Informtainment.com by ORLANDO

BARBADOS VENTURE CAPITAL FUND TO BE LAUNCHED

Orlando@dancehallsoca.com (ORLANDO) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:00:00 PST

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (November 12, 2009) - Barbados' Prime Minister Hon. David Thompson will launch a new Barbados Entrepreneurs' Venture Capital Fund on the island this Friday, November 13, 2009.

Intended to add new flavour to the investment market in Barbados, the fund is an essential component of the CBET Shepherding Model™ designed by local businessman Dr. Basil Springer to mitigate the risk of business failure and launch countries into a new era of economic development, one successful business after another.

Speaking ahead of the launch, Dr. Springer said "We expect the advent of sunrise industries, stimulated by the appointment of shepherds and business advisors and access to seed and venture capital funds, to contribute significantly to economic growth in Barbados."

He explained that the CBET Shepherding Model comprises three elements - an entrepreneur with an idea that has the "DNA of an elephant" i.e. an idea with the potential for global expansion; timely cash advances for business and implementation plan development as well as quick response to investment requests; and a shepherd (business mentor), supported by a team of business advisors, to help the entrepreneur nurture the business idea into a successful reality.

Statistics show that a large proportion of businesses fail within the first few years of existence. Having business mentors is an effective way to avoid the pitfalls of business development for entrepreneurs, yet no other venture capital firm in the region makes it mandatory for mentors to be a part of a business development team.

Barbados Entrepreneurs' Venture Capital Fund recognizes the value of the mentor-protégé relationship so the appointment of a shepherd (mentor) is a necessary condition for receiving funding. "With more businesses being guided onto the right path, the potential for returns is tremendous," said Dr. Springer, who noted that another great benefit of the fund is that investment will occur quickly after an entrepreneur demonstrates the viability of the proposed enterprise. "This new paradigm in the entrepreneurial development landscape will bring comfort to many a frustrated entrepreneur," he added.

It is proposed that the principal amount invested in the fund will be backed by a Barbados Government guarantee, which will be very attractive to an investor because it reduces overall investor exposure to the risk of failure.

The launch of the Barbados Entrepreneurs' Venture Capital Fund will take place at the George Washington House under the patronage of the Prime Minister at 7.00 pm. It will feature presentations from the six pilot projects currently being considered for venture capital funding.

For further information visit www.bimventures.com which will be live on the night of the launch.

ABOUT BARBADOS BUSINESS ENTERPRISE LTD
Barbados Business Enterprise Ltd (BBEL) is a private/public sector partnership with the Caribbean Business Enterprise Trust (CBET) Inc. BBEL manages the Barbados Revolving Seed Capital Fund and the Barbados Entrepreneurs' Venture Capital Fund. BBEL is a virtual organisation that focuses on promoting economic development in Barbados. The trustees of BBEL are Sir Neville Nicholls (Chairman), Sir Stephen Emtage, Peter Boos and Hazel Highland.

*Photo Dr. Basil Springer

Caribbean: 10 ways to make money online

Orlando@dancehallsoca.com (ORLANDO) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:20:00 PST

When browsing Caribbean websites, I continue to see websites that have no adverts or is monetized with just google adwords. I have made money using google, however, if you only use google ads, that is like leaving money on the table. I would like to take this time to explain the language that is often used to describe how online advertisement is measured and paid out to publishers. CPM-stands for cost per 1000 impressions. Impression-reported whenever an individual ad is displayed on your website. CPA-Cost per action-you receive commission every time a sale is generated. CPC-Cost per click-You earn money each time a visitor click on a link on a sponsor link on your site.

Things can get get a little more complication from here. I will give you the basic. The next question you may have is, which company do I work with to get advertisers? I am going to do my disclaimer here: I am in the business of sharing information and also making money from content I produce. All information below that I will offer to you is affiliate information-I make money from it. It is up to you to decide if you want to use the following companies I list. Please pay attention to their privacy policy and proceed from there, if you wish.

1. Adbrite

This is a fairly easy company to gain access to you. This is great for sites with low traffic that may want to get adverts. They offer banner ads, inline ads, text ads, and full page ads. The pay out is not that great but It is the best you can get for a low traffic website.

2. Linkshare

One the best, most trusted and respected cost per action companies. We utilize this company to gain access to itunes/FYE inventory. They pay on time and there is no minimum amount you will have to make to see a payout. The smallest check I ever receive from them was a commission of $2.38USD.

3. Text Link

Text link ads are a great way to offer adverts at little cost to advertiser for life. The way this works is that you can link to words in your article. I usually charge a lifetime link of $100 USD for life. Be aware of unknown companies who try to have you connect with them to do this. However this can work really well for artistes, music, products. Here is a example: I am checking out this new way to make money.

4. Offline advertisements

This form of advertisement will never die. It has been tested time and time again. There are a variety of ways I have used this method. Provide access for offline companies to online customers. The back end of my business is also the production work and licensing of our brands. This is important to remember. With our DancehallSoca brand, we can only be listed on events with permission. Those promoters in turn will purchase access to our platform.

