Surprisingly, many people don't have an emergency fund. Having cash on hand is a requirement for paying for life's little unexpected bills. It's absolutely invaluable and is exactly how people are able to live debt-free lives without relying on credit cards and loans when emergencies or unexpected expenses present themselves.Some people argue that they cannot afford an emergency fund - but the truth of the matter is, if you feel this way then you...more
The younger you are, the easier it is to ignore what's going on with the economy and the effects of the financial crisis on your personal finances. You can afford to be more optimistic about your financial future because you have so many years ahead of you before you need to worry about retiring.The closer you are to retirement, the more concerned you will naturally be regarding the amount of money you have in your retirement savings. With every...more
Whether you join a networking group or you're trying to get your clients to refer others to you, one thing's for sure, when the referrals show up, you want them to be qualified referrals.Let's face it, it's great when more people show up to do business with us, but it's also disappointing when you we out that they're not really your ideal prospect.So what are some strategies for generating qualified referrals so that when they show up, you're both thrilled to have found each other and the referral is eager to do business with you.Get clear on who you want:The very first step would be to get clear on who you want as a referral. For example, if you are a CPA, and you ask others to send referrals to you, how do you describe your ideal referral? The description has to be so clear that the person referring others to you can easily identify who you're looking for. So instead of saying "Anyone looking for a CPA" it may be clearer to describe the specific person and also the problem you solve for them. For example, "Solo entrepreneurs who are struggling with their business accounting."Make it easy to refer:In my opinion, one of the easiest ways to have someone refer to you is to have...more
It is the end of the first quarter and time to check the score.Just as planning your goals for the coming year should always begin with a look back at the year in review, so planning your business for the rest of this year should take a look back at the first quarter. Business planning isn't just a numbers game, but also an accounting and analysis...more
When people work together, they usually follow a number of related actions or a process. Processes reduce uncertainty by making it clear who needs to do what, when, and with whom, and ensure that important actions are not forgotten.Some of the great benefits of processes are: People involved don't have to think what to do next Output(s) are...more
Often companies believe that they can only dominate their market if they are the biggest players around, having the most money to invest or having the most customers - this is a myth. Most definitely being a big player with a lot of money to invest with a large sales team can be an advantage, and certainly a powerful positive, however it doesn't guarantee that you'll be the dominant player in any market. In this article I am going to look at several things you can do which will help you to dominate your market regardless of your company size.ClarityClarity is more important than size, and if you can be absolutely clear about who your customers are and where your target market is, then this will give you a great boost over most of your competitors. It's often tempting to try meet every market demand for as many different people as possible so that you don't miss out on any business opportunities, but my experience is that this almost always does more harm than good. You will often get on far better being absolutely clear about who your customers are, and what you're offering your target clientèle.Decide on Your NicheThe best way to achieve clarity is by deciding on a specific...more
The stock market is a tough game to monitor with many players playing and large amounts of money at stake. Large volumes of securities are bought, sold and traded and not everyone is interested in playing by the rules. Many have more sinister plans...more
Most of us remember the dubious "doctor" in Huckleberry Finn who proclaims to have the cure for any malady. From the back of the crowd his shill would loudly proclaim that he himself had been healed by the magical elixir. Oh my, but the quantity of...more
Amid recent news reports that there continues to be an ongoing and substantial gap between the net worth of Whites and other racial groups, it is easy to be distracted and overwhelmed by the raw data.However, I am immediately reminded of a quote...more
How many so-called "Get Rich Quick", "Make Money In 24 Hours" or the "Latest Break Thru Millionaire Money Making Secret" programs have you bought that promised all the wealth you could ever imagine.Just to be disappointed that it's the same old...more
There is no shortage of hype on the Internet. A start up business does not have to look far to find a "Guru" who will offer a miracle solution for the "getting found" dilemma that faces every on line business. Typically, this product or weekend...more
It's hardly surprising that so many companies are nowadays choosing to have training carried out at off-site training facilities rather than on their own premises. After all, in recent years there's been a steady increase in the amount of high tech...more