The 3rd annual Touched By Type 1 Conference educates and empowers kids, teens and adults who are impacted by (or have a connection to) Type1 Diabetes. The conference will be held at Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Florida on May 18, 2019 from 8am to 5pm. Registration is $10 per person and includes all event materials, breakfast and lunch. Click here to register. The event features nine hours of varying sessions for all ages by leading national experts. Check out this exciting speaker panel line up.Check out the exhibit floor to connect with a vareity of Type 1 relevant exhibitors such as: StayPut Medical, TrialNet, OmniPod, Tandem, Medtronic, A Tad Too Sweet, Orange Theory Fitness, Lilly and more!The Touched by Type 1 Conference is organized by Dancing for Diabetes, a Central Florida nonprofit organization whose mission is to spread awareness of the impact that Type 1 Diabetes, has on roughly 1.25 Million America children and adults. Through the art of dance, DFD has been raising funds to find a cure for Type 1 Diabetes for nearly 20 years.“When you have diabetes, it impacts every decision you make—from the food you eat, the clothes you wear and how you take care of yourself. Our (DFD) goal is to support local individuals and families who are impacted by type 1 Diabetes and to raise funds to support the Diabetes Research Institute – to find a cure!” Dancing for Diabetes Founder, Elizabeth Forrest

Orlando is an exciting city to fall in love! Here are some unique ways to spend your next date night or take the 7-Date Challenge and do all seven! Spread Your Wings with an In-Door Sky Diving adventure. Take a leap with your lover at IFLY Indoor Skydiving located on International Drive. Enjoy some blood-pumping adrenaline with “bodyflight” one of the most exciting new sports in the world. Check out the 5 levels and book early! Set Sail on a nighttime Bioluminescent Kayaking Tour. Spend a magical evening aboard a kayak for two as the water lights up with luminous sea life surrounding your kayak. Book in advance with BK Adventure. Celebrate your romance at the historic Enzian Theatre in Maitland, Florida. Be serenaded by a live band in the Eden Bar (select nights) and get your tickets for the next romantic comedy. Arrive early to secure your seats in the famous red “love seats.” Plan to eat dinner here, they have a full (and delicious menu). Put your love to the test by trying your hand at a couple’s team building exercise. Book a private couples experience at The Great Escape Room. Improve your communication and foster bonding with your number one, select from six Escape Room experiences like Escape the Colosseum where you have 100 minutes to escape or Professor Moriartary’s Game Room where you have 60 minutes to find an antidote. Laugh it off at SAK Comedy Lab with front row seats at Orlando’s most popular live improv show – located at 20 South Orange Avenue. Hit the slopes and fall in love all over again at WinterClub Indoor Ski & Snowboard. Reserve a private couples indoor skiing or snowboarding on one of their indoor ski slopes featuring an interactive panoramic ski simulator. Located in Winter Park. Florida. Don’t lose that loving feeling. Surprise your special someone with a live lip sync serenade at Catch a Rising Star at Universal City Walk. However, you decide to spend your date night, be creative and keep the magic going. Check out the Orlando News Room – a blog about interesting people and exciting places in Central Florida.

