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A leased space can say a lot about a business. Leases are done to attract a labor pool, set a company image, save on the bottom line, or a number of other reasons that set the course for a business.  We work with you to implement that vision and provide advice and recommendations that will add value and make your real estate a competitive advantage.

Here are a few ways we can support your real estate move:

Clarity. Are you growing? Contracting? Changing the type of real estate needed?  What will your business need in the years to come? 

Our brokers work with you to establish how your long term goals can coincide with your real estate objectives.  We help you establish the clarity of your needs over the lease term to establish a leasing strategy that suits your specific needs.

Identity. What identity works for your business?  We will work with you to target specific properties to meet your identity and amenity needs.  We can help you establish a prestigious image, budget friendly, or even green image to enhance your brand.

Location. This is one that everyone knows, but it is still the most important.  We can help you establish the best potential location taking a number of factors into consideration.

Location for clients: Some clients like to work with local players.  If your business has clients heavily concentrated in a specific area it may be a great idea to have a local presence.

Location of resources: Manufacturing and distribution companies are especially concerned with proximity to vendors, suppliers and arterial roads. 

Location of employees: Location will determine employees.  Local labor pools, as well as proximity for current employees should be evaluated to retain talent and maximize relocation value. 

Edgar Cervantes|Associate Broker 

JBS Commercial Real Estate                       

2777 Finley Road, Suite 12|Downers Grove, IL 60515

O 312.462.1021|F 312.462.4423|                                   

edgar@jbscre.com|www.jbscre.com

A new report released by Social Lens Research and MocoSpace, Latinos on the Road: A Mobile and Social Ride Study, found that when it comes to planning road trips, Latinos heavily rely on their mobile phones and social media networks. The online survey found that during every stage of planning for a road trip, Latinos are using mobile phones and seeking more relevant location-based deals, rewards programs and mobile accessible travel content to assist with their trip planning.

“The study indicates that among Hispanics who are leading the way on mobile adoption, the willingness to use mobile phones has outpaced what functionality and content companies offers. Companies are in catch-up mode on the type of customer experience offered. I think travel planning is just one example of the more advanced mobile functionality needed”, said Julie Diaz-Asper, founding partner, Social Lens Research. READ MORE

Latino high school graduates are enrolling in college at an all-time high and, for the first time, at a rate comparable to that of their white peers.

A record 69 percent of Latino students enrolled in college after their 2012 high school graduation, according to a new report by the Pew Hispanic Center. Overall, 66 percent of all 2012 high school graduates immediately enrolled in college, but Latinos did so at higher rates than whites (67 percent) and blacks (63 percent), according to preliminary data.

Latinos are the fastest-growing minority population in the US, but the increased rate of Latino students enrolling in college is more than just a demographic trend, says Pew senior research associate Richard Fry. It’s a sign that the education gap is narrowing, READ MORE

ONE in six Americans is Hispanic. In politics, ignoring the Latino vote is suicidal, which is why the Republican Party is at last getting serious about immigration reform. In business, ignoring Latino tastes is equally daft, which is why American firms are at last getting serious about pursuing the Hispanic dollar.

Between 2000 and 2010 Latino buying power more than doubled (see chart), says the Selig Centre for Economic Growth. Mitt Romney’s drubbing by Hispanic voters last year was a wake-up call not only for his fellow Republicans but also for his fellow plutocrats. “CNN was saying the Republicans would become dinosaurs, and some CEOs said: ‘Wait, what about us?’,” recalls Roberto Orci of the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies. READ MORE

Disney Consumer Products launched a line of dresses called the Disney Royal Ball collection, which is the first-ever line of Quinceanera gowns inspired by the stories of the Disney Princess characters.

Quinceañera, which means one who is 15, also is called fiesta de quince años, fiesta de quinceañera, quince años or simply quince. It is the coming-of-age celebration for a Latina who is turning 15. Latin American cultures take part in this tradition, which is growing dramatically.

In 2012, Las Vegas alone, there were 2,500 ceremonies, according to the HuffingtonPost.com.

A Latina's 15th birthday marks the transition from childhood to young womanhood. The celebration varies significantly across countries, with celebrations in some countries taking on, for example, more religious overtones than in others. READ MORE

Hi Dear All

I'm Marcio Dupont,  industrial designer with a Mexican-Brazilian citizenship.

