Are you feeling a little toasty this holiday season? Would you love to be one of those people who can stand up at the drop of a hat and offer a clever toast? Do you hold back because you aren't sure what to say or do you resist the urge because you aren't sure of the correct protocol?Few people seem to hold back for fear of committing a faux pas. Nevertheless there are rules regarding toasting and if you want to be the polished professional at...more
As the end of the year rapidly approaches, the Tax Working Group is hard at work reviewing the current tax system of New Zealand. The Tax Working Group is a consortium of professionals in academics, government, and industry whose expertise shapes the proposals presented to the government.The current proposals are expected to produce greater equity in the system and broaden the tax base to be used as funding for anticipated decreases in the rate...more
Normally, gold is priced relative to the global value which is based on global demand and global supply. A gold mine shuts down at the same time as the people in the area start wanting to buy more gold... and the price just about stays the same. Why? Because the global demand and supply has hardly changed... it's only changed in that particular area so it doesn't make any difference to the global price. So the best you can do with gold is to buy it in a country where the price is lowest and sell in a country where the price is highest. But after you've paid for shipping (it's VERY heavy) you're not left with much profit. You'd have to ship TONS of the stuff and ALL the time to make any cool money. Which is possible. But on eBay, the perception of supply and demand can be changed. You can make the supply look low and the demand high... regardless of the global price. This means you can buy gold from someone who has made the supply look high/demand look low and resell it making the supply look low/demand look high. I call it "Supply and demand intensification". It's a VERY powerful strategy indeed! Before I give you the example, let me explain how...more
Around this time the previous year, plenty of businesses need to freeze spending. All indications are that the recession is almost gone, so small businesses can get back to normal. Therefore, today is a great time to consider what the recession has done to your business. Think about how the economic changes have affected your industry in general....more
While doing business in Europe it is extremely important to be aware of the cross-culture differences. Bearing in mind the cultural influences of a country are crucial for the success of your business. Are you planning to start out a new venture in Italy? Are you apprehensive about getting along with your clients in Italy?Well here is a list of...more
Waiting 30, 60 and 90 days for customers to pay invoices is one of the most difficult challenges small and mid-size businesses face. It can be particularly hard to manage your business when you're waiting for clients to pay.Invoice factoring is a solution for companies that don't have a large cash cushion in the bank. This problem isn't felt with many large companies, who are able to generate interest from their income.But, small businesses often can't afford to float their income. Even growing businesses often find themselves in a cash bind when they need money to expand and get new contracts. Large retailers have used invoice factoring for years. Now, many small and mid-sized businesses have discovered that it's a viable form of capital. The Benefits Of Invoice Factoring Invoice factoring alleviates the problem of waiting for the check to arrive in the mail. Instead of waiting weeks and months, account receivable financing makes funds available almost immediately in a matter of just a few days. For most small businesses, this frees up capital for expansion, payroll, taxes or many other uses. It eliminates the cash crunch that many small businesses feel.The Bank vs. Invoice...more
As its name implies, a business plan is a summary of how the owner of the business, a manager or an entrepreneur wishes to organize his business as well as lay down the procedures and processes needed in implementing the plans to a logical and...more
Owning a business means a lot of decisions to be made and employees to keep happy. Perhaps your business is located in a less than state-of-the-art facility, which could mean your employees are uncomfortable if the air conditioning isn't up to...more
Reputation management businesses are growing rapidly as more and more companies have gone online. These companies have realized a direct correlation between customer comments online and their production levels. Most shoppers these days prefer to go...more
Internet activity at this time of year increases substantially and many customers all looking for different things are accessing the various websites trying to find exactly what they are looking for. As a company we need to have the right tools at...more
Attraction marketing is a modern technique for gaining clients and making sales. It is very different than the traditional hard-sell tactics that used to be the norm. Because of this, it is a perfect way for people genuinely interested in customer...more
Personal branding is an often overlooked technique that has tremendous potential for financial success. It takes awhile to fully establish and, therefore, should be started early in the process to see the most benefits. By having a recognizable...more