Aside from the fact that the marketing world is growing quickly thanks to evolving technology, social media has become one of the most widely used sources for marketing products and services. According to Regalix, when marketers were asked where they would be increasing their spending in 2015, 54% said social media. Furthermore, the top three areas in which they would be increasing spending are social media advertising, social media marketing, and social media engagement. Not only this, but 62% of these people said they expect an increase in usage of social media, and 64% believe social media is a critical enabler of their products or services, according to Salesforce.

Moxian, Inc. (OTCQB: MOXC) provides promotional tools and marketing opportunities to merchants through social media. The company has two products: Moxian+ User and Moxian+ Business, both of which were made to enhance the relationship between consumer and merchant. To do this, Moxian runs targeted advertising campaigns and promotions according to a business’s needs. Moxian, Inc. does not just provide targeted marketing, but a combination of social media, entertainment (such as games), and business intelligence to generate valuable data for a range of companies.

Moxian+ User consists of a platform that has social networking, a redemption center and a game center. Users are able to earn a virtual currency to buy prizes from the Moxian mall. Moxian+ Business is built for merchants to set up a store and push promotions through a variety of tools. These applications allow Moxian to gather data from consumers as well as provide merchants with the opportunity to design and promote marketing campaigns. This allows businesses to learn about their customers.

Moxian, Inc.’s business model has allowed it to build a social media platform where both users and businesses can interact with one another and benefit from the services. Businesses are able to take advantage of intelligent data analytics, a range of business tools, a loyalty program, and advertising opportunities. Consumers can search for merchants close to them, play a variety of games to win virtual money, shop and spend their virtual money on prizes, and communicate with friends through the instant messenger tool.

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

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Biostage, Inc. (NASDAQ: BSTG) is pioneering radically new technologies for the development of bioengineered organ implants targeting cancer and other life-threatening diseases of the esophagus, bronchus, and trachea. Traditional treatment options for such diseases are limited, with significant risk of complications and negative effect on quality of life. The company’s Cellframe™ technology uses the patient’s own stem cells to seed onto a proprietary biocompatible scaffold designed to guide the regeneration of a biological structure matching the dimensions of the organ being regenerated. The resulting organ-specific “Cellspan” implants represent a unique personalized approach to organ regeneration.

Biostage has worked long to evolve their revolutionary Cellframe™ technology, which, in the company’s words, “combines the best attributes of a synthetic scaffold with tissue engineering and cell biology,” creating a platform representing “a complete re-engineering” of their earlier organ scaffold and cell technology. In May 2016, Biostage announced successful results from large-animal studies of their Cellspan Esophageal Implant, conducted in conjunction with Mayo Clinic, and the company is in the process of getting these results published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, an important step toward full recognition. The company plans to file an investigational new drug application (IND) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and it expects to conduct human clinical trials in 2017. The goal of these clinical trials is to demonstrate the technology’s superior mortality rates, with reduced complications and improved quality of life for patients.

The company’s stated values are based upon its management team’s belief that its proprietary Cellframe technology has the “opportunity to dramatically advance the field of regenerative medicine by improving the treatment options for patients with life-threatening conditions,” with an overall target of “breakthrough solutions for unmet medical needs.”

The Chief Executive Officer of Biostage, Jim McGorry, has over 30 years of leadership experience with a number of companies in the medical and biotech industries, in addition to carrying an MBA with a concentration in healthcare from Duke University, and a BS in Engineering from West Point. He also served as an officer in the United States Army for six years, including commanding a special operations Green Beret SCUBA detachment.

For more on Biostage, visit www.biostage.com

According to a report from eMarketer (http://dtn.fm/3NkPd), the number of global smartphone users is expected to surpass two billion this year, and this growth is just the beginning. By 2018, the research firm suggests that over one-third of consumers worldwide – roughly 2.56 billion people – will be using smartphones to access the internet, communicate with friends and make purchases. Alongside the proliferation of smartphones and other mobile devices, digital communication is most certainly on the rise. While the early part of the decade was defined by an uptick in social media usage and texting, the latter half seems destined to redefine the way individuals communicate through the development and evolution of messaging apps.

