Oranges were once expensive luxuries in northern climates.
Today, we take for granted that we can eat apples, oranges, and bananas all year round if we choose. It doesn't matter where you live. We can eat strawberries in the dead of winter. In fact, we routinely enjoy goods that come from places very far from our own doorstep.
Televisions from Taiwan, lettuce from Mexico, shirts from China; goods from faraway places are so common it is easy to forget how recent such miracles of commerce are.
Such miracles of commerce have redrawn the economic map. The emerging markets have "emerged" and big opportunities are emerging in something called the Great Convergence.
In the late 20th century, with the gradual spread of the Industrial Revolution to the developing world, the Western world (ex-Japan) represented 90% of the world's manufacturing output as late as 1953. America's economy alone was nearly half of the world's industrial output.
During this time, the economic gap between China and Western Europe grew very wide when viewed in historic terms. But things changed in the late 20th century. The Great Convergence began. From 1950 on, the world economic growth was quite simply astonishing. We enjoyed a rolling wave of "economic miracles" through the decades. Closed economies opened up and trade expanded.
We can point to the success of postwar Japan and then to the surging tiger economies of East Asia. Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea grew in leaps and bounds. Finally, we saw the opening up of China, India, Russia and Brazil. The once-bottled-up energies of these countries poured out.
Today, we see the handiwork of the Great Convergence taking shape. The distinctions between "emerging markets" and "developed markets" are starting to disappear. Indeed, the terms may already be obsolete.
The belief that companies in the US, Western Europe or Japan are better managed than in emerging markets is also no longer valid. Anyone who has sat through the parade of fraud and corporate malfeasance of recent years in the US will find it hard to argue otherwise.
The list of corporate thieves is much longer in the US and Europe than in the emerging markets. Management teams in the West no longer dominate when it comes to standards of best practices.
Governments in the West are just as bumbling as those of emerging markets. More and more, it is the Western governments that steal too much. Another distinction blurred.
Emerging markets now make up about half of the global economy and not surprisingly, emerging markets now make up 10 of the 20 largest economies in the world. India is now bigger than Germany. Russia is bigger than the UK. Mexico is bigger than Canada. Turkey is bigger than Australia.
In a stock market sense, these places have also grown up. It used to be that emerging markets were not very liquid or very big. It was not that long ago that the IBM shares changing hands in a single day in New York were worth more than all the shares that traded hands in Shanghai or Bombay.
Today's emerging markets are large and liquid. Chinese markets traded more shares than the NYSE; Hong Kong and Korea traded more than Germany; India traded more than France; and Taiwan traded more than Italy, Australia or Canada.
Emerging market companies are also growing faster. In particular, there are wide gaps in the growth rates of sales and profits. The second key distinction worth noting is that of balance sheet strength. Emerging market companies have less debt and cover their debts more comfortably.
All of this is to point out that investors need exposure to emerging markets, or at the very least, they should not shun them for reasons that are no longer valid.
A good way to get exposure to emerging markets is through the back door, so to speak. Invest in companies, wherever they are, that have what these economies need or want, but don't have or can't make.
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 energy assets that are inherently useful like oil rigs, hydropower, or methanol plants … perhaps precious metals, water rights, oil, natural gas, potash mines, food commodities, 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 into the convergence of the developed world and the emerging markets. With the gap between these markets disappearing on many dimensions and with the companies in these regions growing faster, it is wise to have exposure to these markets or at least to invest in companies that have what these economies need.
I will continue to introduce alternative wealth creating strategies to consider in future articles and updates at my blog over the next few weeks.
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, 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 the aspenIbiz link provided above.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Is Greece in 2010 Equal to Austria in 1931?
The economic climate in Europe today has worrying parallels with the 1930s, suggests Mike Farrell with aspenIbiz.
It is worth remembering that upheavals in Europe triggered the economic malaise that made the Great Depression “Great”.
Although 1929 is etched into history as being synonymous with the Great Depression, the real tragedy did not get underway until 1931.
The Austrian bank Boden-Kredit-Anstalt was rendered insolvent in the aftermath of the credit boom of the late 1920s. It was “saved” in October 1929 by merging with the stronger Oesterreichische-Credit-Anstalt. An international syndicate, headed by the Rothschild's of Vienna, that included J.P Morgan and Company, injected new capital into the merged entity.
