A fundamental challenge of small business can be summarized as "too many tasks, too few people."Unlike large enterprises which can have whole teams devoted to limited tasks - think "Task force for the unification of stapler specifications and procedures" - small businesses can have one person covering anything and everything.The time to address "who does what" in an organization is the time when the organization contemplates adding its very first...more
Are you wanting to apply for a new credit card but feeling hesitant to perform the credit card application online? If so, you need not be concerned. Advances in the technology of secure e-commerce have made online credit card applications literally safer than filling out a paper application and mailing it through the US Postal Service. Here's why. SSL Technology First, banking institutions that offer online credit card applications use the...more
Even with a Chapter 7 bankruptcy in your credit report you can still qualify for a sub-prime mortgage. Once approved, you can then use your mortgage to improve your credit history, qualifying you for lower interest rates in the future.The Effects of a BankruptcyA bankruptcy will affect your credit score based on how long ago it was. So a bankruptcy discharged less than a year ago will qualify you for a D loan. These types of loans usually require 30% down and a high interest rate.By waiting a year after a bankruptcy, you can qualify for a B or C loan with their lower rates and down payment requirements. If you wait two years, you can qualify for a FHA home loan. In four years, you can qualify for a conventional loan.Besides your bankruptcy record, financing companies will want to see a steady payment history. This includes your credit and rent payments. Cash reserves for six to twelve months will also offset your credit risk.Search For LendersNot all sub-prime lenders evaluate borrowers the same way. So you may qualify for a B loan with one lender and a C lender with another. To find who will offer you the best financing, you will need to request quotes from several lenders.You can...more
In 1996, in the movie Jerry McGuire, actor Cuba Gooding, Jr. made famous the phrase "Show Me the Money!" Ten years later, a variation of that command, now "Show Me the Data!" rings in conference rooms throughout the country. Managers far and wide, at least the successful ones, are looking at the data. Don't tell me your opinion, show me the...more
Things can change fast!Tactics will probably no longer dominate the public relations plan. Instead, when needed, they'll hopefully assume their properly limited role as the primary means for moving a publicity message from one point to another.But in their place, at the top of an organization's public relations effort, professional...more
Sorry to remind all you died in the wool smokers but November was Lung Cancer Awareness month. But no don't click away - spare a few moments of your time, please .. If hard words on packets wash over you, let me put the financial case to you for quitting. As well as feeling healthier I can offer you a holiday for two on Paradise Island in the Maldives, for two, for every year of your longer life!! OK, I know you don't believe me. Let's explain. Say the average smoker is 40 and smokes 20 a day. With cigarettes at £5 a packet that's £1,800 a year. Then you'll save loads on the cost of your your life, critical illness and medical insurance. Just how much was highlighted in a recent snapshot study by www.express-life-insurance.co.uk. This found that the average smoker paid 56% more for life insurance than a non-smoker. Therefore, giving up could easily save you £50 per month on your various insurance premiums. So as a non-smoker you could be £2,400 per year better off. Wearing a financial hat I can show you that if a 40 year old man put those savings into a personal pension plan with NFU, then at 5% per annum growth, he'll have a healthy retirement...more
How many times have you needed to call for a service such as carpet cleaning? Mechanic service? How about a more serious issue such as a flood service? Did you find that looking through the phone book just doesn't give enough info and searching...more
Preparing a business plan is the most important part of starting a business. So much rests on the business plan, from financing to suppliers. A business plan shows that you are prepared, educated, and dedicated to your business. A good business plan...more
Online credit reports are an easy way to learn what potential lenders will see about us, before we apply for a loan or credit. All too often, our early mismanagement of credit, like during our irresponsible youth, winds up hurting us for years. We...more
Tired of paying for a fax line and maintaining your fax machine? There's a better way to send and receive faxes using internet fax services.Internet fax services enable you to receive faxes in your e-mail and to send faxes. One of the most...more
Because I love to see people get the most out of their online businesses and personal lives too, I always encourage business owners to create as much passive income as possible. That way, you'll have time for the more important things in your...more
If you're a sole proprietor, perhaps you've consideredincorporating your small business or self-employmentactivity.And so maybe you've been wondering,"When is the best time to incorporate?">From a legal standpoint, any time is the best...more