In a 2015 report, Contently (http://dtn.fm/gS0B4) gave some insight into the rapid and pronounced growth of the messaging app space. In total, six of the top 10 most used apps on the global stage are categorized as messaging apps, and these same apps topped the charts in terms of app sessions. Critically, leaders on the global app sessions charts offer a number of extensive services to users that are specially designed to keep the apps at the forefront of their respective audiences’ attention. Tencent Holdings’ (OTC: TCEHY) WeChat, for example, combines messaging, group messaging, voice calls, games, payments, food delivery and taxi services into an approachable, intuitive interface.

Regional powerhouses such as Japan’s Line and Korea’s KakaoTalk offer similar versatility to Tencent’s flagship offering, and all three are beginning to eye growth on a more international stage. In a New York Times article published earlier this month (http://dtn.fm/I3vKy), Line, which is owned by South Korean online portal Naver (OTC: NHNCF), reiterated intentions to raise about $1 billion in listings in New York and Tokyo ahead of a potential summer IPO. If this funding comes through, it would value Line at more than $5 billion, making it the biggest market debut for a technology company this year.

Of course, the rapid adoption of messenger apps isn’t exclusive to international markets. Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) kicked off the proverbial gold rush when it acquired Skype for $8.5 billion in May 2011. Social media giant Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) has also taken strides toward establishing a foothold in the market. In 2014, the company made headlines when it unveiled a forced split of its social media app from its Messenger app, which is currently the third most popular messaging app in terms of usage. Facebook bolstered its position in the burgeoning market with its $19 billion acquisition of WhatsApp that same year, putting it at the head of the class in an increasingly crowded messenger world.

Despite the dominance of major players in the messenger space, it’s important to note that users are still willing to try new entries in the market. In a 2015 study by Global Web Index, active Snapchat users between the ages of 16 and 64 were polled to determine how many used multiple apps to communicate with friends and family, and the results were promising for companies hoping to break into the market. As many as 72 percent of Snapchatters also use Facebook Messenger, 54 percent also use WhatsApp and 51 percent also use Skype. In other words, if an app offers an enticing feature set or user base that can’t be found on other offerings, users are proving more than willing to cross brand lines.

I’m XAM, LLC is a debt-free, 100 percent privately-owned company working to unveil its real-time collaborative Extensible Application Messenger, which is being designed to refine and repurpose the way people communicate in the mobile space. The ambitious platform combines the private and group messaging capabilities of Twitter (NYSE: TWTR), known as Qme and Circle on the I’m XAM app, with a number of exciting new features, such as a polling mechanic, quick and easy invitations and digital business cards. Currently under development for both Android and Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) iOS devices, I’m XAM will be available to download for free, and it could be the next app to make a major splash in the messenger market.

The first order of business following the release of I’m XAM will be to build a user base, and the company has already unveiled plans to do just that. Key portions of this strategy include expanded marketing efforts in EMEA, Asia, Japan and the Americas, as well as additional development work, such as adding multilingual support, which will play a role in increasing the platform’s marketability on the global stage. Unlike many of the messenger apps currently on the market, which often depend on download fees or third party purchases for monetization, the free I’m XAM app will implement groundbreaking monetization features designed to create less obtrusive revenue streams. As stated in the company’s product overview, I’m XAM will ‘do things differently’, and that could be a great recipe for success in the rapidly evolving messenger app marketplace.

For more information, visit www.imxam.com

In a recent 8-K filing, Momentous Entertainment Group (OTC: MMEG) disclosed it had issued a press release announcing an aggressive growth business plan. No doubt, this new marketing initiative will encompass vigorous direct response marketing initiatives, as Momentous founder and CEO Kurt Neubauer indicated when he spoke with SmallCapVoice.com. Neubauer explained:

“The direct response is really a means to an end. A lot of entertainment companies out here… once they get their project made, they don’t know what to do with it. They don’t know how to get it distributed. We are kind of taking on the old adage… the old direct response adage… like selling music on television, selling film or downloads… things of this nature… through direct response advertising. Time Life has done this for decades and it has worked very well for them. We plan on following a similar model. Once we develop a project, we will take it to the national distribution but if that national distribution does not pan out, we can always work on our own.”

