6 Steps NOT to Take WhenYou've Hit Rock Bottom

6 Steps NOT to Take When You’ve Hit Rock Bottom

by CHICKMELIONfreelance

We have all found ourselves at one time or another experiencing the agony of the rug being pulled out from under us, and finding ourselves sitting on our bottoms wondering where to go from there. Now days things are rough, the current state of the economy has caused mortgages to be recalled, people are facing bankruptcy, divorces, loss of jobs. All these events can be coined as hitting rock bottom where an individual, regardless of age is facing the need to start over in a situation. Yes life is always in constant motion and that you can bet on... nothing remains the same, the economy will recover and so too the individual situations that have hit rock bottom.

One of the advantages of "bottoming out" in any situation is that there is really nowhere else to go. The efforts of attempting to halt the downward spiral have ended; as well as the sleepless nights and worries that have all gone with it. Soon enough it becomes evident that it is time to shift gears in a new direction. Indeed necessity is the mother of invention! There is a saying that when you hit rock bottom there is only one place to go but up... and to some degree it is true. You do have to pull yourself to your feet at some point and start moving again. Why not make the best moves you can, and take opportunity by the hand by avoiding the following 6 steps to repeated failures.


Step #1... Holding it all in. As in any ending, a loss warrants a grieving process and a recognition of what point of that grieving process you are in. Bottling up what ever emotions that have arisen from the situation is only setting yourself up for ill health and an unexpected re-occurrence of all these emotions in the future. They really should be recognized for what they are, respected as legitimate and dealt with. As in any grieving process there are steps you can expect to go through. Initially you may want to deny that anything has taken place. "Life goes on," you will say to yourself. This stage may last a few moments or longer. Then you may find yourself withdrawing from those around you: friends, co-workers, even family. You may find yourself angry: at the world, at yourself, at the situation, or even at others involved. Perhaps bargaining with God, or making oaths to yourself about never going down that path again. And then suddenly feeling numb, although the anger and sadness may still remain underneath. Finally when all these emotions have been faced and they begin to subside, you will find yourself simply accepting the reality of the situation. Having so many strong feelings can be very stressful. Be gentle on yourself. Treat yourself with the same respect and dignity as you might for someone else who would turn to you in a similar situation.

Step#2...The glass is half empty! Grieving is one thing, but wallowing in self pity and negative energy is just plain self destructive. It would be a good time to start counting your blessings and turn your perspective around, to allow yourself to look at your world with fresh new eyes. There are no failures, just ineffective solutions! Take stock of your assets, both the tangible and intangible. These will be your tools to rebuild with. You can not fail in rebuilding if you have tools in hand. Look for the positive sparks you have within you that can light your way to a new path. After all with every ending comes the promise and optimism of new beginnings. Opportunities now await you that you may miss if you are not open to receive them. You have survived the fall, you have gained valuable life experiences that have just made you both wiser and stronger. You have a world of opportunity in front of you with all the freshness that a start over offers. You have cast off the chains that the situation bound you in and the weight is lifted from your shoulders. See and feel the blessings in that.

Step#3... It all ends to begin again. Life is a never ending set of cycles and if we don't take the time to investigate where we tripped and stumbled within a cycle, we are more or less doomed to repeat it. Awareness is always the first step to change. Take some time to evaluate the steps that led up to the situation bottoming out. Be honest about the situation and your role in it. Much healing and learning is fostered in honesty. Identify the shifts in attitude and choices necessary for you to adopt in order to avoid the cycle repeating it’s self. In all honesty the only changes you can effectively set into motion and control are your own actions and perspectives. If circumstances happened that were out of your control, accept it for what it was worth. There is no sense of you beating yourself up for things that were out of your hands, yet you now can identify similar situations in the future and with your new found experience re-adjust your choices.

Step#4... Turning to comfort food. There is no comfort in inanimate objects, whether it be food, alcohol, medications and the likes. Recovering from a loss and its stresses that the event naturally places on you will pass more quickly, with good self-care habits. It helps to have a close circle of family or friends. It also helps to eat a balanced diet, drink enough non-alcoholic fluids, get exercise and rest. Do good for your body and your soul. Enough bad has occurred already... mitigate the losses! Network with friends, colleagues and support groups if necessary. Don’t make the mistake of leaning on crutches; stand up on your own and rally your support. But make sure this is positive support; it is imperative to block out all negative sources of comfort no matter how well intentioned they may seem.

Step#5... Jump in feet first. "Failing to plan is planning to fail," we have all heard it being said time and time again. But there is considerable wisdom to this old adage. It puts you in control again. And that is where you need to be in order to catch the next wave of opportunity. Because with every ounce of uncertainty, there is always an equal ounce of opportunity. Set up goals for yourself, as well as what it would take to accomplish them. Where do you want to go from here? Don’t look at the impossibilities. Consider the planning process as free of limitations. Map out your dreams and desires. Then prioritize them. Set strategies to accomplishing these priorities. Understand that any obstacle is only one point in the plan. An area you need to slow down and strategize carefully for your success. Not a point where you must turn in disappointment. Set realistic target dates as stepping stones for you to walk on, and promise yourself to go there. Finally close your eyes and visualize yourself accomplishing all you set out to do. In doing this you are conditioning your mind to a set course of action and focus. You now have direction, and can see yourself getting there.

Step#6... Act as if nothing happened. You have made a come back and that is worthy of celebrating! Always take the time to smile at your accomplishments. Don’t let your hard work go by unrewarded, nor wait for someone else to acknowledge in you what you already know. Rewards are tokens of encouragement that can spur you onwards and upwards. By you acknowledging your own efforts , you are in control of your own personal responsibility and happiness. Then you will never falling short of recognizing and feeding from the positive vibe your victory created. Use this momentum to propel yourself even further forwards.



