Tag: think differently

Posted in Pursuit of Excellence

November 9, 2016

Posted on by jamesmachawk

http://www.investopedia.com/advisor-network/articles/110316/7-ways-grow-your-account-balances/

One of the common top concerns that I hear from individuals is how they’re not able to save. A consistent savings plan helps you build a solid financial foundation. But where do you begin? Here are seven ways to help you grow your account balances. Your strategy starts with your spending plan. (For more, see: 3 Smart Ways to Update Your Investment Plan.) The seven ways are: create a budget, set up a savings plan, considering opening a CD, consider opening an online FDIC-insured savings account, maximize your contributions, consolidate your retirement accounts, and invest early and often. I believe creating a budget is the first and most important step in not just saving money, but money management period. How do you know how much you can save when you don’t know how much you have after all your bills are paid? Your budget should have enough room to save money. There are four steps in my process, and if you’d like to learn about it, you can reach me at the contact me section. The author states that a savings plan should include three to six months of expenses. In my opinion, you should set aside income instead of expenses. The reason is you are more likely to earn more than you spend. Setting aside three or six months’ worth of income will create an additional buffer for unforeseen large expenses. A CD will give you a higher yield vs your savings account, but it will often require a higher amount to open. In regards to savings accounts, your online savings accounts will have a higher annual percentage yield (APY) vs a standard savings account you’d get at your local bank. Personally, I use Ally Bank, but I recommend you use websites such as www.nerdwallet.com or www.bankrate.com to check your rates. Three ways you can maximize your 401K is by maximizing your contributions, consolidating retirement accounts if you’ve moved between jobs, and finally to invest as often as you can early in life. In my opinion, you should invest enough to ensure that your company is matching your contribution. Be sure to check with your HR department to find out how high they will match your contribution. I recommend that you increase your financial knowledge to invest in not just paper assets, but in assets that will produce income. One day you will retire, and it’s better to have multiple streams of income.


https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/278848

Nearly all marketers agree on the importance of social media marketing for business growth. And considering that 33 percent of millennials today say social media is one of their preferred channels for communicating with businesses, I expect it will become even more important over time. That said, a lot of brands still don’t know how to use social media to engage audiences and help their own bottom line. There is, however, a right — and wrong — way businesses can share their content on social media. Since there is a lot of valuable content in this article there will be a lot of quotes, and I highly recommend that you read this article. The right way is having a business share its content on the platforms where its target audience spends the most time. The author recommends that the business do research into the demographics of different platforms. It’s best to have two focused social accounts to build your business vs. having multiple unused accounts. Even if you have the same end-goal for your content across social media, you should optimize it for each platform’s characteristics and strengths. For example: Videos tend to outperform images on Facebook. Twitter posts, while no more than 140 characters, should be even shorter if you’re including an image. (Luckily, that should be changing soon.) LinkedIn doesn’t support hashtags, so don’t use them. For Twitter and Instagram, hashtags are a necessity. Using visuals can help when you post on any platform, so be sure to use imagery. The author does also state that it is wrong to not vary your content. With the rise of paid social options, it’s no surprise that organic reach has become more difficult for brands. But you can still get the most out of your organic posts by sharing them at optimum times, which tend to vary by platform. Finally, the wrong thing to do when using social media is to spam newsfeeds. Keep in mind having an online presence doesn’t give you a presence in just your local community, with the right infrastructure you could have a global presence. Think differently, and think how you can create an income producing asset. Think about how to increase cash flow, and how to preserve assets. Always keep in mind wealth is a measure of how long your riches will last you. If your income from your assets is greater than your expenses, then you can quit your job and retire rich.

If you need a financial checkup you can reach me in the contact me section.

For this week, I’ve included How to be successful – the success cycle (Tony Robbins) from The Internet Marketer YouTube channel.