Time Life is a division of Direct Holdings Global LLC and became a globally-recognized brand in the 70s and 80s for its print publications. Around 2002, the company wound down its book division and got into the music business with astounding results. It has done particularly well in the faith-based market. As early as 2002, it scored a string of successes in the genre. According to Billboard, Time Life’s Songs 4 Worship – Shout to the Lord was among the top-10 selling Christian albums in the country and spent 66 weeks on The Billboard 200. It also scored big with a video version of Songs 4 Worship.

Direct response marketing attempts to elicit prompt action from those who peruse the advertising copy. The medium varies and includes email, online ads, fliers, catalogs, cell phone text messages, print media, TV and billboards.

However, Time Life, although it markets faith-based products, is not particularly focused on that niche. Momentous Entertainment Group is different. Management of the company play active parts in the choir and in other aspects of worship and community service at the Faith United Methodist Church in Richmond, Texas.

Three products spearhead MMEG’s aggressive marketing strategy in the faith-based, family-oriented market. The first is The Greatest Story Every Sung, a compilation of 34 songs on compact disc (CD). The Greatest Story Every Sung celebrates the life of Christ. The music tracks are introduced by Stephen Baldwin. The second faith-based product is a double CD album, called Tim Storey presents Daily Reminders from Scripture, consisting of recitations of bible passages on the themes of hope, love, peace and joy. Tim Storey is a pastor and motivational life coach to many of the top names in the entertainment industry, including Oprah Winfrey. Rounding out the faith-based product line is a music video with the title ‘I Believe’. ‘I Believe’ is sung by Suzanne Olmon, who is Music Director at the Faith United Methodist Church in Richmond, Texas.

For more information, visit www.momentousent.com

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Rhino Resource Partners LP (OTCQB: RHNO) is a producer of natural resources, including sulfur steam coal, metallurgical coal, gas, and oil. RHNO’s vision is “To be a leading supplier of natural resources; ever improving through teamwork and innovation, always committed to excel in safety, productivity, environmental excellence and stakeholder value.” The company’s guiding principles are safety, leadership, and communication, and it wants to continue building a future within the natural resources sector by creating strong partnerships with its stakeholders to enhance long-term value.

Since 2003, Rhino Resource Partners LP has acquired a number of properties and reserves that have been developed with low risk at a good price. Through these acquisitions, the company has managed to increase its coal production while maintaining extremely high environmental and safety standards. These standards run throughout the company’s entire vision and have been established and re-evaluated regularly to ensure that they are up-to-date and functional.

RHNO’s first priority is the safety of its employees, which is why it provides regular awareness training to ensure the highest production standards are met. Aside from this, RHNO’s ethics consist of honesty and integrity. The company communicates openly with its employees and stakeholders about activities that are currently operating and those that are being planned. In addition, Rhino Resource Partners LP believes it operates with the highest environmental standards in mind. The company aims to exceed safety and environmental regulations put in place by state and federal law in all of its mining operations, both underground and on the surface.

Since 2015, RHNO’s average MSHA violations were half of the national average in the United States. The company believes that by minimizing its impact on the environment it will be able to be more efficient in its production and, in turn, keep its employees happy. RHNO has mining operations in Central and Northern Appalachia and the Illinois Basin, and it has Western Bituminous operations in Utah and Colorado. It also has non-mining operations in Southeastern Ohio. Other natural resource assets include oil and gas in the Utica Shale region.

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

In a letter from Jim McGorry, CEO of Biostage, Inc. (NASDAQ: BSTG), shareholders were updated on the company’s valuation and the outlook for the second half of 2016. Biostage is a Massachusetts-based developer of bioengineered organ implants for treating life-threatening diseases of the esophagus, bronchus, and trachea, including cancer.

McGorry explained that Biostage has made “tremendous progress” in developing the company’s breakthrough Cellframe™ technology for creating Cellspan™ organ implants using a patient’s own stem cells and a proprietary biocompatible scaffold. As a result, the company is now able to transition, over the remainder of 2016, toward the start of human clinical trials, the first step of which is the filing of an investigational new drug application (IND) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. McGorry explained how the company took the appropriate time to ensure its product’s safety and efficacy, while remaining on schedule for the planned filing by the end of 2016.

