Ask an Expert Articles

Business » Ask an Expert | By Saleem Rana @ Wednesday, 11th July 2007 @ 12:08 AM

Do you realize that the only difference between your success and that of say a Donald Trump or a Bill Gates is the way that they think? Whether they did it consciously or not, their thought patterns follow a set of guidelines that led them to the success that they enjoy. These patterns are burnt into their minds, and they will not alter them for anything. It is who they are. Like them or not, they are effective in their chosen fields. Goal setting is a huge topic, and not quite a... more...

Business » Ask an Expert | By Saleem Rana @ Tuesday, 10th July 2007 @ 8:17 PM

If you are not well on your way to achieving your goal for 2007, then pay attention to these words: "Dream big dreams; Only big dreams have the power to move men's souls. How many times have you set goals, only to see them remain incomplete?" Stop whatever you are doing and write these words on a piece of paper that you can keep with you at all times. It is a quote from Napoleon Hill. By following a simple daily technique you can achieve everything you want in l... more...

Business » Ask an Expert | By Saleem Rana @ Tuesday, 10th July 2007 @ 4:17 PM

Everyone needs a master plan. Some people like to live by the "seat of their pants," and no one would argue that a little spontaneity is great to have in your life. But you do need to plan something at some point, or your life will simply be one reaction after another. There is so much written on planning these days that it's hard for nearly anyone to argue against the value of planning. The non-planner will end up taking no proactive action to improve h... more...

Business » Ask an Expert | By Mayoor Patel @ Tuesday, 12th June 2007 @ 1:04 AM

Amongst the many concerns that surround oil production one of the biggest is when the world will reach the point of peak oil production. Some researchers feel that this may be within the next year or two. But a recent paper written in Sweden says that it will more likely not be before 2018. What this means it that the oil production will continue to go along the way it has, though in some places it will increase, until it hits its peak and begins to slowly decline. Obviously it is the declining ... more...

Business » Ask an Expert | By Mayoor Patel @ Tuesday, 12th June 2007 @ 12:50 AM

They say that those who do not pay attention to history are doomed to repeat it. Perhaps that is why more people consider historic crude oil prices and understanding what drove those trends to be very important to the way we run our homes, businesses, and governments. In particular, we can learn lessons from reviewing crude oil pricing of years past and use that data to minimize some of the consumer hardships that were endured at the time. Here are some examples of how you can use this history t... more...

Business » Ask an Expert | By Mayoor Patel @ Tuesday, 12th June 2007 @ 12:50 AM

As many people know, there are a number of different ways that a structured settlement can be established and payments be disbursed. One may choose to set up an annuity fund and issue regularly scheduled payments to the recipient until the settlement is satisfied. The amount of the settlement can be invested in mutual funds and the payments issued will vary depending on how well the investment portfolio is performing currently. However, there is the issue within the latter scenario as to whether... more...

Business » Ask an Expert | By Mayoor Patel @ Sunday, 10th June 2007 @ 1:02 AM

Many people are of the opinion that investing in crude oil futures prices is a very sound financial decision. However, there are also a number of reasons why investing in something else may be a better fit for you and your situation. Here are some thoughts that may help you decide if oil is where you really want to invest. One of the major points to consider when making an investment is what type of impact that investment may have on the future of your family and your community. From that... more...

Business » Ask an Expert | By Mayoor Patel @ Friday, 8th June 2007 @ 1:05 AM

There are a number of companies that are happy to purchase structured settlements from persons who are unhappy with the terms of the settlement, including the way that the settlement is scheduled to be paid. But how does one go about finding these companies that are willing to buy structured settlements for sale? Here are some ways you can connect with these firms and arrange a deal that is mutually beneficial. One of the first things you can do is advertise online. There area number of m... more...

Business » Ask an Expert | By Mayoor Patel @ Wednesday, 6th June 2007 @ 10:59 AM

If you are the recipient of a structured settlement order, then you know that there are several options open for you when it comes to receiving compensation. One route that may be the best for you is to go with the structured settlement annuity payment. Here's a few reasons why this may be the most beneficial course of action for you. First of all, if you are receiving money from a fixed annuity that is the result of some sort of legal action, be it a settlement arrived at by arbitra... more...

Business » Ask an Expert | By Mayoor Patel @ Wednesday, 6th June 2007 @ 10:45 AM

While many of us may feel we have no control over the consumption of crude oil and how that will play out in the future, the fact is that we do have the ability to police our own personal usage and do something about that. Here are some ways that you can effectively curb your usage of petroleum products and thus make yourself less dependent on oil. Employment options are perhaps more varied today than they have ever been. One continuing trend is finding a work at home situation. Many peop... more...