“If you think you know it all, you’re a fool for sure; real survivors learn wisdom from others.” Proverbs‬ 28:26‬ MSG‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Posted in Pursuit of Excellence

September 14, 2016

Posted on by jamesmachawk

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/fa-profession/090816/cash-value-vs-surrender-value-what-difference.asp

If you read the contract for your annuity or permanent life insurance policy, you will encounter insurance industry terms that sound similar but mean very different things. This is the case with terms such as face value, cash value, cash surrender value, surrender cost and account value. The differences between these concepts are sometimes small, but they can make a large difference if you need to pull money from your policy. The cash value or surrender value is equal to the sum of money built up within a cash value-generating annuity or permanent life insurance policy. Your insurance or annuity provider allocates some of the money you pay through premiums toward investments — such as a bond portfolio — and then credits your policy based on the performance of those investments. It should be noted that it is technically illegal for a life insurance policy to be promoted as an investment vehicle, however policyholders will use their whole, universal, or variable universal life insurance policies to grow their tax-advantaged retirement assets. As a reminder, term life policies do not build cash value. The surrender value is the actual sum of money a policyholder will receive if he tries to access the cash value. This is also referred to as the surrender cash value or, in the case of annuities, annuity surrender value. The cash value and surrender value are not the same as the policy’s face value, which is the death benefit. However, outstanding loans against the policy’s cash value can reduce the total death benefit. I’ve included an example of cash vs surrender value from the article:

Suppose you purchase a whole life insurance policy with a death benefit of $200,000. After 10 years of making consistent, on-time payments, there is $10,000 of cash value in the policy. You consult your insurance contract and see that the surrender charge after 10 years is equal to 35%. This means if you tried to cancel your policy after 10 years and withdraw your cash value, the insurance provider will assess a $3,500 charge to your cash value, leaving you with a surrender value of $6,500

It’s important to consult with a life insurance agent, and discuss what type of policy would work best for you. Ultimately you want to have a vehicle in place to provide for your family in case anything happens to you, and you have a large number of liabilities and no true assets that will provide income. Also it’s important to have a last will and testament and if necessary a trust to make sure your assets will be protected. If you want more information, you can reach me in the contact me section

http://www.forbes.com/sites/hannahsparks/2016/09/12/ultra-premium-japanese-beef-arrives-in-nyc/

Last Wednesday marked the first day of “Hida Beef Week” in New York City­­­­—a festival and publicity tour for ultra-premium Hidagyu—presented by Gifu Prefectural Government, Japan. For the next week and a half, “or while supplies last,” a selection of renowned Japanese restaurants in New York will feature Hidagyu in dishes and tastings. It was just last October that the meat provided by JA Hida Meat (Hida Meat Agricultural Association) was approved for American markets, thus making Hidagyu now regularly available. This Hida beef is on par if not better than the well-known Wagyu (Kobe) beef. This beef is a black-haired cattle breed from Gifu Prefecture, Japan. These particular cows drink from fresh springs against a mountain backdrop. Hidyagu is raised for at least 14 months or more. This promotes soft texture, delicate flavor and a unique marbling pattern that extends across the steaks, flank, shoulder and round. It’s this thin and thorough marbling that gives the beef a distinctly tender texture, and the fine webbing of fat that seals the meat’s juices like a spider’s nest. At the time of this article, there are multiple restaurants that are offering this type of beef in New York. The traditional way to eat this type of beef is as a steak or filet, but it can also be used in Japanese barbeque. In closing, Durvett seemed enthusiastic about the arrival of Hidagyu. “It just melts in your mouth like butter,” she remarked, “I want to eat some just thinking about it.” This particular article shows the benefits of having a higher quality of life. Is this possible for you? I believe so. It begins with knowing your numbers, controlling your numbers and making your money work hard for you. I suggest a financial checkup to properly assess your financial health.

If you have a prayer request, or if you’re in need of a financial checkup you can reach me in the contact me section.

For this week, I’ve included an animated book review of the Richest Man in Babylon by George Clason from the TheJourney Youtube channel.

“But those who want the best for me, Let them have the last word—a glad shout!— and say, over and over and over, ” GOD is great—everything works together for good for his servant.” I’ll tell the world how great and good you are, I’ll shout Hallelujah all day, every day.”