Biostage announced in May successful results from their large-animal studies of the Cellspan Esophageal Implant, conducted in conjunction with the Mayo Clinic. McGorry explained how the data obtained will form the basis for the company’s FDA application, seeking orphan designation for the product, and how Biostage is currently working on getting the results published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, which will “greatly support and validate” the company’s progress. He added that anticipated progress over the second half of the year is expected to present “potential value inflection moments for shareholders.”

McGorry explained that Biostage’s recent $5 million at-the-market offering was an important step in solidifying the company’s cash position and addressing any market concerns in this area. He concluded, “We now have the capital to get us through a number of milestones in 2016 including the filing of an IND, and we expect to move into human clinical trials in 2017,” adding, “we believe the company’s momentum, liquidity and value should substantially increase,” and that “by this time next year our esophageal implant will be in a human clinical trial”. Biostage plans to follow this first esophageal product candidate with additional products to address life-threatening conditions of the bronchus and trachea.

For more on Biostage, visit www.biostage.com

Laguna Blends, Inc. (CSE: LAG) (FSE: LB6A.F) (OTC: LAGBF) was recently the focus of an article posted on Equity.Guru, an exclusive resource, tech and cannabis industry analysis firm. Under the lead of Chris Parry, former Director of Editorial at Stockhouse.com, award-winning journalist and corporate communications professional, Equity.Guru adheres to a self-described ‘take no prisoners’ editorial style, maintaining a constant focus on putting the interests of the shareholder first. While companies have the option to pay for Parry’s attention, they can’t bankroll favorable coverage, maintaining the integrity of Equity.Guru’s reports and garnering a sizable following throughout the investment community.

In last week’s article, fittingly titled ‘Aaaaand go: Laguna Blends hits its stride with opening sales data’, Parry expressed his optimism regarding Laguna’s upside following its recent release of preliminary sales data. In its first 11 weeks, Laguna’s affiliate marketing program brought in an impressive $105,000 in sales from its low-priced coffee and protein drink products, and early reports suggest a solid number of repeat orders moving forward. Taking into consideration the fact that Laguna has yet to officially launch its affiliate network and all sales to this point have come from a scratch-built sales team, the company’s early numbers are even more promising.

Parry’s newfound optimism regarding Laguna’s upside marks a major shift from his previous coverage of the company. As an early investor, he was disappointed by the fluidity of Laguna’s initial timelines, but that sentiment has all but disappeared when studying the company’s current trajectory.

“I lost my ass by buying early, but those buying in today have nothing but upside,” Parry stated in the Equity.Guru article. “You get it at a 90% discount to what I got it for, and that’s a bargain.”

To view the full Equity.Guru article, visit http://dtn.fm/WyX0N

Laguna’s strong sales figures are particularly noteworthy because of its affiliate marketing business model. Unlike regular retail, which requires months of waiting to determine if sales are meeting expectations, affiliate marketing offers quick feedback regarding the market acceptance of particular products, and reorder statistics are a good indicator of opportunities for additional growth. As sales figures rise, Laguna should expect its affiliate numbers to grow, creating an opening to greatly increase its market presence in a relatively short amount of time.

Prospective investors shouldn’t need to wait very long to determine if Laguna’s sales follow this course. The company’s management team has already announced intentions to disperse sales figures on an ongoing basis moving forward, giving shareholders reassurance that Laguna’s hot start in the affiliate marketing space doesn’t unknowingly cool down. If Equity.Guru’s article is any indication, though, waiting for these numbers before investing could be a mistake.

“I’ve warned you off for a while now but, as of today, Laguna is a go,” Parry concluded. “It will not see $0.10 again.”

