EKC Awaits the Launch of New Client, Best Streak's Website

One of EKC's newest clients, Best Streak, is making sports gurus, enthusiasts, and fanatics all very anxious for the launch of their new website! As a social networking site, BestStreak.com lets sports crazed fans put that sports knowledge to the test. On the website, users will be able to gain experience points, earn BestStreak dollars for real-life prizes, share photos and tips within your network, and, of course, become a sports legend!

Now's the time to start refreshing your sports knowledge and be on top of your A game for EVERY game! Who will be the first to streak to victory on BestStreak.com? Check back with EKC to find out when the site is up and running and the games can officially begin!

Let's Talk About Sex, Baby! (Or Let Dating Guru Rachel Canis)

Yahoo! Shine recently reached out to EKC client and Best Foot Forward founder Rachel Canis to share her thoughts on...SEX! Check out the article below, where Rachel gives the scoop on how men and women in the Windy City feel differently about sex:

Are Guys More Freaked Out Over Sex Than We Are?

by Liz Brody

I was still in my pajamas this morning (don't ask what time) when I turned on the computer to find it was National Unmarried and Single Americans Week. Who knew? But apparently September 19 to 25 has been set aside to honor the more than 100,000 adult solo citizens of this country. It occurred to me that such an occasion should be acknowledged. So after watching an old episode of The Match Off, (that NBC show where two pros vie to fix up a picky single), I called one of the dating experts on it, Rachel Canis. She was actually the loser, but I don't know... I like her shoes theory: "Make sure you can walk in them. I don't care how old you are."

That POV, it turns out, goes nicely with the name of her high-end dating service, Best Foot Forward, in Chicago. In any case, it was Canis, who told me she'd interviewed 500 of the windy city's singles this year and discovered a surprising new trend. When couples first have sex, according to her research, women take it in stride; it's the guys who freak out. They overanalyze. They worry what it all means. They feel the air thinning and turn into Carrie Bradshaw on a mountaintop doing a one-night-stand postmortem.

What happened to all that sowing of wild oats?

"We found that men were over-thinking it more than women," Canis says. "Some guys don't, but a certain percentage of them assume that after sex, the woman is already picking out china patterns, and they worry there's a new obligation. Ironically, for most the ladies we interviewed, sex was just part of the dating process to see where things were going."

Canis went on to say that men even flip out if the woman thanks them for date (Oh boy, "I Love Lucy" just turned into Lucy the hominid.) "I'd think it was common courtesy to send a text if you had a really good time," she admitted, "but for some reason it makes men feel more pressured. I find that men still want to control the pace of the relationship."

Softline Hits Vegas for 2010 International Textiles Expo

EKC client, Softline Home Fashions, takes on Sin City to show off their newest curtains, decorative fabrics and pillows at the 2010 International Textiles Expo. The expo started yesterday, Monday, September 13 and goes through Wednesday, September 15. It is taking place at the Bally’s Las Vegas. The Carrs will be joining over a hundred other exhibitors at the expo, all providing a market place for products, professional development opportunities and trend forecasting for the upcoming season.

Softline will be able to display their spring 2011 fashion forecast trends, as well as mingle with other exhibitors and view their fashions. To view samples of Softline’s products visit their webiste at www.sotlineonline.com. To find out more about the expo taking place this week, visit their website at www.textileshows.com/.

Check Out What’s Going On With a Few of EKC’s Beautiful Clients

Linda Masquefa Handbags Make Beverly Center Debut at TRAFFIC During ‘Fashion’s Night Out’

On Friday, September 10, Beverly Center welcomed the arrival of Linda Masquefa’s exotic handbag line. Her eclectic fashions were displayed during the Fashion’s Night Out festivities. West Hollywood fashion boutique Traffic will carry these sought after items. View her collection here.

Amanda Eliasch Has Lunch With Fashion Designer, Ozwald Boateng

Photographer, writer, fashion editor…work never slows for Amanda Eliasch. Over the weekend, Amanda enjoyed a lunch with fashion designer, Ozwald Boateng at West Hollywood’s Cecconi’s. Looks like Ozwald needs some of Amanda’s expertise, as he requests her help to celebrate his 25^th year in the business at this year’s London Fashion Week! Amanda runs in the same circle with other dazzling fashion icons including Dita Von Teese and editor of Italian Vogue, Franca Sozzani. Read more about her lunch date with Ozwald on her blog.

Check out Deanna Shapiro’s Most Recent Work

Switch up your movie night this week and check out some of our favorite independent film producer, Deanna Shapiro’s most recent work. Her most recent 2010 films include Kill Speed, starring Andrew Keegan and Nick Carter, and the psychological-horror-thriller, Junkyard Dog, starring Vivica A. Fox. Both films were artfully crafted screenplays from writer-director Kim Bass. Keep an eye out for some of Deanna’s films that are currently in the pipeline; “The Unbroken,” “Grand Grabbers,” and “The Mark,” to name a few.

Summer is Ending…But the Holidays are Right Around the Corner!