Psalm 35:27-28 MSG

Posted in Pursuit of Excellence

August 31, 2016

Posted on by jamesmachawk

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/08/19/marcus-lemonis-reveals-the-best-advice-he-ever-got.html

For Marcus Lemonis, the star of CNBC’s “The Profit,” a handshake is much more than a polite greeting. “The best advice that I was ever given was about shaking hands and making a deal,” the self-made millionaire and serial entrepreneur tells CNBC. Marcus learned this advice from his Mom. “She said: ‘When you shake someone’s hand, you have to honor the deal that you made, and you have to do what you say you’re going to do,'” Lemonis recalls. It’s refreshing and a sign of a person’s character when the person honors his word. From Marcus’s point of view agreeing to something with someone has to mean something. The handshake represents it. Marcus points out that people that want to get of a legal document will find a way to get out of it.  The handshake is a way of representing the sealing of a deal. “Ultimately, I do paperwork,” he explains. “But if you want to know what the movie’s going to be like, watch the preview. And that’s what the handshake looks like to me.” “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6:31 NIV)

http://www.inc.com/helena-ball/2016-inc5000-indiana-ecommerce-manufacturing-fourth-fastest-growing-company-in-america.html

Most Americans spend about a third of their day in bed, and yet few have a go-to brand for sheets. Paul Saunders wants to change that. After launching as a one-man operated e-commerce site from Saunders’s garage in Evansville, Indiana in late 2009, eLuxurySupply.com is now the fourth fastest growing company in America. Last year, the company posted more than $30 million in sales–a three-year growth rate of 23,619 percent. What prompted Saunders to start this business was buying a new set of sheets for his wife that were of a poor quality, and knowing he could do better. And with his background as an ex-Marine officer and Naval Academy graduate that meant working harder than anyone else to do it. He was able to quit his job when products began literally filling up his house. And those products quickly expanded beyond just sheets: Unlike upstarts in the mattress industry like Casper and Saatva, which only sell two or three products, eLuxurySupply.com now sells hundreds of items under the bed, bath, home, and garden categories (including mattresses). And despite starting out with a direct-to-consumer model, it now also has a growing wholesale business with a presence in hotel chains like Marriott, as well as government contracts for military barracks. The company separated itself even more by acquiring its mattress pad supplier, Regency Pad. Even though the company has high capital requirements, the company’s been able to post growing sales even without angel or venture funding. From its humble beginnings of a character loan, eLuxurySupply.com has expanded to the UK, Canada, Europe and will soon launch in Japan. Saunders says the company’s definition of success stems from the original 1806 Webster’s dictionary: a generous, prosperous, and kind person. “We take care of each other and try to do right by our customers and our community,” he says. Cox, who joined eLuxurySupply.com earlier this year, says that mentality is felt throughout the company. As a leader, Saunders understands that the nature of his business requires a high paced culture, which makes hiring the right people a necessity and to work hard and smart.

 

If you have a prayer request, or if you’re in need of a financial checkup you can reach me in the contact me section.

For this week, I’ve included a motivation video called Building Determination from the EndlessMotivation YouTube channel.

“But those who want the best for me, Let them have the last word—a glad shout!— and say, over and over and over, “ GOD is great—everything works together for good for his servant.” I’ll tell the world how great and good you are, I’ll shout Hallelujah all day, every day.”

Psalm 35:27-28 MSG

 

Posted in Pursuit of Excellence

August 17, 2016

Posted on by jamesmachawk

http://www.investopedia.com/news/whats-value-blue-lobster/

Imagine heading out for a day’s work and returning with a gem that stuns fishermen across the nation? That’s exactly what happened to Wayne Nickerson, a commercial lobsterman from Massachusetts, when he caught a very rare lobster this week. A two-pound blue lobster to be exact. If you’ve watched the show Deadliest Catch, then you’ve seen the story of ship captains that make a living catching Alaskan snow crabs. I found this story and wanted to share it. The odds of finding a blue lobster is one for every two million. Blue lobsters are actually edible and have their discoloration because of a genetic mutation. They’ve been priced as high as $500 on eBay, although that listing failed to attract a single bid, so it’s safe to say the worth of blue lobsters is debatable. Lobster experts also find it difficult to put a price tag on this beautiful creature (“There is no monetary value,” Dr. Robert Bayer, executive director of the Lobster Institute at the University of Maine, told us.) When restaurant Per Se featured its blue lobster and wagyu menu, it was priced at $560. For about that same amount, you can also buy a pair of rare Nike “Blue Lobster” sneakers. Value is in the eye of the beholder, and sometimes value is transferred by belief. “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. (Matthew 13:44 NIV). When you find something truly valuable make sure you protect it, and pass it on to the next generation.

http://www.inc.com/quora/1-financial-secret-of-the-worlds-wealthiest-people.html

The only way to get rich rapidly is to understand the principle of leverage.

