Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Water - It Is a Good Place to Be in the Years Ahead, by Mike Farrell with aspenIbiz

When you think about commodities that are in demand and other hot items right now among traders, you probably don’t think of water. But you should as alternative wealth creating strategies in water are surfacing.

The pipelines that provide our drinking water cover a distance of a million miles … more than four times the length of the Interstate Highway System. Much of this pipeline is over 100 yrs old, has exceeded its useful life, and in many parts of the country, it is in a state of utter disrepair.

The fix will cost at least $500B over the next 20 years.

And, the renewable bio-fuel targets of the US Dpt of Energy can’t be met because we don’t have the water supply. It will take 2.5 trillion gallons of water to make 1 billion gallons of ethanol … this is more water than used by the farmers in the Central Valley and the population of Southern California combined. It takes energy to make water and water to make energy and we don’t have enough water to make the mandated biofuel … perhaps this is another conspiracy in the making.

As a result, the price of water in some parts of the world is rising … sometimes very quickly and it is rising right here in the good ole USA … especially in California.

Water rates in California have experienced a 71% increase in five years and despite these increases, water is still too cheap in Southern California.

Water is a resource that has been underpriced for 50 years … consumers pay $10 day for power and only $3 a day for water. Water costs more in Manhattan and New York City isn’t even a desert.

California is a good case study where the water crisis is in bloom and here are drivers of some of the issues and challenges ahead.

First – Supply Limitations. As the water flows down from the Sierra Mountains, it also flows through an estuary before it reaches the state’s water supply. The estuary was depleted due to excessive pumping which endangered a species of fish native to the river. A few years ago, a federal judge put limits on the amount of water taken out of the Sacramento – San Joaquin Bay Delta to protect the fish. The system is now delivering only 40% of the capacity as a result of these judge implied limits. At this point, even several wet years will not get the capacity back to 100%.

Second – Drought. Current reservoir levels are at all-time lows because California just had its third consecutive dry year.

Third – Aging Infrastructure. The system is no longer capable of supporting the increased population without significant investment.

To combat these problems, the state has done a number of things, including the price increases mentioned above. Yet because water is still so cheap, the increased water rates have not had much of an effect on water use so far. There is also an $11.1 billion water bond that will provide funds for storing water. And there is a search for new supplies of water.

Having picked all the low-hanging fruit, it is clear there is no single solution to the water crisis. There will be many ideas – conservation, desalination, and more.

For example, some companies are working on ways to capture the rain and snowfall from various mountain drainage and watersheds before it flows to natural dry lakes and eventually evaporates. The rain and snowfall will be stored and eventually delivered to major population centers in California via pipeline and pumping stations.

On the surface, it will appear that the value will be in the water provided for consumption and irrigation of crops grown on farms in the region. Yet the real value will not be the actual water or resulting farming but in monetizing the water rights.

Today’s investor portfolio should include companies that hold these water rights; companies that provide pipes, valves, seals, tanks, treatment plants, and pumping station equipment; firms that provide the engineering services to design and build these pipelines and pumping stations; and water utilities that operate and deliver quality water, that will better than most bottled water, to major metropolitan areas of California.

Water worries extend far beyond California and the America West … and it will be a good place to be in the years ahead. As goes California, so goes America.

I favor a quote from Steve Forbes … Forbes says that pursuing additional financial education and the resulting increase in our financial literacy will open our eyes to alternative wealth creating strategies and this will be they key to resolving our financial crisis.

As an example of alternative wealth creating strategies … consider investments in non dollar-denominated assets … perhaps emerging markets … perhaps energy assets that are inherently useful like oil rigs, hydropower, or methanol plants … perhaps water rights, precious metals, oil, natural gas, potash mines, or gold mines … things hard to build, difficult to replace, and costly to substitute … definitely not financial stocks, definitely not retail stocks, definitely not commercial property.

I trust this article provides a little more insight as to why water rights, pipelines, and water utilities continue to represent alternative wealth creating strategies.

I will continue to introduce alternative wealth creating strategies to consider like water rights and other like emerging markets, oil rigs, precious metals and potash mines, in future articles and updates here at my blog over the next few weeks.