The Austrian Government guaranteed the bad debts of the old bank and the merged entity spent 1930 “muddling through”. But then in May 1931, the Credit-Anstalt bank collapsed. Some blamed the political climate at the time, with the economic union between Germany and Austria (Zollverein) spooking France. Others simply stated that Austria had “consumed its capital” with the result that a banking collapse was inevitable.
Whatever the reason, the collapse of Credit-Anstalt triggered a run on German banks by French and US creditors, leading to the forced closure of the German banking system. London financiers were heavily exposed to German banks, and industry, and were caught out by the banking sector shutdown, which effectively froze their assets.
This in turn caused panic amongst London's foreign creditors and a run on the currency. The pound sterling was overvalued causing England’s major export industries to be uncompetitive. Unions were heavily represented in these industries and refused a proposal to cut wages. Unemployment was high and structure of the whole economy was inefficient.
England had two choices – austerity or devaluation. England chose devaluation because the politics of austerity were too hard.
In the 1930's, contagion went from the periphery to the core in very quick time. Austria folded in May 1931. By September of that year, Britain had gone off the gold standard and devalued the pound sterling.
And so went the contagion that crippled the world economically and provided the impetus for Hitler's rise and decades of economic and political turmoil.
The situation in the global economy today is eerily similar.
Greece, a peripheral European economy, is close to defaulting on its debts.
Being part of the Eurozone and using the Euro, Greece does not have the option to devalue its currency.
And, any default would lead to contagion, as creditors pull funds from other highly indebted countries. The list of targets is well known; Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Italy & England.
As England found in the early 1930s, Greece may find the politics of the EU austerity plan, necessary to prevent default on its debts, to be too hard.
The only other choice left would be to leave the EU and return to the Drachma, its previous currency, so that it could devalue its debts.
If Greece were to return to the Drachma other countries would likely follow and return to their former currencies … and this would bring down the Euro experiment.
This would also usher in another sharp global slowdown as European banks would be pushed towards insolvency by the associated write-downs on sovereign debt.
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 energy assets that are inherently useful like oil rigs, hydropower, or methanol plants … perhaps precious metals, water rights, 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 in to the Global Financial Crisis; the economics of the EU, the ECB, and the Euro; and the adverse consequences if you do not have sound money practices and solid public finances.
I will continue to introduce alternative wealth creating strategies to consider in future articles and updates at my blog over the next few weeks.
It is worth remembering that upheavals in Europe triggered the economic malaise that made the Great Depression “Great”.
Although 1929 is etched into history as being synonymous with the Great Depression, the real tragedy did not get underway until 1931.
The Austrian bank Boden-Kredit-Anstalt was rendered insolvent in the aftermath of the credit boom of the late 1920s. It was “saved” in October 1929 by merging with the stronger Oesterreichische-Credit-Anstalt. An international syndicate, headed by the Rothschild's of Vienna, that included J.P Morgan and Company, injected new capital into the merged entity.
The Austrian Government guaranteed the bad debts of the old bank and the merged entity spent 1930 “muddling through”. But then in May 1931, the Credit-Anstalt bank collapsed. Some blamed the political climate at the time, with the economic union between Germany and Austria (Zollverein) spooking France. Others simply stated that Austria had “consumed its capital” with the result that a banking collapse was inevitable.
Whatever the reason, the collapse of Credit-Anstalt triggered a run on German banks by French and US creditors, leading to the forced closure of the German banking system. London financiers were heavily exposed to German banks, and industry, and were caught out by the banking sector shutdown, which effectively froze their assets.
This in turn caused panic amongst London's foreign creditors and a run on the currency. The pound sterling was overvalued causing England’s major export industries to be uncompetitive. Unions were heavily represented in these industries and refused a proposal to cut wages. Unemployment was high and structure of the whole economy was inefficient.
England had two choices – austerity or devaluation. England chose devaluation because the politics of austerity were too hard.
In the 1930's, contagion went from the periphery to the core in very quick time. Austria folded in May 1931. By September of that year, Britain had gone off the gold standard and devalued the pound sterling.
And so went the contagion that crippled the world economically and provided the impetus for Hitler's rise and decades of economic and political turmoil.
The situation in the global economy today is eerily similar.
