Latest news with #Martell
The Citizen
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Martell x Makubenjalo steal the show at Durban July
Martell and Makubenjalo joined forces to create a space where luxury met culture and where global prestige embraced local creativity during the Hollywoodbets Durban July. Hosted by cultural icon Lamiez Holworthy on July 5 and headlined by a genre-defining lineup including KO, Blxckie, Kelvin Momo, and the Scorpion Kings, the Martell x Makubenjalo marquee quickly became the most talked-about destination of the weekend. ALSO READ: Affordable gateway to epic entertainment and productivity Under the theme Marvelous and Class, the experience combined high fashion, bespoke hospitality and cultural celebration backed by a shared belief in the power of collaboration. Katlego 'KG' Bogatsu, the founder of Makubenjalo and Jams on Ice, said, 'We didn't want to just add Martell to the Durban July. 'We wanted to reshape the July experience entirely. Martell gave us the platform, and we brought the vision. 'Together, we created something greater than the sum of its parts, a new standard for how global brands can co-create with local communities.' Media personality, DJ and philanthropist Holworthy shared her experience, 'I've been to many Julys, but this one felt different. It wasn't just about looking the part; it was about being the part. 'The energy, the music, the people, everything was curated with purpose and passion. I was proud to host and entertain at a space that celebrated SA culture on our own terms.' She said. The partnership also demonstrated Martell's commitment to celebrating authentic SA expression, not as an afterthought but as a driving force of its luxury narrative. ALSO READ: Endless entertainment and fun on Disney Insider Prestige and High Energy at Pernod Ricard South Africa's Tintswalo Baloyi outlined that Martell's first presence at the Durban July was to show what happens when legacy meets local. 'Makubenjalo brought cultural precision, and we brought the platform and prestige. It was bold, unapologetic and deeply collaborative. That's the future of brand: storytelling.' At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Became a millionaire, but the unexpected harsh reality that came is his warning for all startup founders
The Sacrifices Behind The Success Finding Meaning In Process Who Is Dan Martell? Success in the startup world is often portrayed as glamorous, with images of big exits, financial freedom, and personal achievement. But for Canadian entrepreneur and business coach Dan Martell, the reality turned out to be far more complex. In a recent viral post on LinkedIn, Martell offered a raw and introspective account of what it truly felt like to become a millionaire—revealing that the emotional aftermath of his hard-earned financial milestone was not filled with celebration, but with emptiness and described waking up on the day his company's wire transfer cleared and finding himself in an unusual quiet. There were no Slack notifications, no urgent emails, and no calls demanding attention. It was a stark contrast to the chaos he had grown used to during years of relentless the seven-figure sum now in his account, the moment felt hollow. His co-founder had sent a message saying, 'We're done,' but Martell didn't respond. Instead, he was left wondering why the culmination of years of effort didn't bring the joy he the silence settled, memories of the early grind came flooding back—coding sessions in the basement, late nights powered by pizza and determination, and the constant threat of financial collapse. Through all of it, he and his co-founder kept pushing, driven by belief and that journey came with personal costs. Martell acknowledged the toll it took—missed family milestones, lost time, and frayed relationships. It was a sobering reminder that success often demands more than what is visible on the stood out most in Martell's reflection was his realization that the true joy wasn't in the exit, but in the process. It was in the moments of progress, the collective struggle, and the relentless effort that built something urged those still chasing their goals to appreciate the path rather than just the destination. For those who have already experienced a similar outcome, he suggested that they likely understand the value of the journey all too Martell is a respected name in the SaaS (Software as a Service) space. He has founded and exited multiple ventures, including Spheric Technologies, Flowtown, and Recognized as one of Canada's top angel investors in 2012, Martell has invested in over 50 startups such as Intercom, Udemy, and 2016, he launched SaaS Academy, now one of the largest coaching programs for software founders globally. His book Buy Back Your Time is a bestseller, focusing on time management strategies for entrepreneurs. Martell is also active across social media platforms, where he shares insights on business growth, mindset, and personal development.
South China Morning Post
07-07-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Why France is toasting China's new tariff on European brandy
China's new anti-dumping duty targeting European brandy unexpectedly became the toast of France over the weekend, after Beijing granted exemptions to a string of French cognac makers. The cordial reaction in Paris came as a surprise to many analysts, who had initially predicted that China's decision to impose the tariff might further raise tensions with the European Union and sour preparations for an upcoming leaders' summit in Beijing. But French leaders ended up hailing the ruling as a 'positive step', after a deal was brokered that saw major producers including Hennessy, Martell and Rémy Martin sign on to a minimum export price that exempted them from the levy. That allowed Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi to wrap up his European tour on a positive note on Sunday, with Beijing having published an official list of 34 companies exempted from the tariff and French industry insiders sharing that the move could have a huge impact. The exemptions will cover roughly 90 per cent of French cognac exports to China in volume terms, according to France's Union Générale des Viticulteurs pour l'AOC Cognac (UGVC), a producers' union with 2,000 members. French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot framed China's announcement as an 'agreement' reached between China and the cognac industry at a joint press conference with Wang on Friday evening, Paris time.