Situations in life are always present and changing. That is the fluidity we must learn to balance ourselves in, not unlike a surfer on their board. We find ourselves having to get on and standing up time and time again. Often having little choice about it, because we are miles away from shore. Losses and trials are conditions we as humans all share in, a bit of brotherly compassion goes a long way. In as much as you were sensitive to any kicks while you were down, try hard to remember not to do it yourself and maybe we all can survive to surf another day!

How To Entice 150 Million people to “Pass the Mayo”



　

How do condiments manufacturers with a vast target market to reach not only get the biggest bang for their buck; but walk away with the “good guy “ award at the end of the day? It’s simple, -- they have everyone make their own sandwiches and pass them around to their friends.... “virtually speaking” that is. And for anyone who doubts that a business enterprise can not make money off of a social network. These condiment manufacturers just proved them all wrong.

Every once in a while there comes to the fore front an advertising campaign that makes any connoisseur stand up and cheer... but when it is done while steering a relatively new advertising vehicle at the same time, it seems all that more amazing. Yet Hellmans(R) teamed up with Best Foods(R) and pulled it off. Let’s look at their recent success in utilizing the most current advertising vehicle-- the home computer.


Hellmans(R) and Best Foods(R) have effectively co-ordinate the use of several online marketing tools with a staggering combined reach. Their primary vehicle Facebook(R) in it’s self boasts not only of an audience of 150 million; but the ability to allow any business to target their specific market by geographical region, age, gender... you name it! Facebook(R) is the 6th most-trafficked website in the world, and the 2nd most-trafficked social media site in the world. Already utilized by big name corporations like Ernst and Young, who find this as a valuable recruitment resource. No doubt it made sense to Hellmans(R) and Best Foods(R) to look towards this avenue with a big smile on their face; both having a wide consumer base to market to. One of the best selling features of Facebook(R) is it’s viral nature. If you have done your research and designed your campaign to effectively reach a different market, your message will blow across millions of potential customers in a matter of minutes, not unlike a spark in dry kindling. It does take looking at things from a very different angle though. Welcome to high speed advertising!

And how did they make their presence on Facebook(R) known to their market? By a Press Release and a well co-ordinate one at that with the services of PR Newswire. They teamed up with country musician and actor Billy Ray Cyrus...yes he’s the dad of teen pop star/singer Miley Cyrus, thus raising a curious eyebrow with the adolescent market as well as the country scene. They also aligned themselves with Feeding America(R), a not for profit charity that runs food banks across America; and when added all together a “down-right feel good,” public relations campaign emerged. The press release was designed to call out to all ages to celebrate a favorite child hood ritual of swapping lunch sandwiches. Because of the subject mater and the people who were involved, (both directly and indirectly,) this press release was picked up by a multitude of online magazines with very respectable reaches themselves, such as: Forbes, Finance, Connect with your teens, and Country Blips... just to name a few. Their reach streached to a wide audience who were no doubt also on Face book(R) and more than willing to participate; after all it suggested two positive payoffs: it was going to be fun, and it was all for charity.

Aside from the free promotional tools which Facebook(R) offers such as : the Facebook(R) page, groups, and funwall.; (just to name a few) they decided to step out of the box a bit and utilize the “applications” portion of Facebook(R). It offers a platform that allows 3rd parties to develop widgets and other applications that can be used by Facebook(R) patrons. If an application has great content and incentive, the patrons will come and they will spread the application to their friends, thus the viral nature of the process. The beautiful thing about utilizing applications is the feedback that it provides. The ability to track what happens with the application, and the overall effectiveness of the campaign. As well as impressions made and where they are coming from. With this information a company can not only identify their market strengths and weaknesses; but also will be in the position of seeing opportunities, and areas where slack may need to be picked up.


The application was named Sandwich Swap N Share. It’s appeal was for all interested Facebook(R) users of all ages to go to the application and make a sandwich. to share with up to with 7 of their Facebook(R) friends. With every sandwich made Hellmans(R) and Best Foods(R) would donate 7 lunches to Feeding America(R); up to 700,000 all total. In addition , the participants would automatically be entered in a sweepstakes for a $250.00 grocery store gift certificate. The application would switch from Sandwich Swap N Share to an entry form for this sweepstakes when the user exited. As long as the user was swapping sandwiches, their opportunity to win the sweepstakes awaited them, further promoting frequent use of the application.

They spent a few dollars on hiring a professional Applications Designer and it was a very good investment. The animated graphics were top notch, realistic, and stunningly mouth watering. It even made me feel like making a sandwich afterwards. The application read like a virtual reality game where the user selected from a key their preferred sandwich breads, meats, cheeses, and toppings. A variety were given, and when selected the user watched the sandwich come together. When it came to condiments, there it was! A showcase of Hellmans(R) and Best Foods(R) product line in all it’s glory, not only to choose from, but to get in the habit of using as well! Talk about impacting buyer behavior in a big way. Induced repetitive use to stimulate buying behavior through repetative "virtual" use of a product line... brilliant!

　


It was a feel good campaign for the user with plenty of generosity spread around. It enabled the users to rally together in a fun interactive way and then upped the experience with a chance to be rewarded every time they did good; it lead to a supercharged positive corporate “good guy” view of Hellamns(R) and Best Foods(R) But don’t be fooled... positive word of mouth publicity was only a small part that was gained by this viral experience for the corporations. That $250.00 sweepstakes had an entry form that provided a valuable client list, as well demographics to launch further marketing schemes from.. It was like a well disguised survey, that the participant were all to happy to do.




