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What the U.S. Could Learn About Business From Other Countries
Canada has lowered the entry bar for immigrant entrepreneurs. Photo: Magnus Larsson
Put the word “dream” after any country other than “American” and it just doesn’t sound the same.
There’s no Italian Dream. No Canadian Dream. No Israeli Dream. No Norwegian Dream.
The American Dream was responsible for bringing many immigrants to this country. But is the American Dream really all it’s cracked up to be? Is there still such a thing? Are we really living in the land of opportunity?
How to Save Money When You’re Single
Crock pots are great, but they’re not the only way for singles to save money. Photo: Janine
If you’re single and haven’t been told to buy a crock pot, consider yourself lucky. It’s probably a sign that you’re doing a fine job making ends meet and saving money for retirement.
15 Ways to Grow Your Business This Year
Call someone — a client, a business contact, a mentor. Make a connection. Then put your phone away for at least two hours. Seriously. Photo: Alfredo Caceres
When I look back at my 15 years of business, people often ask what my specialty is. With a diverse background in startups, working in finance, a former business address on Wall Street, and as the co-founder of two nonprofits, the only common theme I see is business growth. Some have grown steadily in the double digits, a few times there have been explosive triple-digit growth numbers.
Show me a business and I will show you a way — or sometimes many ways — to grow it.
So, happy New Year: 2014 is behind us and 2015 is our new reality. Today’s post is going to focus on ways to grow your business in 2015.
Books With Impact: The Millionaire Next Door
The “Books with Impact” series takes a deeper look at specific books that have had a profound impact on my financial, professional, and personal growth by extracting specific points of advice from those books and looking at how I’ve applied them in my life with successful results. The previous entry in this series covered Voluntary Simplicity by Duane Elgin.
15 Ways to Boost Your Financial Outlook in 2015
Make 2015 the year you build up an emergency fund or dump your debt for good. Photo: Tom Small
Taking control of your financial situation can be very rewarding, though “taking control” can mean different things to different people. For some, it means using a budget for the first time or living within certain parameters when it comes to spending. For others, it might mean sitting down with a financial advisor and creating a comprehensive plan for their retirement goals and dreams.
Regardless, nearly any step we take in the right direction is a good thing, even if we only take baby steps at first. And with the new year upon us, it might be time to take a few more steps toward a better future. But where to start?
Best Small Business Loans for 2015
Need a stack of cash to keep your small business going? Here are the best places to find loans. Photo: Robert Huffstutter
Right now could be the best time to find a small business loan since the 2008 subprime mortgage crisis. Better economic conditions and a big increase in competition mean lenders are willing to slash their rates for good prospects.
Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s easy to obtain a small business loan from traditional banks. The good news is that a number of online lenders are giving banks a run for their money (and clients) by working directly with small business owners. In many cases, they make the lending process more convenient, with quicker turnaround, more transparent terms, and more flexible lending criteria.
Six Debt-Busting New Year’s Resolutions for 2015
Want to start the year with a bang? Work on destroying your debt. Photo: Sean MacEntee
Welcoming the New Year invokes a lot of emotions for people. It’s a time to look back on the past year and reflect on mistakes we’ve made and lessons learned. Along with that, it’s a time to hope for a better year ahead. We want to do things better and become better people. Enter New Year’s resolutions.
Six Strategies for Maximizing the Value of a Warehouse Club
Going to Costco? Don’t forget to fill up the gas tank and grab a rotisserie chicken on your way out. Photo: Kyu Kim
Over the holidays, I had a great conversation with several relatives about the compared merits of Sam’s Club and Costco (our conclusion was that you should just use whichever is most convenient or closest for you), which eventually turned into a discussion of how to get the most value out of a warehouse club membership. Naturally, I pulled out my little pocket notebook and started taking notes.
Trend Spotting: How Successful Investors Find the Next Big Thing
Taking a longer view of stock prices can reveal intriguing trends for investors. Photo: Andreas Poike
In “Back to the Future Part II,” Biff Tannen gets rich by using information from the future to make can’t-lose sports bets in the past. While Biff and his special brand of inside information are pure fiction, it is nonetheless a perfect allegory for investment trend spotting.
Investment trend spotters seek to gain insight into the future and profit from that knowledge. In reality, the investing world is littered with the carcasses of schemes and systems for divining the future. Wall Street will always have some latest and greatest way to beat the system and make easy money. They work for a while before collapsing under the weight of their own success.
Best Travel Insurance for 2015
The best travel insurance can help cushion the financial blow in case of situations that can upend an expensive, carefully planned trip. Whether you’re suddenly dealing with an unexpected illness, a death in the family, a missed flight, or even a lost suitcase, all of these scenarios have the potential to cancel or ruin your travels.
But do you really need travel insurance? It’s a question we’ll consider in depth later in this article — I’ll admit I’ve only purchased a travel insurance policy once despite frequent globe-trotting, though that was probably unwise. For some, however, travel can be an investment just as significant as a car or house. If you fall into this category, relatively inexpensive travel insurance plans can protect your wallet from any of the above situations and more.
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