Financial leverage works this way: You spot widgets for sale in bulk for only a dollar. You know where you can sell them for two dollars. You’ve got a hundred dollars, so you buy a hundred and make back $200, clearing $100. If you had borrowed $100 from your banker, paying back $110, you could’ve bought two hundred and cleared $190 for your total outlay of $100 plus $110 in loan and interest, quite a bit better return for your effort and putting your $100 at risk. Often when I look at leverage I’m looking at it from a lending aspect, however you can also leverage your time as well. If you operate as a single small business owner, you can only do a certain number of jobs per day because there’s only 24 hours in a day. If you properly create a system that duplicates and automates your service, then you can have employees do multiple jobs for you and triple your bottom line. When you can leverage your time and your money and then put your money to work, you are on the road to riches. Ask yourself daily how can I do the best for the most number of people and set out to achieve it. When your reason or why is strong enough it will create a spirit that is determined to accomplish the goal. Faith is a very important and necessary to accomplish anything in life.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-13/london-s-lonely-unicorn-two-frugal-expats-and-their-billion-dollar-startup

When Taavet Hinrikus moved in 2007 from Estonia to London as an employee of Skype, his paychecks didn’t come with him: He still got paid in euros, via an Estonian bank account. Every month, Hinrikus had to wire money to himself in Britain, and each time he felt ripped off—by expensive and arbitrary fees and by an infuriating exchange rate. In 2010 Transferwise was formed by Taavet Hinrikus and Kristo Klaarmann as a way of transferring money across international borders. Customers who want to send money across borders are promised the “mid-market rate,” or what banks themselves pay when trading a given pair of currencies. When possible, TransferWise’s software pairs customers who are making equal and opposite transactions, a so-called peer to peer match. It’s like Hinrikus and Käärmann’s original swap, but it’s invisible and at bigger scale. Originally this company was targeting the consumer, but as of this article Transferwise is marketing to small and medium sized businesses that need to pay for things in foreign or pay staff that are working overseas. Even though TransferWise is innovative, it is a company that should be observed carefully. TransferWise isn’t profitable—it lost £11.5 million in the 12 months through March 2015, the latest period for which figures are available. But the same is true for many fast-growing startups, and sniping over perceived inventiveness could say more about jealous rivals and today’s tightening venture capital environment than anything else. The concept of this company is to not charge outrageous fees to allow people to have access to their money if they have to exchange it to a foreign currency. It’s the idea of how can I impact a large number of people for the greater good. Everyone has a Big Idea…a millionaire dollar innovative idea. The question is not the product, but the market. If you have a life changing idea, I suggest you keep your day job and build your business part time. But before you even begin to build your business, make sure you have your finances in order and have a budget in place. Getting a financial checkup is the first step to knowing your financial condition.

If you have a prayer request, or if you’re in need of a financial checkup you can reach me in the contact me section.

For this week, I’ve included an animated book review of the 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss from the FightMediocrity Youtube channel.

“But those who want the best for me, Let them have the last word—a glad shout!— and say, over and over and over, ” GOD is great—everything works together for good for his servant.” I’ll tell the world how great and good you are, I’ll shout Hallelujah all day, every day.”

Psalm 35:27-28 MSG

Posted in Pursuit of Excellence

August 10, 2016

Posted on by jamesmachawk

http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/08/04/3-dividend-aristocrats-to-buy-in-august.aspx