For more information, visit www.lagunablends.com

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The good news just keeps rolling in for eXp World Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: EXPI), with Q1 revenues reported last month up a handsome 106 percent year-over-year, and, now, back-to-back recognition for the company’s primary subsidiary, eXp Realty, by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, as well as the number four digital draw of 2015, The Washington Post. Hailed for the second straight year by the Top Workplaces program, the ingeniousness of eXp Realty’s fusion of an agent-owned, full-service real estate brokerage, empowered by a real-time cloud office virtual environment, is now really starting to turn heads in the industry. This latest accolade is living proof of how compelling the company’s business model is and how rewarding the value proposition is for both agents and brokers.

The Top Workplaces program results are based on direct feedback from workplace members and represent a high-fidelity look into the health of eXp Realty’s thriving business culture, whose virtualized, broker-friendly, agent-owner centricity has considerable potential when it comes to fundamentally disrupting the real estate brokerage industry as we have known it. Given that The Washington Post was number four last year in terms of digital draw and recently surged to some 76 million monthly users, this kind of exposure is precisely the kind of thing the company needs to get the word out to a wider investing audience, especially considering how eXp Realty came in 12th out of 165 honorees in the Atlanta area and was ranked 20th best workplace overall in Washington in a survey conducted with the help of premier employee feedback and performance improvement solutions provider WorkplaceDynamics.

The concept of eXp Realty’s Agent-Owned Cloud Brokerage™ is an idea whose time has come. Supercharged by an extremely aggressive revenue sharing platform that rewards agents for new agents they bring into the network, paying out a percentage of their colleagues’ gross commission, this 21st century brokerage platform eradicates demographic barriers and puts a virtual cloud office into the hands of every agent. The fact that this revolutionary, agent-centric model is backed up by a cutting-edge cloud office, which is available around the clock in real-time, is a major reason the formula has been successful, particularly when it comes to a happy agent force. The company has swelled its ranks to nearly 1,300 agents in what seems like no time, and its army now spans 38 states in the continental U.S., as well as Alberta, Canada. This growing legion of unshackled agents continues steadily gaining traction among the huge number of agents that make up the overall pool, largely on the strength of its seemingly ideal and wholly-fresh approach to the space.

EXPI has even managed to branch out into the loan origination game via its First Cloud Mortgage subsidiary, which is already licensed in Arizona, California, and New Mexico. This bold move shows how successful the company’s agent-owned model truly is, and it is a shrewd play by EXPI going further into a 2016 market characterized by an increasing inflow of international capital and moderate home price growth. If we look at the underlying firm and office affiliations of realtors that are mapped out by the National Association of REALTORS® 2016 NAR Member Profile, we see that just over half are affiliated with an independent company, and around 86 percent of all members profiled were independent contractors.

Hopefully, savvy investors can appreciate what EXPI is doing here, spreading a viral model that empowers agents logistically and financially within an environment where localization is key. This distributed approach not only makes the agents happier, but it allows the entire network to flex dynamically, responding as regional markets ebb and flow. This makes sense for agent and broker alike, constituting a supreme value proposition in either case.

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

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In the latest issue of the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) Magazine, published quarterly, investors will discover a lengthy feature on Laguna Blends (CSE: LAG) (FSE: LB6A.F) (OTC: LAGBF). The CSE is an alternative stock exchange for micro-cap and emerging companies based in Toronto with some 330 listings. The feature tells the story of a company that has managed to successfully combine aspects of the old and the new, bringing it all together on a state-of-the-art online platform. Should Laguna be considered a beverage company, a multi-level-marketing (MLM) company, or perhaps even a tech company?

Laguna is certainly a beverage company. The company has formulated Caffe, a delicious healthful drink meant to be served hot. It combines instant coffee with whey and hemp protein, with approximately 20% of the 6.2 grams per package containing whey and hemp protein. Like instant coffee, Caffe only requires the addition of hot water to serve. If you prefer something cold, there’s Pro369. Pro369 is an infused plant-based function beverage combining HempOmega®, Hemp Protein, and Ginseng, that can act as a food supplement or as a complete meal. Pro369 is the first hemp protein powder to be registered with Health Canada, the Canadian federal government department of health, as a Natural Product with the following five approved health claims:

• A source of protein that helps build and repair body tissues
• A source of amino acids involved in muscle protein synthesis
• Assists in the building of lean muscle
• An adaptogen to help maintain a healthy immune system
• Supportive therapy for the promotion of healthy glucose levels

Both products contain adequate quantities of hemp protein, which is an exceptionally rich source of the two essential fatty acids (EFAs): linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid.

