The June issue of Energy Times Magazine gave readers a look into the potential health benefits associated with use of the SugarChecked app from Content Checked Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: CNCK). The publication’s editor gave SugarChecked a stellar review, noting its utility as a tool to manage obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

“If you’re looking to lose weight, one way is to avoid sugar,” reads Energy Times’ June ‘Wellness Watch’ spotlight. “It isn’t always easy to find added sweetness in packaged foods, though, given that there are dozens of ways to say “sugar” on food labels. One way to uncover these hidden sources is to download a free phone app called SugarChecked. Created by a team of nutritionists, this app lets you quickly scan product barcodes for sugar content.”

To view the full article, visit http://dtn.fm/LD1vO

For Content Checked, securing coverage in Energy Times is expected to play a key role in broadening the company’s brand recognition throughout the health and wellness community. Energy Times is available at health food stores around the country, and it boasts a circulation of more than 400,000 subscribers. The magazine is also available at newsstands across the United States.

In recent months, Content Checked has been successful in securing coverage of its suite of mobile apps in a number of widely read publications, including Forbes, USA Today, ABC, CBS, NBC, Los Angeles Business Journal and Yahoo, among others. The company has also entered into strategic partnerships with companies such as ATLETO, a social sports app that connects everyday athletes, and Leaner Creamer, the only all-natural powdered coffee creamer that promotes weight loss and appetite suppression, in an effort to broaden its presence in the roughly $13 billion U.S. food allergy and intolerance market.

Kris Finstad, CEO of Content Checked, gave some insight into the Company’s success in building brand recognition during a recent interview with the UPTICK Network Stock Day Podcast. He noted that Content Checked’s suite of dietary apps has a combined userbase of approximately two million people in the U.S. and Norway, and that figure is expected to grow following the impending launch of ContentChecked, SugarChecked and MigraineChecked in Canada, the U.K. and Australia. Likewise, Finstad gave some insight into the upcoming release of an updated version of the Company’s apps, which is expected to include new features and improved usability for users.

To view the company’s full financials, visit the following link: http://dtn.fm/sIJ7M

For more information, visit www.contentchecked.com

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A study completed at Oxford University in the U.K. (http://dtn.fm/X1kBb) on jobs that were most likely to be replaced by computerization placed real estate brokers at number 40 out of the 702 positions surveyed, with a 97 percent chance of losing out to computers. Digital technologies are disrupting many industries, particularly those whose raison d’être is the reduction of information asymmetries. Upstarts like Airbnb and Uber Technologies have revolutionized business paradigms, and the waves of disruption are already lapping on the shores of the real estate domain. The real estate industry will have to keep up or give up. With its Agent-Owned Cloud Brokerage, eXp World Holdings (OTCQB: EXPI) is offering brokers and agents the opportunity to keep up.

Disruption is the new buzzword, but it’s a reality as well. Now, homeowners can list a For Sale By Owner (FSBO) on ListingDoor, which Forbes has called the ‘Uber for Real Estate Sales’. If that is not alarming enough, the ListingDoor site proclaims that it has ‘Everything you need to sell and market your home FSBO, without the hassle of a real estate agent’. ListingDoor gives home sellers a complete market analysis with an Intel Report, which removes any information advantage a broker may have. A property owner is given a custom website to list his or her property. The best of the property can be highlighted in up to 24 images. He is provided with listing brochures and a colorful ‘For Sale’ yard sign printed and delivered next day by courier. In addition, the listing is syndicated to popular real estate sites such as Zillow (NASDAQ: Z), Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO) Homes, and Trulia (NYSE: TRLA).

The revolution has not quite deposed real estate agents and brokers, however. A recent research report (http://dtn.fm/nW6aM) on eXp World Holdings, issued by Fundamental Research in April 2016, points out that, for most Americans, the purchase of a home involves the largest financial outlay. It also cites statistics published by the National Association of Realtors:

‘…approximately 87 percent of buyers recently purchased their home through a real estate agent or broker (up from 69 percent in 2001), 8 percent purchased directly from a builder or builder’s agent, and 5 percent directly from previous owners. In the case of sellers, approximately 89 percent of sellers used a real estate agent when selling their home. For-Sale-by-Owner (FSBO) sellers accounted for just 8 percent, and such properties are typically sold to someone the seller knows.’