5. Consulting

I recently had a conversation with a friend of mines-discussing online advertising and the way it can be best utilized. After a short conversation, my friend said to me, "I still do not understand." This is an opportunity, you can offer consultation for a fee to those who have no idea of how to execute this process online.

6. Producing press release s

In the Caribbean entertainment industry this is often one of the most undervalued aspect of promotion. If you are a writer and you like to write. Reach out to artistes and their management and charge a fee. Most Caribbean artistes are not doing it. This is an opportunity.

7. Digital downloads

I decided a while back that the Caribbean digital download space was too crowded and is not profitable as a full fledged business, for me. However, I cannot beat them, so I join them. I have partnerships with digital download companies. For example, Napster and Itunes.

8. Twitter advertisements

Sponsored Tweets is a owned by Izea. They consider themselves to be social media marketing. The most recent sponsors of our Tweets was Volvo and Cheezdoodles. They have a minimum payout of $25USD and you can set up how much you are willing to accept for a tweet.

9. Adverts for video

If you have a website showing videos. There are a number of ways to monetize through google and other companies. I also make money on the back end for producing commercials, video editing, etc.

10. Chitika

Chitika company monetize your content on the back end. It is geared towards search. Ads will only show when a person search google for a word. Ads show up beneath your content displaying relevant adverts.

I hope this will be helpful in your quest to build a successful Caribbean online business.

ALLEN CHASTANET NAMED CARIBBEAN TRAVEL PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR

Orlando@dancehallsoca.com (ORLANDO) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:39:00 PST

Saint Lucia's Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation Senator Allen Chastanet has been named the Caribbean Travel Personality of the Year.

Senator Chastanet won the honor at the prestigious 2009 World Travel Awards in London, England over the weekend.

The World Travel Awards acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the global travel and tourism industry.

"It's with great humility that I accept this award on behalf of the Government and people of Saint Lucia," said the Senator, who saluted his fellow Saint Lucian nationals for their commitment to excellence across the hospitality industry.

At the Awards, Saint Lucia once again copped the Caribbean's and World's Leading Honeymoon Destination designations, while the Caribbean's Leading Spa Resort went to The Body Holiday LeSport. The Caribbean's Leading Hotel Brand and the World's Leading All-Inclusive Company went to Sandals Resorts.

"As a Saint Lucian, I am deeply honored to witness such a small destination create a big bang on the world stage," said Saint Lucia's Director of Tourism Louis Lewis, who acknowledged that the weekend awards were additional stimulus for the Saint Lucia Tourist Board to continue striving to improve in today's competitive travel and tourism environment.

Senator Chastanet, who is credited with starting the world acclaimed Saint Lucia Jazz festival, was Vice President of Sales and Marketing with Windjammer Landing in Saint Lucia before being appointed the island's Director of Tourism in the early 1990s.

He became Director of Sales and Marketing at Island Outpost in the mid-90s before serving as Director, then Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Marketing at Air Jamaica for eight years.

In 2001, Travel Agent magazine named Senator Chastanet "Caribbean Destination Person of the Year," and in 2003 he returned to his native Saint Lucia to open Coco Resorts in Rodney Bay Village.

He was appointed to the Saint Lucia cabinet in 2006 and assumed the chairmanship of the Caribbean Tourism Organization.

Senator Allen Chastanet holds a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Bishop's University in Quebec, Canada as well as an M.Sc. in Development Banking from American University in Washington D.C.

About Saint Lucia
One of the Windward Islands of the West Indies' Lesser Antilles, Saint Lucia (pronounced Saint LOO-sha) is nestled halfway down the eastern Caribbean archipelago. The "Helen of the West Indies," Saint Lucia is known for its natural beauty and diverse attractions, including the signature Piton Mountains - a UNESCO World Heritage Site - a tropical rainforest and one of the world's few drive-in volcanoes. Culturally rich offerings include the bustling marketplace in the capital of Castries, quaint fishing villages along the coastline, and the annual Saint Lucia Jazz festival. Saint Lucia's wide range of accommodations includes world-class five-star resorts, all-inclusive resorts, intimate inns and value-oriented properties. For information about the island of Saint Lucia, call 1 (888) 4-STLUCIA, or visit www.saintlucianow.com.

LASTING FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Da Costa to address CMEx

Orlando@dancehallsoca.com (ORLANDO) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:48:00 PST

Image Consultant Patrice Da Costa to address CMEx Meeting in Saint Lucia

CASTRIES, Saint Lucia (November 8, 2009) - "Image is everything," according to a Caribbean-American image specialist who will be sharing tips on style and elegance with participants at the 18th Caribbean Media Exchange on Sustainable Tourism (CMEx) in Saint Lucia, December 3 to 7, 2009.

"It takes 30 seconds to make a first impression," insists Patrice Da Costa, the president of Stoosh Images, who will present on the importance of "looking good while sounding good" at the media meeting set for Coco Palm Conference Centre in Rodney Bay Village.