As the new age of advertising “virtually” evolves, I look forward to some refreshing and new strategies like this one. More and more businesses are seeking new and innovative means of getting their word out. With the computer age well upon us, and now scaled down in size to fit every pocket; this avenue is rapidly becoming the forefront in advertising dollar expenditure. A businesses can no longer look at an avenue like a social network and balk at it as being not viable for their needs. Instead it is prudent now for the executive to say, “how can I make this viable for our needs.” The technology is changing our world very quickly, but with every step of uncertainty lies opportunity for those brave enough to step out of the box.

6 Hints To Help Find The Guy Whose All Wrong For You

6 hints To Help You Find The Guy...
Whose All WRONG For You!

by CHICKMELIONfreelance

Big Mama Thorton sang about them in her blues rendition HOUND DOG... "he ain’t looking for a woman, he’s just looking for a home."

And this can be the least of your worries when hooking up with a man that is all wrong for you. You could find yourself heart broken, facing possible criminal charges, broke and with a ruined credit rating also. He’s a con artist... and there are plenty of them in his "brotherhood." With the advent of the computer age it may seem that there are more of them, or perhaps more people are now in reach. But don’t be fooled into thinking that the computer is the only place to find a con. They are every where! Searching out the popular places which people like to hang out, to find their next victim: the net, church, in the bars, in the mall even....the list goes on and on. You have to keep in mind, "con" comes from the word "confidence" and that is the name of their game. The basics of the scam is to make people believe in them, trust them , fall in love with them and then give them money, or a free roof to live under. More often than not both!

It also warrants mentioning to keep a heads up for woman cons, (or if on the net, men who present themselves as women cons as well, or vise-versa.) Fortunately it is safe to say that the "gig" is pretty much generic who ever is running it. Making it a little easier to spot and then allowing you to let your head take over when your heart may be at a vulnerable point. Keep in mind they are professionals who make a living at what they do. If they are "free" to con you, then they are somewhat of prolific in their game. So don't think you have to be very naive to fall for their scam. They are experienced and gain this experience by often running several scams at the same time. The more scams they run the better they get.

Now if this is not enough to have you concerned, here’s the real scary part to their game. They have been known to gradually lure the victim away from public spots; if the victim is on the web, the con will lure them to email or IM, if they meet face to face, the con will pull the victim away from their contacts: friends, family, co-workers. In these very private settings they will attempt to set the victim up in some way. Take compromising pictures, sometimes involve the victim ( unwittingly or not) in an activity which was questionable, immoral, perhaps even illegal; anything that they can later hold over the victim’s head as blackmail in order to secure a return on their investment. In general, when they feel there is nothing else they can take, or the victim is close to the truth, they will vanish out into the blue. Sometimes a marriage, (more often to more than one victim at a time) is involved in the wake of these scams. So don’t think a marriage proposal is a security against fraud.

Here’s 6 indicators that will give you the heads up if you are face to face with a con:

1. You have just met a saint!

The con may even go as far as claiming that they are God fearing, maybe even boast of their saint like activities such as; involved in charities, working for the disabled, honorably discharged for bravery from the army. Their self descriptions are polished. These are near perfect people, honest, real, loving, caring sincere.... real humble pie qualities. (Oh wait a minute did they just describe you or your vision of the ideal mate?)

They will pitch these as their core values. They will even go as far as to mention the long line up of potential love interests they had to set aside just to accommodate you. You are just that special to them!

Motive: The con’s whole focus is to build trust, in order to disarm suspicions and defence's... you can consider it as baiting the hook.

2.Their life is full of tragedy!

They will spill their guts of their misfortunes, the passing of a much loved family member, an illness struck without warning, or an unfair world bestowed unjust misfortunes upon them because of their goodness and trustworthiness. They will highlight their sense of abandonment and subsequent trust issues that followed. Good thing you are the only one in the whole world that understands them and that they have you in their corner. (Life is worth living again!) Trust and abandonment are no longer an issue with the two of you, are they?

Motive: Create an attachment, so even if you may feel a little uneasy about the cheesy lines, you haven’t the heart to hurt them as well. After all they trust you, and you gave them your word on this...or are you not trustworthy either?

3. You are the best thing that has ever happened to them in their life!

They are full of compliments, and loving promises of show of gratitude. You are such a rare find in this world... a real soul mate! The plans for the future start rolling off of the tongue. They will promise you the world, all that you want to hear: love, marriage, babies, a partnership, travel... "babe you can have it all"; because aside from being a saint, they have the Midas touch and were successful until their luck turned. You are just the good luck charm they need to be on top of the world again. Would you care to join them? (Why not! It’s going to be on your dime anyway!)

Motive: To create ties that bind. By involving you in their dreams, you are more likely to loosen the purse strings.

4. Caught up in a whirlwind of true love!

They will quickly declare that they have fallen in love. Hard and fast! You have made such a big change in their life. Some are even very sexual in nature, with great desires to be loved and cared for. They will promise to fulfill your every desire. The time they will invest in you depends in how much they perceive they can get from you, (or how fast you catch on to their game.) Don’t be fooled, the time spent with you is well invested, they will be so attentive to every word you tell them, so interested in you... solely for the purposes of extracting vital information for strategies and opportunities. It will all be coming at you so fast, you barely have time to think!

Motive: The goal of the con is to move fast, to be in and out before the dust settles and suspicions start to form!

5.The con is on!