You can find out more about Financial Education, Alternative Wealth Creating Strategies, Internet Marketing opportunities, Home-Based Businesses, and the global economy by reading updates that will be posted here at my blog over the next few weeks and by following me on Twitter.

As a former engineer with General Dynamics and management consultant at Deloitte … I am on a mission to empower individuals by increasing their financial literacy, improve their ability for personal sustainability, and contribute to the program that has a goal of creating 100 Millionaires by 2012.

Until next time, I invite you to:

Meet me at Facebook :

Follow me on Twitter :

Read my Posts :

Watch my Video Channel :

Join me in pursuing financial literacy and alternative business opportunities with multiple income streams at aspenIbiz .

When not traveling for business or pleasure, Farrell operates his own internet marketing company and consulting firm from his home in the mountains of Colorado.

In closing, if you are a reluctant entrepreneur, a business owner, employed in an 8-5 job, or recently retired, yet still wanting to be plugged-in to the next wave of economic prosperity, you can join him in pursuing the lifestyle you want to live by following the aspenIbiz link provided above.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Is it Time to Retool as a Digital Entrepreneur by Mike Farrell with aspenIbiz

This recession is producing fundamental change. No matter what happens with this economy, it is clear the landscape has changed. The real economic stimulus is the recession and the upside down economy is creating entrepreneurial opportunities.

Many workers find themselves asking these questions: will the next round of layoffs include me? will my position be eliminated after my company’s upcoming merger? is there any way I can expect a raise or bonus in this economy? is my current business recession-proof?

The marketplace is telling many workers their jobs are not coming back (as a result it is a jobless recovery that is underway) because what they produced can be found elsewhere for a cheaper price or nobody wants or needs what they have been producing.

As long as the government does not interfere, the capitalistic economic system is the most efficient allocator of capital for the production of goods and services leading many workers to see the writing on the wall.

Instead of sitting by and watching their futures grow bleaker, workers are retooling and harnessing impressive changes in business culture and technology to create a grass-roots Free Agent Entrepreneurial economy that encompasses a broad swath of small and entrepreneurial businesses that can bend with the changing winds.

As workers are displaced from their jobs, many are going back to school to up-skill, retrain for new jobs, and in some cases, even reinvent themselves completely.

In this recession, there is a real change in workforce training … back in 2001, entrepreneur training was not available for people who were displaced.

However, 2010 will be a good year for learning institutions. They will offer training in new fields and enrollment will be up at less expensive junior colleges, trade schools, and online universities. A new degree is being offered at some colleges and universities – it is the Digital Entrepreneur degree. It is becoming clear that in this recession, there will be big and real change in the workforce.

Entrepreneurship has gained status as a legitimate career path. Tech entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg are rock stars and there has been a cultural shift as the public has grasped the economic potential of highly motivated, idea-driven individuals.

The entrepreneurial movement is being bolstered by such factors as the Internet, cheaper office space, and increased negotiating room with suppliers.

In addition, many are finding cloud computing is taking some of the burden and expense out of starting-up a small business. Inventory, customer management, accounting, shipping, corporate communication and even human resources, can be outsourced to the digital ether as a cluster of web-based services and applications sweep away the need for large office space and pools of employees.

However there are still enormous obstacles for small businesses. Taxes are out of control, credit remains tight, and banks are still stingy. Add to this list the expensive topic of healthcare and things can seem very gloomy.

No matter how much we dream about it, most of us prefer the security of a job and paycheck, and no amount of entrepreneurship propaganda will change human nature. Yet for both the doers and the dreamers, the Free Agent Entrepreneur is not just a style of work, it is also a way of life. Entrepreneurs zig when everyone else is zagging.

As a result, many are considering an Internet Based business where you leverage a suite of best practices, Internet software tools, education, and support in a community of gifting colleagues thereby placing yourself at the center of the New Economy 2.0: The Ascendancy of the Entrepreneur.