News Release Feb 26, 2019 Brain Injury Awareness Day in Orange County is March 5th In the United States 2.5 Million people sustain a Traumatic Brain Injury every year (Orlando, Florida) - Every nine seconds, someone in the United States sustains a brain injury. An acquired brain injury is an injury to the brain that is not hereditary or degenerative. There are two types of acquired brain injury: traumatic and non-traumatic. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the normal function of the brain. The severity of a TBI may range from “mild” to “severe.” Non- Traumatic Brain Injury can be caused by electric shock, infectious disease, oxygen deprivation, stroke, seizures and substance abuse to name a few. Both types of Brain injury can change the way a person thinks, acts and feels – in a matter of seconds. The effects of a brain injury are complex and vary greatly from person to person. The Art of Medicine Foundation is a Central Florida nonprofit organization who, since 2015, has raised over $680,000 to support brain injury research and treatment – and led the charge to have March 5, 2019 officially recognized as “Brain Injury Awareness Day in Orange County.” An official proclamation will be delivered at a ceremony taking place on March 5th (1pm to 2pm).Orange County District 4 Commissioner Maribel Gomez Cordero will present the proclamation to Art of Medicine Founders, Ken and Cindy LaRoe. The event will be held at the UCF College of Medicine Medical Education building located at 6850 Lake Nona Drive. Guests will gather in the Dr. Phillips Rotunda for the reading, followed by a guided tour of the facility which houses innovative, high tech labs and educational space designed to provide an ideal learning environment for future physicians. The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) leads the nation in observing Brain Injury Awareness Month by conducting an awareness campaign in March each year. The theme for the 2019 campaign is Change Your Mind. BIAA is a national organization representing and serving individuals, families and professionals who are touched by traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Time Flies! Where does it go? Is it really on my side? With a seemingly endless flood of inputs into our daily lives - requests for our time and attention are coming from an increasing number of sources: phones, computers, tablets and (curiously) now even some appliances. And true for so many of us, the line between personal and professional life is blurred as best. So where do we find the time?For me, both personally and professionally I am always inventing crafty hacks to be more efficient with my time. A few years back I created a TIME INVENTORY - an evaluation and management process to categorize and allocate the way in which I spend my allotted 24 hours per day. It went well – I found "the time" as they say. I freed up 12 hours per month just my making a few tweaks to my monthly schedule.  If you want to make your own TIME INVENTORY, start with a simple spreadsheet. The vertical column marks your 24-hour daily time allowance. The horizontal column is labeled to identify your “buckets” – broad categories to which you allocate your time.  Your buckets will be specific to your world, but here are mine: My Time Inventory - How I Spend My Time (Monthly) 1. Livelihood - For me, this is time spent with existing clients time spent fulfilling contractual commitments, providing value added services and building long term value. For you, defined as people who are paying you. 2. Future Livelihood - For me, this is time spent cultivating new clients and key relationships. For you, defined as people who will one day (hopefully soon) be paying you.  If you are in a position that does not require you to bring in new clients you might try these categories:  Your Main Job (Generates $) Your Side Gig (Generates $) Future Income (Not Currently Generating $) 3. Pro Bono Work – Philanthropy has always been central to the Anything is Posh Able brand culture. In fact, I donate about 10% of my work hours providing FREE Event Planning, Marketing and Public Relations services to Central Florida nonprofits - through my giving brand - Posh Abilities. 4. Strategic Partnerships and Alliances – Building your brand, sharing you vision and connecting with others in the fields you want to work in or support. You might also think of this category as networking. But a word of advice – if you are at a networking event and you look around the room and no one there could hire you - it’s not really networking (is it?). It’s not that I am anti networking events – in fact I organize some pretty impactful ones myself – just noting importance of being strategic with your time.  5. Personal Enrichment and Relationships – As a business owner, the line between my personal and professional life is paper thin. So I am intentional to allocate PLENTY of time for fitness, friends and fun. I like getting out my comfort zone, trying new things and spending time doing things I enjoy with people I love being around. 6. Other – This is the bucket for activity that cannot be placed in any of the other categories. A catch-all for activities that are not building my mission, not generating income or potential income, not benefiting society or enriching my life or personal relationships.  When I did my TIME INVENTORY, I discovered that I was spending nearly 20% of my time doing activities from my “OTHER” bucket.  Meaning doing things that were not supporting my vision or driving my plan. Luckily, it was a clean fix, I found that most the “other” stuff was coming from one (easy to resolve) source – which I call my INPUT channels.  Input channels are the ways in which we allow others access to our life - both digitally (emails, texts and phones) and real-time (coffees, calls and conversations).  Coming Soon - read Defining and Streamlining your Input Channels for Peak Efficiency.

