Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

UK Credit Card Debt

Getting into credit card debt in the UK, can leave you feeling helpless and hopeless. It seems like you could be stuck in UK credit card debt forever, and there's no light at the end of the tunnel. Harassing phone calls from creditors and threatening letters prevent you from doing anything else but worry about money matters and you debt. Yet there is one practical solution for getting out of UK. . .

Death in a Partnership Can Be the Death of a Partnership

Howdy Partner ! Now let’s imagine for a minute that you and I actually was partners. Partners in business. Now, one problem, of course, is that if one of us died, why, we’d end up being in business with the deceased partner’s kinfolk. If I died first, you’d end up in business with my son Jethro. And Jethro, well, he’s a dope.One solution, then, might be a buy / sell agreement funded by life ins. . .

Reverse Mortgages Explained

A 'Reverse Mortgage', also known as 'Equity Release', is a popular way to use your main asset (your home) to free up some cash for other purposes. In a standard loan, your income stream is used to 'qualify' for the loan. The bank will want to see that you have enough cash-flow from your job or other source of income in order to make the payments on the loan. By securing this forward loan on you. . .

The Four Laws Of Leadership

Leadership is motivational or it's stumbling in the dark. After all, isn't it more effective to have people want to go from point A to point B instead of to be ordered to go from A to B?The ability to instill "want to" in others, to motivate them, marks the difference between average leaders and great leaders. But many leaders misunderstand the true meaning of motivation. And if you misunders. . .

A New Approach To Site Promotion

I have a bad habit of designing great websites, then letting them flounder for lack of promotion. It's not that I don't know how to promote a site, I just don't like doing it. I'd rather work on my next site than take the time to promote an existing one. I don't think I'm alone in this. There are lots of sites that promise to do the promotion for you, so they must be targeting people like me. B. . .

The Easy Days

The easy days are gone when you could build your website and two or three months later see it heading for the top of the searches in Google.Now you must be prepared to wait six to nine months to even see your website in the searches. Why has this happened ? The main problem was that so many people joined affiliate programs, they built a website expecting to be successful and making money in a. . .

California Bad Credit Mortgage

California is a beautiful place to live There is no doubt about that. But, to live in California you must pay the price, which is sky high real estate prices. Renting, as opposed to buying in California, can save a little bit of money. However, renting has the disadvantage of not building any equity. As home prices in California continue to rise, you may want to be a homeowner and take advantag. . .

Buying A Home After Bankruptcy - Get A Mortgage Loan Afte...

If you have a recent bankruptcy on your credit and are looking to get financing for a home, there is hope. Buying a home with bad credit will just put more emphasis on the other two factors needed to get a mortgage loan, which are; income verification and a down payment.After bankruptcy most lenders want you to wait at least 2 years from the time of the bankruptcy discharge before they will con. . .

The Four Laws Of Leadership (Part Two)

In Part One, I described the laws of motivation. In Part Two, I'll examine the laws in more detail. Law 1. Motivation is physical action. Motivation isn't about what people think or feel but about what they physically do. In leadership, you should understand the difference between inspiration and motivation. The word "inspiration" comes from the ancient Greeks and the oracle of Delphi. The o. . .

Five EASY Ways to Improve Your Business Writing

Have you ever wondered why some people can make millions writing books, and others (maybe you) can’t even complete a simple business letter worth reading? Sure, natural talent probably accounts for some of their writing success. But really the best-selling authors achieved that level of success by devoting serious time and effort to perfecting their craft. Plus, they love to write.As a busy pro. . .

Tips to Attain an Effective Poster Digital Printing

Poster digital printing is widely used by several companies that have proven it effective to clasp on prospect clients and regular customers. They are open to the printing expense of the poster digital printing because they are certain to get more from their good investment in having a catchy and effectual poster digital print. Below are some tips that could be useful in your poster digital pri. . .

Poster Digital Printing for Growing Business

With the modern complexities of life now days, it is but important to be abreast with the latest and the more effective ways of advertising and promoting your services and products to let your business grow and be wide known popular. That is why poster digital printing is recommended for a sure win advertisement for your growing business. It can be noticed that in poster digital printing the pi. . .

Small Business Pricing Strategies

It's tough out there, particularly because of layoffs and our sluggish economy. So what's a small business entrepreneur trying to make a living to do? Try these low-cost pricing strategies to keep sales moving.TACTIC #1 -- Never simply slash your prices, unless you're trying to empty obsolete inventory. Instead, try repackaging your prices so they're more affordable in the short-run so more pro. . .