Business » Ask an Expert | By Mayoor Patel @ Wednesday, 6th June 2007 @ 10:36 AM

There are a lot of ads on television these days for companies that want to purchase structured settlements. But the question remains in the minds of many persons as to exactly what constitutes a structured settlement. Here are a couple of things about this type of settlement that you may find interesting. A settlement that is structured is a way of settling a civil issue where one party has been wronged in some manner and is seeking compensation. Accidents and medical procedures that went... more...

Business » Ask an Expert | By Mayoor Patel @ Wednesday, 6th June 2007 @ 10:20 AM

Some people look upon structured settlement cash as a windfall that is to be spent as quickly as the money rolls in. However, if you are smart, there are several other things you will choose to do with the funds as they arrive at your door. Here are a few suggestions of what to do when you are the recipient of a structured settlement. One of the first things you need to learn to do with your settlement is not count it as free money. There is a very good chance you will need the funds in f... more...

Business » Ask an Expert | By Mayoor Patel @ Wednesday, 6th June 2007 @ 10:03 AM

For persons who have a structured settlement, but do not want to deal with incremental payments, a structured settlement company may be the answer. Here are some guidelines to help you work with a company that purchases structured settlements and obtain a financial package that will be to your satisfaction. First, you must investigate the company thoroughly before you ever sign any type of agreement with them. This means you will want to check with consumer agencies and business bureaus t... more...

Business » Ask an Expert | By Dave Kauppi @ Friday, 1st June 2007 @ 1:14 AM

First, unless you are planning on going public or have hundreds of stockholders do not form a C Corp to begin with. Use an S Corp or an LLC. If you currently are a C Corp ask your attorney or tax advisor about converting to an S Corp. If you sell your company within a 10 year period of converting to an S Corp the sale can be taxed as if you were still a C Corp. Here is what happens when there is an asset sale of a C Corp. The assets that are sold are compared to their depreciated basis ... more...

Business » Ask an Expert | By Tony Jacowski @ Tuesday, 1st May 2007 @ 4:02 PM

More often than not, people feel overconfident and treat the approach a bit too casually. However, you should make sure that both the cover letter and the resume are well drafted, so that they make a lasting impression on the reader. They should be planned to stand out in content as well as presentation. The Importance Of A Good First Impression The First Impression is usually the Last Impression. In today's highly competitive world, creating a good first impression is extreme... more...

Business » Ask an Expert | By Chris Rohrer @ Tuesday, 10th April 2007 @ 12:02 AM

If you work from home or are thinking about working from home there are some very important things you will need to make sure you have in order to help you success rate go up. Without these five major things you will find that it will be hard to have the success you dream of. Lets take this time to break down the five major things to have when working at home one by one. By going over each of the five we can see just exactly what each one will allow us to do, and why it will benefit our ... more...

Business » Ask an Expert | By Dave Kauppi @ Tuesday, 3rd April 2007 @ 12:26 AM

I sit on the board of directors of the Midwest Business Brokers and Intermediaries (MBBI). An attorney from a small Chicago law firm was recently elected to the board. In his first meeting he introduced himself and said he was on the board at a Chicago attorney association. He stood up in front of our board and said, "You guys don't have a very good reputation in the legal community. That certainly got our attention and he went on to explain the reasons why. As I listened to him,... more...

Business » Ask an Expert | By T J Madigan @ Tuesday, 13th February 2007 @ 8:28 PM

Starting out a new business can be a daunting task, especially for people who are neophytes and dont have any knowledge in the ins and outs of business. If you are thinking about putting up a company or introducing a new product, you would soon realize that having a perfectly good product is simply not enough to survive in business. Developing a strong corporate brand is equally important in order to penetrate in a highly competitive industry. Creating a brand name can be a very painstaki... more...

Business » Ask an Expert | By T J Madigan @ Tuesday, 13th February 2007 @ 8:09 PM

If you would like to learn more about corporate branding and its concepts, you can learn a lot by reading related articles in any publication available. You will be able to have an idea as to what it is and what it can do for your company. It will make you appreciate the value of corporate branding and how it eventually affects your bottom line. Books are available for your use - and these books will provide you with all the necessary information about the topic. Corporate branding bo... more...

Business » Ask an Expert | By Jack Harrison @ Friday, 26th January 2007 @ 8:25 PM

All Show: No Go. Microcosms of Excellence: Negligible Bottom Line Impact. Solutions Looking for a Problem. Teams for Teams' Sake. Unnecessary Complexity. Foreign Language Studies. Meaningless Awards & Certifications. Data Overkill. These are a few of the more common pitfalls that we see. One fundamental tenant of Lean Manufacturing is the elimination of waste. Yet, the majority of lean advisors propagate extremely wasteful practices in the transition methodo... more...