long as I love the work.
”When asked what advice they received about business, respondents’ answers ranged from the practical (“Be persistent.” “Charge what you’re worth.” “It’s all wishful thinking until you get paid.”) to the downright silly (“The best way to double your money is to fold it over and put it into your wallet.”).
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BUSINESS STRATEGY
PR Newswire | October 27, 2023
Incline Equity Partners, a leading private equity firm dedicated to investing across the middle market, is pleased to announce its partnership with White Label Communications ("WLC" or the "Company"), a provider of private label communication solutions to Managed Service Providers ("MSPs").
Based in Pittsburgh, PA, WLC offers Atlas, a proprietary technology platform that enables MSPs to provide solutions to their customers via core operations such as sales, finance and reporting. Atlas also allows MSPs to deploy private-labeled customer communication tools such as VoIP, video conferencing, SMS and chat to their clients, typically small and medium-sized businesses ("SMBs").
"White Label Communications was founded in 2011 to create a simple solution for private label unified communications," said Tom Joseph, Founder and CEO of WLC. "Our partnership with Incline will provide continued investment and expertise to advance our technology platform, further enabling our MSP partners to grow their businesses."
"We are excited to support Tom and the WLC team who have built a differentiated and diversified platform," said Victor Martinelli, Managing Director at Incline. "To broaden the Company's private label solutions set, we plan to add complementary products through strategic acquisitions. The goal is to position our MSP partners to be full-service providers capable of delivering a complete set of essential solutions for their SMB customers."
About Incline Equity Partners
Incline Equity Partners is a leading private equity firm dedicated to investing across the middle market in distribution, business services and manufacturing companies. Incline is generally seeking growing companies with enterprise values of $25 – $750 million. Incline's typical investment types are ownership transitions for privately held businesses, buyouts and corporate divestitures within the U.S. and Canada.
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