After establishing trust, romance, and desire the con will slide in a mention of a need (usually monetary.) There will always be a good reason for it. They certainly don’t want to trouble you, but have no choice. After all who can a person turn to if not the love of their lives? Perhaps asmall loan is necessary until a check clears , or a family emergency suddenly arises, which they are not prepared for and really need not only your sympathy but help. If you hum and hesitate there will be accusations that perhaps you don’t quite love them after all, or believe them. How can the two of you build a future on that? They may even offer a contract for assurity. (After all they won’t cheat you once is down on paper, thieves have morals too!)

Motive: As much as it hurts, this is the only reason he is in your life, and the quality of a person you really are is not going to save you now. He has no conscience.

6. Oh My God... who was this masked man?

Even though they polish their personality traits things don't add up. Words don’t suit actions. Vocabulary don’t suit profession. And then there’s that knock off Rolex. If he’s running a few scams at the same time, he will eventually slip up just trying to keep you all straight in his head. When you are asked about him, you will not be able to provide details. He is in between everything: homes , jobs, relationships. Tacking him down to anything will be next to impossible. Though he has your phone number, his is displayed as restricted on your phone. You never thought of it before, he was so on top of staying in touch you never needed to call him. Yes! He has a lot of information on you...and yet you have none on him!

Motive: There may well be a police report filed in the future, and he wants to live to con another day!


Ladies keep you eyes open, listen to that little nagging voice called "instinct" and check things out. He will give tid bits of information, if not ask for some! How many of the indicators above does your potential heart throb actually fall under? Think about it. Because that is your ace in the hole, he is expecting you to run with your heart and not think too much until it is too late. By then he’s long gone. In this case an ounce of prevention might be the only thing between you and the one who is conning you.

“Virtually” Feeding America


Hustle!... It is all we seem to do lately. We sometimes forget in all the hustle to lift our heads and take a look around at our world, we are consumed by day to day living. It’s not that we don’t care, far from it! But with the state of the economy as it is recently we seem more often than not to speeding up in our focused day to day just trying to maintain our footing. But there are some near us that are having an even more difficult time and do really need our help. Fortunately some creative forward thinkers have used the web to make the connection between the extremely busy, and the extremely needy, “virtually” speaking that is...

In a recent press release Hellmann’s(R), (you know them best for their mayonnaise,) Feeding America(R,)formerly known as America’s Second Harvest and Facebook have teamed up to run an application called Sandwich Swap N Share, where every sandwich made will help translate into real lunches for kids . I gave the application a try, and 7 lucky friends of mine were treated to my “grilled chicken and pepper- jack bagel.” I was informed that I just provided 49 lunches to kids who need the helping hand, and at that moment joined a force who created all total 93,933 lunches. It kinda feels good! Put a smile on my face for sure! If you are on Facebook, I recommend you give it a try; if your kids are, then encourage them to pitch in, after all it is not like you will have to clean up after them.. No doubt I am going to be making sandwiches tomorrow again too....
”virtually speaking”. And I am going to keep making sandwiches until the possy and I hit Hellmann’s(R) goal of 700,000 lunches. But sooner or later this innitiative will run it’s course, and there will still be people needing help.

Don’t let stereo-typical thinking interfere with the facts. The faces of the hungry in America are becoming all to familiar, they are our next door neighbors. Statistics now include the working poor. Economic troubles have hit the tables of many a good American family; so much so that according to Feeding America(R), well over 13.3 million (18%) million children alone were in poverty and that was in 2007....and a total 36.2 million Americans lived in food insecure households.

President Obama and hundreds of Congressional family members joined Feeding America in the “United We Serve” Backpack Project this summer to prepare 15,000 backpacks with books, healthy snacks, and other items for children of servicemen and women. These are the faces of some of the families who need help today and President Obama has called upon all Americans to support those who are struggling.

Here’s how you can help... “virtually speaking!” Without even leaving your home, you can make a desktop donation. The United Way hosts a “virtual food drive” and you can participate by searching “virtual food drive” along with your location. These food drive initiatives are all over America, if not the same location will also lead you to a site that will help your area organize one to get up and running. By all means start advocating! Feeding America(R) also hosts “Fill America’s Fridge,” and you can find it at by searching “Fill America’s Fridge” or go to feeding america.org and on their home page tab hit “Take Action” and scroll down to “donate.” There you will be given a few options in which I am sure you will find one that is tailored for you.

As a rough estimate according to Feeding America, a $25.00 donation can provide for 175 meals. That is a good sound investment to me, and you would have to agree;
as a nation we are as strong as our weakest link. The rising statistics on America’s hungry is looming large and real, but something we all can tackle together ensuring for a strong and viable future for us all. All we got to do is stick together!

All You Need To Know Before You Negotiate With Your Accounts Receivables

Financing in a Cash Crunch

By CHICKMELIONfreelance

Your cash is tied up, yet you are facing an opportunity you just can’t pass up, a chance to expand into a new market or a capital investment you need in order to conduct your business efficiently and effectively. But these are wild and crazy times. You can hear the snap of the leather as business belts are tightening; banks and financial lenders being no different. Everyone is cracking down on their extensions of credit, and tightening up on their lending windows. You wonder what alternative options are available to you to move forwards with your plans. Where can you turn before your golden opportunity slips through your fingers?