The changing landscape offers not just threats, but opportunities, as well. There are many advantages to working with a real estate agent, as this Forbes article (http://dtn.fm/e7X0C) points out. First, don’t try this at home; selling or buying a property is not as easy as it looks on TV. It will take you time to track down the specific information you require, and, even then, information is not knowledge. Only experience will allow you to use that information wisely. Second, a middleman focuses the negotiation on the factors that matter. Direct contact between buyer and seller risks bringing personality issues to the forefront. A deal can fall apart because the buyer doesn’t like the seller, even though he likes the house, or because the seller can’t bear the thought of his home falling into the hands of ‘someone like that’.

Thirdly, how up-to-speed are you on the legal issues? These can be notoriously arcane. Wouldn’t it be better to let a professional handle them? Fourthly, in a one-on-one deal, the maxim caveat emptor applies, whereas agents and brokers must follow regulatory guidelines and rules when conducting business. It’s possible, depending on state law, that a fiduciary relationship may arise, which means that the agent or broker is bound to put your interests ahead of his or her own. Fifth, for the buyer, monetary costs may go down before the sale but go up after the sale. The greatest danger for the lone ranger is not knowing what he does not know.

The Agent-Owned Cloud Brokerage offered by eXp World Holdings’ wholly-owned subsidiary, eXp Realty, is a full service national real estate brokerage platform. Its cloud-based format reduces the costs associated with operating a brick-and-mortar office, yet, through a 3-D environment, provides all the services offered by traditional brokerages. In addition, agents can draw on services that include training and education, coaching and mentoring, and transaction and technical support. eXp Realty has already added over 1,100 agents and brokers operating in 40 states and Canada to its platform.

For more information, visit the company’s website at http://investors.exprealty.com

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In a recent article by Jeffrey Friedland, titled ‘The Coexistence of FDA Approved Cannabis-Based Drugs and Medical Marijuana Provided through State-Licensed Businesses’ (http://dtn.fm/PV2e6), the author addresses some important concerns relating to the evolving role of the federal government in dealing with the rapidly growing cannabis industry, especially as it pertains to the potential effects on the use of medical marijuana (MMJ).

Specifically, the article points to the anticipated approval by the FDA of Epidiolex (generic name cannabidiol, or CBD), a cannabis-based drug produced by GW Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: GWPH) for the treatment of Dravet syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy. In addition, the article mentions concerns related to the FDA’s anticipated rescheduling of cannabis products from a current Schedule I status to a level acknowledging the drug’s medical benefits.

In the case of Epidiolex, the article describes fears that Dravet patients have about possibly being forced to switch to the drug if it becomes approved and no longer being allowed to purchase from state-licensed MMJ businesses, as they have done in the past. Friedland makes it clear that, if Epidiolex does gain FDA approval “it should not directly affect state-licensed medical marijuana businesses,” since the drug will not be sold through these businesses, but rather through normal distribution channel pharmacies. Moreover, the article indicates that the FDA has avoided regulating state-licensed marijuana businesses. However, it does suggest that GW Pharmaceuticals, the drug’s producer, could take action to restrict MMJ businesses producing or selling a marijuana-based medicine specifically for Dravet Syndrome.

As far as the possible rescheduling of cannabis products is concerned, apprehension has been expressed that such rescheduling by the FDA might lead to the closure of state-licensed dispensaries and suppliers. Again, Friedland emphasizes that such fears are unwarranted, saying that “forced closures will not occur as a result of a rescheduling of marijuana,” since “the existence of state-licensed marijuana programs is not based on marijuana’s schedule.”

All of this is good news for YiLoLife, Inc., a producer and distributor of high-quality MMJ edibles and associated products. The company has grown to its current standing by distributing its products throughout Arizona, and it has recently opened the state’s first MMJ superstore in Phoenix. YiLo was founded to provide consumers with a true alternative to the typical cannabis-infused edibles that offer little in the way of taste or clearly-labeled and dependable quality ingredients. In addition to snacks, candies, brownies, and chocolates, including sugar-free options, the company offers medicated drinks, along with a range of MMJ support products, all with the company’s distinctive logo, which continues to build brand recognition. The growing assurance that existing state-based MMJ businesses are not threatened by planned federal policy adjustments supports increasing investment in the industry.

