If you own your own independent business, there are two organizations that hopefully your are already aware of. They are doing great work promoting small, locally owned independents by promoting community and government involvement. It takes all of us, working together, to improve our communities and the local business environment.The National Federation of Independent Businesses helps individual business owners with planning, taxes, and...more
Starting a home business is a big undertaking. There are key elements to properly set up a home business. If anything is forgotten or left out it could make starting the business difficult or impossible. The following are key elements that every home business owners needs to have in place before actually starting their business.The Computer SystemEvery home business owner knows they need a computer. Most home businesses operate the majority of...more
Well, we're all reeling from our utility bills. So, what can be done to cut energy costs?Obviously, the best way to cut your utility bill is to go with a non-utility company source of energy. Solar power can be used to warm your house, while geothermal can be used to cool and heat the home. While these are great choices, there are a few simple steps you can take to cut that monstrous utility bill. Vent Covers - In most homes, there are rooms that rarely get used. A very simple and very cheap way to cut your heating costs is to isolate those rooms from the rest of your home. To do this, you should close the vents in the room. The vents, however, rarely close well. To make the strategy effective, you should buy vent covers and place them over the vents. The covers are a form of plastic and keep heat from coming out of the vents. Next, close the door to the room in question and leave it. By using this strategy, you can effectively make your home smaller by excluding the square footage that has to be heated. The smaller the area, the small the amount of money to heat the home.Windows - Windows are the single biggest energy wasters in your home. Your windows must seal tightly. If they...more
Correctly Pricing A Business Is Important If You Really Want To Sell It!As a consultant I talk to many business owners, brokers, and agents on a daily basis about valuing businesses. It always amazes me on how some of these individuals come up with the values on small businesses being sold. No wonder only 30% of all businesses sell! In many...more
Let me first say that I do not now engage in technical analysis; nor, have I ever engaged in technical analysis. I do not believe doing so would be a productive use of my time.Having said that, I do not claim technical analysis has no predictive value. In fact, I suspect it does have some predictive value. The Efficient Market Hypothesis is flawed....more
In the hands of the right consumer, a credit card can be a very useful tool. Unfortunately, the "right" consumer is rare. The concept of buying on credit, while convenient, actually serves only to line the pockets of financial gurus with millions of dollars each year in finance charges and interest dollars.What is it about plastic that is so appealing? It's easy for one thing. Instant gratification is the driving force behind the appeal of plastic. In fact, it's unusual for most consumers to have real money in their purses or wallets, even the bank provides plastic in the form of debit cards. So now checkbooks seem primitive.In the last decade Americans have fallen further and further into debt, thanks to the ubiquitous plastic. In fact, the United States government is world renowned for its deepening national debt. Most financial experts agree that credit cards are one of the worst financial ideas ever, leading most consumers into debt well beyond the point of any return.Credit Card CompaniesLeading the march to heavy debt are the credit card companies that spend billions of dollars each year marketing their wares to the American consumer. Especially dangerous are those spenders...more
Commercial Real Estate refers to the property that has potential to generate extra income for the owner of real estate. Commercial real estate generally includes office buildings, retail properties, apartment units, condos and raw land. Every...more
We all love to make money but after a while when you get too much product built up, you can start losing money. Why would we do that?What happens is we get in a mindset on the value we feel our items are worth, rather than what we can get for them....more
You see them in every strip mall east and west of the Mississippi: Cash Advance, Cash-N-Go, Check Into Cash, Urgent Money Service, and the list continues. What exactly are these businesses that seem to offer you money right when you need them? They...more
Candidates' experience and credentials, as detailed in the resume, are most often the frequently used criteria for determining which job applicants are deserving of a personal interview. Ultimately, though, the hiring decision is going to be...more
Zero down doesn't really mean no down payment. Most sellers need something as a down payment if they are providing financing. Most banks won't do 100% financing on real estate that is purchased as an investment. Zero down just means that the down...more
Early on, it won't hurt just thinking about how, when and where you would retire in order to prepare for the inevitable advantage of living a full hassle-free living after working for a number of years. The following are a number of tips to ensure...more