A decades-long history of annual dividend increases is a good indicator of a high quality company. That kind of consistency often comes at premium: Many “dividend aristocrats” trade for lofty valuations. Some do stand out as great deals, though — and three of our Foolish contributors are happy to share a few of them with you. In this article, the contributors suggest three stocks for August: ExxonMobil, Target, and Illinois Tool Works. Exxon was showing a recovery since the lower oil prices over the past year, but when the price of oil went down in July again, it hurt the price of Exxon. The company is involved in all aspects of energy production, from drilling to retailing, and that diversification has allowed it to rack up an impressive dividend history despite the industry’s inevitable pops and drops. Over the past 33 years, the company has increased its dividend by an average of 6.4% annually. This company may be a good add to your portfolio simply because of its size and its ability to hunt for bargains. Analysts are expecting the company (Target) to produce earnings of $5.14 per share this year, and the stock price is now at about 14.7 times that number. That’s well below the P/E valuations given to many other dividend aristocrats. Target announced a 7.1% quarterly dividend increase back in June, marking the 45th consecutive year in which Target has raised its dividend. The stock carries a dividend yield of about 3.2%, based on the most recently announced payment, quite a bit higher than the 2.75% yield offered by fellow retailer and dividend aristocrat Wal-Mart. Target’s valuation is lower than most dividend aristocrats now for a good reason. The company’s revenue has been stagnating over the past few years, and its operating income has been essentially flat for the past decade. Per-share profits have increased mostly due to share buybacks, as both gross and operating margins have contracted. Even though Target has some factor’s against it, the author suggests watching Target due to its dividend increases. The final stock pick is Illinois Tool Works and the author points out two interesting facts: The company has raised its dividend for 52 straight years and its dividend has grown at an average compounded rate of 11% annually since 2012. So how does Illinois Tool Works afford a higher dividend year after year? By growing its cash flows even during difficult times, thanks largely to a diversified product portfolio that helps mitigate business risks. I recommend you read the article to form your own opinion. I share these articles as a way to stimulate your interest in finances, investing, and a business point of view. Personally I believe a person should constantly be learning more on the topic of money. Money is a tool that is neither good nor evil, but it can be used for good or evil. “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Timothy 6:10 NIV). To seek money in and of itself to satisfy your own desires to me is selfish, however if you take the money you have and build a legacy that impacts generations to a better quality of life then to me that is better. Get financially educated, so you can help others. If you want to know how to become rich, then do this simple step: buy assets, and
don’t buy liabilities that you think are assets.

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/08/04/what-kobe-bryant-would-tell-his-17-year-old-self-about-money.html


When Kobe Bryant signed his first pro basketball contract with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996, it made him a millionaire virtually overnight: The three-year contract would pay $3.5 million. Bryant was 17 at the time, straight out of high school. He would go on to earn a record $680 million over the course of his career, according to Forbes, which gave the now-retired player a unique perspective on wealth. Growing up, I enjoyed watching and playing basketball. I even enjoyed watching Michael Jordan. After he retired, I looked for another player to follow his career. In 1997 as I was graduating high school, I started watching Kobe start his career. It’s amazing to see his accomplishments over the years, and the letter he wrote to his younger self is educational. In fact, in his letter he encouraged his younger self to invest and not just give to his family and friends. Bryant stresses that handing money and material goods to people is not necessarily the best way to show your love, since it can negatively affect their work ethic and may even suppress their ambition. If you come into a windfall, Bryant recommends helping the people around you by investing in their future rather than giving them handouts. The article makes a good point. Don’t just give money away, invest it. Invest it into an asset. Invest it into a future. If you catch a fish for a person, the person may one day go hungry, but if you teach the person how to fish, the person will never go hungry. “Put them through school,” he said. “Set them up with job interviews and help them become leaders in their own right. Hold them to the same level of hard work and dedication that it took for you to get to where you are now, and where you will eventually go.” “As time goes on,” Bryant continued, “you will see them grow independently and have their own ambitions and their own lives, and your relationship with all of them will be much better as a result.”

http://www.inc.com/marla-tabaka/5-bad-habits-that-you-need-to-ditch-right-now.html

The longer I work with entrepreneurs, the more certain I am that the ability to succeed isn’t strictly dictated by skill, creativity, and intellect. Things like integrity and personal behavior are at least as important as education and experience. Here are five personal habits that you may want to kick to the curb for prosperity and success to be yours: You frequently use the words “I don’t have time right now.”, you let your mind drift while others are talking, you ignore advice and ideas without consideration, you believe that get something right you have to do it yourself, and you ignore the needs of your body. The author has suggestions to help break these five habits that may be hindering your success. Make a list of all the things you push aside and make time to complete one or two of those tasks a week. To keep your mind from drifting, make eye contact and be an active listener by nodding your head, offering feedback, and asking questions. Listen to everyone’s opinion regardless if it applies or not, and I suggest taking notes as needed. Then go back and review what the person has said against your own values. Delegate tasks that need to be done, properly instruct the employee or co-worker, and make sure the person takes notes. If the task is not completed properly don’t take over the project, but provide feedback quickly. Obviously this scenario can’t happen in time sensitive projects, however with proper time management, a project should still be completed without issue. Finally, pay attention to what your body is telling you, keep track of your eating and sleep habits, and notice how you feel as they fluctuate. If you fall back on the I-don’t-have-enough-time excuse, track your productivity levels as you improve your personal habits. I guarantee that time will be on your side. Your health and your wealth are connected to each other. Without good health you can’t build wealth, and without wealth you can’t maintain good health. Eliminating these five hindrances will increase your productivity and at the same time build the culture of your organization.

