Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

Don’t Forget to Say Thank You for a Second Interview

The thank you letter for a second interview is a must for serious job seekers. If you’ve made it as far as a second interview, then you are right on the edge and are one of the serious candidates ready to be offered the position. When you’re in that position then it is worth your while to use all of the leverage you have, all of your knowledge of the company and all of your job search skills . . .

Real Estate Investors find old fashion Lead Generation th...

Door Knocking is back! Tired of the poor results from “we buy houses” advertising, Real Estate Investors are tapping an old resource to generate higher profit deals.Door knocking is a lead generation, qualification, and development tool used by real estate investor for years to gather information, build rapport, and negotiate with the seller. Historically this method takes the most work and i. . .

Understanding Corporate Culture

Culture: n 1. natural phenomenon that is created whenever a group of people come together to collaborate; 2. foundation for all decisions and actions within an organization; 3. the way things are around here.Every time people come together with a shared purpose, culture is created. This group of people could be a family, neighborhood, project team, or company. Culture is automatically created o. . .

Definition of Corporate Culture

Are you looking for a clear definition of corporate culture? You have come to the right place!I have developed a definition of corporate culture after nearly 20 years of working with organizations and viewing them from the perspective of a cultural anthropologist as well as a strategy consultant with an MBA in finance.The easiest way to think of corporate culture is that it is an energy field t. . .

Finding the Best Gas Credit Cards

You can find gas credit cards for just about any major - and some minor - gas companies. These gas credit cards are easily found online. One site we perused, for example, told us about several different gas credit card offers. It told us how to find gas credit cards for Marathon, Hess, Phillips 66, Citgo and Conoco. A few of the gas credit cards featured allow you to purchase any brand of gas . . .

The Best Kind of Advertising

He was a little old man, and he was confused. All around him were huge, confusing technological marvels, and he had no clue what he was really looking for...or at, for that matter.I was on commission, so the higher-end merchandise meant a bigger commission for me.I began by asking him what he was trying to do.It was simple. He had a huge record collection (you remember records, right?), and h. . .

Managers: You Know YOUR Job, but What About Public Relati...

Sure, you’re a business, non-profit, association orgovernment agency manager specializing in activities likesales, human resources, distribution, finance, programmanagement or any of many other operating functions.So you know what you’re doing.But what about the money you’re hopefully spending on public relations, which happens NOT to be your managerial specialty!?Are you doing the action plann. . .

Ways to Make Money

What are the best ways to make money?If you answered, “a job”, then you have been brainwashed like most Americans into believe that working for a company is the best way to make money. It is absolutely NOT one of the best ways to make money. Why not?Most jobs have the following problems:1. The time trap. You are trading your time for money. Even if you are a salaried employee, you are accepting. . .

True Life Coaching Success Story

“Hey Man who are you!”I was sitting on a wall next to the Armory Park outside the Peabody Essex in historic Salem when this “Goth Chick”. Not exactly Goth, well you do not expect many of them to have a southern accent. It was more than her dress that made her seem out of place, or the accent. For this is Salem, and Salem loves Vampires and things of Halloween, but Red (for that is what I will c. . .

Internet Marketing: Start Right, Start Smart

When a professional or small business owner decides to launch their business on the Internet, they often start with a website. They’ve heard that everybody has to have a website. Then they learn that they should have an email newsletter.Many people start out piece-meal. Website with one company, newsletter delivery with another provider, online payments with another, and as each need arises the. . .

Improving Corporate Culture

I believe that most organizations are miserable places to work. They are Corporate Cubeworlds. And no one is to blame. Companies have inherited their corporate culture from the Industrial Age and it just don't work anymore. People are unhappy and Corporate Cubeworlds are much less profitable than they could be.Before I go further, let me identify what I mean by the Corporate Cubeworld.Key Attri. . .

Doing a Corporate Culture Survey

Most corporate culture surveys are not as effective as they could be. This article will help you to optimize your success and use the results to improve your corporate culture.Start with Your GoalsWhen embarking upon a corporate culture survey project, you must start with the end in mind. What is your purpose in doing a corporate culture survey? Do you want to improve the corporate culture? If . . .

