In the past few years, the USDA has started paying more attention to farmers markets. They now conduct a yearly survey asking all market managers in the country to stand up and be counted: It’s safe to say that farmers markets are booming. They have more than doubled in the past decade (151% growth), …
Continue reading “Farmers markets continue strong growth – 10% this year, 151% this decade”
What if Mexico were to become a bigger economy than Brazil? In recent years Brazil has outplayed Mexico, growing at 6% or more as Mexico bumped along in the slow lane. But lately that has changed. Last year Mexico grew by 4% and Brazil by 2.7%. This year Mexico is expected to get close to …
Continue reading “Could Mexico grow bigger than Brazil in the next few decades?”
The past decade was all about the BRICs, the massive economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China, which kicked off at the beginning of the new century, boomed and are now slowing like the rest of the developed world. Taking their place is a new group of fast-rising economies promising businesses outsized returns. The next …
Continue reading “Forget the BRICs it’s the CIVETS now – the new developing world”
Is Google making money off of YouTube? You betcha, Google execs told shareholders today, without offering the slightest bit of detail. Par for the course. So, in lieu of real numbers from Google, here’s a Wall Street estimate: Google is making a ton of money from YouTube. More specifically: The video site should generate more than $3.6 billion …
Continue reading “YouTube is finally making money – lot’s of it!”
A plan that could dramatically remake the Hollywood skyline and form the blueprint for denser development around the city’s growing rail network has won unanimous approval from the Los Angeles City Council. Revised zoning guidelines for Sunset Boulevard and surrounding streets will make it easier for developers to build bigger and taller buildings, especially around …
Continue reading “Los Angeles updates zoning in Hollywood – moving towards metro-centric city”
Unlike much of the rest of the economy, the solar industry is growing rapidly. New solar installations in California jumped by 21 percent last year. An increasing amount of that growth is from “solar leasing.” What’s commonly called “solar leasing” is now the most popular way for homeowners to install solar electricity. A solar company …
Continue reading “Solar Industry booming with 21% growth – Solar Leasing now has waitlists”
Airbnb is disrupting the hotel industry. As of February 2012, 5 million guest nights have been booked worldwide since the site’s launch in 2007, with a 500% growth in the past year and accommodations in over 19,000 cities. I’ve now stayed at two properties (one in San Diego and one in Santa Barbara) and …
Continue reading “Top 3 Reasons To Choose Airbnb Over Hotels”
The Economist published a barometer of world business according to 1,500 senior executives. It’s a complicated graph but very interesting because it shows North America will once again lead the world out of trouble. Read it as follows, “Balance of respondents expecting:” global business conditions to improve (let side) their companies to have more employees …
Continue reading “North America poised to once again dominate world economic growth”
Metros with the Most Construction Permits in 2011 Houston, TX – 31,271 Dallas, TX – 18,686 Washington, DC – 16,501 New York, NY – 13,973 Austin, TX – 10,239 Los Angeles, CA – 9,895 Phoenix, AZ – 9,081 Seattle, WA – 8,664 Atlanta, GA – 8,634 San Antonio, TX – 7,127 More permits were issued …
Continue reading “Housing recovery hits some areas – top growth in U.S. cities”
Etsy has closed $40 million of funding from a roster of investors who have been believers in Etsy for a long time. I couldn’t be happier to have such a committed set of partners who “get it” along for the next stage. What do we plan to do with the money we’ve raised? Two simple …