First impressions do last, asserted the New York-based Jamaican national, who notes that "it is natural for people to be judged when met for the first time. Whether it's their hair, nails, teeth or the outfit they are wearing.

"What about when you've attended presentations or listened to speeches - do you simply hear the information expressed and process it? Or, are you influenced by the way the speaker looks at you, the way they are dressed, and whether or not they are well groomed?" Da Costa asked.

The consultant, whose company is working closely with the Caribbean's hospitality sector, believes even the most open-minded individuals will make judgments. "They will make unconscious first impressions based on what they see, hear, and smell, so we must use this information to our advantage," she said.

Da Costa will also share the do's and don't's of public speaking with CMEx delegates. "Making eye contact, not fidgeting, projecting your voice, and knowing your subject matter are some of the tips we will discuss in Saint Lucia."

Stoosh Images Inc. works with private and corporate clients in areas such as appearance, etiquette, confidence and customer service training all in the interest of making a better first impression.

"Each day you step outside, you send a message to the world. The way you look has a lot to do with the way you are treated," Da Costa opines, advising to "take the extra minute to ensure that you are well-groomed each day. It will be well worth it!"

The theme for the CMEx December meeting is "Multicultural Marketing: A Climate for Change." Underlying the provocative presentations and lively discussion is how tourism can improve the health, wealth, education, environment and culture of destinations in a "climate-friendly fashion", as delegates examine how to "climate proof" Caribbean tourism as well as build resilience into a recessionary environment.

A draft agenda is being updated here:
http://www.caribbeanmediaexchange.com/Default.aspx?tabid=453

The General Delegate Registration Form is available from the following link:
http://docs.google.com/View?id=dgsbbfz_1146htt4tjdd

Space is limited.

The upcoming CMEx meeting is supported by American Airlines, American Eagle, Anse Chastanet Resort, Association of Caribbean Media Workers, Barbara Pyle Foundation, Bay Gardens Resorts, Calabash Cove Resort and Spa, Caribbean Business Enterprise Trust, Caribbean Broadcasting Union, Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility, CaribWorldNews, Coco Palm, Community Benefit Development, Cotton Bay Village, Counterpart International, Jade Mountain, LUCELEC, Marketplace Excellence, Palm Haven Hotel, Ruder Finn, Sensible Development Corporation, SpeakEasy M.E.D.I.A. Foundation, St. Maarten Tourist Bureau, Ti Bananne Caribbean Bistro and Bar, Tourism Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago, and Tropical Shipping.

Caribbean: The most active and useful tweeters

Orlando@dancehallsoca.com (ORLANDO) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 04:05:00 PST

Not all tweeters are created equal, Twitter is currently surging with Caribbean celebs, business persons, and the likes. I have no scientific basis for this. However, I will state it anyway-those who twitter the most tend to promote themselves well-the more useful and informative their tweets are, the more followers they will have. We (Caribbean Lifestyle Media) recently signed on with Sponsor Tweets to monetize our tweets (I will discuss this further in another post)-Twitter is fast becoming a hub for Caribbean Talents.

Useful tweets

The most useful tweets provide insight into new music, new information, breaking news, the latest buzz, and periodically a perspective of a person you may not normally know. Let's be honest, I may never become best friends with most of the persons who follow us. However, the followers can connect with information they might not normally have-in real time.

New Information

This is critical to online media. I tend to use my "favorite" feature on twitter, this provide a quick tag to further investigation a trending story. I discuss earlier the deal between Bing and Google with twitter. This will be a feature that will be valuable in the real time Caribbean space.

Breaking News

AllianceJamaica twitter page is a prime example of information sharing. This keeps them relevant by providing media companies, like Caribbean Lifestyle Media, with the breaking news about their artistes. Some information we will cover and others we just let it go. Nevertheless, it is good to know, and make the decision to cover story or not.

You are silly!
Every now and then a artiste, company, or random person may say or twit a pic-hilarious at at times. :) That is a connection. Humor is something we can all appreciate. It is wonderful to know that "xyz" person has a sense of humor. Below are a list of tweeters I follow @DancehallSoca, that I find to be useful, informative, and interactive.

Here are some useful Caribbean celebrities to follow on twitter:

Jwonder21-1,719 followers-4,955 tweets

Nikkiz-2,725 followers-13,176 tweets

Lil Bits-589 followers-3,573 tweets

TifaMusic-1998 followers-6, 289

Mistavybe-539 followers-2,402 tweets

Timberlee-1,632 followers-1, 624 tweets

Soca Prince (Dr. Jay)-1,530 followers-5,676 tweets

AllianceJamaica-2,917 followers-2, 603 tweets

CherineAnderson-1,664 followers-1,325 tweets

10 Things I Think You Should Know

Orlando@dancehallsoca.com (ORLANDO) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 08:38:00 PDT

10 Weekly tidbits from the Caribbean and around the world

1. Barbados Tourism

2. Lottery tickets

3. Leave Hellshire alone

4. Nah Leaving

5. Like father, like son

6. Bmobile and Island People

7. Apple will not lose

8. Smartphones showdown

9. Problem Child heads to CT

10. Serani no games

Folkstown: Explore Caribbean conversations

Orlando@dancehallsoca.com (ORLANDO) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 04:18:00 PDT

Back in June, I blogged about a new service called "FolksTown.com". At the time, the importance of this service may not have been clear to many. Twitter has since become a household name. I recently discussed WeFollow, a twitter aggregator. Folkstown offers the same type of service, for Caribbean folks on twitter.