How to Quit Your Job

Do you to know how to quit your job without ending up on the street? In a nutshell, you need to avoid the self-employment trap, think like a business, and create multiple passive revenue streams.Avoid the Self-Employment TrapIf you quit your job and hang up your own shingle, you might work harder for less money. You may enjoy working from home or choosing your own clients, but you might end up . . .

The Idiots Guide To Back Testing For Confidence

After you`ve set your initial stop loss, chosen your method for calculating your trailing stop loss, and implemented all your money management rules, there is one last thing you should do; you should begin back testing your system.With out back testing you will be headed in the right direction, but you won`t know what to expect from your system. Back testing will also give you the confidence to. . .

Business Plan Software: Do You Need It?

Business plan software is something that often gets overlookedand isn't considered to be a necessity for some reason. In myopinion, business plan software is essential, it is not a luxury.I am a huge advocate of business planning. When people ask me ifthey need a business plan, my response is, "Absolutely!" You see,starting a business without a business plan is akin to startingcollege without a. . .

Relocate and Live On The Water: Marinas in York, Surry or...

In Virginia, Isle of Wight, York and Surry counties all share some unique characteristics. Each one of these counties represents a different piece of early American history and continues to grow as a part of our nation’s future. They also share the influence of the James River, York River and a huge system of creeks and tributaries associated with these bodies of water. Living on the water i. . .

Is There a Magic Marketing Formula? - Part 1

One of the biggest mistakes that I see small business owners make is to spend their money (or time) on marketing or advertising, not get the results they want and then conclude that marketing doesn't work. Or they keep on spending their money and time on advertising, despite their lack of results and convince themselves that it's "raising their profile". (In reality, it's probably just money do. . .

Finding Your Next Big Idea

The business enterprise has two, and only two, basic functions: marketing and innovation. It is not necessary for a business to grow bigger; but it is necessary that it constantly grow better. - Peter F. DruckerThe organization that fails to continually innovate new products and services will not survive long. But not all innovations produce commercial success. A new business idea must offer cu. . .

Coaching Leaders for Change - 5 Ground Rules

How do you convince leaders to change? Executive coaching offers a tremendous opportunity to leverage the talent and resources of leaders. Coaching is no longer reserved for problem leaders. It is frequently sought by top performers whose organizations value their growth potential. But not all coaching is the same.Establishing Ground RulesHere are five principles that should be clarified at the. . .

Leadership by Persuasion – Four Steps to Success

As a leader, your success depends upon your ability to get things done: up, down and across all lines. To survive and succeed, you must learn four essential skills of persuading people. You must convince others to take action on your behalf even when you have no formal authority.Persuasion is an essential proficiency for all leaders, requiring you to move people toward a position they don’t cur. . .

Financial Alchemy: How To Be a Money Maker & Manager

Your current financial situation is a direct reflection of your inner relationship with Money making and management. Author of Financial Alchemy, Morgana Rae says "If you don’t like your finances, something needs to change in your relationship". This is where Alchemy comes in. Alchemy is the art of transformation. With roots in ancient Egypt and classical Greece, Alchemy comes from a time when . . .

Organizational Culture Change: Is It Really Worth the Eff...

Much has been written about changing organizational culture. It’s an exciting topic because of the enormous potential benefits derived from changing an organization’s culture. While exciting because of its enormous potential, attempting to change organizational culture can lead to enormous frustration.It is important to understand how deeply the roots of organizational culture go. Organizationa. . .

Rebuilding Your Credit After Bankruptcy

In the past, filing bankruptcy was like having a Scarlet Letter on your chest. Bankruptcy made people outcasts and pariahs. It was as if a contagious disease struck, and no one wanted to be near you for fear of infection.Today, bankruptcy doesn’t quite have the stigma it used to. Many of the world’s most successful people have filed for bankruptcy. These people hit rock bottom, and have bounced. . .

New Business:Real-Life Dollars Buy In-Game Currency?

Will people pay real dollars for virtual money to help their virtual characters buy in-game goods?One gamer, who goes by the screen name Haylo, said he spent $10 to $20 real dollars a month on in-game platinum(all nonexistent, of course) to buy weapons and other goods in Dark Age of Camelot (DAOC), but would spend more if he could afford it.Most video games have some form of currency. In many w. . .

How to Control Your People

There is a struggle for power and everybody is involved. Everybody is doing everything in his power, at times even over set limits, to extend what he currently have.Why?It is commonly believed that we can only enjoy things that we control. Because of that, we want more power so that we can exercise more control over things.That is the truth -- a half of it.Some people take advantage of others t. . .