The Myth of Rankings - Beyond Search Engine Optimization

What follows is a condensed version of a conversation that happens all too frequently when I am approached by a prospect interested in search engine optimization (SEO):Prospect: We need our website optimized, because we aren’t showing up for any searches.Me: What searches have you tried?Prospect: We don’t show up for ANYTHING.Me: Why do you want to show up in searches?Prospect: Well, it seems l. . .

8 Penny Stocks to Avoid

There are many good penny stock investments available, which could turn a small amount of capital into a small fortune very quickly. However, to discover these you need to know what to look for and what to avoid. When searching for that one big payoff, steer clear of the following examples. The Phone Salesman - Anyone who is attempting to sell you investments over the phone should be considered. . .

4 Customer Service Mistakes Companies Should Avoid Making

1) Being placed on hold endlessly. Don't you just love it when you call a company and they place you on hold, leaving you to listen to their latest on-hold, recorded sales pitch, over and over again. Would you think it normal business practice for a retail store clerk to ask you to "wait a minute" while they disappeared into the back of the store for ten, fifteen, thirty minutes or longer? Peop. . .

Social Engineering - The Real E-Terrorism?

One evening, during the graveyard shift, an AOL technical support operator took a call from a hacker. During the hour long conversation the hacker mentioned he had a car for sale. The technical support operator expressed an interest so the hacker sent him an e-mail with a photo of the car attached. When the operator opened the attachment it created a back door that opened a connection out of AO. . .

The Top 10 Questions for Socially Responsible Leaders

The assets of your business traditionally include property, plant, equipment, and your customer base. Progressive organizations understand that business assets also include their good reputation, responsiveness to change, the ability to conduct a constructive dialogue with stakeholders, the ability to take advantage of networked resources, and a host of other non-traditional assets. Companies a. . .

Rolling your 401k: Contributory IRA vs. Rollover IRA

In an ideal world you would start your working career with a great company in your early 20s, steadily climb the corporate ladder, retire at age 65, and draw a sufficient income from your accumulated 401k account to live happily ever after.Unfortunately, that’s not how the real world works. If you are like most people, you will change careers, or at least companies, several times. Each time, yo. . .

Choosing the Right Corporate Training

According to a Gallup Poll, 80 percent of employees said the availability of company-sponsored training programs was a factor in deciding whether to accept a new job or stick with a current one. And yet the Bureau of Labor Statistics says that the average number of hours of formal training per employee per year is only 10.7. More companies are starting to realize that it's smart to invest in t. . .

Ten Things To Do If You Really, Really Hate Your Job

1. Begin focusing on what you want instead of how much you want to escape. When you find yourself sharing the latest horror story, stop in mid-sentence and say, "What I want to have is..." 2. Create an image that describes you in your job. Are you on a riverbank with no way to get to the other side? Lost in a jungle? Poking through a thorny hedge? When you get comfortable with the image, be. . .

Managers Who Spend PR $$ Wisely

If you are a department, division or subsidiary manager, your budget is a precious possession whether you work for a business, a non-profit or an association. So why stand by while your public relations team spends too much time and treasure on tactics like press releases, column mentions and brochures? Especially when you could be using an aggressive PR blueprint to persuade your most importan. . .

The 11 Best Money Saving Ideas of All Time - Part 4

At any time in history, no matter what the current state of the economy, no matter what the current trends, no matter what the unemployment rate is or where interest rates lurk, some money-saving ideas stay true. Some of you may have heard of these ideas before, others may be entirely new to you. But whether you are familiar with these super secrets or not, it will be well worth your while to . . .

The 11 Best Money Saving Ideas of All Time - Part 3

At any time in history, no matter what the current state of the economy, no matter what the current trends, no matter what the unemployment rate is or where interest rates lurk, some money-saving ideas stay true.Some of you may have heard of these ideas before, others may be entirely new to you. But whether you are familiar with these super secrets or not, it will be well worth your while to p. . .

Business or Hobby...What Would the IRS Call YOUR Business?

One thing we know for sure… direct sellers start their businesses for a wide variety of reasons. Some want to build a dynasty, some want the tax benefits, some do it to buy and share a product they believe in, while others are simply looking for a way to have fun and make a little money on the side. Taking time to define your business purpose and goals is critical. Why? Because the Internal Rev. . .