There is a ongoing battle at this point for news aggregators. This space is buzzing with activity. Techcrunch recently reported: Everyone is trying to take real time Twitter data and massage it into a useful, filtered news stream. Bit.ly has a new product on the way called Bit.ly Now. Digg is rebuilding the service from the ground up to take advantage of Twitter data in figuring out what’s hot sooner.

Folkstown recently contact us, to let us know that we were added. I see great things ahead for Folkstown. When I investigated further I noticed our logo was also listed in "Top Caribbean Twitters", among other popular names in the Caribbean online space.

About Folkstown

folkstown.com utilizes the power of Twitter to track Caribbean wide conversations. Each tweet is categorized and sometimes linked to a place in the Caribbean region. Visitors can also vote for a conversation. Its easy and free

Bing & Google sign Twitter deal!!

Orlando@dancehallsoca.com (ORLANDO) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 09:06:00 PDT

I am really excited about this one. Bing and Google recently signed a deal with Twitter to serve real time searches. Some maybe against it, others may like this deal. Twitter is clearly exploring ways to build revenue streams. I am excited because this is an opportunity for online media companies who use twitter to build themselves as authorities in the Caribbean online arena. I noticed that Jamaica's Gleaner is on twitter, welcome! The playing field is not leveled but sure offers an opportunity for Caribbean Lifestyle Media to widen its audience. Here is how you can too. :)

1. Search real time=real time traffic + blogging kingdoms= Brand building on a different level

With the real time traffic, blogs will have a small window to gain a loyal following in their Caribbean category. The key to this will remain the same. Thoughtful but consistent blogging and content update (not spam). Most traditional media is behind the ball on twitter. They are trying to catch up. The more you provide great information and content, the better it will be to utilize this new deal between Bing and Google. Techcrunch reported: Google may take a few months to get started. Bing is available now here.

2. Own your category

#Dancehall, #Soca, #Caribbean, always twitter with your intended category as "#". This will give you dominance as persons search for these terms on Bing and Google.

3. Mobile will lead the way

The influx of smartphones will give rise to a variety of new twitter users. While some of the information they will be discussing can be useless, other information these smartphones users tweet will be valuable to brand owners. What are they interested in, who are they interested in, what is a celebrity doing right now.

4. I never wanted them to see that.

Online media is watching, if you are a celebrity, you still have to be careful what you twitpic, it can be carefully crafted to provide updates on your music and be a source of information for media companies like mines. The flip side is, not only your friends are seeing the twitpic. Keep it business, we like that because it feeds our updates.

Here are some media companies who are well informed about the twitter world and its potential:

House of Raggae.com: Montreal

Orlando@dancehallsoca.com (ORLANDO) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 05:28:00 PDT

House of Reggae located in Montreal, known for Reggae acts and food. Recently launched their brand new website. While in Montreal, you can check out Mello G and the band, Mikey Dangerous, Inword Band.

About the House of Reggae
(1693-A, St-Denis Street, Montreal; btwn Maisonneuve/Ontario; Metro Berri-UQAM, Tel: 514-223-6233)

House of Reggae is a classy live music showbar and restaurant with a beautiful outdoor terrace that features live performances every week with artists and musicians from across Canada. With an eccentric mahogany and live bamboo décor and a variety of Caribbean beverages and dishes, the House of Reggae is surely a unique among Montreal’s vast variety of showbars and resto-lounges. House of Reggae also offers freee Wi-Fi Internet on the terrace.

Menu at a glance

The House of Reggae boasts a select of specialty Caribbean dishes, such as: Jerk Chicken Wings, Chicken/Veggie Roti, Ackee & Salt Fish, Jerk Chicken Brochettes, Fried Plantains, Jamaican Patties, Rum Cake, and more. The House of Reggae will also serve up traditional Caribbean beverages such as, Carib, Red Stripe, Ginger Beer, Mango Jus, Ting, Pineapple, Vita Malt, and others.

Telephone: (514) 223-6233
Website: www.houseofreggae.com

IRAWMA Founder: Big domain purchase

Orlando@dancehallsoca.com (ORLANDO) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:20:00 PDT

Ephraim Martin founder of IRAWMA recently purchased well over 70 domains relating to the Olympics. Caribbean Life News reported: The enterprising immigrant to Illinois is best known for initiating the oldest Caribbean music awards – the International Reggae & World Music Awards and annually hosts a July 4 weekend celebration in Chicago.Now that his city of record will not host the next two international competitions Martin decided he would own access by securing more than 80 web domain names related to the first Olympics in South America.Martin secured ownership after the city he resides failed to win approval by the International Olympics Committee.Initially, Martin registered more than ten chicago2016 or 2016chicago domains.He had also registered 43 domains for the 2012 London games and just about every domain for Rio-de-Janeiro, along with brazil2016.com and others that would connect internet users to a portal related to the Olympics.