Christian Business Opportunities Bring Relief to Your Dai...

Christian business opportunities can literally transform your life. You'll be able to balance your personal and professional responsibilities, increase your sense of financial security, and integrate your Christian beliefs into your workday.With a Christian Home Business, you can make your own meals instead of purchasing expensive restaurant food. You'll save money on gas, parking, and other co. . .

Payday Loans: A Helping Hand

Before you decide on taking payday loans, make sure that you fully understand what it entails. Let us understand what exactly what payday loans or a cash advance loan is. Payday loans, as its name indicates, is related to your pay and payday. With your payday some 7-14 days away, you may need cash to payoff your immediate needs. payday loan companies, seeing this as a business opportunity, give. . .

Credit Card Debt Settlement

Have you started receiving credit card debt settlement notices in the mail? Have you been receiving collection calls? If this is the case, you have probably been in debt and been dealing with financial difficulties for quite some time.Creditors are sometimes willing to settle the account for a lesser amount if the credit card account is seriously delinquent or has been written off. This credito. . .

What is MICR Check Printing

What Is MICR?Here's a concise guide to MICR and associated technologies.By Charles KatzMagnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) was developed to utilize the benefits of computer technology in the banking industry. Prior to the use of a MICR line, check sorting by account number was a manual process. Two systems were previously used to handle the large numbers of checks processed in the banking. . .

Credit Card Debt

If you can't sleep at night because of credit card debt worries, you're not alone. Many people get in over their heads charging things they think they can't live without.You don't need to cut up all of your credit cards. Save your major bank cards, but stop charging needless temptations on them. You need a couple of major bank credit cards to maintain or build strong credit scores.The credit ca. . .

Avoiding Forex-Related Frauds & Scams

A lot of people have been ‘burnt' from scam operations on the Internet. Their sites may look so perfectly legitimate that you doubt whether they would have gone through all that trouble building a trading platform just to steal your money. Beware. The first thing I look for is the geographical location of the broker. If I find that they are based in a country where the financial industry is, in. . .

The Benefits Of Trading The Forex Market

Historically, the FX market was available most to major banks, multinational corporations and other participants who traded in large transaction sizes and volumes. Small-scale traders including individuals like you and I, had little access to this market for such a long time. Now with the advent of the Internet and technology, FX trading is becoming an increasingly popular investment alternativ. . .

Why Sell Your House to an Investor?

When talking to people who are trying to sell their house I'm often asked the question, "Why should I sell my house to you?"That's a great question. Today's house seller has lots of options: they can list their house with a real estate agent, they can try to sell the house themselves or they can sell their house to a real estate investor. None of these choices is necessarily better than the oth. . .

When Investors Say No - Maybe Your Bank Will Say Yes (wit...

Small Business Administration (SBA) loans are provided to loan seekers under section 7(a) of the Small Business Act. This Act gives power to the Agency to sanction loans to American Small Businesses. Founded on July 30, 1953, the U.S. small Business Administration has provided loans, loan guarantees, contracts, counseling and other type of assistance to small businesses. Most American banks and. . .

Coaching Leaders - 6 Reasons Some Executives Give Up

How do you help leaders succeed? Give them some coaching, that’s the widely accepted solution. Then why do some executives give up on coaching programs designed to help them improve?Executive coaching offers a tremendous opportunity to leverage leadership talent and resources. Coaching is no longer reserved for problem leaders. It is more frequently sought by top performers whose organizations . . .

Are You Boring Your Customers?

The business world is changing and your company must catch up. Consumers are driving the quest for information and personality. Customers are demanding to trade their hard earned cash for prompt, reliable, trust worthy and friendly services. Clients yearn for the days when a company took care of them.Is your company doing all it can to establish a regular, consistent, focused, friendly relat. . .

“So You Want to be a Millionaire . . .”

We are in the best of times and the worst of times for MLM . . . Jobs are scarce, and many people are facing employment insecurity. Time freedom and income freedom, which used to give us our “sex appeal” as an industry, have shifted in their impact. Regular jobs sometimes offer flex-time, which puts a J-O-B on a par with our industry, and the income freedom that you are seeking has remained . . .