For more information, visit www.yilo.com

Coming off of another quarter of record-breaking financials, with Q1 FY16 net revenues and net income up 10.3 and 24.7 percent respectively YOY, OurPet’s Company (OTCQX: OPCO) chairman and CEO Dr. Steven Tsengas recently told Austin, Texas-based IR/PR/SMR firm DreamTeamNetwork in an audio interview (http://dtn.fm/5z69S), that he thinks 2016 international sales could be one the biggest positive surprises from the company moving forward. This just after an extremely strong showing of the company’s new OurPets® Intelligent Pet Care™ line of smart products at the industry’s premier event, the Global Pet Expo, which is presented every year by the American Pet Products Association (APPA) and Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA).

Tsengas tipped his hand about international market traction horizons to DreamTeamNetwork in the aforementioned interview, explaining that the company’s OurPets and the PetZone brands were already seeing very strong floor play in China, Japan and South Korea, where the company has localized its initial efforts, and built up a tight rapport with consumers. With around 11 million dogs and 10 million cats (Japan Pet Food Association), Japan is a market that is noted for appreciating good design and should be prime development territory for OPCO, which should have no trouble adding to its position here. The same is true over in South Korea, where a similar cultural taste for ingenious design predominates, and where the pet population is on track to hit one million for the first time this year (http://dtn.fm/v0Vew).

The global pet market is a nice, stable growth environment for an innovator like OPCO, which is growing its retail footprint/consumer exposure via both its pet parent/prosumer OurPets brand and its mass market brand, PetZone. The latest Packaged Facts report that looks closely at the bullish scenario developing in the sector, with increasing interest by private equity and other M&A activity on the rise, lays out the case pretty well as to how there is plenty of room for growth. The continued strength of operators such as the country’s biggest rural lifestyle retailer, Tractor Supply Company (NASDAQ: TSCO), with its 1,500-plus stores and third consecutive year hosting Nestle’s (OTC: NSRGY) Purina Days last month, offers clear indication to the investment community about the true bedrock potential, and upper-limit scope of this market.

Underlying market dynamics like those driving the rise of TSCO have made other retailers and sector majors, such as Petco and PetSmart, hot properties for investors who are looking to cash in on people’s growing obsession with their pets. These same dynamics should also help propel lower-hanging investment fruit in the midcap range on down to new-found securities stardom. The market for pet products and services is currently on track to hit upwards of $91 billion in annual sales by 2019 (http://dtn.fm/vJ2I5), and you can bet your bottom dollar that the smart money out there is hard at work injecting further consolidative forces into this seemingly recession-proof consumer market.

OurPet’s Company is a great hidden gem type valuation story amid all this, and the company also has the IP/visionary design capability to surf the momentum with style, capitalizing on sector buzz in order to bring its exceptional product designs to light before the eyes of eager, pet-loving consumers. In the U.S. alone we have around 163 million or more cats and dogs, and the tendency to treat these pets like fully-fledged members of the family is steadily on the rise. This is a trend that OPCO is poised perfectly to benefit from with their OurPets brand of premium offerings like gorgeous, heavy-duty stainless steel feeding bowls that have a proprietary, patented, permanently-molded rubber ring on the bottom that prevents sliding and noise when the animal eats. Similarly elegant looking, yet robust and functional designs, each of them engineered with careful consideration of the animal’s needs, as well as the owner’s décor, have come to typify the OurPets brand in the minds of high-end and not-so-high-end consumers alike.