Great for Ephraim that he understands the power of domains. I wonder how many Caribbean centered domains does Ephraim owns. Read the remainder of the story here.

CaribContact.com: Same Rules Applies

Orlando@dancehallsoca.com (ORLANDO) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 05:06:00 PDT

Carib Contact motto is "Caribbean marketing portal". Carib Contact states that they would like to make your life easier: Traditional marketing tries to place advertisement messages in a way that gets your attention while perform some routine task. In reality, you will not notice it unless you are interested, and you might even search through several pages of a newspaper to find one advertisement of a product or service you are interested in.

The problem is that when you want a particular product, it tends to be difficult to find. CaribContact.Com provides you with an easier way to find flyers, press ads, coupons and newsletters containing the products and services that you are looking for.

I like the website layout and easy browsing capabilities. However, after 5 minutes of browsing, I am still unaware of how Carib Contact would help me or solve a problem I never knew I had. This company appears to be affiliated with iLaloo.com. I really had to dig to learn more about this company.

TRUST

I am aware that many businesses online, maybe using offline marketing tactics for their company. Online the rules still apply, but some rules need to be tweaked. The first thing I want to know is who owns this company. Trust is the key, I am unsure who runs this company. Their "Whois" is private. When I am parting with my money, I want as much information about the persons behind the business that is possible. Pictures, names, etc, all could make CaribContact more approachable.

Carib Contact is actively advertising without a variety of products or services being offered. Recently, Pukshop launched without a variety of offerings on their website. I browsed, I saw, I left, if the website had a variety of products at the time that they launched. I would have browsed, saw, signed up, and returned. If you have a traditional store, would you open without products to sell? Would you want to know the shop owner? Would you want a variety of products? Same rules applies online as offline, never launch a website offering products, without products.

WeFollow.com: influential Caribbean Twitters

Orlando@dancehallsoca.com (ORLANDO) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 05:04:00 PDT

Techcrunch recently reported that Wefollow was acquired by Digg. The founder of Digg is also the founder of WeFollow. We follow organize twitter brands by category ( i.e. Caribbean); most followers and most influential. I am proud to say DancehallSoca was in the top 15 most influential for the category "Caribbean" and top 5 for category "Dancehall". This fluctuates from time to time. I am unsure of how they get this information. My guess is that the person with most relevant twits in some combination with followers may make it on this list. As Wefollow become more popular and is infused into Digg, it will be interesting to see how this list changes. In order to be listed on WeFollow, you will have to add yourself.

Other influential twitters were popular blogger Nurse Karen, Soca Prince, WorldFlavas and DancehallMobi

Caribbean domains for sale!

Orlando@dancehallsoca.com (ORLANDO) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 07:29:00 PDT

* Picture: The Beautiful Soca River by Shannonstravels

I have decided to take a different direction with my domains, the current pace of Caribbean Lifestyle Media has resulted in me sitting on a few other Caribbean domains. The first being DigitalSoca.com. I had all intentions of developing this domain into a legal download business. However, the pace of future planning will not allow me to do so.

DigitalSoca.com is great for those persons who would like to build a business in the Soca download arena. I am now focused on content building and distribution through domains like DSoca.com. The most recent purchase is DancehallPOP.com-think Sean Paul, Serani, Shaggy.

I am offering a package deal to those interested, this deal will include DigitalSoca.com and DigitalReggaeton.com. Email me with only serious offers or opportunities to partner.

Ms. Alysha.com: Launch Oct 21st

Orlando@dancehallsoca.com (ORLANDO) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 04:40:00 PDT

Soca artiste Ms. Alysha is among Soca's virtual elites, she is gearing up to make her presence online even more prominent. Ms. Alysha is one of the few Soca artiste who is already using twitter to connect with audience/media.

Based on what I am seeing, the website looks very nice. Ms. Alysha has all her social media authority on her website. Authority is important for personalities like Ms. Alysha, to promote and connect with media companies for verification and promotion.

Ms. Alysha.com is live now, this is a very good strategy, for about a week, I have been receiving updates stating that the website would be launched Oct 21st. This builds anticipation, however, if you are "fass" like me, I went straight to the website to see what was already there. Check it out Ms. Alysha, launches October 21st.

Tessanne.com: Virtual Melodies

Orlando@dancehallsoca.com (ORLANDO) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 03:17:00 PDT

I am an advocate for the Caribbean folks using the internet to push their products, message, and artistry. As more artistes bring their vision online, I am happy with the progress and steps many artistes from the Caribbean are making. Tessanne.com was registered two years ago, the registrant is Sesa Consulting. While this website clearly is for Tessanne Chin, I am always alarmed when the domain is not directly owned by the artiste, I am unsure if Tessanne actually owns this domain through an alternative agreement. However, if she is not listed as registrant somewhere on Whois, I am left to question ownership.

