The summer of 2017 came to a close with Hurricane Irma ripping through Naples, and along with the catastrophic damage it left in its wake, it also took its toll on our house.  Fortunately, we had our generator keeping the power on.  The house became a safe haven for several friends, and they were a big help in piecing it back together.  We’ll be heading down south next week, and we’ll see how far along the remediation has progressed.  Amanda has done a remarkable job having everyone engaged, so I’m pretty confident that we’ll be all set.

Other than that, it was a great summer with the highlight being Gabriela and Brendan’s wedding.  Giancarlo’s did an incredible job transforming the house and tennis court into a magical wedding venue, and it was a perfect summer night to spend with friends and family.

Over at the Walker Center, we have had quite a bit going on since Memorial Day.  We started things off with the opening of our new Grivani Cafe’ & Bakery [a solid contributor to the pounds I put on].  And we hit our high note with Bogavia and Pure+Fresh being featured at the grand opening of the newest Whole Foods Market.

The Walker Center also become the international headquarters for Capax Discovery.  Peter Mellett [and his whole family] moved from South Africa to take over Capax Discovery Development & Support, JJ Contessa moved from Connecticut to take over Capax International Marketing & Sales, and Mike McGrath moved emotionally from being the Advantage Co CFO to taking over Capax Resources HQ as our Chief Performance Officer.  Capax Discovery has become our main business, and it is certainly what I spend the majority of my time on.

This summer we also launched Inspired Global Resources with Jason Bird and Jeff Wynn.  http://inspiredglobalresources.org/

All in all, it was another great summer in Williamsville.  It went fast, and as much as I am going to miss Monday night dinners with the kids and earning a few bucks every Thursday at Brookfield, I can’t wait to get back to Naples.  I hope you get a chance to come and visit us this winter.  We’ll be looking forward to it.

Originally posted July 4, 2013

I never got around to thanking Elaine for teaching me to drive.  At 16, getting my license was my passport to freedom [and the end of hitch-hiking].  I took my permit test on my 16th birthday and immediately scheduled my road test for a few weeks later.  Unfortunately, I almost clipped a woman at a cross-walk and earned an immediate failure.  I think it was the last time I ever drove a car without power steering.  So, it was back to the drawing board – and another three weeks or so of waiting for my second shot.  That’s where Elaine comes in.

Elaine started working for my dad when she was just a kid.  My first recollection of her is at the ticket gate at the Twin Drive-In Theater.  It was in the late 50’s, and my father had opened up a new drive-in with two screens.

My Uncle Lou and my dad had a thing for drive-in theaters.  In 1952, they built the Transit Drive-In themselves out in the middle of nowhere.  How the screen they cobbled together stayed up, no one will ever know, but it did, and it was the start of a fascinating run of new businesses that started with the Twin Drive-In to Twin Fair to Value Home Improvement Centers.  From 1950 to 1970, they created some of the most memorable businesses in WNY.  They were a hell of a team.  My Uncle Lou took the edge off my dad, and they flourished together for 30 years until my Uncle Lou’s untimely death in the early 70’s.  My father was never the same.

I started out writing this post about Elaine, my father’s Girl Friday, but it really got me thinking about my father as a merchant.

My father was caught up in the discount-store-mania that was starting to sweep the country in the early 50’s [along with drive-ins, miniature golf, and rock’n’roll].  I remember Two Guys out of New Jersey was the first big competitor [along with IDS and eventually Big N].  WalMart, at the time, was a little late to the game [they didn’t get started until 1962], and no one gave them much attention.

My Uncle Lou and my father started Twin Fair by piecing together a series of relationships starting with John Nasca and John Bona.  My father leased out several of the departments, and that allowed him to get the requisite financing from M&T Bank.  Jim Otti [sp?] was a Commercial Loan Officer at M&T back in the day, and he was the only one who would even talk to my father about his novel idea.  Marine Midland wanted nothing to do with Italians, and if it wasn’t for Jim, there would have been no Twin Fair or Valu Home Improvement Centers.  I still bank with M&T for that very reason.