If you have a prayer request, or if you’re in need of a financial checkup you can reach me in the contact me section.

For this week, I’ve included an animated book review of Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki from the MinionNoMore Youtube channel.

“But those who want the best for me, Let them have the last word—a glad shout!— and say, over and over and over, ” GOD is great—everything works together for good for his servant.” I’ll tell the world how great and good you are, I’ll shout Hallelujah all day, every day.”

Psalm 35:27-28 MSG

Posted in Pursuit of Excellence

August 3, 2016

Posted on by jamesmachawk

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/insights/072916/top-10-wall-street-movies.asp

After last week’s brief reference to movies, I decided to include this article. It’s a good mix of movies that have some reference to Wall Street.

From classic Wall Street to the more recent The Big Short, these are the top movies that portray Wall Street, the markets and finance.

In order to have an objective ranking system, this quick study used a cumulative score from IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic. The scores from Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic are audience scores. Since Rotten Tomatoes uses percentages (i.e., 90% of the audience liked this movie), that percentage score was changed to a 1-10 score with decimals when necessary. For example, if a movie has a Rotten Tomatoes audience score of 88%, then the score is 8.8. The movie with the highest cumulative score was ranked number one. (For more, see: 4 Movies Showing the Real Side of Finance.)

Top 10 Wall Street Movies

Keep in mind that these are broad-based ratings, not just ratings from people who work in finance. (For more, see: How Hollywood Portrays Wall Street.)

IMDb

Rotten Tomatoes

Metacritic

Total Score
1. Inside Job

8.3

9.1

8.4

25.8
2. The Big Short

7.8

8.8

8.3

24.9
2. American Psycho

7.6

8.5

8.8

24.9
4. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room

7.7

8.6

8.4

24.7
5. Trading Places

7.5

8.5

8.6

24.6
6. Wall Street

7.4

8.1

8.9

24.4
7. The Wolf of Wall Street

8.2

8.2

6.8

23.2
8. The Family Man

6.7

6.7

8.8

22.2
9. Working Girl

6.7

6.7

8.7

22.1
10. Margin Call

7.1

7.4

7.2

21.7

Remember, these cumulative scores are based on a broad audience. If ratings were only taken from those who work in finance, the list would likely look a lot different. For example, Wall Street would likely rank higher.

 

Each of these movies are either a thriller, comedy, or even a documentary. I suggest watching one of these movies if not for the financial education, then simply for entertainment purpose. I don’t endorse any one move in particular, and some of the movies may contain adult language, adult content, and violence.

http://www.thisisinsider.com/goldieblox-ceo-debbie-sterling-best-advice-for-entrepreneurs-2016-6

In 2012, Stanford-educated engineer Debbie Sterling founded toy company GoldieBlox to encourage young girls to start tinkering with toys and building machines.

The first-time entrepreneur is catering construction toys to young girls in an effort to raise the percentage of female engineers in the world, which currently stands at just 14%. Debbie attributes the success of GoldieBox to one lesson: Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
“I think the biggest mistake you can make as an entrepreneur is pretending that you know everything, or feeling you need to come across like you do,” Sterling said. Rather, the key is “admitting freely that I don’t know the answer to something or don’t know how to do something, so long as I seek somebody who does.”
I admit I have trouble asking for help. In my work environment, because of the demands and the different layers of tasks I’m asked to do, I feel like I can’t ask for help, or I’m concerned about the level of service that will be provided. If you’ve experienced these moments too, then I encourage you to begin to delegate more and trust your co-workers more. There’s only 24 hours in a day, and within that time only so many tasks can be completed. Prioritize the important ones and ask for help on the easy ones. It sounds simple, and it may seem like it conveys weakness, but if the people you work with know your heart then they know it’s a genuine need and not a sign of laziness. “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” (Proverbs 15:22 NIV). No one is an island, and we’re better together. Seek and get help, because it will help you grow. Sterling said the lesson is especially valuable for girls, whose self-confidence is malleable at a young age. “I see a lot of young women who feel so much pressure to be perfect and have it all figured out that have too much pride or they’re too ashamed to admit if they don’t get something right away,” Sterling said. “If they’re too afraid, they’re just going to shy away from it, which is sort of a recipe for not fulfilling your potential.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/help-for-middle-of-the-night-insomnia-1467048493