Greece, a peripheral European economy, is close to defaulting on its debts.
Being part of the Eurozone and using the Euro, Greece does not have the option to devalue its currency.
And, any default would lead to contagion, as creditors pull funds from other highly indebted countries. The list of targets is well known; Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Italy & England.
As England found in the early 1930s, Greece may find the politics of the EU austerity plan, necessary to prevent default on its debts, to be too hard.
The only other choice left would be to leave the EU and return to the Drachma, its previous currency, so that it could devalue its debts.
If Greece were to return to the Drachma other countries would likely follow and return to their former currencies … and this would bring down the Euro experiment.
This would also usher in another sharp global slowdown as European banks would be pushed towards insolvency by the associated write-downs on sovereign debt.
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 energy assets that are inherently useful like oil rigs, hydropower, or methanol plants … perhaps precious metals, water rights, 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 in to the Global Financial Crisis; the economics of the EU, the ECB, and the Euro; and the adverse consequences if you do not have sound money practices and solid public finances.
I will continue to introduce alternative wealth creating strategies to consider in future articles and updates at my blog over the next few weeks.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
The Law of the Ladder ... explained by Mike Farrell aspenIbiz
While being first in the mind of your lead or customer should be your primary objective, the battle is not lost if you fail in this endeavor.
All products are not created equal so there is a hierarchy in the mind that customers use in making decisions.
For each category, there is a product ladder in the mind of the customer. On each rung is a brand name.
Take a look at the car rental category. Hertz got into the mind first and wound up on the top rung. Avis got in second and National got in third.
Your marketing strategy should depend on how soon you got in the mind of your customer and which rung you occupy on the ladder; of course the higher the better.
For many years Avis was on the 2nd rung of the ladder and advertised they had the finest in rent cars. Many renters wondered how Avis could have the finest rent car service and not be on the top rung of the ladder.
Avis then did what you have to do to make progress inside the mind of the customer. They acknowledged their position on the ladder and created a campaign where they said, “ … go with us! We try harder.” And, Avis then started making a lot of money.
Many marketing people have misread the Avis campaigns. They assume the company was successful because it tried harder and therefore had better service. But that wasn’t it at all. Avis was more successful because of how and where it positioned itself compared to Hertz on the ladder.
The mind is selective. Customers use the ladders in their mind in deciding which information to accept and which information to reject. In general, a mind accepts only new data that is consistent with the product ladder and where the brand is on the ladder … everything else is ignored.
As an Internet Marketing professional, you need to determine how many rungs there are on the product ladder in your lead’s mind and on which rung are you likely to be perceived.
It depends on whether the product you are offering is a product used every day (like beverages, toothpaste, or ceral, referred to as high-interest products) or purchased infrequently (like travel packages, furniture, or wealth management, referred to as low-interest products).
If your product is a high-interest product, there are many rungs on the product ladder. If your product is low-interest product, there are fewer rungs on the ladder. And, there is a relationship between market share and your position on the ladder in your customer’s mind. You tend to have twice the market share of the brand below you and half the market share of the brand above you.
Sometimes your own ladder or category is too small. It might be better to be a small fish in a big pond than to be a big fish in a small pond. In other words it is sometimes better to be No 3 on a big ladder than No 1 on a small ladder.
Let’s look at how 7-Up used this law to its advantage by being a smaller fish in a bigger pond.
On the lemon-lime soda ladder, 7-Up was on the top rung and Sprite was on the 2nd rung. However, in the beverage industry, the cola market is larger and therefore the ladder had more rungs. So 7-Up positioned itself in the mind of its customers with a marketing campaign called “The Uncola” and climbed the cola ladder and increased its sales.
Before you start any marketing program, you need to determine if your product is a high-interest or low-interest product; whether there are many or few rungs; and on which rung of the product ladder are you likely to be positioned in the mind of the customer. You then make sure your campaign deals realistically with your position on the ladder.
Many Internet Marketing entrepreneurs are using techniques and tools like mind-mapping, keyword research, Attraction Marketing Formula, Magnetic Sponsoring, and MindMeister to conduct the market research and utilize the Law of the Ladder. They then use the power of brand You Inc, and hypnotic writing skills in their marketing campaigns, to deal realistically with the position of their brand on the product ladder in the mind of their leads and customers. The goals is to not emphasize why their offering is better, feature and function-wise, over a competitor’s but to develop a message that is recognized, accepted, and agreed to so that it will seduce and persuade a customer that what is offered will work for them.
