Small glove maker lands giant MLB deal (Fortune)
A company BizSense profiled back in August got a write-up in Fortune. Wilson. Rawlings. Easton. Big brands like these dominate the $132 million baseball glove industry, paying star players big bucks to wear their gear. Enter Vinci. For the past 12 years the Richmond-based family business has sold its baseball and softball gloves to recreational and minor league players. Its revenues are in the low six figures. It can’t afford any licensing deals.
MeadWestvaco profit tops Wall St estimate (Reuters)
Consumer packaging maker MeadWestvaco Corp posted higher-than-expected third-quarter profit on Wednesday, boosted in part by a massive restructuring that will cull 10 percent of its global workforce.
S-A-T-I-R-E Big, Pretty Project That Will Never Happen Unveiled For Shockoe Bottom (Tobacco Avenue)
The thing, said to be a $100 million to $150 million heritage site for slavery or something historical like that, could, in theory, be really big and pretty and also supposedly draw tourists to Richmond with that prettiness, officials said.
NewVa Capital helps firm relocate to Blacksburg (Roanoke Times)
NewVa Capital Partners in Radford said it has invested $2.5 million in a Blacksburg company that intends to commercialize a germicidal light treatment for nail and skin infections. The company is Keraderm Corp., which operated previously in Hampton and voluntarily agreed to make Blacksburg its headquarters, effective last week, said Bill Cumbie, president and CEO.
Google Steps Into Another Market: GPS for Phones (NY Times)
Google announced a free navigation service for mobile phones on Wednesday that will offer turn-by-turn directions, live traffic updates and the ability to recognize voice commands. The service will initially be available on only one phone, the new Motorola Droid, but will be expanded to more phones soon.
Expand During a Recession? (Inc.)
In uncertain economic times, when not even the chairman of the Fed knows what next month will bring, is it too risky to open a new location? Why you’re better off not trying to read the tea leaves.
Honk if You Can Read This (Entrepreneur)
Sign spinning has morphed from curbside oddity to performance art–and a surprisingly effective way for a startup to grab attention.
