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World Affairs
Business & FinanceBy MartinZwilling
5 weeks ago
 By Bob Arciniaga
In developing the content for this article, it was very apparent this advice is not only critical for startups but for most companies. The suggestions are even more vital in a startup environment with constrained resources.
A properly built advisory board can be a huge strategic advantage to any company. On the other hand, an advisory board put together haphazardly can be the biggest mistake for a company in the early stages of business.
What makes a GREAT advisory board experience for both the company and the advisors is a high level of engagement. Advisory boards that do not have a high engagement factor can begin what we call a “death spiral” for a board’s culture. It starts with the advisors not understanding specifically how they are helping the company and leads to board members feeling like they are not adding value.
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World AffairsBusiness & FinanceBy kyero
5 weeks ago
Spain’s Cabinet will discuss spending cuts of as much as 50 billion euros ($70 billion) by 2013 as it aims to slash the budget deficit by two-thirds to meet a European Union target. The government will discuss the so-called austerity plan that aims to cut current spending in the central and regional administrations, said an official at the prime minister’s office in Madrid today who declined to be named in line with policy. Spain, mired in recession with the highest jobless rate in the euro region, has come under scrutiny amid concerns that smaller European countries like Greece may struggle to finance their growing debt. Even as Spain’s public-debt burden is about half the size of Greece’s, the risk premium on Spanish bonds has surged to the highest in nine months. Spain’s public-sector deficit probably amounted to 11.2 percent of gross domestic product last year, according to forecasts from the European Commission, which has set a 2013 deadline to cut the shortfall to the 3 percent EU limit. The country’s debt burden is set to double from before the crisis to 74 percent in 2011. Spain’s economy has been contracting since the second quarter of 2008, pushing the unemployment rate to 19.4 percent as the collapse of a construction boom destroyed more than a million jobs. In response, the government created one of the biggest stimulus programs in Europe, putting builders back to work, and extended jobless pay for the long-term unemployed. |
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World AffairsBusiness & FinanceBy cashadvance
5 weeks ago
 Financial history and credit score are very important to most people. It's the life blood of the economy and having the ability to have credit extended to a person is a good thing and one that many don't want to give up. However, there are times when people need to use forms of credit that are not so favorable and have terms that are considered harsh for most people.
Payday loans have gotten a lot of press lately and critics argue that they put people into a cycle of debt that traps them financially. The following are some tips to help people so that they don't get caught in a financial trap.Payday loans are easy to get, quick, and helpful, but they come at a price. People have to be aware of how payday loans work to make sure that they don't get caught in a trap. The reason is that these loans don't have installment payments, or even interest charged. Instead, lenders charge a fee for their service and the fee is usually between $15 - $25 per $100 borrowed, but it can vary from state to state so its a good idea to check local regulations for fee caps. The way payday loans works is this. - People need to get cash and they don't want to get a traditional loan, or can't because of credit history or even lack of employment verification.
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World AffairsBusiness & FinanceBy joankw
5 weeks ago
There is a lot of talk about all of the things that you can get for FREE these days. Not surprising in an era where budgets are stretched and we are all looking to get more for less. A few weeks back, I had the pleasure of listening to Lon Safko, co-author of the Social Media Bible speak to a group of counselors from SCORE and the SBDC as a prelude to Greater Phoenix SCORE's Social Media Event onJanuary 14th and 15th. During his presentation, Lon kept emphasizing the reasons, excellent ones BTW, that businesses need to pay attention to and utilize social media. And repeatedly he punctuated his message with a continuing theme...Oh Yes! It's FREE! But is it? While access to these new social media platforms is free or in the case of some emerging premium products relatively inexpensive, let's look at some of the costs. FUNDING and Economic costs Based on reports from Tech Crunch, the four most prominent platforms in their categories (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google) raised over $1 Billion in equity funding to get to where they are today. |
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World AffairsBusiness & FinanceBy MartinZwilling
6 weeks ago
 Most people in business seem to expect their leaders just to give orders. According to Gary B. Cohen in his new book, “ Just Ask Leadership: Why Great Managers Always Ask the Right Questions,” as leaders advance, they tend to oblige by asking fewer questions and providing more answers. This is precisely the wrong approach.
I’m a big fan of the old adage "There are no stupid questions, only stupid answers." We have all heard questions that begin, "This may be a dumb question, but …" used effectively by smart people who are not afraid of risking ridicule by challenging a questionable assertion from an intimidating speaker.
Entrepreneurs and business executives have to keep reign over a very broad domain. They need to ask the right questions in the right contexts to stay ahead of the game, and to empower coworkers to find solutions, embrace responsibility, and become accountable.
Cohen provides specific questions to pose in particular situations while also explaining how to create a culture of question-based leadership. He addresses these five critical areas:
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World AffairsBusiness & FinanceBy joankw
6 weeks ago
The first step to success is being passionate about what you do. Don't just take it from me – talk to Mike Henry Sr., founder of the Lead Change Group.
He draws inspiration from the words of Margaret Mead: “Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed individuals to change the world. In fact, it’s the only thing that ever has."
Mike's passionate about developing people and making a difference through relationships. He founded the Lead Change Group because... that was what he could do. It started after he was laid off from a position as a Vice President of a small electronic payments company. To make ends meet, he began trying several different projects to make a difference and earn a living. Best of all – he's succeeding! "We accept our powerlessness too easily." – Mike Henry Sr.
One part of the strategy has been to make a difference by encouraging people through social media channels to ‘give themselves away' and help other people. Sharing from his own experience, Mike draws on decades of work in technology, operations and administrative positions in industries as varied as transportation, energy, telecom and financial services.
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