Keep More of What You Make - Start A Home-based Business

The best advantages of owning a home-based business are you can turn non-deductible expenses into tax deductions. The deductions you create for your Schedule C have a more significant impact on the total taxes you pay than do deductions on Schedule A. Schedule C deductions not only reduce federal income tax, they also reduce self-employment tax, Medicare tax, and state and local taxes.Some favo. . .

10 MORE Ways to Make Money with your Digital Cameras

1. Pet photos - advertise a Pet Photography business where you photograph pets with their owners. Most owners won't struggle to take a photograph with their pet all by themselves. You can be the one who makes it easy on them. Not only can you charge for the service and your time, but you can offer the photograph in it's digital form or as a print that you can mail to them later - either created. . .

Managers Need Basic PR

True, because department, division or subsidiary managers for a business, non-profit or association really DO need a dynamic yet workable blueprint for reaching those key outside groups of people who have a big say about how successful those managers are going to be. Unfortunately, a primary emphasis on communications tactics does not take the place of a well thought-out public relations . . .

Change or Die! To Change Your Organization, Hire a Busine...

It is a common business axiom – change or die. As a small or mid-sized business owner or a manager, there will be times you will need to make changes in your organization but may not be sure how to go about it. Change is hard to implement and even harder to sustain. Think about all of the people who have trouble sticking to a diet or quitting smoking or keeping up with an exercise program, let . . .

Home Based Business Opportunities

Your Best Opportunity For Home-Based Business Success Might Be Right Before Your Eyes! It might even be a task you perform everyday!Where Do I Begin:You want to start your own home-based business but you don't know what kind of business to start. The answer to your question might be very obvious!Consider This:Your best opportunity for home-based business success might be a skill you perform ev. . .

Masterminding Your Way To Greater Success

Napoleon Hill coined the concept of the mastermind alliance in his classic book Think and Grow Rich. He believed that a group of like-minded, achievement-oriented individuals could dramatically leverage each other's success.The old adages still hold true today, "the sum of the whole is greater than its parts" and "two heads are better than one". More and more today people in business are harnes. . .

10 Tips for Investing in Distressed or Foreclosed Properties

1. Search on the world wide web for distressed or foreclosed properties as a starting point. Use a professional REALTOR to identify great foreclosure deals for you. You may be successful at searching the web on your own, but keep in mind some of the information is outdated, some may be incorrect, and some of the available properties are not even listed. A REALTOR subscribes to updated MLS lis. . .

How to Research and Purchase a Good Investment Property

How to Research and Purchase a Good Investment PropertyHow much do you really know about investment property? Accurate research and professional expertise applied to the purchase of an investment property builds a solid foundation for financial success. You may want to work with a REALTOR who can help to identify the great opportunities in investment properties in the area of your choice. Or, . . .

Great Interview Skills

Going for a job interview can be a harrowing experience. The reasons are varied: A job applicant may not have the necessary relevant working experience or may be worried about the inability to answer difficult questions. Even the pressure of needing a job to pay for the living expenses can cause a job applicant to "freeze" or go numb with anxiety during the interview.Being appropriately attired. . .

Deciphering Office Lingo

No matter what business you are in, there is a culture in your office. The language of the office is fluid, changing as quickly. Keeping up is important because clear communication is the key to success in everything you do. Here a few terms you might have heard but were unclear as to their true meaning:Office Creeper- a person who sneaks into an office during business hours and steals personal. . .

PR Going According to Plan?

Think carefully! You’re a department, division or subsidiary manager for a business, non-profit or association and you really need to achieve your operating objectives. But even a yes response to the headline above leaves the really big question unanswered – does your current public relations plan help persuade your most important outside audiences to your way of thinking, then move them to tak. . .

Start Small and Your Wealth Will Get Bigger

We’ve all heard the phrase, “You have to start somewhere.” Nothing could be truer of creating wealth and prosperity in your life. Sometimes the idea of becoming wealthy can seem so overwhelming that we don’t know where to begin. After all, if we’re up to our eyeballs in debt or barely making it, how can we possibly think about getting wealthy?Start small. This is one of the greatest wealth crea. . .

Don’t Work for Your Money, Make it Work for You!