Marketing is not a battle of products. It is all about the strategy you use depending on which rung your brand occupies on the product ladder.
You can find out more about Internet Marketing and home-based businesses by reading updates that will be posted at my blog over the next few weeks.
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, 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 the aspenIbiz link provided above.
All products are not created equal so there is a hierarchy in the mind that customers use in making decisions.
For each category, there is a product ladder in the mind of the customer. On each rung is a brand name.
Take a look at the car rental category. Hertz got into the mind first and wound up on the top rung. Avis got in second and National got in third.
Your marketing strategy should depend on how soon you got in the mind of your customer and which rung you occupy on the ladder; of course the higher the better.
For many years Avis was on the 2nd rung of the ladder and advertised they had the finest in rent cars. Many renters wondered how Avis could have the finest rent car service and not be on the top rung of the ladder.
Avis then did what you have to do to make progress inside the mind of the customer. They acknowledged their position on the ladder and created a campaign where they said, “ … go with us! We try harder.” And, Avis then started making a lot of money.
Many marketing people have misread the Avis campaigns. They assume the company was successful because it tried harder and therefore had better service. But that wasn’t it at all. Avis was more successful because of how and where it positioned itself compared to Hertz on the ladder.
The mind is selective. Customers use the ladders in their mind in deciding which information to accept and which information to reject. In general, a mind accepts only new data that is consistent with the product ladder and where the brand is on the ladder … everything else is ignored.
As an Internet Marketing professional, you need to determine how many rungs there are on the product ladder in your lead’s mind and on which rung are you likely to be perceived.
It depends on whether the product you are offering is a product used every day (like beverages, toothpaste, or ceral, referred to as high-interest products) or purchased infrequently (like travel packages, furniture, or wealth management, referred to as low-interest products).
If your product is a high-interest product, there are many rungs on the product ladder. If your product is low-interest product, there are fewer rungs on the ladder. And, there is a relationship between market share and your position on the ladder in your customer’s mind. You tend to have twice the market share of the brand below you and half the market share of the brand above you.
Sometimes your own ladder or category is too small. It might be better to be a small fish in a big pond than to be a big fish in a small pond. In other words it is sometimes better to be No 3 on a big ladder than No 1 on a small ladder.
Let’s look at how 7-Up used this law to its advantage by being a smaller fish in a bigger pond.
On the lemon-lime soda ladder, 7-Up was on the top rung and Sprite was on the 2nd rung. However, in the beverage industry, the cola market is larger and therefore the ladder had more rungs. So 7-Up positioned itself in the mind of its customers with a marketing campaign called “The Uncola” and climbed the cola ladder and increased its sales.
Before you start any marketing program, you need to determine if your product is a high-interest or low-interest product; whether there are many or few rungs; and on which rung of the product ladder are you likely to be positioned in the mind of the customer. You then make sure your campaign deals realistically with your position on the ladder.
Many Internet Marketing entrepreneurs are using techniques and tools like mind-mapping, keyword research, Attraction Marketing Formula, Magnetic Sponsoring, and MindMeister to conduct the market research and utilize the Law of the Ladder. They then use the power of brand You Inc, and hypnotic writing skills in their marketing campaigns, to deal realistically with the position of their brand on the product ladder in the mind of their leads and customers. The goals is to not emphasize why their offering is better, feature and function-wise, over a competitor’s but to develop a message that is recognized, accepted, and agreed to so that it will seduce and persuade a customer that what is offered will work for them.
Marketing is not a battle of products. It is all about the strategy you use depending on which rung your brand occupies on the product ladder.
You can find out more about Internet Marketing and home-based businesses by reading updates that will be posted at my blog over the next few weeks.
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, 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 the aspenIbiz link provided above.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
The Law of Exclusivity ... Ries & Trout, as explained by Mike Farrell with aspenIbiz
Two companies cannot own the same word in a prospect’s mind. When a competitor owns a word or a message in the prospect’s mind, it is futile and expensive to attempt to own the same word.