This dual brand approach by OPCO is ideal for courting the more lucrative high-end pet parent prosumer, and, as more people gravitate into this fold, OPCO will continue to shine more and more brightly as a design shop through the OurPets brand. The tendency for people to treat their pets like bonafide family members is on the rise globally as per capita incomes rise, and, in part, this may be due to the phenomenon of people who (as a country becomes more affluent) typically wait longer to have their first child, in which case the pet fills an emotional void.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.ourpets.com

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According to the Los Angeles Times, “faith based films are growing… and executives are trying to tap into the market for belief-affirming movies.” According to Chris Stone, founder of the Christian advocacy group Faith Driven Consumer, 17% of Americans base their decisions on their religion. In addition to this, Paul Dergarabedian, a box-office analyst at ComScore, said: “it’s hard to ignore movies that are this successful on a regular basis. I feel like this genre is really coming into its own.” This said, religious movies and entertainment are still a new trend, and industry professionals are investigating the best ways to pursue this type of audience.

Momentous Entertainment Group (OTC: MMEG) is an entertainment and direct response marketing company that creates, produces, and distributes faith-based content for its audience. MMEG works through a diversity of channels with a range of partners. Currently, it offers feature films, television programs, and music projects. The company is developing a portfolio of entertainment that is based around religious beliefs.

But on a wider spectrum, what is being done to pursue religious movie-goers and music-listeners? According to an article entitled ‘New Study: Family-Friendly, Faith-Based And Patriotic Films Are Dominating The Box Office’ by Hollie McKay of Fox News, the Annual Movieguide Report to the Entertainment Industry noted that faith-driven films in the top-25 category average $87.07 million at the box office, which equates to approximately $65 million more than those with a non-Christian worldview. In fact, only four R-rated films made the top-25. Movies with the least inappropriate language earned the most, and films without any sexual content earned more than those with significant nudity.

Film industry professionals are still trying to work out the best way to target religious moviegoers. Unlike the blockbuster movies, faith-based films do not feature Oscar-winning actors, and they do not have the same amount of funding as other movies. Momentous Entertainment Group is shifting this trend. The company is constantly looking for fresh and inspiring music and film presentations. MMEG is fully committed to releasing the most inspiring Christian content possible, and its range of faith-based reality TV shows and music albums continues to grow.

For more information, visit www.momentousent.com

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In a recent news release, WRIT Media Group, Inc. (OTCQB: WRIT) introduced beta availability for its CrypStock cryptocurrency exchange, which can be viewed at www.CrypStock.com. Through this innovative site, WRIT aims to offer an intuitive, yet sophisticated exchange platform that provides a superior experience to account holders. Currently, CrypStock enables exchanges between Bitcoin, which is regularly recognized as the first cryptocurrency, and U.S. dollars. In the future, the company plans to introduce a variety of new digital currencies to the CrypStock exchange based upon user preference and currency popularity.

For WRIT, the introduction of CrypStock goes hand-in-hand with the company’s recent launch of its Pelecoin digital currency, which was picked up as part of the Pandora Venture Capital acquisition in late June. Unlike Bitcoin and other widely-used cryptocurrencies, Pelecoin introduces a new distribution system that abandons the current ‘rules of emission’ in favor of a simple, proprietary algorithm. While Bitcoin’s blockchain technology generates new coins on a permanent schedule without regard to the current value of the currency, the Pelecoin system generates new currency based upon a set of rules and events that increase the currency’s worth, including new user registration, acceptance of Pelecoin for goods and services, and trades between Pelecoin and fiat currencies.

“Although the addition of another crypto-currency exchange may seem trivial, the development creates a potential shift in the cryptocurrency landscape, allowing more users direct access to the Company’s Pelecoin currency,” Eric Mitchell, president of WRIT, stated in the news release. “Pelecoin will trade against Bitcoin and other digital currencies, effectively creating a direct path between a non-Bitcoin asset and Bitcoin funding.”

At the time of the beta announcement, CrypStock declared plans to introduce three proprietary trading modules designed to address market demand. These include binary options, futures and an algorithm trading subsystem. Binary options on the Bitcoin/USD pair are the simplest type of derivative financial instruments. These allow traders to generate profit by forecasting future market trends. Futures on the Bitcoin/USD pair provide the ability to trade large volumes that exceed initial investments while offering significant leverage to traders. Finally, algorithm trading subsystems will open the door for automatic trade creation, back-testing and real-time execution.