Following an approach where you essentially carbon copy success of leaders in the community … you can stand on the shoulders of giants that proceeded you and this how you can successfully launch a home-based business and start making money in a reasonable amount of time.

While you are putting the pieces of the business together, you are working on your personal training and development. Like anything else, no one really understands Internet Marketing from the start. One reason is there is so much to know. As you start, you need to consider “Reengineering You” which includes mastering of new skills, defining your brand, and ensuring you have a high level of energy and commitment to success.

Because you do not need large amounts of capital (as is frequently required in other business opportunities) you can generate one of the best ROIs (Returns On Investment) as you operate an Internet Marketing business. It is time to get started today. To use the slogan of a famous maker of sporting gear, “Just do it!”

You can find out more about retooling as a Digital Entrepreneur, Internet Marketing opportunities, home-based businesses, financial education, and the global economy by reading updates that will be posted at my blog over the next few weeks and following me on Twitter.

As a former engineer with General Dynamics and management consultant at Deloitte … I am on a mission to empower individuals by increasing their financial literacy, improve their ability for personal sustainability, and contribute to the program that has a goal of creating 100 Millionaires by 2012.

Until next time, I invite you to:

Meet me at Facebook :

Follow me on Twitter :

Read my posts :

Watch my video channel :

Join me in pursuing financial literacy and alternative business opportunities with multiple income streams at aspenIbiz .

When not traveling for business or pleasure, Farrell operates his own internet marketing company and consulting firm from his home in the mountains of Colorado.

In closing, if you are a reluctant entrepreneur, a business owner, employed in an 8-5 job, or recently retired, yet still wanting to be plugged-in to the next wave of economic prosperity, you can join him in pursuing the lifestyle you want to live by following the aspenIbiz link provided above.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

10 Reasons to Switch from W2 to 1099 Free Agent Entrepreneur by Mike Farrell with aspenIbiz

Times are difficult for the man on the street ... Main Street to be precise, not Wall Street.

From the struggling small business owner to the disillusioned college graduate and near-to-being wiped-out retiree, there is a complete sense of disbelief.

Many are unemployed and facing the highest unemployment rates since the Great Depression.

If they could land a J.O.B. (some refer to this sort of work as Just Over Broke), it is usually for lower pay and part time.

Consequently many are reluctantly considering becoming an entrepreneur and switching status from a W2 to a 1099 thereby becoming a member of the Free Agent Entrepreneurial nation.

Being self employed offers independence and variable work hours yet as part of making this reluctant transition, many are asking why has this situation happened to them.

So that you can rewire yourself for success and understand it is not you that developed the problem ... you need to understand the forces at work creating the Free Agent Entrepreneur and that this is creating a chance for you to thrive ... not just survive.

Here are 10 Reasons driving the switch from W2 status to the ascendency of the 1099 Free Agent Entrepreneur.

1st – Corporate loyalty is dead. The decade of the 90s was full of downsizing; the 1st decade of this century was full of dot-com layoffs and busts in the telecom, housing, mortgage, and financial services industry. Loyalty to the corporation or institution is dead however loyalty to clients, colleagues, and projects, this loyalty is stronger than ever.

2nd – The workforce is adrift operating without a broad social contract. The life-long employment deal of the Company Man has disappeared however the bargaining nature of Free Agency, where individuals trade talent for opportunity, is alive and thriving.

3rd – While the traditional view has been, the best measure of economic success is growth with higher profits and larger workforces, bigger is not necessarily better. The Free Agent Entrepreneurs are redefining growth and the measure of success in terms of meaning or purpose in their life.

4th – On the surface, the Free Agency Economy may seem to make workers less secure. In reality, many Free Agent Entrepreneurs mitigate this risk by having multiple clients, multiple customers, and multiple projects finding themselves more secure than traditional W2 employees.

5th – Most parents try to balance work and family. Laws have been passed mandating family leave and corporations have responded with family-friendly initiatives however, these well-intentioned efforts have not alleviated the anxiety because one-size solutions don’t work. Many Free Agent Entrepreneurs are operating work at home or Internet based businesses to erase the boundary between work and family.