My father was an extraordinary merchant.  Although he never put his name on his businesses, and never accepted any accolades or attention – he was the man that built both Twin Fair and Valu Home Improvement Centers.  Tony Ragusa is not a name that is remembered by many in WNY, but his businesses are – and that’s all he ever wanted to build.

Along for nearly all of this was Elaine.  As I said, she became my father’s Girl Friday.  In the days of secretaries, Elaine transcended the role to become an essential element in the controlled chaos that is a merchant’s life.  My father was a widower for nearly 9 years before he eventually married his right arm, Elaine; and they spent the next 30+ years together through thick and thin.

And, yes, I finally got my license, and it was Elaine who patiently taught me to parallel park.

This a picture that I carry in my journal [and will forever].  It’s Theresa Manzella [who was like a second mother to me and one of my favorite women of all time], Doc Manzella, Elaine, and my father.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Mission Statement.  Grivani Corporate Gift Giving provides our corporate clients with a full array of premium gifts as well as white glove gift giving facilitation [including the sourcing, shipping, and return processing of all gifts].  At Grivani, we also offer our corporate clients a gift-giving concierge service that provides notification of gift giving events, gift suggestions, and gift sourcing.  Additionally, Grivani provides our corporate clients with corporate branded specialty product.

Everyone appreciates being remembered and recognized, which is why smart companies choose to recognize faithful customers during the holidays with a special gift that says “Thanks for your business.” – Timothy M. Andrews, ASI CEO

Companies that provide gifts to their best customers are in a $1.8 billion a year business in the United States alone.  And it’s growing every year.  But, more importantly, the total corporate spend is over $75 billion annually on awards points, merchandise, and gift cards in programs targeting four groups: sales staff, channel partners, all-employee programs, and customers.  

“Giving good business gifts is paramount,” said Ray Kish, president of Candlewood Marketing. “It’s the epoxy that holds profitable relationships together.  It’s right at the top rung of the marketing ladder, in terms of importance, because you show your creativity.”

Grivani Corporate Gift Giving Suite of Services

Grivani is different from the traditional corporate gift giving companies and other ASI businesses.  We offer a suite of services unlike any other.  Here is a profile of all that we have to offer.

Choosing the Appropriate Gift
Corporate gifts are widely regarded as an effective means of strengthening corporate relationships and creating goodwill.  Marketing managers are the principal decision makers in deciding whether there is a need to use corporate gifts and incentives.  The main recipients of those gifts and incentives are existing and potential customers.  The majority of companies prefer to use customized gifts that feature the company logo, but a corporate gift can be anything from stationery to an all-inclusive Caribbean holiday for two.  The type of gifts used is limited only by the imagination.  

The most important time to use gifts is at the launch of a new service and over the Christmas and New Year period.  Most companies purchase a mixture of gifts of different value to suit different needs.

There are three main issues in the use of corporate gifts.  The first is marketing related: the role and purpose, the budget and the recipient; the second involves practical considerations: the choice of right gifts and the timing etc. The third relates to cross-cultural and ethical concerns: how to give gifts overseas and how to distinguish gifts from bribery.


In many cultures, the ceremony of gift giving is laden with meaning and more important than the gift itself.  While corporate gifts are usually given on special occasions in Europe, in Asia it is often necessary to bring a gift for the first business meeting.  Each nation has a distinctive culture and value system that dictate the business gift-giving behavior.  What is totally acceptable and legal in one culture would be either unacceptable or illegal in another. International companies must understand the culture of the recipient in order to avoid making costly blunders.

Corporate Concierge Service
Our new Grivani Corporate Gift Concierge service provides for limitless options when it comes to our client’s personal or corporate gifting needs.  Our clients simply tell us what gifts or products they desire, and we set out to fulfill their requests with the highest attention to detail, taste, timeliness, logistics, and quality.  Always being mindful of our client’s needs, we also provide plenty of appropriate gifting options for clients who are unsure of what to gift for various occasions.  Whether it is for the client personally, their employees, customers, business associates, or loved ones, we are uniquely prepared to take care of any and all of their gifting needs.