Have you thought of Accounts Receivable Financing? It is another route you may want to consider in order to be able jump on that opportunity which has manifested it’s self to you. This is a form of short term borrowing, where an advance is made to a business as a loan or against the purchase of their accounts receivables. Most of the Fortune 500 companies have at one time or another opted for this form of financing, and it is currently an over three trillion dollar industry. It is prudent for you to know what you are heading into in order to negotiate the best arrangement for you and your business. After all this is a more expensive form of financing, and borrowing against your receivables inevitably lowers your profit margin. Your best strategy would be to mitigate those losses best you can. In order to do so, you should go into your meet and greet with your institution of choice armed with a fairly good understanding of where your portfolio’s strengths and weaknesses lie. It would help to understand the different avenues of financial institutions you can approach, and what type of product they offer in terms of purchase or loan agreements. You have to weigh the cost of the missed opportunity against the cost of this form of short term borrowing /or relinquishing of your assets, so you can make a decision of what best suits you and your vision.


Who do you go to? There are three options available to you and each on operates slightly different from the other. You can approach Banks, Financial Service Agencies, or the new kid in the block as of last year, “The Receivables Exchange.” Each one offers it’s pro’s and con’s in relation to the control and servicing of your receivable customers, the final costs of the agreements, the freedoms allowed you in terms of re-investing your cash allocations, as well as how they would qualify you and the receivable accounts you offer in trade. Everyone has their own benchmarks. It helps to have an idea where you fit before you decide to go in to negotiate.

A bank’s approach to Accounts Receivable/Inventory Financing (ARIF) is either via: a simple single advance note secured by a blanket lien on the receivables; or a fully followed assets based loan where the lender secures control over the borrower’s cash receipts and disbursements, as well as the quality of collateral. Generally the borrower still manages the accounts receivables, but is required to report to the lending institution on regularly regarding the status of the collateral for the term of the agreement. The bank’s advance rates are generally in between 70-80% of the receivables for what they define lower risk, but this depends on their view of the quality of the accounts. The rates can go down as their view of quality goes down. How the qualifications are applied will be looked at shortly. Safe to say the lower advance rates are applied when the lender perceives heightened risks of doing business with your accounts receivable clientele. They will look at the overall quality of your customer base, taking into account whether they are publicly rated companies, small privately owned companies, or individuals as consumers. Finally this type of financing is a loan , therefore you will be structured to payback the principle + interest + any service fees accrued. The rates on these types of loans are typically high so shop around!

Financial Service Agencies(FSA) use a technique called Factoring. And there is certain flexibility in the different type of factoring arrangements they offer, again shop around! Factoring involves the direct purchase of certain approved receivables altogether. Accounts which these agencies assess as a good gamble to invest in. They purchase these accounts at a discounted price, say on average 80% of the face value which it will pay to you the seller minus their service fees. Unlike the banks, the FSA assumes all credit risks for the purchased amounts, frequently performing all accounting functions in connection with the receivables and purchasers are notified to remit payments directly to the factor, (the FSA..) Hunt down large corporates who can offer better percentages because of economies of scale. There is at least one out there willing to deal you 90% on your “upstanding” invoices; who just dropped a press release mid August announcing a new program called “Kick Start”, which they say is an answer to the needs of small business in these recessionary times. It will provide working capital to help launch and grow small business... this corporation is Bibby Financial Services, and they are global.

As mentioned previously, there is a new player on the scene, they entered the market on November 2008. They are the The Receivables Exchange (TRE) and they are an online marketplace boasting of taking the running around out of negotiating the best fit for your needs, because they house all under one roof accredited institutional lenders in the market for purchasing receivables. TRE is in the business of buying and selling receivables through real time auctions. Sellers post one or more receivables, controlling the pricing parameters, set the minimum amount of advance they are willing to accept, as well as the maximum fee they are willing to pay. They also determine the length that their receivables are open for bid, (average 3-10 days.) There are entry requirements you have to meet in the application process, like having your doors open for business for a minimum of two years, as well as a minimum annual sales of no less than half a million dollars. If you fit into these benchmarks it will be well worth your time to look into the TRE’s website to get the full picture at: receivablesexchange.com. They are a good fit for the business who plans to finance through the selling of receivables more than once. There is a one time application fee, but no restrictions on how many times you use the exchange, but be careful to add up all the costs and see if it is worth it for you, if you are planning this type of financing as a one tome occurrence.



What information do you need to provide? You will be bringing with you your Financial Statements, recent tax returns, as well as your “aged” accounts receivables in the form of a report listing your accounts which details the current status of delinquency of the balance owed. Delinquency is commonly defines as 30,60, and 90 days over due relative to the terms listen on the invoice.



How will your accounts receivables be valued? It is important to understand before hand what all of these institutions will look at when determining what they are prepared to offer you and how they will structure their product package based on the information you provide. For you to effectively be able to negotiate and decide if you are getting a fair deal, understand what they are looking for as qualifications.

If it is a loan that you are looking to take out against your receivables, then the banks will take into consideration your purpose for the loan, your anticipated source of repayment as well as the quality of the receivables you lay down. Infarct all of the institutions will give a close look at this.. In addition, they will all look at your Cash Conversion Cycle. Even the Receivables Exchange will, when they qualify you in their application process. (I n it’s simplest terms, the cycle refers to the number of days between when a business pays for it’s materials/ inventory, and receives cash for these goods. It represents the time in which working capital is “tied up”).

None of them will even look at delinquent receivables older than 90 days, and would prefer to bargain on the cream of the crop sitting at 30 days.
In fact they will look closely at delinquency trends within the receivables base. Rising delinquency means increased risk, and may signal problems with the borrower and their capacity to collect. That is going to affect your advance percentages if not your eligibility altogether.