I'm in Chicago for a couple of months and looking for a permanent job position in the field of design as designer - sustainable design expert  and / or academic. 

Please visit my linkedin at: br.linkedin.com/in/marciodupont/ and let me know of any possible opportunity.

Thanks!

Univision unveiled 30 new shows today in advance of its formal upfront presentation to advertisers in New York next Tuesday. They include a new telenovela from Televisa called "The Storm" that will air on the main Univision network and an adaptation of AMC’s critically acclaimed hit "Breaking Bad" that will air on sister network Unimas, which targets younger Hispanic males.

Speaking to reporters on a teleconference call Friday afternoon, Randy Falco, president and CEO of Univision Communications, said the two biggest trends in media today are the growing marketer focus on digital and the rapidly expanding Hispanic market, now with spending power estimated at $1.6 trillion.

“Our positioning has never been better,” said Falco -- noting the company’s efforts to have a presence across all key media channels, including TV, cable, radio, online, social media and other outlets. The company is positioning itself for the coming season as the one-stop shopping destination for marketers that want to connect with Hispanic consumers. READ MORE

Celebrity advocates are common on Capitol Hill, but actress Eva Longoria was more than just a pretty face at a Senate hearing on "Strengthening the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem for Minority Women."

The "Desperate Housewives" star not only is an entrepreneur herself -- Longoria owns two restaurants and manages her own production company -- she's also launched a foundation to help other Latinas start and grow their own businesses.

Witness: Eva Longoria, owner of Beso and SHe restaurants, manager of UnBeliEVAable Entertainment, and founder of the Eva Longoria Foundation.

Hearing: Senate Small Business & Entrepreneurship Committee on expanding business opportunities for minority women. READ MORE

Downstairs at CVS earlier this afternoon, I caught sight of a magazine I'd never seen before: Cosmopolitan for Latinas.

It's a great example of the kind of economic benefits of immigration that restrictionist studies tend to ignore. The American economy is mostly composed of people making things and doing things for other people. More people means more customers. And a person living in Arizona is a better customer for a U.S.-based producer than a person living in Guatemala for two reasons. One is that it's easier to sell things to more proximate customers. The other is that by moving to Arizona, the person can raise her income and thus become someone capable of buying more stuff. What's more, a larger universe of customers isn't just one that's quantitatively bigger. READ MORE

There is no doubt the digital media universe continues to shift and evolve with the constant introduction of new platforms and ways for consumers to engage.

Marketers looking for a massive demographic embracing this shifting landscape needs look no further than U.S. Hispanics. A community 52 million strong, representing 17 percent of all Americans, Hispanics are a marketer's dream: digitally savvy, young and socially connected.

Indeed, it's no secret that Hispanics are tech-forward. Digitally, Hispanics far over-index non-Hispanics. For example, smartphones are indispensable to their lifestyles, with the vast majority (72 percent) owing at least one device, according to a recent Nielsen Mobile Media Marketplace study. Web video? Hispanics watch 62 percent more digital video than non-Hispanics, according to Nielsen’s Cross-Platform Report. READ MORE

The growing influence of Hispanics is front and center at “upfront week,” an annual event where media companies try to interest advertisers.

According to the New York Times, companies that feature online entertainment have been increasing their appeal to Hispanic audiences as a way to increase revenue.

Cesar Conde of Univision told the Times that, “everything we’re thinking about, we’re thinking about with our digital hat on.” READ MORE

Alma Molina is a 27-year-old recent Ivy League graduate and self-employed entrepreneur.
She’s also uninsured.

"I'm just hoping I don't catch a cold," Molina said. She is a first generation Hispanic-American and she feels it is her job to explain the 2,700-page Affordable Care Act, also referred to as ACA or “Obamacare,” to her family, including her also self-employed mother.

Molina lost her health insurance two months ago, after the politician she was working for lost his re-election campaign. Now in the middle of starting her own marketing and digital strategy business, she cannot get coverage under her parents’ insurance because she is older than 26. And she does not want to apply for government assistance like Medicaid because, she earnestly pointed out, others need the help more than she does.