Our Corporate Gift Concierge service is utilized for both personal and business gifting needs.  The Grivani Corporate Gift Concierge service is available to all of our Capax clients, and there is no charge to use our Corporate Gift Concierge services.  Our Grivani clients can simply call us and tell us what they’re looking for, and we’ll source and deliver it with the appropriate attention to detail.  Our service takes the guesswork out of gift-giving by providing our clients and consumers the benefit of a personal shopper.  

Not only do we provide outstanding service, we also provide Free Shipping, complimentary gift wrapping [in our signature houndstooth gift wrap], and wholesale pricing for our customers.  And even if we do not stock the gifts our clients are looking for, we will still gladly source it for them with our White Glove Gift Sourcing.

White Glove Gift Sourcing
Grivani offers premium white glove gift sourcing services.  Our team of talented gift selectors find the perfect gift for your client, spouse, or friend.  Our service expertise ranges from high-end fashion and luxury automobiles to the most sought-after scented candle.  We strive to locate hard to acquire items for our clients in areas of the world untouched by the human footprint.  Travel services are inclusive of the price of the gift.

Account Fulfillment Partnerships  
Grivani is the leader in account fulfillment partnerships.  We partner with large-scale accounts to offer our premium line-up of products to their customers and clients for gift purchases as well as gift redemption.  Not only do we provide our product to clients at wholesale pricing, but we ensure total fulfillment and the option to drop ship at no additional cost.  As an added benefit, Grivani provides a team of skilled operational experts who will guarantee the gift wrap, presentation, shipping, and delivery of product purchased through one of our sales agents.

Brand Development Partnerships
Grivani features a resourceful partnership with Advantage Global Resources [see below] for select brand development.  Our team of talented in-house designers are able to customize any of our product offerings with customized tags, labels, and design elements for your business, taking your customer’s satisfaction to the next level [i.e.: Pure+Fresh for J Brand, Grivani Home for Douglas Elliman].  We also leverage our mass merchandise brand partner, Modern Luxuri, to develop custom gift sets of fashion jewelry for any client need.

Corporate Branded ASI Products
Grivani’s newest sector, Corporate Branded Products [commonly referred to as CBP], is responsible for creating promotional ASI items, such as custom drinkware, bridal gifts, pen sets, and apparel.

Corporate Regulated Sector [CSR]
It is important to note that many companies forbid gift giving at high price points, so that is why Grivani has a category specifically for this client preference, the Corporate Regulated Sector.

Gift Giving Registry
Our gift giving registry will allow participants to identify all gift giving events and plan accordingly – and it will all be handled online.The Gift Giving Registry concierge will alert the registered gift giver to an upcoming event and provide gift suggestions based on that particular event’s registered criteria for gifting.  The concierge will then source, gift wrap, and ship the chosen gift.  And this concierge gift-giving service is free.  I think that along with our jumpsite strategy there is no greater opportunity for generating sales internationally.
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Grivani Wine Cellar
Our Grivani wine collection from Tuscany, Italy, is the main focus of our new premium wine shop located in the Walker Center nestled between TW&Co and Giancarlo’s Sicilian Steakhouse.  The Grivani Wine Cellar provides cross-marketing and selling opportunities with Giancarlo’s Corporate Catering and Grivani Corporate Gift Giving.  Our Grivani wines, made in Tuscany, can be sold internationally.
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iWorldFundraising.org

It’s been a long time coming, but we are finally launching iWorldFundraising.org.  Jamie and Shauna are continuing to build our website, and we anticipate a January 1st launch.  Right now we are active with our beta version.iWorldFundraising.org provides a revolutionary Zero Fee online venue to raise money for organizations, individuals, causes, and events.  iWorldFundraising.org is a Zero Fee web-enabled program designed to help facilitate and create awareness for fundraising of all sorts, all without the limitations of traditional fundraising services and their excessive fees.  Unlike fundraising services such as GoFundMe [who charge an 8% service fee], iWorldFundraising.org charges no fees and takes no commission or profit of any kind on any transaction.  All of the functionality and support is donated entirely by the Advantage Co of Williamsville, NY.  The only possible charge would be a third party fee that AmEx, Visa, Master Card, Venmo, PayPal, or BitCoin might impose for their role in processing the transaction.