In addition to offering valuable user feedback from real clients, the CrypStock beta will give WRIT an opportunity to register the exchange as a money service business with the United States Department of Treasury and related regulatory agencies, both in the U.S. and abroad. When completed, this registration will allow Pelecoin to be legally traded as a digital currency in several U.S. states and, potentially, competitive markets around the globe.

“Having the opportunity to test and plan, with early access by real clients, has been very helpful while preparing for the planned 2017 CrypStock launch,” concluded Mitchell.

For more information about the company, visit www.writmediagroup.com

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The online travel industry has taken a more digital turn over the past four to five years. Many travel e-commerce websites allow users to book flights, hotels, rental cars, and more. These sites are normally booking or review sites. In 2014, online travel sales worldwide generated $533 billion, with this number expected to grow to $762 billion by 2019, according to Statista. Between 2008 and 2015, the number of people who booked online grew by 19.2 percent. The growth in the online travel industry has not just been limited to bookings, though. Travelers who admitted to using review sites to book their trips also grew by 10 percent between 2014 and 2015.

The online travel industry has seen particular growth on mobile devices. By the end of this year, it is expected that 51.8 percent of online holiday bookings will be made via a mobile device of some sort. People do not mind using a smaller screen to book a holiday, as businesses are optimizing their sites to suit mobile phones and tablets. Oscar Orozco, an e-marketing analyst, said, “Hotels, airlines, and online travel sites are better optimizing their websites for mobile bookings. As a result, people are finding a simpler and easier path to purchase and booking their trips right on their devices. This bodes well for the industry as a whole.” With this growth, the use of desktops and laptops has dropped, and the growth of mobile device usage for online bookings is expected to eat into this further for the foreseeable future, according to eMarketer.

Monaker Group, Inc. (OTCQB: MKGI) encompasses all of the above in its business. The company is a technology-driven travel company made up of multiple brands. MKGI runs through its flagship, NextTrip.com. NextTrip offers its customers the opportunity to book every single aspect of their holiday on the Internet. From apartments and activities to flights and rental cars, NextTrip is a comprehensive booking platform that offers an all-inclusive service. With this platform, Monaker Group provides a personalized shopping experience that targets one of the most popular marketing trends of 2015 and 2016.

In the Growth Opportunity and Trends section of the Form-10K for Monaker Group, published in late June of this year, it says: “Our achievement of these objectives will further depend on our ability to successfully enable more online bookable listings”. This is made possible thanks to its numerous brands and platforms. In addition to this, the company has adapted its sites for use by mobile users and has continued to offer its customers a personalized way of shopping.

For more information, visit www.monakergroup.com

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Laguna Blends, Inc. (OTC: LAGBF) is a network marketing company focused on hemp products, which gives it a foot in the door to the functional food and health food markets. The company now has two products: Caffe, an instant coffee beverage, and Pro369, a hemp protein beverage that comes in a choice of four flavors. Laguna has independent affiliates that generate retail sales and recruit other affiliates. These affiliates are offered a competitive compensation plan with a number of opportunities to win significant rewards.

Laguna Blends, Inc. made a dramatic announcement recently when it unveiled its new Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) reward incentive program to its top performing affiliates. Laguna announced that it would be running a new program through which its affiliates will have the chance to win up to three 2017 Tesla Model S cars between June 2016 and December 2017. Laguna also recently launched its Las Vegas Getaway contest. This contest, running from May to October, offers affiliates the chance to qualify for a two or three night luxury weekend at the Bellagio Hotel in Sin City.

The company is now offering its affiliates the chance to be part of three different membership clubs. These include the Gold Club, the Funding 100, and the Circle of 25. To be part of a club, members must enroll for specific packs, sponsor or enroll other affiliates, and reach a certain standard of Group Sales Volumes (GSV). This said, each club also offers affiliates a different level of benefits, depending on the investment and the club they choose to join.

Gold Club members will receive a special certificate and special recognition at major corporate events. Members of the Founding 100 will have their names on the Special Founding 100 plaque at Laguna’s Virtual World headquarters and receive special recognition at corporate events. Finally, members of the Circle of 25 will have their pictures displayed in Laguna’s Virtual World headquarters, enjoy VIP seating at all major events, have the opportunity to become leadership council members, and receive a Polanti watch valued at over $1000.