It is a frustratingly common scenario: You fall asleep easily at bedtime but are wide awake at 2 or 3 in the morning. Only after a half-hour or more of staring at the ceiling can you finally fall back to sleep. This middle-of-the-night insomnia happens to everyone every once in a while. It is an appropriate, normal response to stress, doctors say. About 30% of American adults have symptoms of some sort of insomnia each year, according to scientific studies. Chronic insomnia is generally defined as having difficulty sleeping at least three times a week for three months or more. I started having trouble sleeping a little in my college years, but even more frequently in my mid-20s. I hope this article will be helpful if you’re having trouble staying asleep. Dr. Perlis suggests that the best way to keep an occasional bout of insomnia from becoming a disorder is to simply not try to compensate for the sleep you do miss. Your body will naturally re-adjust if you don’t nap, sleep in or go to bed early to try to recover the difference. Allow your body to balance itself. The article goes on to provide helpful hints such as not allowing bright lights such as computers or cell phones. Another helpful hint is to not snack in the middle of the night, because it could condition your body to keep waking up. The article concludes with various sleep medications, and in my opinion, the best way to get fight insomnia is to actively engage in your rest. Let your bedroom be for sleep. Tomorrow will be here before you know it.

If you have a prayer request, or if you’re in need of a financial checkup you can reach me in the contact me section.

For this week, I’ve included an animated book review of Start with Why by Simon Sinek

“But those who want the best for me, Let them have the last word—a glad shout!— and say, over and over and over, ” GOD is great—everything works together for good for his servant.” I’ll tell the world how great and good you are, I’ll shout Hallelujah all day, every day.”

Psalm 35:27-28 MSG

Posted in Pursuit of Excellence

July 20, 2016

Posted on by jamesmachawk

http://www.wsj.com/articles/silicon-valley-looks-for-lessons-in-theranos-1468402201

Silicon Valley’s best-known venture investors have emerged largely unscathed from the rapid descent of Theranos Inc., but the decline offers a cautionary tale for a community that bets big on visionary founders touting revolutionary technology. If you’re not familiar with Theranos Inc., then feel free to do a web search on this company. It was founded by Elizabeth Holmes, who at the time was praised as a visionary for what her company was going to do in the health service industry. Now she’s been banned from the blood testing business for two years. This company was valued at $9 billion during a 2014 funding round. “For me, the Theranos saga is a wonderful reminder: While you want to invest in people who are visionary and are committed to their businesses, you want to partner with people who are truth-seeking,” said health-care investor Bryan Roberts, a partner at Venrock. “A lot of people [involved with Theranos] fell down on that in this.” Often what a person or business does in private will in time come to the light of day. This Scripture is a reminder of this quote, “I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” Jeremiah 17:10 NIV. Before Theranos’s problems came to light last October, at least some Silicon Valley investors cheered her apparent success. Marc Andreessen, whose firm isn’t a backer of Theranos, tweeted that Ms. Holmes would be the first female tech founder on his list of “revolutionary entrepreneurs.” One of the big red flags about Theranos was its unusual roster of investors and board members. The actual board members at that time weren’t medical experts, and the company didn’t publish its results in peer reviewed medical journals. Theranos replaced many of its directors last October and created a new medical-advisory board.
The Theranos spokeswoman said, “Theranos has boards composed of individuals of extraordinary experience and talent in many fields. Their contributions have been significant.” The article then goes on to give a few more examples of Silicon Valley startups that have run into issues. The importance of building a big business is not in how quickly it can reach a billion-dollar valuation but for how long it can last, how much good it will actually do, and how strong its fundamentals are. If the foundation isn’t strong then the cracks will appear and the truth will come to light. Theranos is a case study which will more than likely end up in a business college textbook. Financial literacy, and common sense are two keys to investing for positive cash flow.

