BOOK REVIEW: Performance of Financial Institutions: Efficiency, Innovation, RegulationIt is rare for a financial text to be written by a Cypriot author yet one of the authors (Stavros A. Zenios) is a Professor at the University of Cyprus.The aim of the book is to examine whether financial intermediaries operate efficiently on a worldwide basis. Due to the fact that the book is written by two academics, it is a well-researched book with many real...more
In my career advising practice, I often find that my clients are not clear about what success means for them. Our society defines success primarily around three elements: power, money and fame. Many of you reading this may be saying, "wait a minute -those elements are not the most important things to me." Success is often intangible. It's certainly unique to each person. Have you considered how you will know when you are successful? For...more
Only the weak ones quit. Is that true? There is a story of a CEO of a multi-national company who decided to withdraw a product from the market when it had consistently failed for nine months and eaten up millions of pounds in advertising, promotions etc. Was he weak? He could have maintained the myth of success and stayed in the market and gradually withdrawn, costing him and his company many more millions. Instead, he chose to face the fact that they had made a bad decision backing the product in the first place. He admitted his mistake publicly and withdrew the product before it cost him and his shareholders more money. Is he weak?We believe the opposite is true. He is a winner and winners quit in order that they can go on to achieve greater success. Perhaps, therefore, the phrase should be, 'only the weak ones stick'. The strong appear to recognise when they have exhausted all the options and get out before the situation becomes a liability.The successful appear to know when to quit whereas the weak ones, the unsuccessful, stay with a project hoping and praying that it will turn itself around. Just stop for a moment and ask yourself:Am I maintaining a project, thoughts,...more
Most people online are very familiar with the Nigerian Email Letter Scams. They've victimized thousands over the years and continue to do so. I am certain you've received many in your inbox over the course of your online experience. They are easy to recognize to the experienced. But if you are new online check out the following signs. These words...more
Many online marketers work odd hours, with no beginning of the day and no real end. How does this impact support and customer service inquiries? Some small businesses are afraid to reply to customer queries off-hours, fearful that the message time-stamp will betray them as a small business. The Internet however is timeless. The fact is customers...more
It can be a major source of frustration trying to keep up with all of the business-related information, newsletters, updates, offers and so on that land in your email box. And although there may be no perfect way to ensure that you can read everything you want to and need to in order to stay current, while at the same time preserving enough time to do the work you need to do to keep your business functioning., I have found a way that cuts down on the worst of the time wasters and streamlines the remaining reading. It's a three-step process that works for me, and may work for you. 1. Weed it out. Anytime I find that I am not getting full value for my time from a newsletter, ezine or other informational email source, even though I may be getting some good stuff, out it goes. Chances are that I am either getting or can get the same info through another, more ROI-positive source. 2. Save it for a specific time. I used to waste hours a day reading business-related newsletters and ezines. Now, I put aside one day to read it all. This day is set aside solely for reading informational business mail (not client mail) and for a few other business activities that need focused attention. I...more
You know, those really important outside groups of people whose behaviors can help or hinder any business, non-profit or association manager in achieving his or her objectives? Are you persuading those key stakeholders - especially those whose...more
Do classified ads really work? Should you include an email address or fax number in them? How about a call to action? Questions like these are often brought to the attention of OhioHelp.net, an Ohio-based company specializing in helping businesses...more
How popular is online shopping? And is there room for improvement? Let's check out some pros and cons of automated shopping and see. Digital carts offer convenience for people around the globe 24 hours a day. Yet an estimated 4 percent of shoppers...more
Are people interested in ebooks? And if so, what are the best ways to sell them? The following statistics reported by the Open eBook Forum, a non-profit organization for the electronic book publishing industry, definitely show an interest in ebooks....more
Some day-to-day work issues can turn into big headaches for small businesses. For example, not having enough help during a busy season or new promotion can hurt production, sales and customer relations in the fulfillment of orders and customer...more
Last month I was invited to participate in a charity golf tournament in Las Vegas to celebrate the life of the late dancing legend Gregory Hines. The event was held to raise funds and awareness of the tragic disease that took this entertainer's life....more