In addition to providing a Zero Fee venue for direct online contributions, iWorldFundraising.org also provides participants access to our iWorldFundraising Online Marketplace – where the entire profit from donor purchases goes directly to their fundraising effort.  Manufacturers and retailers are encouraged to provide their goods and services through the iWorldFundraising Online Marketplace at their wholesale cost and to provide the handling and delivery of the donor purchases, while the entire retail profit goes directly to the designated recipient.  iWorldFundraising.org does not, under any circumstances, retain any of the profit or any of the revenue collected.  It is a Zero Fee facilitation by iWorldFundraising.org

The iWorldFundraising.org marketplace is live at iWorldShoppingCenter.com

Supporting worthwhile causes is the Advantage Co’s top priority with their Zero Fee fundraising concept.  The inspiration for their concept which includes the iWorld Marketplace was from the proverb: Teach a man to fish and he eats for a day, but if you teach a man to fish he can eat for a lifetime.  By creating and supporting a venue such as iWorldFundraising.org, the Advantage Co enables organizations and individuals with a remarkable and sustainable cost-free resource to raise funds forever – which is well beyond the impact of a mere donation.

iWorldFundraising.org is the complete ecommerce solution for an event, organization, or individual’s fundraising efforts.  The days of dangerously selling products like Girl Scout Cookies door to door are over.  There is no longer be a need to for anyone to handle cash contributions, especially children.  All transactions are online and fully accounted for with full transparency.  iWorldFundraising.org provides fundraisers with full access to all of our resources.  This is truly a unique fundraising opportunity.  All that’s necessary from the organization or individual is to promote direct access to iWorldFundraising.org for their fundraising activities.  There is no cost to join iWorldFundraising.org, and there is never any fee.

http://advantageexperience.com/catalog/2017/
http://www.iworldfundraising.org/
https://iworldshoppingcenter.com/
http://theadvantage.com/

Advantage Global Resources Brand Development Program

At the Advantage Co, the development of our backend support services over the past 40 years has positioned us to realize our potential as an easily accessible, cost-effective, and flexible resource for a variety of business operations.  At the core of all our Advantage Co backend support is Advantage Global Resources [AGR].  

Advantage Global Resources provides the essential support apparatus for the origination, design, structure, financing, development, growth, reporting, monitoring, analytics, compliance, security, accounting, and governance of all our businesses and partnerships.

Based on our deliverable expertise, Advantage Global Resources has developed a unique and extraordinary Brand Development Program.  The services that we efficiently deliver to all our businesses and partnerships [i.e. Capax Discovery, c1 Advantage, AP Professionals, ABX, Bogavia, CISO Sentinel, TW&Co, Giancarlo’s, LTS, Stereo Advantage, Grivani Wine Cellar, etc.] are indeed world class, and we are now able to make them readily available through our Brand Development Program to various clients who are looking to effectively and expeditiously launch their own brand [i.e. Carolina Clothing Co, Sozae, JNorman & Co, Christeus, Phroket, SparkIt, etc.].

While venture capitalists and start-up incubators assist in the development, marketing, financing, and launch of a brand, AGR not only provides those highly visible services, but goes well beyond to provide the nuts and bolts of every business, including, as needed, product sourcing, warehousing, and distribution, as well as ecommerce, retail testing, and full accounting and compliance support.

Simply put, our Advantage Global Resources Brand Development Program provides every aspect of brand development and sustainable business activity efficiently and effectively [launched in a matter of days, if necessary].  From creating the desired corporate entity to building the brand to providing full business support, AGR is the complete resource.   

https://iworldshoppingcenter.com/

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I remain suspicious of my memory.  I know it plays tricks on me, which I don’t mind, but I’d like to know just how distorted it has all become.  What was once contentious, now appears farcical.  And what was once troubling, now appears amusing.  That’s all good, and what’s even better is that what was once delightful is now even more so.