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/07/14/20-tips-for-the-me-of-20-years-ago.html

This commentary is from Mainak Dhar, managing director at General Mills. After twenty years, ten bosses, five moves, four kilos, and a journey that has spanned experiences across many different businesses and countries, I am back where it all began — Mumbai. Did I ever imagine I’d be working in the corporate sector for twenty years? To be honest, perhaps not, but back then a time horizon of a couple of years was long term thinking. As I think back to that twenty-two-year-old me sitting in the reception, waiting to collect my visitor ID badge, if I had the chance, what would I say to myself? Here’s an attempt. In this article, Mr. Dhar gives 20 tips to the version of him of 20 years ago. I’ve picked a few to share and I encourage you to read this article. Perhaps much later than I should have, I realized that our identity does not come from the designation we have at our jobs but what inspires us, what makes us feel alive. It’ll all be a waste of time. If money is what you chase, the goalpost will keep shifting. I figured that one out pretty early- you may as well get started on day one of your career. You learn as much, if not more, from the “bad” bosses as the “good” ones. It’ll all be ok. You’ll screw up, you’ll be hurt, you’ll have bad days but you know what, nobody owes you a happy life. You need to find things and people that make you happy. His letter is an honest assessment of working in any career. Work not just for your paycheck, but also work to learn. What do you learn? You learn or rather reveal more of your own God given gifts, and uncover new abilities you didn’t know you had through collaboration. Your workplace’s responsibility is to pay you for your job. It’s your responsibility to use your paycheck to take of your own business. Your business is your life and the legacy you leave behind.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesasia/2016/07/06/risky-business-bangkoks-tallest-gamble-is-ready-to-open

Announce plans for Bangkok’s tallest building in the depths of a financial crisis. Persist through violent street protests and a military coup. Target wealthy foreigners who would pay millions for an apartment. People thought Sorapoj Techakraisri was crazy. That he was only in his 30s added to the skepticism. The 77 story MahaNakhon tower will have its first residents this September. By far the largest skyscraper on the skyline, MahaNakhon will contain 209 Ritz-Carlton Residences, ranging in price from $1.4 million to $10 million; a five-star Edition Hotel by Marriott International; and flashy boutiques and restaurants. Techakraisri
believes that Bangkok is close to having a metamorphosis and becoming an alternative to Singapore. Techakraisri’s company Pace Development’s market capitalization is just $315 million, and its profits are scarce. “It’s not yet a solid company in terms of earnings, though it should do fine,” says Avin Sony of Asia Plus Securities, the Thai firm that managed Pace’s initial public offering in 2013. He predicts that as buyers take possession of their units in MahaNakhon this year, Pace will post a small profit, followed by much bigger earnings in 2017. Even though Thailand has been struck with political turmoil, the super luxury segment of Bangkok’s property market seems to be experiencing a boom. Ultimately Techakraisri is investing for the long term and believes that the government will stabilize, and that expats will be looking to buy his condos as a second or third home. Once the doors open at MahaNakhon and prospective buyers can see the finished product, says Techakraisri, they can expect a higher price tag. “It becomes an emotional sale. When they see the view?-and the residence, the sky bar, the hotel–they will just want it.” This article highlights the vision of a man who didn’t stop believing that a luxury high rise was possible. In contrast, to the Theranos article earlier, it’ll be interesting to see how MahaNakhon tower will do. Our dollar for now is strong, and so I’d recommend looking for opportunities in other markets if you have the ability. If you have a budget, you will be able to focus on two important things: eliminate unnecessary debt and expenses, and build a savings and have money to invest in businesses. If you’re interested in my process go to the contact me section.

Also, below is a preview for the movie the Founder based on the life of Ray Kroc.

If you have a prayer need, or if you’re in need of a financial checkup you can reach me in the contact me section.

“But those who want the best for me, Let them have the last word—a glad shout!— and say, over and over and over, ” GOD is great—everything works together for good for his servant.” I’ll tell the world how great and good you are, I’ll shout Hallelujah all day, every day.”

Psalm 35:27-28 MSG