Mercedes Benz has tried to run marketing campaigns on safety but they have been unsuccessful in getting their safety message into the customer’s mind. You can’t change people’s minds once they are made up. If you try to change their mind, what you often do is reinforce the competitor’s position by making its concept more important. Volvo owns the word, safety.
FedEx owned the word “overnight” and wanted to try for worldwide ... but DHL already owns worldwide ... it is DHL Express Worldwide. Plus, DHL is thought of as faster to more parts of the world. So FedEx is using, “We understand. You want to grow internationally. And we do it fast.”
Another example is Eveready with the Energizer bunny. Eveready will periodically try to take the “long-lasting” concept away from Duracell. This continues to be very difficult to do, expensive, and with little effective results. No matter how many bunnies Eveready throws into the fray, Duracell will hang onto the “long-lasting” name because it got into the mind first and preempted the “long-lasting” concept ... “long-lasting” is even reinforced in the marketplace by the Dura part in the Duracell company name.
Many Digital Entrepreneurs are using techniques and tools like mind-mapping, keyword research, Attraction Marketing Formula, Magnetic Sponsoring, and MindMeister to identify words and messages that position themselves and their products exclusively as a solution to solve the needs of their leads or customers and not spend large amounts of marketing money that will benefit the competition. They then use hypnotic writing skills to persuade a customer to take the action they want and not emphasize why their offering is better, feature and function-wise, over a competitor’s offering.
Marketing is not a battle of products. It is a battle of focus for a single word or concept in the mind of the lead or customer and to ensure it is exclusive and not already owned by a competitor.
You can find out more about Internet Marketing and home-based businesses by reading updates that will be posted at my blog over the next few weeks.
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, 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 the aspenIbiz link provided above.
Mercedes Benz has tried to run marketing campaigns on safety but they have been unsuccessful in getting their safety message into the customer’s mind. You can’t change people’s minds once they are made up. If you try to change their mind, what you often do is reinforce the competitor’s position by making its concept more important. Volvo owns the word, safety.
FedEx owned the word “overnight” and wanted to try for worldwide ... but DHL already owns worldwide ... it is DHL Express Worldwide. Plus, DHL is thought of as faster to more parts of the world. So FedEx is using, “We understand. You want to grow internationally. And we do it fast.”
Another example is Eveready with the Energizer bunny. Eveready will periodically try to take the “long-lasting” concept away from Duracell. This continues to be very difficult to do, expensive, and with little effective results. No matter how many bunnies Eveready throws into the fray, Duracell will hang onto the “long-lasting” name because it got into the mind first and preempted the “long-lasting” concept ... “long-lasting” is even reinforced in the marketplace by the Dura part in the Duracell company name.
Many Digital Entrepreneurs are using techniques and tools like mind-mapping, keyword research, Attraction Marketing Formula, Magnetic Sponsoring, and MindMeister to identify words and messages that position themselves and their products exclusively as a solution to solve the needs of their leads or customers and not spend large amounts of marketing money that will benefit the competition. They then use hypnotic writing skills to persuade a customer to take the action they want and not emphasize why their offering is better, feature and function-wise, over a competitor’s offering.
Marketing is not a battle of products. It is a battle of focus for a single word or concept in the mind of the lead or customer and to ensure it is exclusive and not already owned by a competitor.
You can find out more about Internet Marketing and home-based businesses by reading updates that will be posted at my blog over the next few weeks.
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, 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 the aspenIbiz link provided above.
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.
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.
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 .
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 .
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Top 10 in 2010 New Years Message from Mike Farrell with aspenIbiz
It is New Year’s Eve and last week I said I would synthesize some of the Top 10 for 2010 lists I was reviewing and provide my own Top 10 List with trends spread across Business, Technology, and the Global Economy categories.
I did not realize how difficult this would be to do. I did prepare a Top 10 list however since my list is a summary of several Top 10 Lists, I will Tweet on Twitter over the next few days the original Top 10 lists and provide each of them as specific blog post so you can read them together at one time and learn a little more about these trends.
So here we go:
1st – The trend will be toward a more normal monetary policy ... meaning the time of 0% interest rates is over.
2nd – There is growing uncertainty over the ability of governments to fund large deficits ... meaning investors just don’t want to buy the debt being issued by governments, this is called sovereign debt. If there is so much supply and little demand, the price received by the government for the debt issued will be lower and therefore the yield or interest rate will be higher. This is another reason interest rates will not remain at 0% much longer and are going up.