Empowerment was in the air as some of Orlando's most empowering and hilarious women gathered at The Abbey in downtown Orlando on Thursday, January 24, 2019 for the inaugural Empowering Night of Laughter brought to you by Posh Able Events - where Anything is Posh Able. The evening was an "unprofessional" stand-up comedy experience - intended to inspire all of us to be fearless in getting out of our comfort zones. Check out More Funny Video and Photos A SOLD OUT crowd was witness to empowerment in action as nine Fearlessly Funny Women "got out of their comfort zones" and took center stage to perform a five-minute comedic routine - which they had written themselves. They were joined by our 3 Empresses of Empowerment (Heather Wilkie, Real Radio Moira and Kaia Forget) who rocked the house their passion-filed stories of how having a sense of humor in life has empowered them. Thank you to Ybeth Bruzual, Spectrum News13 Anchor, who led the evening with her signature style of awesome. The evening recognized three local nonprofit organizations (Orlando City Foundation, Zebra Coalition, A Gift For Teaching) who are on the front lines empowering people in the Central Florida community to live their best lives. A special thank you to Bay Hill Jewelers for "bringing the glam" at the Bay Hill Jewelers Styling Station.  Thank you to Orlando Magazine and the Orlando News Room blog for your in-print and online coverage of event. The inspiration behind An Empowering Night of Laughter is Paula Wyatt, Orlando Enthusiast and Chief Excitement Officer at Anything is Posh Able (Events, Image Building and Philanthropy) - who already has partnerships in place for the 2nd Annual Empowering Night of Laughter set for January 2020. "I grew up with a professional comedian as a father. So I learned early on that there was a special magic in the ability to make someone laugh - laughter is powerful and comedy is connection. Having done stand-up comedy myself, I can report that it's the most terrifyingly awesome thing that anyone can do in terms of taking life to the next level and getting out of your comfort zone. Because comedy has empowered me in my life and because I think getting out of your comfort zone should be mandatory - I wanted to offer other women a platform to feel the peak level of aliveness that only comes from stand-up comedy. So, I created An Empowering Night of Laughter - bringing together an energetic room full of empowered and philanthropic women for a hilarious night of laughter." The take away is - get out of your comfort zone, try new things, take risks....and most importantly don't forget to LAUGH

The Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina will come alive with a culture-rich Indian-American heritage night as part of the NBA Nets vs. Hornets game on February 23, 2019. Tickets can be purchased at www.excelindiausa.com. Each ticket includes a reserved seat at the 7:00pm NBA game as well as a seat for the dance competition and access to a full line up of unique cultural entertainment. EXCEL INDIA® organizes India Day Heritage Nights in partnership with NBA franchises across the country. The in-game events promote Indian-American heritage through the development of creative community partnerships and networking events. BOLLYWOOD MAGIC® is a national dance showcase and competition providing culture-rich entertainment featured before, during and after the NBA franchise games. NBA franchises include: Orlando Magic, Washington Wizards, Brooklyn Nets and Charlotte Hornets. View Halftime Performance Video “The mission of Bollywood Magic is to preserve and integrate Indian culture into the US mainstream - through Sports. This integration will not only keep our rich heritage alive for future generations of Indian Americans. but also keep our vibrant culture at the forefront for millions of sports fans.” says: Chandni Navodita, Creative Director and Co-Founder of ExcelIndia® BOLLYWOOD MAGIC® is an EXCELINDIA® company. EXCELINDIA® organizes Heritage Nights in partnership with NBA franchises across the country. The in-game events promote Indian-American heritage through the development of creative community partnerships and production of culture-rich entertainment highlighting Indian lifestyle through music, dance and fashion.