About Tessanne

Tessanne is the fresh soulful voice of a new generation of Jamaican musical talent. Her sultry fusion of Dancehall and Reggae with a edgy rock riffs mixed with the honest, heart felt and conscious lyrics she pens herself create a musical style that is uniquely her own. Her exceptional vocal talent and her exotic looks - mix of Chinese, White, Cherokee Indian and African heritage give her unmistakable stage appeal. At the age of 22, Tessanne has already opened on stage for such musical greats as Patti Labelle, Gladys Knight, Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack, Atlantic Star and Boys 2 Men. She also toured the world as a backup singer with the Reggae Legend Jimmy Cliff for Three years. It was during that time that her love for the road, music and the stage was sealed.

"I always knew that I was gonna end up singing or have something to do with music, but touring gave me a chance to really test the waters, to know my limits... more than anything, it just fired me up even more to get out there and want to do my own tour". Born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, Tessanne was introduced to music at a very early age by her parents. Her mother was the trumpeter/ singer in her band called the "Carnations" and her father was the drummer. Tessanne started her stage career when she was 6 years old with Cathy Levy's "Little People and Teen Players club" one of Jamaica's top performing arts schools. Most of her vocal coaching came from her mother and also from noted vocal coach Lecie Wright.

10 Things I Think You Should Know

Orlando@dancehallsoca.com (ORLANDO) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:07:00 PDT

10 Weekly Tidbits links from Caribbean and the world!

1. Trini Ben died

2. The Rebirth

3. Reewind

4. Usher Police Report

5. US spend money on St. Lucia

6. Tarrus Riley

7. 3K a month

8. Crowded at the top

9. Just for Giggles

10. Sex with Timaree

DiGeniusMusic.com: Stephen McGregor Online

Orlando@dancehallsoca.com (ORLANDO) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 05:48:00 PDT

I received a tweet from Di genius the other day and noticed that included in this update was a new website about the "Di Genius one". I decided to investigate further. My first thought was "this website better be hot", I was not disappointed. Very nice and clean website. Di Genius also has his authority set up with all his social media tags.

A nice touch to the website is the Ustream live access to the Big Ship studios. Busy Signal, Elephant Man, Chino have all passed through lately to voice new tunes. This is the way a multimedia website should be. Take note.

About Stephen McGregor

Stephen McGregor has been rightfully defined in the media as a musical genius, and indeed those terms are no exaggeration. Stephen, at only 16 years old is one of Jamaicas best producers. A son of Freddie McGregor, Stephen was exposed to music since he was born and almost lives in the Big Ship studio, the McGregors home studio where he has built over 500 riddims over the years. Since his days at the Vaz Prep School, Stephen started writing his own material after school. He wrote his first song School Done Rule, a song about importance of staying in school, at the age of five and it enjoyed airplay, locally as well as abroad in 1995.

Since Vaz prep write own material after school At the young age of ten, the talented Stephen played already five instruments, including the piano, violin, drums, bass, guitar, which provides him with the basis for much of his work. His in depth knowledge and deep understanding and feeling for music puts him way ahead of many others in the biz. In addition he also has the experience of travelling and performing all over the globe with his family.

Stephen has performed in the USA, Canada, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean and knows the different tastes and preferences of music that people have in the world. Stephen is now a past student of the Ardenne High School, where he played in the school band, Stephen has moved behind the scenes, as a producer, leaving his brother Chino to be the performer. Stephen has the steering wheel of the Big Ship in his grip and he works hard alongside his brother Daniel aka Chino to manifest their visions and to ensure that the Ship is sailing with full blown sails into the future. Since taking over the rudder in 2005, when he produced the well known Cartoon Riddim-, Stephen is making more and more waves as a producer. His latest projects, which show Stephens versatility and talent, include the Redbull&Guiness, 12 Gauge Stick Up Breaking News Ghetto Whiskey among many others.

Stephen McGregors enormous musical talent will indeed make him soar to higher heights and we will hear a lot of great music from him and the Big Ship Camp.

SellABand: Financial backing for your music project!

Orlando@dancehallsoca.com (ORLANDO) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 03:47:00 PDT

Would you support your favorite artiste financially? SellaBand is clearly set out to do just that. In the Caribbean, artistes can struggle at times to have their project be financed and managed properly. SellaBand is separated into two groups, "artistes" and "believers".

I can see this working for Caribbean artistes. Do some research on SellaBand and see if this is the right place for you as a manager, artiste, or a believer.

Artistes:

1. Fund your music project
2. Connect with your fans
3. Keep all your rights

Believer:

1. Discover new music
2. Support your favorite artiste
3. Get Rewarded

BuyingJamaica.com: Online Superstore

Orlando@dancehallsoca.com (ORLANDO) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 03:59:00 PDT

I recently browsed over to Buying Jamaica, a online superstore via Etana's website. I was impressed by the easy navigation, and dynamic content on the website. It appears the site is lacking in the amount of products they offer. Regardless of the product offerings, I see this site being the Overstock of the Caribbean in the future. I am unsure of how they go about connecting with producers of what they sell, the website has great potential to offer much more. Buying Jamaica has the basics, a nice website, trustworthy-secured payments through paypal, and Visa.