6th – Many potential Free Agent Entrepreneurs are afraid of missing the fabled water cooler. The isolation is real however Free Agent Entrepreneurs have formed an array of small groups and online communities using Social Media tools and webinar technologies to rebuild the social life of the workplace.

7th – Why should workers want to retire? Retirement came about in the 20th century and many are asking why does it have to be a fixture of the 21st century? Many older workers do not want to retire and are becoming Free Agent Entrepreneurs as a way to re-invent a new “older” age.

8th – Public education is in crisis as evident by more families opting to home school their children and many questioning whether formal schooling should be compulsory and if a college degree is even necessary. Many Free Agent Entrepreneurs value life-long learning and can obtain the education they desire as they are constantly attending online seminars and obtaining relevant education for their businesses … and that is spurring the growth of online universities.

9th – There is an assumption, that today’s organizations hold the power and that by “empowering” workers they will be “retained” in their cubicles. Due to the Global Financial Crisis and the other transformative events of the workforce, these “empowerment” efforts end up being laughable and patronizing. In a Free Agent Entrepreneurial Economy, you can inspire and challenge people but you can’t retain them.

10th – Having Americans get their health insurance through an employer is an arrangement built on a historic accident and underpinned by almost no economic or moral logic … witness the healthcare reform efforts and debate of 2009. Many are asking why we should have employer-based insurance coverage when fewer of us will have employers.

The GFC(Global Financial Crisis) is becoming a transformative event such that no matter how cherished the notions are about how precisely employees should behave, how companies must operate, or how economies can flourish, we have reached the tipping point and the Free Agent Entrepreneur is not going away.

No matter how much we dream about it, many of us prefer the security of a job and paycheck, and no amount of entrepreneurship propaganda will change human nature. Yet for both the doers and the dreamers, the Free Agent Entrepreneur is not just a style of work, it is also a way of life. Entrepreneurs zig when everyone else is zagging.

However you can find still enormous obstacles for small businesses. Taxes are out of control, credit remains tights, and banks are still stingy. Add to this list the expensive topic of healthcare and things can seem very gloomy.

Because of this, many are considering a Web based business where you leverage a suite of best practices, Internet software tools, education, and support inside a community of gifting colleagues thereby placing themselves at the center of the New Economy 2.0: The Ascendancy of the Entrepreneur.

Adhering to an approach where you essentially carbon copy success of leaders in the community ... you can stand on the shoulders of giants that proceeded you and this how you can successfully launch a home based business and start making money in a reasonable amount of time.

While you are putting the pieces of your business together, you are taking care of your personal training and development. Like anything else, no one really understands Internet promotion from the start. One reason is there is so much to understand. As you start, you need to consider “Reengineering You” which includes mastering of new skills, defining your brand, and ensuring you have a high level of energy and commitment to success.

Because you do not need large amounts of capital (as is frequently required in other business opportunities) you can generate among the best ROIs (Returns On Investment) as you operate an Internet Marketing business. The time is right to get started today. To use the slogan of a famous maker of sporting gear, “Just do it!”

You can find out more about these Top 10 Trends, Internet Marketing opportunities, and home-based businesses by reading updates that will be posted at my blog over the next few weeks and following my Tweets on Twitter.

As a former engineer with General Dynamics and management consultant at Deloitte ... I am on a mission to empower individuals by increasing their financial literacy, improve their ability for personal sustainability, and contribute to the program that has a goal of creating 100 Millionaires by 2012.

Until next time, I invite you to:

Meet me at Facebook :

Follow me on Twitter :

Read my posts at my Blog :

Watch me on my YouTube channel :

Join me in my venture at aspenIbiz as I pursue financial literacy and alternative business opportunities with multiple income streams.

When not traveling for business or pleasure, Mike operates his own Internet Marketing company and consulting firm from his home in the mountains of Colorado.

In closing, if you are a reluctant entrepreneur, a business owner, employed in an 8-5 job, or recently retired, yet still wanting to be plugged-in to the next wave of economic prosperity, you can join me in pursuing the lifestyle you want to live by following this aspenIbiz link.

You can watch my video update of this blog post here .