Americans gave an estimated $410 billion in 2017 to nonprofit organizations according to the Giving USA 2018 report.  The 2018 report will be out summer of 2019.  These dollars include everything from little league teams to disaster relief and include faith-based organizations and higher education institutions.  This amount equates to 2% percent of the gross domestic product and is growing at about 3% a year. To offer some context, the nonprofit sector is a $410 billion-dollar market. Compare this to The entire Fast Food Market at $200 billion and the entire Coffee Industry at $208 billion. This means that the nonprofit sector generates more money each year than the entire fast-food and coffee industries  combined.   There are more than 1.5 million nonprofit organizations registered in the United States, according to the National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS). This number includes public charities, private foundations, and other types of nonprofit organizations, including chambers of commerce, fraternal organizations and civic leagues. With a population of about 325 million that means that if we divided the number of nonprofit organizations into the total number of charities (just for fun to show relation) each charity would have only 216 people to support it.  But in actuality, industry research suggests that at least half of all nonprofits are set up to fail. So, this should leave about 750 thousand nonprofits to split the pie. Right? Not exactly. Industry experts report that there is a big gap between the TOP performing charitable organizations, and “the rest.” Why Do Some Nonprofits Fail?  Here is where the data gets a little lighter, but if you care to take a deeper look at the many insightful statistics impacting the nonprofit sector, including why people give, how they give and to whom they are giving - here are some reliable sources:           Urban Institute         National Center for Charitable Statistics          Guide Star         Statistical         National Council of Nonprofits Now, let’s look again at the $410 billion that Americans give annually to charity. Where is it coming from? Who is giving and how much are they giving?  According to the Giving USA 2018 report, we can analyze donations by category. Of the total $410 billion given annually by Americans:         70% came from individuals         16% came from foundations         9% came from bequests         5% from corporations As someone who works with nonprofit organizations to help them grow their corporate donations and to build strategic partnerships, I was very surprised to see that of the total amount donated to charity each year by Americans, only 5% came from corporations. But with a closer look, it makes sense as there are only 28 million registered businesses, who are doing the giving - while we have over 325 million individuals doing the giving. Working with nonprofit organizations to develop marketing and fundraising strategies, I am always interested in WHY PEOPLE GIVE.  The newest information from the Giving USA 2018 report shows that of the total annual charitable giving (of $410 billion) Americans are giving to the following categories:         Religion 30%         Education 14%         Human Services 12%         Gifts to Foundations 11% (unique as they BOTH give and receive)       Health 9%          Public Society Benefit 7%         International Affairs 6%        Arts and Culture 5%         Environmental/Animal 3%         To other individuals 2% So the $410 billion dollar question that all nonprofit marketers, leadership teams and boards are asking themselves is – what motivates someone to give? (and more importantly) How can you everage that information to elevate your mission and grow your donor base? There is a science to "why people give" and there is an art to "convincing them to do it."  Mainstream marketers sell a product or service by identifying a need within a target market, making a product to fill that need - then effectively communicating how their product or service will fill that need. In the world of nonprofit marketing, we are selling ideas and feelings about potential impact. Nonprofit marketing, in contrast to selling shoes, is selling the idea that there is an urgent problem and then convincing a potential donor that their contribution will positively impact that problem. By the way, doing this whilst competing amongst the 1.5 million other equally worthy nonprofits.

