Posted by Samantha Martinez on June 12th, 2010
Excellent report by Mary Hunt
When I first heard the radio commercials for Bank of America’s “Keep the Change” debit card, I was fairly impressed. I mean, with the slogan “save automatically with everyday purchases” and the promises that “you don’t have to think about saving,” that you can “double your savings” and that the bank will “match your Keep the Change savings at 100 percent,” what possibly could be the downside?you would save 81 cents, and the bank would kick in 4 cents.
Trust me; there is a very steep downside. But first, here’s how it works:
You have to get a Bank of America Visa check card, which is a debit card. Each time you use it, the card issuer rounds up the difference to the next dollar amount and deposits it into your savings account. For example, your fast-food lunch comes to $6.19. You swipe your card. The charge against your a
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Posted by Paul Thompson on June 12th, 2010
Getting to the top isn’t ever going to be a free and easy ride. There will be bumps in the road, there will be pitfalls, detours and everything else. Doug reminds us that through it all, we need to stay focused.
“You’re ridin’ high in April, shot down in May.” –Frank Sinatra
If you are reading this you are likely in one now currently or are remembering a time when you were. The dreaded sales slump. It happens- even to the best of us. Sales can be a hero to zero business. The highs can be heavenly while the lows are at best bearable. When you find yourself in one, consider the 4 “R”s.
• Remind- Take a big breath. Remind yourself that you have been successful in the past. If you have been in sales for awhile, think back to a time when you were on a roll, in the zone, selling at your best. What was different about your attitude, energy, and activity? What were you feeli
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Posted by Christina Lopez on June 10th, 2010
Small business owners have some overwhelmingly favorable data on their side. Small businesses represent the vast majority of all businesses in operation, and the small business sector is responsible for nearly all new job creation. Yet, even with these two powerful facts, the small business sector constantly struggles with obtaining adequate credit lines.
The following statistics have been compiled by the National Association of Credit Management and provide a snapshot of the small business sector.
- Approximately 94% of businesses in the U.S.
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Posted by Christina Lopez on June 9th, 2010
I was helping a friend out with her business recently…giving her some advice and coaching on pricing. She is setting up a workshop to teach others how to start a business in her niche. I felt her price for the workshop was too low, and told her so.
Her response: “Well, these people are just starting out…they don’t have a whole lot of money, right?”
I replied: “Be careful. Don’t write the story for your potential customers.”
What Does “Writing the Story” Mean?
We all have a story: a compilation of thoughts and beliefs that got us to where we are today. Where we go wrong is that we tend to assume that everyone else’s story is the same as our story. Case in point: my fri
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Posted by Samantha Martinez on June 8th, 2010
While many consumers may not be directly educated about surety bonds, most people have encountered the phrase “licensed and bonded” before. However, surety bonds are a critical component of many businesses and provide invaluable protection for consumers who have contact with a wide variety of industries, from construction to janitorial services and car dealerships.
A surety bond is essentially an agreement between three parties: one who requires the bond, one who purchases the bond, and the company who executes the bond. Generally, the party that requires the bond is usually a state, local, or federal governmental entity, though other companies may require surety bonds as well as a condition of doing business. The
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Posted by Paul Thompson on June 8th, 2010
In times of world economic crisis entrepreneurs have to show creativity and ingenuity to find their place in the sun. Ukrainian perfume company is a perfect example of how to find an unique business niche on quiet conservative market.
„Bezstuzhev & Donskoy” Ltd. came up with a new product – jelly beans that aromatize flatulence (gas). Dmitry Chistilin, company’s PR-manager says that such candies work as an air freshener inside the body. Aroma dragee is made of animal fats and are absolutely harmless for stomach and intestines as well as do not affect digestions. A pack of jelly beans costs about $ 3.25 and has a wide range of aromas: Calvin Klein, Sensation, Clara, the smell of fresh cut grass, flowers etc.
Owners of „Bezstuzhev & Donskoy” are pretty sure that their product will blow up the market and claim that there are already hundreds of requests from retailers. For me it s
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Posted by admin on June 7th, 2010
Mention retirement planning and most of us think of it as “planning that needs to be done, but can wait till later”. Not correct, if you see the number of senior citizens all over the United States struggling to make ends meet. If you want to breathe easy during your golden years, get started with your retirement planning now.
Why Start Early?
The answer is simple – the magical powers of compounding. If you are 25 now and are planning to save $1,000 in your retirement account every year, the money will earn you 8% interest annually. The best thing about doing your retirement planning early is that you can save only for 10 years and stop at age 35. What happens to your retirement account then? It keeps growing! When you turn 65, it will fetch you a whopping $169,000 approximately. Sta
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