Here's a dirty secret, today's "non profit credit counselors" are often just front organizations paid lucrative commissions by creditors to keep consumers from declaring bankruptcy! In the "debt collection biz", creditors will sell your outstanding debt along with the debt of hundreds of others to a collection agency for cash up front. The collection agencies will work this debt until they've made all the money they can. Then they'll keep selling...more
Most businesses want to be able to borrow money when they need it, without the owners having to guarantee the loans personally. This means less risk to the owners. But wanting to get credit for your business and actually getting it can be two different things. One company recently approached us because over the past two years they had created a successful business, with over twenty employees. But they couldn't get a business loan because they...more
Key Events To Watch ForIraq Oil Production stabilizing above 2 Million Barrels per dayUsual suspects for Strikes Norway, Nigeria, and VenezuelaSaudi Production over 10 Million Barrels per dayLargest Importers to U.S. and amount weeklyRussian Oil giant Yukos back taxes problem ( produces 1.72 Million barrels per day) alot of export revues for Russia too loseKey Market FundamentalsU.S. Crude Oil Inventories starting at the beginning of January 2004 where at a historical tightness level of approximately 270 Million Barrels and growing into the end of the first half of the year at one of the largest rates ever before seen to a high of 308 Million Barrels. For the week ending June 25th we were looking at 304.6 million barrels in inventory. These Numbers are released by the America Petroleum Institute and the Dept. of Energy every Wednesday at around 10:30 A.M. Eastern time unless delayed a day due to Holidays or technical problems. Inventory builds of both U.S. Commercial and Strategic Petroleum Reserves should not be discounted as the global economy recovered out of a severe recession and demand began building to a record pace. With OPEC members producing at the highest levels in...more
The most successful entrepreneurs rely on their advisory boards to help spot new opportunities and potential pitfalls.Now you can have your own advisory board: a shadow board of directors.A shadow board of directors is a low-tech technique for accessing the expertise of others and increasing your confidence and options. A shadow board can help you...more
Here are our Top 10 most important things to consider when shopping for a Home Loan, Equity Line of Credit, or Refinance, courtesy of LoanResources.Net: Down-Payment Fixed Versus Adjustable Rate APR Loan Types Loan Amount Qualification, Income Loan Amount Qualification, Expenses Employment and Credit History Points Sub-Prime...more
As a manager, does your current business, non-profit or association public relations effort concern itself primarily with radio and newspaper publicity? Or does it concentrate on a specialty area like financial communications or trade relations? Or, possibly, it deals each day with sales support or government affairs? Actually, maybe your PR effort should concentrate on delivering what you really need? For example, PR that really does something positive about the behaviors of those outside audiences that most affect your organization? PR that uses its fundamental premise to deliver external stakeholder behavior change - the kind that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives? And PR that persuades those important outside folks to your way of thinking, then moves them to take actions that help your department, division or subsidiary succeed? What fundamental PR premise are we suggesting as your new action blueprint? People act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very...more
It seems like a good idea, harmless in fact. Your friends assure you that everybody does it and that employers rarely check resume facts. Going on blind faith and convinced the truth hasn't been helpful so far, you seriously consider fabricating...more
In today's competitive world of retail, many stores are implementing external marketing programs designed to attract new business. Unfortunately, the cost can be very high with little return on investment. What is often lost in the mix is the fact...more
Many people are starting an online business without a thought about the danger this may pose to their personal assets. The type of protection you need depends upon the nature of your business and the amount of your personal assets. If you have no...more
Reach into your wallet or purse, pull out a card, swipe, and you're done. It is very easy to use a credit card. The problem lies in choosing a card - and it has nothing to do with the picture on the front! Choosing a credit card that works best for...more
You are swimming in debt. You have 4 credit cards maxed out, a car loan, a consumer loan, and a house payment. Simply making the minimum payments is causing your distress and certainly not getting you out of debt. What should you do?Some people feel...more
It happens to the majority of us, credit card debt accumulates and before we quite realize it, we are carrying a debt load that is far beyond our means. When this happens, we need to take immediate positive steps to knock down the debt as quickly as...more