3rd – It will be a jobless recovery and this is going to hurt ... on a global basis, it is estimated there will be 60M more people unable to find work than there were in 2009 ... ouch. Here is a great book to read, Mobs, Messiahs, and Markets ... you can find it on Amazon and it is on the bookshelves at Barnes and Nobles, and Borders.
4th – Green computing and energy efficiency will be the rage. Have you ever noticed the heat that your laptop generates? Now just image large office buildings and huge data centers ... computing has got to be more efficient energy wise.
5th – Cloud computing will be the trend in this coming year. This essentially means computing capability will be like a utility and large companies and government agencies will subscribe to this capability like we subscribe to water, power, and heating and air conditioning.
6th – There will be a huge increase in mobile computing, telecommuting, and virtual meetings.
7th – The upside down economy and turmoil is creating entrepreneurial opportunities as long as you can deal with a situation that is about as stable as lava flow.
8th – Demand is exploding for locally grown and made products which means more support for mom and pop stores. Many know they need to consume but they want to be also socially conscious.
9th – China will be central to every global issue in the coming year from the economy, to climate change, to nuclear diplomacy.
10th – After 130 flights spanning 3 decades, the last space shuttle is scheduled to fly in 2010. In addition to a crew of 5 or 6 well-trained pilots and astronauts, a US politician, a Saudi prince, a school teacher, several mothers of three-children, and a 77 year old man also hitched a ride into space. Until Orion, which is the Shuttle replacement and estimated to be ready to go in 2015, the US has outsourced to Russia the transport of astronauts to the International Space Station. I don’t know about you, but to me, this just seems weird ... I guess it is just a sign of the times.
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 my Blog :
and on Twitter :
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 here of this blog post.
I did not realize how difficult this would be to do. I did prepare a Top 10 list however since my list is a summary of several Top 10 Lists, I will Tweet on Twitter over the next few days the original Top 10 lists and provide each of them as specific blog post so you can read them together at one time and learn a little more about these trends.
So here we go:
1st – The trend will be toward a more normal monetary policy ... meaning the time of 0% interest rates is over.
2nd – There is growing uncertainty over the ability of governments to fund large deficits ... meaning investors just don’t want to buy the debt being issued by governments, this is called sovereign debt. If there is so much supply and little demand, the price received by the government for the debt issued will be lower and therefore the yield or interest rate will be higher. This is another reason interest rates will not remain at 0% much longer and are going up.
3rd – It will be a jobless recovery and this is going to hurt ... on a global basis, it is estimated there will be 60M more people unable to find work than there were in 2009 ... ouch. Here is a great book to read, Mobs, Messiahs, and Markets ... you can find it on Amazon and it is on the bookshelves at Barnes and Nobles, and Borders.
4th – Green computing and energy efficiency will be the rage. Have you ever noticed the heat that your laptop generates? Now just image large office buildings and huge data centers ... computing has got to be more efficient energy wise.
5th – Cloud computing will be the trend in this coming year. This essentially means computing capability will be like a utility and large companies and government agencies will subscribe to this capability like we subscribe to water, power, and heating and air conditioning.
6th – There will be a huge increase in mobile computing, telecommuting, and virtual meetings.
7th – The upside down economy and turmoil is creating entrepreneurial opportunities as long as you can deal with a situation that is about as stable as lava flow.
8th – Demand is exploding for locally grown and made products which means more support for mom and pop stores. Many know they need to consume but they want to be also socially conscious.
9th – China will be central to every global issue in the coming year from the economy, to climate change, to nuclear diplomacy.
10th – After 130 flights spanning 3 decades, the last space shuttle is scheduled to fly in 2010. In addition to a crew of 5 or 6 well-trained pilots and astronauts, a US politician, a Saudi prince, a school teacher, several mothers of three-children, and a 77 year old man also hitched a ride into space. Until Orion, which is the Shuttle replacement and estimated to be ready to go in 2015, the US has outsourced to Russia the transport of astronauts to the International Space Station. I don’t know about you, but to me, this just seems weird ... I guess it is just a sign of the times.
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 my Blog :
and on Twitter :
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 here of this blog post.
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