Just five months before Molina can begin to enroll in health insurance exchanges, where people who don't have insurance through their jobs will be able to shop around for insurance, it's clear that the burden of understanding Obamacare has shifted from the hallways of Congress to the hungry millennial techies and shops on Main Street, who must come to terms with new regulations, costs and uncertainty.
Healthcare Reform 101 is happening in webinars and conferences all over the country, as millions of everyday Americans attempt to educate themselves about a complex law that continues to befuddle politicians and lawyers alike. READ MORE

impreMedia and Latino Decisions in conjunction with The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Health Policy Center, today released key findings of a national Latino poll indicating that less than a quarter of Latinos feel well informed about the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

The results of the tracking poll were released as part of the “We The People, Health Care Symposium” sponsored by impreMedia, The Latino Coalition and AltaMed, held today in Washington, D.C. With more than 46 million uninsured people living in the U.S., nearly 35% of the uninsured are Latinos. The symposium brought a collective group of some of the country’s top medical experts, business leaders and advocates to discuss how healthcare under the ACA will play a heightened role in the lives of Latinos across the country.

Signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2010, the ACA is landmark legislation including comprehensive health care reforms that will roll out through 2014. However, the impreMedia-Latino Decisions poll found that 69% of Latinos think the ACA is confusing and complicated. When asked to name different parts of the ACA, 71% of respondents said, “don’t know” yet 89% said they are interested in learning more about the law.

“This is a watershed moment in the American health care system and sadly Latinos are feeling left out,” said Monica Lozano, CEO of impreMedia. “It is imperative that Latinos understand how the changes under this law will impact them, and how to make the informed decisions for themselves, their businesses and their families.”

Only 13% of Latinos believe that public officials took the needs of the Latino community into account during the ACA debate and bill passage. Despite having limited awareness about the legislation, 75% indicated that the ACA would be good for the Latino community in the long run. READ MORE

Latino small business owners are increasing in number. But the Latino business community still lacks access to that -oh-so-important resource: capital.

Latinos are one of the fastest-growing segments of small business owners in the United States. Estimates suggest by the end of the decade there could be as many as 12 million small businesses owned by Latinos.

A recent report from Biz2Credit, a website connecting small businesses with lenders, suggests assistance is needed to give Latino and other small business owners greater access to the capital they need.

The “Biz2Credit Small Business Lending Index” from March 2013 shows loan approval rates increased for the fourth consecutive month at small banks. Those rates reached an all-time index high of 50.8%. Rohit Arora, co-founder of Biz2Credit.com, says the numbers suggest the recovery is starting to bring relief to some small business owners. READ MORE

The small business sector of the United States currently employs 60 million Americans full of entrepreneurial spirit, invaluable experiences and encouraging solutions for the expansion and growth of our economy.
Small businesses are the engine of our nation's economic prosperity.

They employ about half of all private sector employees, and they create nearly two-thirds of all new jobs. By far, they are the most significant, most populated and therefore the most potentially powerful sector of our economy and our electorate.

Hispanic Americans are a major force in this small business sector with 3 million Latino-owned companies and over $500 billion in revenue.

As administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, I led an organization that exceeded all previous records in small business loans, women and minority owned business support and private-public sector procurement opportunities, guaranteeing loans totaling more than $60 billion. READ MORE

As recognition for the role of Latina Women in society, Verizon Wireless has launched the “Nueva Latina Estrella Award” program.  The winners will be revealed during the 9^th celebration of “Global Latino Fest”, which will take place on Friday, October 11, 2013.

At this event, which is part of the festivities during Hispanic Heritage Month, Verizon recognizes professional women leaders who embrace creativity and integrity, and have shown success in the fields of technology, business, education, and community service.  Nominations are being accepted in the following cities: Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City, Cleveland and Milwaukee.

The deadline to submit nominations is August 30^th, 2013, during which a committee will select semifinalists in each category and finally select winners in the four categories. The contest will reward each winner with $1,000 and a Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Smartphone.

The Committee will be composed of individuals from the city of Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City, Cleveland and Milwaukee who work in various industries, including business, education, community service, healthcare, government services and media.

“Verizon recognizes the important role of professional Latina women in society,” expressed Miguel Bassaíl, Midwest Area multicultural marketing manager at Verizon. “We are proud to be able to recognize these leaders who have contributed so much in their industries and communities.

