When you first take over a department, expectations are usually high but operations are sometimes in disarray. The staff is disorganized, goals aren't being met, and hours are spent on unproductive tasks. Just when you think the company would never get on track, the CFO recommends that you learn more about something called operations assessment.Crucial Management Skills Help Avoid MistakesAt first, you aren't sure how operational assessment...more
Lenders are using credit scores more and more to make decisions about who they will lend to. The main developer of these scores is called Fair, Isaac Co (FICO), thus these scores are often called FICO scores. Scores range from 300-850 with a lower score indicating a higher chance of defaulting on a loan and a higher score representing a better chance that the lender will get paid back. The national average score is approximately 680.Every...more
One very important wealth creating habit is to set up a concrete plan that you can actually follow. You see, wealth takes planning, and is usually the result of taking a set of orderly, progressive steps from where you are now to where you want to be financially. Why is this a top wealth creating habit? Because the most extraordinarily wealthy people on the world did it this way. Less than 7% of the wealthiest people in the world received an inheritance, and of those 7%, almost none received their total wealth that way. In other words, almost everyone has to have a step-by-step plan for achieving wealth. The "I hope I win the lottery" works for almost no one.While a complete financial plan can be difficult to create overnight, you can get started by practicing creating concrete financial goals. And we do mean concrete. When most of us think about our financial situation, we tend to recoil from it because it makes us uncomfortable, especially if we are in debt or we are not as far along as we want to be. Stop recoiling! Take a careful look at your financial situation and set 1 to 3 goals that you want to achieve. Write these goals in concrete detail. For instance, don't write a...more
Have you ever heard the phrase, "Thoughts are things and words have wings?" This phrase is the perfect expression of the principle of prosperity. How you think about and talk about your level of prosperity is what actually manifests in your life. How many times a week do you wistfully say to your companion, "Oh, I'd love take a break and go to...more
You do if you're a business, non-profit or association manager with important external stakeholders whose behaviors affect your department, division or subsidiary the most. In your own best interests, here's what you'd better be doing about them. Accept the fact that the right PR actually CAN alter individual perception that leads to the kinds of...more
A few years ago, many of us would have had a light chuckle to ourselves if someone mentioned that you could borrow money to buy a house with only the promise of solid future earnings. But today this is a regular occurrence. Many of the industry's non-conforming lenders are selling these financial products to many happy consumers, with most of the major banks avoiding this riskier route.Ideally, the individuals set to gain from this product have high incomes in industries with high job security. With this loan you are presuming that the benefits of immediate ownership and debt outweigh the costs of renting. This may not always be the case however. The risk to the lender is greater and so you will pay a premium interest rate for the privilege, usually about 2% higher than the current market rate. With this is mind, it may be time to clean the dust of the old mortgage calculator and assess the long term financial gain or speak to a financial consultant to establish whether this is a sound option for you, and for many people it can be.Of course, there is no such thing as a free lunch and strictly speaking, no deposit means "with enough money to cover initial expenses" such as stamp...more
I hear it all the time. "What should I do about . . .?" As a business owner you're faced with the daunting task of making all the decisions that affect your business. Should I remain a sole proprietor, become an LLC or is an S Corp better? Should I...more
MARKETING STRATEGIESAn enterprise may adopt different marketing strategies dependent on the size and position of the business in its industry. The marketing strategy adopted may prove crucial to generate sales. These marketing strategies are often...more
What is bad PR? Well, if you're a business, non-profit or association manager, bad PR does nothing positive about the behaviors of those important outside audiences of yours that most affect your operation. It fails to create external stakeholder...more
Loyal customers are the foundation of almost every business. Going the extra mile to provide outstanding customer service is the first step to customer loyalty. But there is more. Of course - your products and services in general need to be good. If...more
As a small business owner, it's wise to familiarize yourself with some key deductions that may reduce your tax bill for 2004. Employee Benefit Plans - You may deduct contributions to employee benefit plans (such as health insurance plans and...more
Have you ever wondered what would it take to compete successfully with the "big guys" like Simon & Schuster and even get to the top of the heap? If there is such thing as a magic formula for success, then the story of Geela, the author of the...more