HKFP
05-07-2025
- Business
- HKFP
France says ‘major issues remain' despite brandy price accord with China
France on Friday praised China's steps to settle a trade dispute over European brandy imports but warned that 'major issues' remained unresolved. The signs of a thaw in the row over the alcohol came as China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi met French President Emmanuel Macron and Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris. In recent months China and the European Union have butted heads over Beijing's generous subsidies for its domestic industries. Beijing launched an investigation last year into EU brandy, months after the bloc undertook a probe into Chinese electric vehicle (EV) subsidies. In the latest salvo, China will from Saturday require European brandy exporters to raise prices or risk anti-dumping taxes of up to 34.9 percent. Beijing said 34 European brandy makers, including several French cognac producers, had signed an accord to avoid tariffs as long as they stick to an agreed minimum price. France's cognac makers' association BNIC, which includes key producers Hennessy, Remy Cointreau and Martell, confirmed that some companies had agreed to price increases in China to avoid anti-dumping taxes. 'Positive step' Macron and Barrot praised China's steps to resolve the dispute but stressed they would discuss the outstanding differences with Wang. 'This is a positive step towards resolving this dispute, which was threatening our exports,' Macron said on X. 'I will continue to raise these issues with the Chinese authorities this afternoon.' In a statement to AFP, Barrot said: 'Several major issues remain unresolved, in particular the exclusion of certain players from the scope of the exemptions.' 'We remain fully committed to reaching a definitive solution based on the conditions that existed prior to the investigation,' he said. Wang has held fraught meetings in several European countries this week. After meeting Macron and Barrot, Wang told a press conference: 'The two sides had in-depth, active and sincere exchanges on Sino-French and European relations.' No mention was made of the brandy dispute. Almost all EU brandy is cognac produced in France, whose exports to China are worth 1.4 billion euros (US$1.6 billion) per year. French liquor giant Jas Hennessy said it would face levies of 34.9 percent if it did not stick to the deal. Remy Martin will be hit with 34.3 percent and Martell 27.7 percent. 'The decision to accept the price commitment once again demonstrates China's sincerity in resolving trade frictions through dialogue and consultation,' a Chinese commerce ministry spokesperson said in a statement. However, the European Commission kept up criticism of China's new tariffs. 'We believe that China's measures are unfair. We believe they are unjustified,' said commission trade spokesman Olof Gill. 'We believe they are inconsistent with the applicable international rules and are thus unfounded.' Upcoming summit China has sought to improve relations with the European Union as a counterweight to the United States. But frictions remain, including a yawning trade deficit of US$357.1 billion between China and the EU, as well as Beijing maintaining close ties with Moscow since Russia invaded Ukraine. The trade row blew up last year when the EU moved to impose hefty tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, arguing that Beijing's subsidies unfairly undercut European competitors. Beijing rejected the accusation and announced what were seen as retaliatory probes into imported European pork, brandy and dairy products. The EU imposed extra import taxes of up to 35 percent on Chinese electric vehicles in October. Beijing lodged a complaint with the World Trade Organisation, which in April said it would set up an expert panel to investigate. China and the EU are to hold a summit this month to mark the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties. But Bloomberg News reported, citing unnamed sources, that Beijing would cancel the second day of the summit, in a sign of the tensions.
RTHK
04-07-2025
- Business
- RTHK
France praises China over thaw in brandy trade row
France praises China over thaw in brandy trade row Beijing said 34 European brandy makers, including several French cognac producers, had signed an accord to avoid tariffs. Photo: AFP France on Friday praised China's steps to settle a trade dispute over European brandy imports but warned that "major issues" remained unresolved. The signs of a thaw in the row over the alcohol came as Foreign Minister Wang Yi met French President Emmanuel Macron and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot in Paris. In recent months China and the European Union have butted heads over Beijing's generous subsidies for its domestic industries. Beijing launched an investigation last year into EU brandy, months after the bloc undertook a probe into Chinese electric vehicle (EV) subsidies. In the latest salvo, China will from Saturday require European brandy exporters to raise prices or risk anti-dumping taxes of up to 34.9 percent. Beijing said 34 European brandy makers, including several French cognac producers, had signed an accord to avoid tariffs as long as they stick to an agreed minimum price. France's cognac makers' association BNIC, which includes key producers Hennessy, Remy Cointreau and Martell, confirmed that some companies had agreed to price increases in China to avoid anti-dumping taxes. Macron and Barrot praised China's steps to resolve the dispute but stressed they would discuss the outstanding differences with Wang. "This is a positive step towards resolving this dispute, which was threatening our exports," Macron said on X. "I will continue to raise these issues with the Chinese authorities this afternoon." In a statement to AFP, Barrot said: "Several major issues remain unresolved, in particular the exclusion of certain players from the scope of the exemptions." "We remain fully committed to reaching a definitive solution based on the conditions that existed prior to the investigation," he said. Wang has held fraught meetings in several European countries this week. After meeting Macron and Barrot, Wang told a press conference: "The two sides had in-depth, active and sincere exchanges on Sino-French and European relations." No mention was made of the brandy dispute. Almost all EU brandy is cognac produced in France, whose exports to China are worth 1.4 billion euros (US$1.6 billion) per year. French liquor giant Jas Hennessy said it would face levies of 34.9 percent if it did not stick to the deal. Remy Martin will be hit with 34.3 percent and Martell 27.7 percent. (AFP)