Laguna is also a MLM company. Multi-level-marketing, also known as network marketing, occurs when sales affiliates engage in direct selling to customers and also act as recruiting agents. In this latter role, the sales affiliate will build his or her own network of agents and earn commission on the sales of those agents. This approach emerged in the U.S. in the 1920s and has made companies like the privately-held Amway, Avon (NYSE: AVP) and Herbalife (NYSE: HLF) household names. In his interview with CSE magazine, Laguna’s CEO, Stuart Gray, enthused about the fast growth that MLM companies have experienced historically.

“Successful MLM groups grow faster than tech companies so one of the nice things about Laguna is that we have the ability to get bigger really quickly,” he stated.

Convinced of Laguna’s potential, Gray has invested over one million dollars in the company.

In addition, Laguna is a technological company. The company started beta testing of its Laguna World virtual 3D community in April 2016. Laguna World uses the very latest gaming technology to create a cyberspace where affiliates can educate themselves, build their own networks by recruiting others and sell directly to customers. Laguna World is not a replacement for the face-to-face selling interview, but an adjunct and enhancement to it. Online commerce is growing, and, as consumers become more comfortable buying over the internet, it will grow further. That is why Laguna believes this innovative virtual world technology ‘is a game changer in the Direct Selling / Network Marketing Industry.’

For more information, visit www.lagunablends.com

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Earlier today, eXp World Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: EXPI) announced that its subsidiary, eXp Realty, has been listed among the best places to work by The Washington Post and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The award marks the second consecutive year in which eXp Realty has been recognized as one of the best places to work in Atlanta, where it placed 12th out of 165 honorees. In Washington, eXp Realty was listed in the top 20 based on surveys conducted by both the Post and its partner, Workplace Dynamics.

“This is a tremendous honor for the agent-owners who are on our team,” David Harbour, leader of eXp Realty’s Washington, DC, metro region, stated in today’s news release. “This award speaks to the collaborative, engaging and rewarding environment of our company, not just here but in and across all eXp markets.”

EXPI’s continued success in offering an exceptional work environment for its agent-owners is particularly noteworthy following the company’s recent expansion efforts. Last month, EXPI announced that its real estate brokerage division had commenced operations in four new states, as well as the District of Columbia. In total, eXp Realty currently boasts a network of more than 1,240 real estate professionals across 38 states and Alberta, Canada. Ian Marshall, managing broker of eXp Realty in Atlanta, highlighted this growth in today’s news release.

“In the past two and one-half years we have introduced a new company, concept and brand into the Atlanta market; have added more than 100 real estate professionals to our team; and, are closing in on 1,000 homes sold,” Marshall stated. “eXp Realty agent-owners encourage and support the achievements of their fellow shareholders, not just in Georgia but across all eXp markets in the United States and Canada, and the achievements of the Company.”

For months, EXPI has operated with the goal of creating a value proposition that’s so lucrative that it would be ‘irresponsible for an agent and broker to hang their license anywhere else’, and the resulting agent/owner business model has proven to be a hit in markets around North America. In the first quarter of 2016, the company successfully leveraged a growing network of real estate professionals to achieve year-over-year revenue growth in excess of 100 percent. For the three month period, EXPI’s revenues totaled $7.1 million, up 107 percent from $3.4 million the previous year. This increase directly correlated with the company’s 106 percent increase in agent count over the first quarter of 2015.

The Agent-Owned Cloud Brokerage™ comes complete with a number of collaborative tools, training and socialization features designed to help brokers and agents maximize their positions in real estate markets around the continent. When combined with an aggressive revenue sharing program that offers brokers a percentage of the gross commission income earned by fellow real estate professionals they attract to the company, it’s clear to see why eXp Realty was ranked as a top workplace in Atlanta and Washington, DC, and similar recognition in other major markets could be on the horizon.

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

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