They will scrutinize your business, your industries performance in the current economic environment at the time of the application, as well as your position within this industry, along with your customer base. In general the greater amount of financially sound companies, the better the quality of the customer base. They will also look for concentrations within this base. If a few number of companies or people produce the majority of the receivables it is frowned upon, because if they take their business elsewhere, you might fall flat on your face.

They will check for lien searches some will even ask for a criminal records search, and they will be looking in particular for registrations of “purchase money interests”and
“tax liens,” because these take legal priority over a lender’s lien, or an outright purchaser

What would put a smile on everyone’s face is if the receivables have a 3rd party guarantee or insurance. Understandibally it is a good card up the sleeve for negotiations, because these guarantees reduce the risks, and there by justifiably support higher advance percentages. Some examples of these types of guarantees or insurance are government sponsored and private insurance programs. No doubt these can significantly influence eligibility considerations.



Big, big red flags: are accounts which are government receivables; foreign receivables (because they hold legal risks); affiliate transactions (because financial conditions of the affiliates mat deteriorate simultaneously); or contra- accounts (when you both sell to and purchase from the same customer.) All these accounts are deemed intelligible for consideration.

And finally compliance risks are taken into account as well. For example: the possibilities and risks for non-compliance with federal or state laws , rules, or regulations, which may cause your business to suffer setbacks. What if you violate or fail to conform to environmental, health, safety, or labor laws? In addition litigation and other legal remedies that may arise when the lender/purchaser seeks to have a debt liquidated.


Know what you hold in your accounts receivable portfolio. Even if you are not at the moment considering Accounts Receivable Financing , it may serve you well to look at some of the issues put forth and tighten up on the areas that you feel may currently not stack up in respect to these accounts, it can only improve your bottom line right off the bat. In addition you will be in a better position to jump onto any opportunity that may present it’s self without any warnings, by negotiating with receivables that are considered to be cream in the industry.

Designer No Strings Babies

Designer No Strings Babies

By CHICKMELIONfreelance

You have on your Alexander Wang T-shirt , Jimmy Choo boots, and prada purse tucked under the arm. Yes you are ready to step out. Oh, no wait! You forgot your designer baby....

There seems to be a new attitude surfacing among the ranks of aspiring- professional- self- made ladies. It’s all about “no strings attached babies.” Hollywood as usual glorifies the issue as it loves to do. We turn to trend setters like Camryn Manheim and reportedly Minnie Driver who allegedly have no strings attached babies. That is when the mothers ask their single guy friends to father them a child, minus financial and other responsibilities. Avalanche, LLC even went as far as to poll the issue at it’s leading online dating web sights, (Date.com, Matchmaker.com and Amor.com) to see who would even consider the prospect. And the results are quite surprising. 80 % of female online daters have considered getting pregnant in “no strings attached” relationships and nearly 50% of all the males interviewed would be more than happy to help out. An additional 30% of these would like that down in writing, ... “please and thank you!”

Whoa! Ladies let’s slow down for a moment here and take a little closer look at this new and reformed attitude on child rearing. Let’s extract the glitz of Hollywood from the picture and see what is happening in the average American streets. Has single aspiring mothers become the catch phrase of the day here too?

Yes in deed, in fact according to the census bureau more than 33% of all babies today are born to single women. The majority of these ladies are involved with the biological dad, and many even live with them. Some have even adopted the attitude that becoming “husband and wife” would detract from the roles of “mommy and daddy.” A whopping 81% of these ladies though agree that a child needs two parents to he healthy happy and secure. And secretly 64 percent of all the unwed moms polled wished their partners would commit to them on a more serious note.

And that seems to be the underlying unspoken general gist. It surfaces in two aspects of this issue; how they ended up in the situation of going-it-alone , as well as why they made the choices they did.

69 percent of married moms planned their most recent pregnancies, while 77% of the unweds did not- meaning they ( both parents) may have not been ready for the baby. The ladies, now alone in the rearing find themselves weighed down by extra financial burdens and unshared child care duties. 87 percent of them agree that it is tougher going the single rout, and that it is not as glamorous as Hollywood and those polled on the dating sites make it out to be. Even Married moms, 87% of them to be exact express sympathy and support for their counterparts.

So what is really going on here and why? Married or not, the attitude was quite common, having a partner to raise children with is no bed of roses. They both agreed that the husbands often represented just another child to deal with. Along with him came the burden of the in-laws and their views of child rearing. Not to mention having to work on a marriage over and above all else, and being married does not guarantee that loneliness is eliminated from the picture, because their husbands work so much or they are deployed military men on lengthy assignments.

It leaves me to wonder if we as women are loosing faith in the paternal skills of our counterparts? Or are we letting them off of the hook in regards to their responsibilities too quickly? It will be interesting though what the future holds for the “fathers” of our species. If statistics keep moving in the direction they are, our male children will be raised at the hands of the very women who thought to go it alone because it was easier than holding “him the father,” to his end of the responsibility. Could fatherhood become a byword in the future? I wonder.

The Modifications of The Fittest

The Modifications of the Fittest

By CHICKMELIONfreelance

When the ship is taking on water the captain plugs up the hole. Sounds pretty simple doesn’t it? Then again necessity is the mother of invention. It is a solutions based system of survival, and it is what will keep the ship afloat. It is also the attitude needed in a volatile and uncertain marketplace. Customized solutions in any given day is the name of the survival game, but when you are bailing out water quicker than you are getting anywhere, the need to be flexible, innovative and customer focused should become the primary direction your sights are set on.