I did a little research, and it appears that it’s only natural to remember things more fondly.  Knowing that, I am bothered ever more by people who are still holding on to a grudge,  slight, or animosity from so long ago.  The best advice in life is to let it go.

As 2016 comes to a close, my short term memory conjures up a year that rivals the past, and, in many ways, exceeds even the best of my memories.  The kids are all doing great, our businesses get more fascinating and global ever year, my friends are as enjoyable as ever, and life in Naples is almost surreal.  And as I pack to leave 85 and sunny for 25 and snowy, I’m definitely looking forward to it.  I’ll see you at Giancarlo’s by my table next to the wood-fired pizza oven.

Yes, it is all – if to be believed – phantasmagorical.  And it is.

Welcome to the new Capax Discovery.  Our commitment to providing reliable enterprise archive solutions began years ago, but the past two years have proved to be the most remarkable time in the development of our company into the acknowledged world leader for comprehensive and secure information insight platforms.  While our Capax Archive Solutions [EAS] have recently been recognized in the Gartner Magic Quadrant, they have, more importantly, earned their stature in the marketplace as the most advanced on-premise and hosted enterprise archiving solutions respectively …  and this is just the beginning of the new Capax Discovery story.

We have now successfully partnered with HPE, Microsoft, ownCloud, CISO Sentinel, and other best-of-class resources to create the most technologically advanced and secure archiving solutions that offer seamless compatibility with the most widely used platforms.  And, as always, we continue to provide custom software development, systems integration, adaptive machine learning for advanced eDiscovery, and much more.  We are now, more than ever, the most comprehensive information insight, governance, and security solution.

Starting with the development of our new Capax Archive Solutions in October of 2014, Capax Discovery now features three independently owned and operated archive resources dedicated to providing industry-leading software solutions bundled with the best technical support, consulting, and training for information governance, security, and compliance.  The three new divisions of Capax Discovery are:

1. Capax Archive Solutions [CAS].  Built on the EAS platform by our software development experts, our new enhanced archiving solution is now recognized in the Gartner Magic Quadrant.  Capax Archive Solutions is the acknowledged leader in on-premise and hybrid archiving solutions for enterprise customers who demand the most secure and flexible archiving and eDiscovery resource.
   
   And when it comes to providing our world-class solutions, the deciding factor in their efficacy relies on the contribution of the engineering, professional services, maintenance, and support teams that assure secure and reliable performance.  Capax Maintenance & Support answers the call for all of our customers’ needs with a speed to performance that exceeds all industry standards.
2. Zovy Archive Solutions [ZAS].  Built on the HPCA platform by our Zovy development team, our new cloud archiving solution is the leader in managed, hosted, and cloud archiving solutions for enterprise customers who demand the most secure and flexible archiving and eDiscovery resource without the demands of expensive infrastructure capitalization.
3. Sceven.  Our guarantee that Capax Archive Solutions and Zovy Archive Solutions will remain the industry leaders in information insight and governance is being fulfilled by a worldwide team of software development experts that have demonstrated their ability to engineer state-of-the-art product performance ahead of schedule and in sync with our commitment to our customers.  

In addition to the development of our 3 independently owned and operated archive resources, we have also partnered with CISO Sentinel to ensure that we provide the most secure solutions available today.  CISO Sentinel was the first solution to be awarded the FedRAMP ATO for secure continuous monitoring.  They are the foremost experts in the world when it comes to meeting the exacting NIST and DISA regulatory standards for information governance and cybersecurity.  We are privileged to be the exclusive provider of this most sought after security component, as well as proud to have CISO Sentinel available for all of our products.

We welcome all of our current and future customers to the new Capax Discovery.  For more information on how we can help you to more effectively and securely utilize all of our solutions, services, and products – please contact our Director of International Sales, JJ Contessa, at jcontessa@capaxdiscovery.com.  Thank you.