“I think the best role models for women are people who are fruitfully and confidently themselves, who bring light into the world.” - Meryl Streep (Orlando, Fla.) — On March 1, 2019, at the Women’s Inspired Leadership Awards Luncheon, i4 Business magazine will celebrate eight women whose leadership brings light to the Central Florida community. This year’s honorees offer inspiration through their perseverance, innovation and compassion, with each having contributed to the region’s vitality. Celebrated in March to coincide with Women’s History Month, the awards luncheon is intended to uplift, inspire and encourage. The magazine has held the awards since 2016. Each honoree will be featured in the March issue of i4 Business. The magazine accepted nominations for the awards from throughout Central Florida, and a committee of community leaders voted on the entries. The 2019 honorees are: Spirit of Advocacy: Shelley Lauten, CEO of the Central Florida Commission on Homelessness. Spirit of Mentorship: Pamela Rogan, president and CEO of Rogan Marketing and Communications. Spirit of Progress: Avani Desai, president of Schellman & Company. Spirit of Engagement: Catherine McManus, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola County. Spirit of Innovation: Suneera Madhani, CEO and founder of Fattmerchant. Spirit of Collaboration: Davia Moss, vice president of operations and client services with Next Horizon. Spirit of Entrepreneurship: Dena Jalbert, founder and CEO of Align Business Advisory Services Athena NextGen Emerging Leader: Alyse Quinn, accounts vice president with big.vison “In shining a light on the accomplishments of these women, i4 Business hopes to empower them to continue their valuable work in the Central Florida community, and encourage others to participate in any way they can,” said Cherise Czaban, CEO of i4 Business LLC. “With the contributions and perspectives of many, we might all benefit by strengthening and sustaining Central Florida’s excellent quality of life.” The awards event will be held from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. March 1, 2019, at Rosen Shingle Creek, 9939 Universal Blvd., Orlando, FL 32819. Limited sponsorship opportunities are still available. For information, contact Publisher Cherise Czaban, cherise@i4biz.com or 321-848-3530. To purchase tickets or corporate tables, visit bit.ly/WomensInspiredLeadership. *** ABOUT i4 BUSINESS MAGAZINE          Through its print and digital platforms, i4 Business magazine promotes the spirit of entrepreneurship and provides a showcase for and about business leaders throughout Central Florida. Now in its sixth year, the magazine is produced monthly in Orlando. Visit www.i4biz.com. January 24, 2019 MEDIA CONTACT: Cherise Czaban, Publisher cherise@i4biz.com 321-848-3530

11th Annual Orlando Home & Garden Show Comes to the Orange County Convention Center Jan. 11-13 Show Features Celebrity Appearance by Jeff Lewis of Bravo's ‘Flipping Out’ ORLANDO, Fla. (Dec. 20, 2018) – Start the new year off right at the 11th Annual Orlando Home & Garden Show being held Jan. 11-13 at the Orange County Convention Center. The show promises to be better than ever as builders, gardeners and DIY’ers welcome 2019 with the latest and greatest products, exhibits and seminars.  Showattendees will find builders, remodelers, contractors, building materials, decks, pools, spas, entertainment systems, storage solutions, all kinds of plants, landscape displays, kitchenware, home accessories and much more.  SPECIAL GUESTS ·         Celebrity Appearance by Jeff Lewis of Bravo's “Flipping Out” ·         Special Guest, Boyce Thompson, Home Tech Guru SHOW HIGHLIGHTS With Landscape, Home Improvement and Interior Design Experts, plus Pets, Wildlife and Family Fun - the Orlando Home & Garden Show is more than a home show…it is fun! Landscape Experts ·         Landscapes, Gardening, Plant Sales & Soil Testing ·         Local Landscapers – Get your lawn and garden questions answered by visiting with local experts ·         Gardening Seminars – Learn how to get more from your yard and garden by growing your own produce ·         Outdoor Living Solutions – Featuring outdoor kitchens, grills, patio furniture, fountains and yard art ·         On-Site Plant Sale – Plants from Elemental Nursery & Flowers from Farm 9 ·         University of Florida Master Gardeners – Free pH testing for your soil samples Home Improvement The Orlando Home & Garden show also includes a complete selection of home improvement experts and ideas where you can really get a ‘feel’ for your next home improvement project. You’ll find just about everything for your home all under one roof: ·         Kitchen & Bath Experts ·         Contractors & Remodelers ·         Interior design ·         Outdoor Living & Entertaining ·         Cabinets, Countertops & Flooring ·         Closet & Garage Storage & Organization ·         DIY