With this initiative Verizon highlights the Latina of today, who is bilingual, bicultural, and college graduate.  They are women who embrace their culture and heritage, and at the same time advance in their distinct industries by gaining experience and serving their community.

Verizon invites all who know or work with a distinguished Latina professional to visit www.VerizonInsider.com/NuevaLatina and nominate your Nueva Latina and/or find more information regarding this program and Verizon Wireless.

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About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 98.2 million retail customers, including 92.5 million retail postpaid customers.  Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with more than 73,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD).  For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

The history of Latin American emigration is best told over lunch. Taco and tostada stalls have spread across the United States because 12m Mexicans have settled there. In Madrid, steaks sizzle on parrillas tended by Argentines who fled the economic crisis of the early 2000s. To wash such delicacies down, bars in any big city serve mojitos mixed by Cuban exiles.

These days culinary ideas flow both ways. Mexico City is full of Spanish tapas bars. New Portuguese bakeries are springing up in São Paulo. Even American eateries are proliferating south of the border. The reason is that Latin America has become a destination as well as departure point for enterprising migrants.

As rich countries stagnate, they cease to be magnets for mobile hands and brains. Net migration from Mexico to the United States has fallen to roughly zero. In Spain, where more than half of young people are unemployed, the number emigrating each year to Latin America trebled in the five years to 2011. “Necessity has made them overcome the fear of moving abroad for work,” says Juan José Ribas, a Spaniard based in Costa Rica as regional head of Barceló, a Spanish travel company with 29 hotels in Latin America. READ MORE

Good news, the digital divide is closing for Hispanics. The Pew Hispanic Center recently published an encouraging report that indicates that the digital divide is shrinking due in large part to rapid Hispanic mobile adoption and strong usage of social networking sites. For marketers, the report should be another clear indication that it is time to get serious about investing in the U.S. Hispanic digital market.

Hispanic internet, smartphone and social media usage

From the highest level, the report finds that usage of the Internet among U.S. Hispanics jumped 14 percentage points between 2009 and 2012. Today, a full 78% of U.S. Hispanics use the Internet compared to 87% of non-Hispanic whites. When it comes to smartphone and social media usage, Hispanics are actually ahead of non-Hispanic whites. Today, 49% of Hispanic adults own a smartphone vs. 46% of non-Hispanics whites. What’s more, Hispanics are more active on their mobile devices with 76% of them accessing the Internet via mobile vs. 60% of non-Hispanic whites. In terms of social media usage, 68% of Hispanics use social networking sites vs. 66% of non-Hispanic whites. READ MORE

For the fifth straight year, Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson Inc. was the No. 1 seller of new street motorcycles (all engine sizes) in the United States to young adults ages, 18-34, women, African-Americans and Hispanics, as well as Caucasian men ages 35 plus. The newly available data from Polk shows that Harley-Davidson experienced a double-digit market share gain from 2008 to 2012 in the U.S. with these customer groups.

Harley-Davidson chief marketing officer Mark-Hans Richer attributes the company's success to its unique purpose.

"We don't just build motorcycles. We fuel personal freedom," Richer said. "The desire for individual expression draws customers from all walks of life because it's a universal, human value that transcends cultures, generations and history."

In 2012, sales of new Harley-Davidson motorcycles grew in each of the company's key U.S. customer segments. Altogether, Harley-Davidson's U.S. sales to young adults, women, African Americans and Hispanics grew at more than twice the rate of sales to Caucasian men 35 plus. READ MORE

Authenticity and a family-friendly atmosphere are key restaurant qualities for Hispanic consumers, according to new research from Chicago-based Technomic, Inc.

Seventy-one per cent of Hispanic consumers said meals at Mexican or other Hispanic restaurants should taste authentic, and 44% said they would pay more for food described as authentic, compared with 21% of the general population. Carne asada, burritos and tacos were deemed top dishes in the survey.

Additionally, 69% of Hispanic consumers said that restaurants are an ideal venue for quality time with family, compared with 52% of the general population. When choosing where to eat, 46% of Hispanic diners seek a family-friendly atmosphere, compared with 33% of all U.S. consumers. READ MORE