Two companies servicing both ends of the same marketplace are prime examples of survival of the “Modification of the Fittest,” both have very recently issued press releases touting their successes in a very volatile Housing Mortgaging Industry. Not surprisingly both of their successes are attributed to utilizing the same strategy... that of modifying their product to better serve the customer’s current needs. Rather than a generic blanket approach to throw over a larger client base, these two companies tailor fit their products one customer at a time...and they need to! With this approach, one of the companies ensures themselves a tighter control of expenditures in a risky market, (a necessity because they are the lender) while the other needs to be creative in providing bail out solutions, because they are the rescue specialists. They are...on the mortgaging end of the scale: Total Mortgage Services LLC, and on the foreclosure end of the scale: Home Rescue LLC .

Analysis from First American Corel Logic reveals that 7.5 million single family homes are worth less than they owe in their mortgage. Negative equity puts a freeze on two levels. People are more inclined to default and fewer are willing to enter the market in it’s current state. Statistics confirm the worst. A jump in defaults by higher-risk borrowers are putting a crimp in financing for home purchases and the prices. That’s because rapid growth of new types of mortgages for five years through to 2005 was one of the key factors behind the boom that sent home buying, and prices, to record highs prior to this credit crunch all markets are facing at the moment. As the current state of economy forces every belt to tighten, it is these hight risk borrowers who are unable to met their contractual obligations and are walking away.

In a press release recently, Total Mortgage Services announced that they were not only thriving amid a crisis, but also rapidly expanding as well. “We avoided the risky credit practices that many of our competitors engaged in,” says John Walsh, Total Mortgage’s founder and president. He attributes their success to offering conforming fixed-rate mortgages and adjustable rate mortgage loans at unbeatable prices. Realizing that their customers wanted transparent mortgages at realistic rates without a host of hidden fees. They consistently met these expectations while maintaining a high level of customer service. The end result is that much of their business is referral based. The company has even managed to triple its number of employees since January, a remarkable feat considering many mortgage companies around are either down sizing or packing it in altogether. And what is the company’s client servicing motto? The loan solution best suited for one family may be very different from one that’s right for their next door neighbor, their in-laws, or their best friends. Focusing on being experts in every angle of the business like policies, regulations and opportunities that arise due to changes in legislation, Total Mortgage Services understands complex financial instruments better than anyone and uses it to their advantage.

On the opposite end of the mortgaging industry sits Home Rescue LLC, who offers a press release of their own; announcing a new “Loss Mitigation Initiative. This is a company who helps customers reduce mortgage payments with a Modification Assistance Package, as well as the worst case scenario: Short Sale Solutions. This company is uniquely positioned in dealing with all that can go wrong in the industry, which has gained it some valuable insights. These insights have helped the company formulate a salable product extension that will give Home Rescue LLC an upper hand. They have devised a new weapon in the campaign to prevent foreclosures, by launching a state-of-the-art Modification Assistance Package that evens the odds in negotiations with big banks and provides mortgage foreclosure solutions. It is a comprehensive plan designed to secure mortgage terms that are affordable for the long term. It allows the customer to handle mortgage debt better as opposed to allowing it to spiral out of control. It is am all-inclusive package and has all the tools a home owner will need to reduce their debt. Using a proprietary system devised by the company customer data is collected and from it a comprehensive report on the home owners financial situation is generated. Using data analysis this report is used to prepare a customized modification proposal, producing a thorough cost/benefit report to support the recommendations made in the loan modification proposal.

While many organizations are frantically bailing in a tight and volatile environment , these two companies are mopping up and it could be said primarily because they not only understood their clients needs as individuals, they saw the benefits of modifying products based on these individuals needs and motivations even in a highly challenging environment.. Which goes to prove, in any given day, the name of the survival game is being flexible, open eyed and ready to change gears to accommodate the liquidity of customer demands and needs in an ever shifting marketplace.

The Cyber Kiss-off

The Cyber Kiss-off

By CHICKMELIONfreelance

First there was speed dating now there’s high speed dating....

You have to admit it, social networks have change the face of dating and with a whole new game comes the need for a whole new game plan. The lack of being "eye to eye" has it’s pros and cons though. Where you used to be able to discern the intents of a person by body language and the inflection in the voice, you now will be paying attention to words. What is written, or even what is not written.

The playing field does levels it's self off though, what you loose in familiar tactics you gain in insight to the core of the individual’s true nature. That is what the anonymity of screen to screen interaction provides for you. Think about it,. in meeting an individual eye to eye they are on their best behavior and can hold it probably for a period of time, but their true colors show when they are able to hide behind a screen. They feel uninhibited and free to say and do things they would never have the courage to say or do face to face. And it is those little nuances that you can use to sift through to find the gold among the grit.

Catch phrases are a good indication of insincerity. And it won't take to long to pick up on them either, because if the words were ever said out loud it would reek of "corny." Seriously who would ever tell anyone face to face that they loved them on the first meeting? Look for "real" conversations. If it is not something that would normally be said face to face, it is a good chance that the words are empty and lacking in sincerity, just as the one who delivered them.

Look for what is not being said as well. Sometimes that speaks even louder than words. You know what it is like when you first meet someone? There are natural curiosities about the person we are meeting. like: "what do you do?" When someone is dancing around the bush there has got to be a good reason. It will seem odd or you might feel somewhat spurned that they are not seemingly interested in you. Don’t be! Questions go two ways, what they are avoiding asking you, is what they themselves are trying to avoid being asked.

Time is always the best keeper of score. Don't leap in feet first. Be cool, sit back, but be open, honest and non committal until you have fully assessed who it is before you. Let it all play out. No one can hold their game face forever and don’t be shy about asking the direct questions. If they get offended by it, there’s a problem, best get your problems out on the table sooner than later. Be a good listener too and while you are listening, watch for inconsistencies.