Seminars by The Home Depot ·         Solar Energy Solutions Interior Design & Style This show is packed with design and style. The SODO Home Design Center, a show-goers favorite, features the latest trends in lighting, kitchens, baths, countertops, flooring, cabinetry, appliances and more. Attendees can touch and feel new products from the highest quality brands, and find solutions that inspire and revitalize your home and speak with an interior designer about their own spaces. Florida's Pets & Wildlife Animal & nature lovers, unite! This show has a great variety of Florida’s own pets and wildlife to explore! ·         Gator & Animal Encounters by Gatorland ·         Obedience & Obstacle Demos by Sit Means Sit ·         On-site Pet Adoptions by Polka Dogz Pet Rescue ·         Bird of Prey Shows Family Fun ·         Meet Curious George and have your picture taken with him! He will be excited to meet your kiddos Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. ·         Board & Brush Plank Wood Projects ·         Cupcake Decorating by The Naked Cupcake ·         Chocolate Making Seminars ·         Birdfeeder Building with The Home Depot ·         Wine Lounge ·         Central Park with a Farmer’s Market & Yard Games When: Jan. 11-13, 2019 Where: Orange County Convention Center (Hall NB, North B) 9400 Universal Blvd Orlando, FL 32819 Hours: Friday 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission: Adult 17+: $9 65+ & Retired Military: $7 w/valid ID 16 & Under: Free First Responders & Active Military: Free w/ID *No further discounts applied to Senior Admission or Retired Military Admission. Military discount not valid on Dependents; discounts cannot be combined. Accepted Payments: Cash, Check, Credit Card Parking: Parking in the North Lots is $10 per day for standard vehicles and $25 per day for oversized vehicles. Payments accepted: Cash, Traveler’s Checks, AmEx, MasterCard & Visa. 50 words: The 11th Annual Orlando Home & Garden Show is being held Jan. 11-13 at the Orange County Convention Center. The show features builders, gardeners and DIY’ers welcoming 2019 with the latest products, exhibits and seminars.  Enjoy a celebrity appearance by Jeff Lewis of Bravo's “Flipping Out." Media Contact: Kimbra Hennessy kimbra@bitner.com 407-415-6656

   The Orlando Fringe Winter Mini-Fest was created as a way to open your eyes to the world of Fringe on a small, easy to introduce kind-of-way. Orlando Fringe Winter Mini-Fest runs January 10th through January 13th featuring a creative lineup of 22 shows in 4 days. Plus, many exciting events and workshops. Check out this exciting schedule. The Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival has been celebrated as Central Florida's "Best Festival" and "Most Unique Cultural Event" by readers of the Orlando Weekly and Orlando Sentinel for the past 24 years. Winter Mini-Fest was created so fans could enjoy the festival energy during the off-season.  The four days of Winter Mini-Fest present the best of the best productions, some from past Fringe Festivals, and some new-to-Orlando works from Fringe Festival performers from around the globe. See shows, take a chance on something not in your comfort zone, and embrace the chaotic nature of Fringe. Special events during the four-day festival include Extra Fringe Fun Times, which consist of: "Fringe Against Humanity" on Thursday, January 10th "Trivia with George Wallace" on Friday, January 11th "Two Lies and a Truth" Saturday, January 12th All Extra Fringe Fun Times will begin at 9:30 pm in the Courtyard and are great to either participate in or just sit back, watch, and laugh. The Opening Ceremony is Thursday, January 10th at 6:30 pm, and will include a ribbon cutting, officially marking the beginning of the festival.  The Closing Ceremony and wrap party will be Sunday, January 13th at 10:15 pm. Both events take place within the courtyard of The Lowndes Shakespeare Center. Festival organizers have also announced a free workshop "Devising Theatre From the Outside In." Director David R. Gammons and the cast of The Bald Soprano, members of The Boston Conservatory, discuss the process of developing character and relationship through intensive physical training and visual research. The workshop will also cover upending conventional theatre design practices. The ensemble uses accessories such as costumes, wigs, and makeup to inform foundational acting choices. The workshop is scheduled for Sunday, January 13 from 3:30 pm-4:30 pm in the festival's Blue Venue and is free and open to the public. In addition to the free special event activities planned during the festival, there will be beer & booze tents along with rotating daily food vendors including Dixie Dharma, La Femme du Fromage, and SwedeDISH. Many fun and special events are happening during Orlando Fringe Winter Mini-Fest that you don't want to miss. For more information visit: ofwinterminifest.com.