The plus for Buy Jamaica is the customer service number and 24/7 email access. I have never ordered anything from this website, I am unsure of how long shipping takes for person's living overseas. The website did not say where products are shipped from. However, the office is located in Red Hills, Kingston and my guess is that it is shipped from there.

ABOUT BUYINGJAMAICA.com
BuyingJamaica.com is a complete online superstore supplying everything you need that is of Jamaican make or origin. We source and provide the very best products that are manufactured in Jamaica and bring it all together in one online superstore. With the aid of our comprehensive team of shipping partners, we ensure that these items are delivered to our customers in the best possible time and condition.

BuyingJamaica.com has several shopping departments that include, Music, DVD's Clothing, Fashion Accessories, Food & Beverage, Art & Craft, Books & Literature,Â Sport Memorabilia, Health & Beauty and Souvenirs. From these departments our customers can find products to satisfy their needs such as coffee, canned ackees and mangos, Bob Marley T-Shirts and souvenirs, CD's & DVD's from Jamaican musicians and play writes and wonderful pottery and paintings in addition to many more items.

With BuyingJamaica.com there is no need to search the web for various individual websites to find your favourite Jamaican products as everything can be found in the same place with the very best prices and the most reliable shipping options directly from Jamaica.

Digital Downloads not profitable?

Orlando@dancehallsoca.com (ORLANDO) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 03:48:00 PDT

Earl Wilson (NY-Times) recently wrote , "This is part of a much broader shift in media consumption by young people. They’re moving from an acquisition model to an access model. A study last year conducted by members of PRS for Music, a nonprofit royalty collection agency, found that of the 13 million songs for sale online last year, 10 million never got a single buyer and 80 percent of all revenue came from about 52,000 songs. That’s less than one percent of the songs."

The recent chatter about Vybz Kartel's "pon de gaza" selling less downloads than expected, is a glimpse into the digital download industry. I believe that digital downloads will continue to not be profitable unless it is package with other products, shows, and videos. The artistes who take the time to package, and promote their music properly, will begin to understand the move from "acquisition to access". For example, friends of mines; The rap duo Paperboyz, market their music via "access" using their social media website. They have traveled the world as a result of this.

I agree things are changing, but it is also true that a great deal of the music available for download, lacks character. Nothing sets them apart. Character can be developed using the access model. Access allow for grassroots following and more opportunities to interact with people who are more likely to also buy a ticket to a live performance. MistVybeworld is a great example of this.

I am not surprised that Vybz Kartel digital download did not sell much, the album was poorly promoted, and Vybz Kartel does have a following online. There is currently no way to connect with Vybz Kartel (except myspace) beyond traditional media. I hope we are learning that it still takes a lot of effort to connect with the audience. Maybe I am the only one who get this reaction, if a song is good, I don't mind paying the money to have that song in my collection.

*picture: Slim K

10 Things I Think You Should Know

Orlando@dancehallsoca.com (ORLANDO) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 04:58:00 PDT

10 weekly tidbits of information from the Caribbean and around the world.

1. Cherine Makes the Billboard 100

2. Roy Cape to be honored

3. Rumored to be playing Mas

4. Phone changer

5. Expansion of knowledge

6. Write your own app

7. Travel the Eastern Caribbean ferry

8. Happy Riddim

9. Ragga new tune

10. Big Drew know what girls want

Your Caribbean domain extensions

Orlando@dancehallsoca.com (ORLANDO) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:28:00 PDT

The Caribbean continues to be wide open for domainers, but very few understand this market. I would argue that Caribbean domains are just as important as any other geographic region on this planet. I know of two domainers; Frank Schilling and Sandor Panton.

Here are a list of Caribbean domain extensions I like.

Antigua- [.AG]

Aruba-[.AW]

Belize- [.BZ]

Barbados-[.BB]

Cuba-[.CU]

BVI-[.VG]

Dominica-[.DM]

Grenada- [.GD]

Haiti-[.HT]

Montserrat-[.MS]

St. Lucia-[.LC]

St. Vincent-[.VC]

Turks & Caicos- [.TC]

Everything you read on the web is connected to a domain. Domains are the life blood of information. If you own any of the above extension and decide to learn, partner, and develop any of these extensions into a thriving business, I say better for you. While I am at it, I do not like the .co.tt (trinidad) and the .com.jm (Jamaica). I think these extensions make it hard to compete in the Caribbean domain market. Maybe Jamaica and Trinidad should contact Icann and start to work on getting this resolved. In my research, I could not locate a valid explanation for why some domains had extensions like .TC and others had .co.tt.

Carlton Samuels was recently appoint to the Icann board. Icann governs internet domain extensions: To reach another person on the Internet you have to type an address into your computer - a name or a number. That address has to be unique so computers know where to find each other. ICANN coordinates these unique identifiers across the world. Without that coordination we wouldn't have one global Internet.