Well, the New Year is around the corner and so are New Year’s Resolutions! It’s such a great time of year to consider what the past year has brought us and what we want to create in the coming year.To help you get started thinking about the coming year, we are publishing a series of articles on top wealth creating habits. This series of articles will feature simple and practical ways that you c. . .

Effective Resumes

A resume is normally the first contact point between an employer and a job seeker. It serves the purpose of providing a summary of why a candidate is suitable for a job (cover-letter) and his relevant qualifications/experience.In this article, advice about creating effective cover letters will be provided and followed by the rest of the resume.An Effective Cover Letter:An effective cover letter. . .

Organization Tips - How to Organise Your Computer Files

Everytime Mary had to find a file on her computer, she always had great difficulty. And it was no wonder why. Every file had been saved under the folder "Mary" and that was it. There were no other categories. Consequently every time Mary searched her folder she spent ages sifting through all the documents.Now Mary is a real smart cookie. She's the Marketing Director of a very well known organis. . .

Organization Tips - How to Set Up Your Database

What's in a Name?Everything. What do you do with all the contacts you make in your organisation? Do you:Collect business cards and throw them in the bottom of your desk drawer hoping one day one of these people will ring and do business with you? Have any system for keeping information on your clients and prospects? Do you enter all their details into your database so that you can communicate w. . .

Surviving the Workday in your Organization

Most people suffer from stress at some time during the day. When you recognise your own peak and low energy levels, you can work with your body clock to maintain high productivity and alertness. It makes sense to tackle the hardest tasks at high-energy times, and when you're feeling low, do simpler tasks like sorting the mail or filing. If you force yourself to do difficult tasks when your ener. . .

How to be Healthier and Happier In Your Organisation

Did you know your work environment can actually make you sick?The affects of airconditioningResearch has shown that airconditioning can cause allergies, respiratory infections, asthma, fatigue and headaches. And that's just a few things.If you don't believe me, have a look at what some of your workmates keep in their desk drawers.You'll find many of them keep enough pills and potions on hand to. . .

Organization Tips - How To Get Things Done

What stops you from 'getting things done?'Have you ever started your day with good intentions of completing a task or project only to find that by the end of the day you've hardly worked on it? Or have you ever set a goal to attend a seminar, learn a new skill or just have more time out for you?I'm sure you have. I'm not going to write a long-winded explanation about the art of procrastination . . .

Organisation - Getting Back To Basics

If you look at any major organisation, there is this trend for executives to use "palm pilots" in conjunction with software schedulers such as Microsoft Outlook. What's really interesting is even with all this technology (and many of these execs are fortunate to have personal assistants) they are still disorganised. Organisation is not about having all the latest and greatest tools, it's a. . .

How Managers Hit PR Paydirt

As a business, non-profit or association manager, you’ll know it’s PR paydirt when you’re able to persuade your key external stakeholders to your way of thinking, then move them to take actions that lead to your department, division or subsidiary’s success. Proof of the pudding will be outside stakeholder behaviors like increasing repeat purchases, more inquiries about strategic alliances, new . . .

Starting a Small Business: Balancing Risk and Reward

In a perfect world, starting a small business would be risk free, but just as with everything else; the degree of risk determines the value of the reward.According to the National Commission on Entrepreneurship, at any given time, 6% to 9% of the United States adult population is involved in planning for a new business. Most of these aspiring entrepreneurs, they say, will start a “Lifestyle Bu. . .

Extended Enterprise In The Nesting And Cutting Business

In Italy there are a lot of small and medium enterprises (SME) that often act as subcontractors to bigger firms. For example, most of the Italian shoes come from industrial districts, where the organization heavily relies on subcontracting. Many problems usually arise in this kind of organization: Although the whole process leads to a finished product and is coordinated by a single subject, di. . .

People Are The Heart Of Your Organization

Do you let your people express their thoughts about the roles and responsibilities they have in your organisation? Don't just take it for granted that everything's fine because no one complains.Organisations often spend a fortune on purchasing office furniture/computer software/filing systems etc. only to find out they are unsuitable because the people who use them were never consulted about wh. . .

How To Organize Your Paperwork

Many people have a huge challenge coping with the incoming paperwork. (Whatever happened to the paperless office?). Paperwork lands on your desk and somehow finds its way into your in-tray. Eventually the in-tray becomes so high it explodes and ends up all over your desktop. That's because you avoided taking action on those messy pieces of paper the moment they arrived. Now you have no option b. . .