Hot Business News Today

DSA Member Votre Vu Closes Down

 
The following is an email from founder and CEO Harold Zimmerman to the Votre Vu Reps:
Dear Votre Vu Brand Ambassdors,
It is with an extremely heavy heart that I announce that Votre Vu will need to close our doors at the end of this year- 2014.
Even though the value of our products was validated repeatedly by prestigious beauty editors, celebrities, and business authorities, we simply did not gain enough consumer traction to keep our business in operation. 
Our sales have been in decline in the past 2 years, and the level of investments made to keep our operations running has reached its limit.  Trust me, we have looked every which way to keep this dream alive.  It has been my wholehearted focus for the past seven years – and I know all of you and our corporate staff also embraced the Votre Vu vision with the sincerest passion.    
I do not view this as a failure, nor should you. We dared to dream. We dared to create something truly unique, and we created quite a stir in doing so.  Our brand was given life by YOU, our beloved Brand Ambassadors.     \You invoked passion and excitement amongst our consumer base at

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ViSalus’ International Expansion Initiative Launches in the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland and Spain

 
ViSalus’ international expansion initiative supplies solutions for the growing European demand for healthier living by continuing its commitment to open four new Vi markets by year-end 2014. Vi Ireland launched in June, the Netherlands, Sweden and Finland in October, and Spain opened for shipping November 14th, completing Vi’s global expansion ahead of schedule.  

“We have made a global commitment to bring our healthy living efforts, which have already transformed more than 3 million lives in North America, to many European fronts,” said Ryan Blair, ViSalus Co-Founder and CEO. “Our goal is to Challenge these countries to create healthy living lifestyles for generations to come.”        

ViSalus has fulfilled the next steps in its global initiative by opening October 1 in the Netherlands, Sweden and Finland, and offering Vi products to those consumer markets as of October 15. On Friday, November 14th, Spain also opened for shipping. The Netherlands, Sweden, Finland and Spain have surpassed a total of over 3,000 Vi Customers and Promoters since launch.                 
Blake Mallen, Vi Co-Founder and Chief Marketing & Sales Officer, and Nick Sarnicola, Vi Co-Founder and Global Ambassador, hosted Influencer Summits in each new market to connect with the international independent Promoter community and outline the short and long-term

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2 Year Anniversary Of $1 Billion Bet Against Herbalife: $97.4 Million Spent On Case

 
It’s been two years since Bill Ackman launched the billion-dollar short bet heard ’round the world.
On Dec. 20, 2012, the founder of Pershing Square Capital Management LP announced his bet against the nutritional supplement company Herbalife Ltd. in a three-hour-plus PowerPoint presentation that spanned 334 slides. He called the company a “pyramid scheme” and said it has caused “enormous harm” to “vulnerable communities around the world.”

As of Thursday’s close, Herbalife’s stock was down about 11% from where it closed on Dec. 18, 2012 (word that Mr. Ackman was betting against Herbalife leaked the day before the presentation, causing the stock to drop). That change masks two years of massive volatility in the stock, millions spent by Mr. Ackman spelling out his case and millions spent by Herbalife defending its business model.
In the meantime, some of the world’s best-known money managers have piled into the stock, taking the other side of Mr. Ackman’s bet. Feuds between Mr. Ackman and some of his nemeses have been thrown into the public spotlight and at least one feud has morphed into perhaps a friendship.
Here’s a look back at Mr. Ackman’s Herbalife bet by the numbers:
Mr. Ackman’s short position in Herbalife: $1 billion
What Mr. Ackman has spent making his case that the

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Amway’s Artistry Brand Leverages Digital Cosmetics

 
In a rapidly-changing world where new information and scientific data come to light faster than ever, beauty and skincare products continue to evolve.  
Artistry™, one of the world’s top-five largest selling premium skin care brands*, continues to leverage these changes to imagine new technologies and discover new breakthroughs. Through active collaboration and partnerships with universities, scientists and industry leaders, Amway and the Artistry™ brand remain on the forefront of global trends and are achieving transformational advancements in beauty and skincare.        
The future of forward beauty
“Research and advancements in dermatological treatment devices, DNA repair and stem cells are on the cusp of delivering breakthrough benefits to Artistry™ products,” said Dr. Paul Seehra, director of the Amway Asia Beauty Innovation Center.  “And we continue to investigate emerging areas of new science, including studying and monitoring the benefits that microorganisms have on an individual’s skin and overall health.”
Located in Seoul, South Korea, the Asia Beauty Innovation Center (ABIC) supports collaboration with the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries.  The ABIC’s presence in Asia is significant because the market accounts for a significant percentage of Artistry™ sales and Seoul is currently the center of pop culture for the region.  In addition to advancing partnerships and research agreements,

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