About Carlton Samuelts/Icann.org:

Carlton Samuels has been appointed as an At Large Advisory Committee member from Latin America / Caribbean. Carlton brings significant Caribbean experience and knowledge, and also an ability to facilitate consensus-building with the Latin American Internet community from his work as LACRALO secretariat.

Carlton works as a consultant and an adjunct lecturer at the Information Science Faculty of Humanities & Education in the University of the West Indies at Mona Kingston, Jamaica. He is a Jamaican and US national.

Previously, Carlton has worked as CIO & University Director of IT, University of the West Indies, Managing Director, Mona Informatix, as a registrar for the .jm ccTLD and VP, Network Systems, Neal & Massy Corporation as a senior executive with responsibility for regional network and telecommunications business segment for the largest Caribbean-based multinational.

Carlton's current and previous volunteer positions include being a foundation member of and the current secretariat for the Latin America and Caribbean Regional At-Large Advisory Organization (LACRALO), member of the advisory boards of Microsoft Partners in Learning and the Project Advisory Board of the Caribbean Universities Project for Integrated Distance Education (CUPIDE). Carlton has also been a member of the CARICOM ICT Task Force, a regional ICT leadership position charged with developing a cohesive ICT policy framework for Caribbean governments.

Carlton's educational background includes a degree in Natural Sciences from The University of the West Indies, a postgraduate degree in management information systems from George Mason University, US, and a postgraduate diploma in corporate strategy from the Sloan School of Management at MIT.

*photo by myspacefriendsadder

Share or Not: build your BRAND beyond you!

Orlando@dancehallsoca.com (ORLANDO) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 18:28:00 PDT

The content any online company produces on the web, will be better served, if it has some viral capacity. I think way more people pass information around than we think. Feeds are at the forefront of information distribution, Caribbean folks get to enjoy "up to di time" content, which is indexed for future search.

I have taken the attitude that sharing builds value in any of my companies:DSoca.com, DancehallSoca.com, IDancehallReggae.com. The web 3.0, will be less about who did it first, and more about who provides information through sharing. The same journalism ethics will still be relevant.

My argument is, sharing has built strong companies, brands, etc. The Internet only speeds up the process. We share a product we like through word of mouth. We also share our dislikes as well. The person who fails to take the attitude of sharing; fail to build a brand in today's Internet business. Techrcunch reported on mySpace's sharing, and Apple on the other hand is picky about who it shares with. It essential as Caribbean folks that we tweet and retweet our stories, sharing creates hubs of information from content producers, publicists, artistes, and news organizations.

Adobe will be sharing with Gigya. How many Caribbean bloggers, online businesses, media company, online news companies you know that are currently sharing or involved in mutual partnerships. How often do you reach out to folks in the Caribbean to network and connect in meaningful ways?

Saturday Big Up: Sniani - Apparel Elevation‏ by Christopher Russell

Orlando@dancehallsoca.com (ORLANDO) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 04:24:00 PDT

Christopher "Sniperholix" Russell owns the clothing line based in Trinidad and Tobago called "Sniani". Chris says he is in the early stages of development thus and apparels are limited to t-shirts at the moment.

T-shirt Designs are inspired by life in Trinidad and Tobago and by extension the Caribbean as Sniani use many local slangs, symbols and images. Sniani - Apparel Elevation also has a broad assortment of funny, political and rastafarian designs and for Carnival that will be releasing exclusive soca and calypso themed designs. Apart from printing tees locally we are maximizing the reach of our products by utilizing online on-demand retailers such as zazzle.com, cafepress.com and spreadshirt.com.

These retailers also allows us to design other products such as shoes, keychains, hats and merchandise. Our stores at these retailers are: Zazzle, Cafepress, and spreadshirts. Check them out and let us know what you think. We are also engaged in another project which we will launch at the end of the year. It is an online magazine about local arts and talent. We expect to showcase underground artistes, dancers, designers, photographers and such. Maybe we can trade features in the future. I hope all the info was sufficient and thanks for recognizing our store.

1. I understand that you are partnered with online retailers. Are you currently working with stores in Trinidad to have your product there?

Yes my products are featured at "D' Caribbean Culture Shack Ltd" while I am still negotiating with other stores. Soon they will be available on the University of the West Indies St. Augustine Campus, Culture Shok and Flam.

2. Sniani - Apparel Elevation What is the meaning of this name?
My online name is SNIperholix and "ANI" is from an African name that means "royal". So I combined the two for a truly unique and memorable name. All my projects begin with SNI for branding purposes. Sniperholix means imagination on point

3. We understand that you currently have T-Shirts, are there any plans to broaden the choices to include other products?

Sure...I have designs for accessories, jeans, shirts and other custom stitched apparel, But I am holding back those designs until acceptable success with the tees which is coming along nicely

4. Are you the principal owner of the company?
Yes I am

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Digital Downloads not profitable?

10 Things I Think You Should Know

Sponsored Tweets: Get Ads for your Caribbean Tweets

Your Caribbean domain extensions

Share or Not: build your BRAND beyond you!

Saturday Big Up: Sniani - Apparel Elevation‏ by Christopher Russell