In January 2010, EKC client Amy Weber dazzled the cover of Germany’s Maxim with her stunning bikini bod. The cover serves as a real inspiration not just to women who want to stay bikini ready all year long, but to new mom’s trying to get their taut figure back! With the bikini-friendly Labor Day parties over and the combination of cooler weather and the high-calorie foods that accompany those Monday night football parties everyone loves so much, it’s easy to fall off the wagon! Just thinking of Amy Weber and her Maxim cover has given all the girls at EKC a new burst of inspiration to stay fit this holiday season. Wonder who will be next to grace the cover of Maxim for the 2011 year!

In addition to looking good, Amy also has a few television shows in development and is currently the spokesperson for www.BestStreak.com, a sporting network that will be launching their website this October.

GotCast.com Founder Alec Shankman Featured in LA Business Journal

Congrats to EKC client Alec Shankman on his recent feature in the Los Angeles Business Journal! Read the article below:

Alec Shankman: The Real Deal

Midwest transplant Alec Shankman launched a casting site for reality TV hopefuls after working as an agent for some of the genre’s star

by Natalie Jarvey

When Alec Shankman came to Los Angeles in his early 20s, he quickly became a force in reality television as head of alternative programming at Abrams Artists Agency, representing such reality stars as Mystery, star of VH1’s “The Pickup Artist,” and Chad Rodgers, star of Bravo’s “Million Dollar Listing.” He used the expertise he developed in that world to transition from show business to technology as chief executive of GotCast, which combines reality show casting with social networking – wannabe stars create profiles and hope they’ll win the most votes in casting competitions. Shankman had started in the business world with a cologne line in his native Ohio, then took a stab at nightclub promoting there. With a friend, Wil Schroter, he launched his own club, Status, and auto leasing website Swapalease, then headed West. Schroter followed and launched GotCast. Shankman recently sat down with the Business Journal in office space they share with another startup off Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade to chat about discovering Mystery for “The Pickup Artist,” failing his motorcycle driving test, and how his mom regularly flies here from Ohio and can often be found making breakfast for Shankman and his three brothers at the Beverly Hills home they share.

Question: Did you have an interest in Hollywood and celebrities growing up?

Answer: Absolutely. One of my best friends and next-door neighbor growing up was a kid named Dino Rinaldo, and his father, Lil’ John, was a local celebrity in Cleveland for a show he co-hosted called “The Big Chuck and Lil’ John Show.” Spending a lot of my childhood with their family introduced me to the ’biz at a young age and I was hooked.

Who were your celebrity idols when you were young?

Two people come to mind: Jim Brickman and Michael Eisner. Jim is a musician from Cleveland who made the move to L.A. and became a pretty big star in adult contemporary music. Michael Eisner always inspired me because of his incredible journey that ultimately took him to mogul status in Hollywood. I read multiple books about him when I was growing up.

Have you met them?

I met Jim a few years after moving to L.A. and actually became his agent for a while, representing him for his TV work as a host. And I ended up in the same room as Michael Eisner at an exclusive party in L.A. It made me feel like I had made it. (read more...)

'Dating Concierge' & NBC Star De-mystifies Relationships in Online Coliumn

EKC's latest online addiction is BFF founder Rachel Canis' article series on dating and relationships.

In real life, Rachel gets paid to use her relationship savvy to help her clients achieve dating success. But in her online Examiner column, the dating pro gives free advice on everything from pre-date jitters to Facebook dos and don'ts. Check it out if you haven't already-- single or not, you have to admit she has some pretty insightful things to say!

The Measures People Take to Meet Mr. & Mrs. Right

Stef Saffron is a Chicago matchmaker. She's the founder of Stef and the City. Stef has a lot of experience and her costs are affordable. She prides herself in being able to pair off commitment-minded daters who are in the "dating sweet spot" (ages 26 to 32) and finding dates for men.

But what happens to singles who aren't so easy to match via the Internet of otherwise? What about locals who have taken a break from dating and have missed the whole social media craze? What about people who don't have a lot of free time but have significant emotional baggage? What about women who aren't in their child-bearing years? What about the fashion and appearance challenged?

At Best Foot Forward, we consider ourselves the go-to team. As a professional dating concierge, we take the necessary steps to ensure individual success stories. Across the nation, there are extreme examples of what singles are doing to meet or market themselves in search of a mate.

New York's Janis Spidel and Los Angeles' Patty Stanger charge a minimum of $25,000 to scour their cities to find the "perfect" match for their male clients. Whether or not you believe in the longevity of these matches, the media is giving these women a lot of attention.

Outside of Chicago, a 23-year-old guy at DatingBrian.com has left his love life to Facebook and Twitter. People can vote to determine the future of his dating life. (read more...)

Happy Labor Day!

Eileen Koch & Co. wishes everyone a safe and relaxing Labor Day weekend!

Hope everyone has had a wonderful summer so far. It's been a exciting, productive past few months for us, and we see great things in the months to come.

Have a great holiday, everyone : )