Conference Call

Many businesses have long used the services of a conference call company to spread their message to the investment community, where investment professionals could hear many firms in several days. To accomodate those who couldn't travel, the conference call allowed hundreds of analysts to hear a presentation and ask questions in real time. But access was usually restricted and often involved lon. . .

Getting the Loan You Need with Adverse Credit

For those individuals who have had credit problems in the past, getting a loan for something that they need can seem like a nearly impossible dream. After all, what lender is going to give money to someone that's had problems repaying loans or credit in the past? You might be surprised, actually… there are a number of lenders willing to grant loans to people with less-than-perfect credit, and s. . .

Taking the Time to Find the Best Loan Offers

When you're looking for a loan, it might seem easy to simply accept the first loan offer that you receive. While it's true that you might receive a good deal on a loan this way, there's an even greater chance that you'll end up missing out on a better offer… and in some cases several better offers. If you're wanting to find the best loan offers that are available to you, you need to take a litt. . .

Useful Investment Strategies

When deciding to invest, be it in the stock market or in other types of investment, it might seem a bit intimidating at first. How do you know that you're getting the most out of your money? How do you know what to invest in? Should you invest all that you have into one or two solid investments, or should you spread it out over several investments?If you've worried about any of these questions,. . .

Professional Stock Investment Advice - Most Common Tradin...

The best Stock Market advice you will ever read is to learn from mistakes when someone else has made them. So, this stock market advice list I made a list of some of the most common trading mistakes that are made. Even I’ve made some of these. If you have already made some of the mistakes, you can rest assured that you aren’t alone in making them. If you haven’t made them, then here’s a way to . . .

A Guide to Dividends and Reinvestment

An important yet sometimes overlooked aspect of investing in the stock market or other investment markets is the payment of dividends by the investment. Many people who invest only part-time or have investment plans through their workplace may not even be aware that dividends exist; they may even be confused by the sudden payment of dividends that appears periodically. For those individuals who. . .

Borrowing Money to Redecorate Your Home

Redecorating your home can be a major commitment, and it can be an expensive one as well. One of the easiest ways to take care of this expense is to apply for a loan for the amount that you need, though like any loan it isn't a decision that should be entered into lightly. Before simply applying for a new loan to pay for your redecoration, you should take the time to consider a few options and . . .

When to Apply for a Second Mortgage

If you're considering applying for a second mortgage, you might be wondering whether or not it's the right decision to make. On one hand, you need the money… but on the other hand, you might not be wanting the additional debt to repay. Before deciding one way or another whether you should apply for a second mortgage, you should take the time to weigh your options and consider the potential uses. . .

Where to Look for Business Financing

Starting a new business can be difficult… in addition to creating a business plan that will outline what your business intent is and finding the contacts and locations that you'll need, finding the money that is needed to get a business off of the ground can sometimes seem impossible.If you're not exactly sure how to get the money that you need, you'll find several suggestions below. From infor. . .

Part 2: Designing a Trading System in MetaStock

In Part 1 of Designing a Trading System in MetaStock, I had discussed the major components you needed to be able to track to create a mechanical entry system. These were measures of price, liquidity, trend, and volatility. The question now is, how do we code this into MetaStock?First, let me offer you the most valuable piece of knowledge I have acquired over the years about MetaStock formula wr. . .

A Guide to Finding Investment Opportunities Online

Perhaps you're new to investment and you're trying to find investment opportunities that will serve you well; maybe you've been investing for years, but are looking to expand and diversify your investment portfolio with some new investments.On the other hand, you might simply be looking for information about potential investments, so that you can make up your mind as to whether investing is rig. . .

Choosing the Right Bank for Your Business

Whether you're starting a new business or you're simply looking for a new bank for your current business, finding the bank that serves your business best generally isn't as easy as simply opening an account at the bank where you do your personal banking.Businesses tend to have different needs than individuals, and the fact that a bank does well with personal banking services isn't always an ind. . .

How to Find Lower Interest Rates on Bad Credit Loans

In a world where debt and poor credit are more commonplace than they used to be, bad credit loans aren't nearly as difficult to find as they once were. The problem associated with most bad credit loans isn't the difficulty of finding them, it's the interest rates that most common lenders charge for them. It doesn't do you much good to finally get a loan when you've got bad credit if the interes. . .