To find out more about the various members clubs and how to be part of them, visit http://dtn.fm/eGN07

For more information, visit www.lagunablends.com

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In the Accenture Personalization Survey, it shows that most consumers would prefer a personalized retail experience. Also, from a Conversion Rate Optimization Report published in partnership between Redeye and EConsultancy, it says that 63 percent of businesses are personalizing their marketing activity for their customers. Lastly, 73 percent of online shoppers prefer to do business with brands that use customer information to make their shopping experience more personal, according to Digital Trends.

These are just some of the current e-commerce statistics that have seen a rise since 2014. Dave Richards from Accenture Consulting had this to say on the matter: “Personalization can be a powerful method for retailers to differentiate from competitors, increase basket size and build customer loyalty.” This growing trend that allows consumers to self-identify or use their social media platforms to log in to sites allows companies to collect personal information from their customers. They can then use this to customize each individual shopping experience both online and in-store. Although this marketing method has grown significantly in the past two years, statistics show that 38 percent of marketers still do not use personalization in their marketing.

This could be due to the fact that, despite most people preferring a personalized online shopping experience, many consumers are limited as to how much personal information they are willing to give to retailers, at least according to Accenture. Dave Richards followed his previous statement with: “To effectively implement personalization across all channels, retailers would benefit from understanding customers at a broad level as well as individually – determining where personalization strategies can best drive business results, and giving key subsets of customers the choice on how they wish to participate.”

But personalizing consumer experiences does not stop at retail stores for clothes, food, equipment, and other material products. Moxian, Inc. (OTCQB: MOXC) provides social marketing in order for organizations to continue to advertise and grow their businesses through social media. The company has two products: Moxian+ User and Moxian+ Business. These products and services help merchants personalize and target campaigns while enhancing the relationship between them and their users. This is done through the Moxian database, where consumer behavior is compiled.

The Moxian+ User app is designed for users to collect loyalty points from merchants. The app uses geo-location to tailor consumer searches to where they are at a specific time. In addition to the geo-location feature, users are able to set up personalized social media networks, allowing them to interact with friends, join groups and topics, and share and chat with a variety of social circles.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.Moxian.com

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Content Checked Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: CNCK) CEO Kris Finstad was recently featured in an interview by Everett Jolly on the UPTICK Network Stock Day Podcast. Over the course of the conversation, Finstad told the story of Content Checked, from its humble beginning as a passion project to help decipher often confusing and misleading food labels to its current standing as a revenue-generating app company with an international userbase of more than two million. Finstad also gave listeners some insight into Content Checked’s plans for future growth, including the impending launch of its suite of apps in three additional international markets.

“Our database is now national, for the U.S., and we’re now going to Canada, as well, and then going to the U.K. and Australia,” Finstad stated in the interview. “This year is going to be our breakthrough year from a revenue standpoint.”

To listen to the full interview, visit http://dtn.fm/Fo0iH

When describing the advantages of Content Checked’s apps, Finstad pointed toward the accuracy and reliability of the company’s expansive product database. While many of its competitors rely on third-party data that can often include high error margins, Content Checked employs a team of nutritionists who work directly with food manufacturers to collect and deliver up-to-date information on approximately 70 percent of all conventional U.S. grocery products.

The relationships with food producers, stemming from the creation of its product database, also serve as a source of revenue for Content Checked. When users scan a product that doesn’t fit within their dietary guidelines, the company’s apps suggest suitable alternatives. Content Checked will allow producers to sponsor their products in order to secure a spot amongst these suggested alternatives.

The Company is now completing the process of shifting toward a subscription-based revenue model. These efforts include the impending release of revamped apps that include 60 new features in addition to an updated and improved experience for free users. With the upcoming launch of an expansive marketing campaign, a debt-free balance sheet and a current value that is based exclusively on its income, Content Checked presents considerable upside to prospective shareholders.

To view the company’s full financials, visit the following link: http://dtn.fm/sIJ7M

For more information, visit www.contentchecked.com

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