The bottom line is that ultimately you have to respect and love yourself. When you do, you are more able to set guidelines and standards of what you will accept from others and will more likely not to rush into situations where you might get hurt whether in cyber space or face to face.

Riding The Waves Of Liquidity, Keeping Your Head Above The Water In Tough Times

Riding the Waves of Liquidity

By CHICKMELIONfreelance

It is a volatile marketplace indeed. Any entrepreneur maneuvering on the waves in this current environment is surely getting a wild ride. For the savvy entrepreneur, these stormy conditions offer advantages of opportunity if they can survive the tumult. Some even see opportunity to expand, taking advantage of supply and demand shifts as fellow entrepreneurs fail to effectively bail themselves out and are forced to abandon their sinking ships. And although profits are generally the focal point of any business, current conditions may dictate a more concentrated focus on your liquidity. That means finding the most effective balance within your Cash Conversion Cycle (CCC).

You can hear the snap of the leather, as every business belt is tightening. Lending institutions are cracking down on their extensions of credit, demanding more collateral, tightening up on their lending windows and increasing the cost of extending credit just to name a few. Some entrepreneurs are finding that at one time they had pre-approved credit line, but now may not. (It is recommended that you check and make sure that this is not you!) For more in depth information on Cash Conversion Cycles and how it is calculated google “Invesrotpedia” or “Wikipedia.” Both sites have clear and concise definitions, working models and calculations to help you get a good start in understanding and implementing effective CCC plan for your enterprise.

In it’s simplest terms, the cycle refers to the number of days between when a business pays for it’s materials/ inventory, and receives cash for these goods. It represents the time in which working capital is “tied up”. If you can shorten the CCC, the need for external financing and the resulting interest expense will be smaller, thus creating higher profits. Although each business is unique, you are aiming at reducing this number as low as you can. It will require discipline, setting of targets and continual effective monitoring. Ultimately the goal is to find a balance in three areas: the payables, the receivables and inventory management.

You will be looking for strategies that will increase the days of payable outstanding, effectively slowing down the cash going out the door. You can negotiate with your vendors but be careful here, the downside is alienating them and jeopardizing your relationship. Other considerations on extending the period of payment due on the payables side of the cycle might be looking at weighing the cost of accepting a trade credit discount for early payment as opposed to the benefits of using your cash elsewhere. It may also be suitable for you to set up a zero balance account where funds can be automatically transferred by the bank when they are needed for clearance of cheques.

Next your focus will turn to inventory control; the software on the market available for inventory control is huge. Regardless of of your enterprises make up, size, or needs there has simply got to be a cost effective product that is a perfect fit for you. Do your research! But by all means do not let inventory control be a guessing game. It can be the key link between success or overwhelming red ink. With the right information accumulated from a good inventory analysis program you can identify and deal with your worst night mares like: dead and slow moving stock, and over orders. Then you can clearly see and implement control strategies that will minimize stock on hand, while keeping your customers happy and your business running.

Your final step in tightening up your cash conversion cycle will be to look at your receivables. Calculate and evaluate your average collection period. As a rule of thumb, if the average collection period is one third larger than the credit period extended on the statement, there may be a problem.( For example on average it took you 40 days to collect on invoices with a 30 day net.) Age your receivables to identify and actively pursue slow paying customers and attempt to lessen credit risk by tightening payment terms to "net 15", or by actually selling fewer products on credit to the high risk accounts, or even cutting off credit entirely, and demanding payment in advance. Establish a discount percent for early payment, and a surcharge for late payment. Identify and evaluate accelerating payment techniques for collecting such as pre-authorized cheques, or direct deposit transactions. And finally, the use of a collection agency is not really a tool to manage credit risk; rather, it is an extreme measure because you can expect a below-agreed return after the collection agency takes its share (if it is able to get anything at all).

An efficient CCC will translate in a tightly run ship, with a more profitable bottom line. Cash is king in this environment and a well balance cash conversion cycle will enable you to access the best financial arrangements for your situation if the need arises. You will have a better chance of holding on to your pre-approved credit line, or fitting into those tighter lending windows. And you need what ever advantage you can get now days.

Spirits of Entitlement

Spirits of Entitlement

By: CHICKMELIONfreelance

There is a spirit we are living within today’s society that has become increasingly prevalent and dominant. I like to refer to it as “the spirit of entitlement”

A mindset that holds firm to the belief that the individual it’s self is the center of the universe and without putting in any required efforts, contributions, or even interest into the collective society as a whole;(whether it be family,neighborhood, or even humanity) this individual believes they are entitled to all the universal attention, blessings and efforts focused entirely and singularly on the individual’s desires and needs. As if they were gods themselves.

We know it more commonly as “spoiled rotten.” And in our Western Culture we need not look too far to see the results of such a mass attitude. And to recognize that it is a very dangerous attitude to allow to run rampant.

I have heard this mindset respond to humanitarian issues whether locally or otherwise, with a curt and common statement; “well it is not in my back yard, why should I care?" Simply put, these statements of attitude are placed into our environment as negative energy, because whether we like it or not, we all live in the very energy our own words and our neighbor’s words create.

Energy is ever moving and ever vibrating, therefore the individual’s words of selfishness ripples forwards creating fractures in a unified foundation. Not unlike pressing your finger in cracked glass and watching it run. Indeed the infection raised from the root to the trunk and eventually the whole tree dies. One poisoned thought can fracture an entire society.

The bible has countless incidents of this dating right back to the beginning of mankind in the garden of Eden, where the foundation of fractured society began. The first incident where a negative thought was allowed to be put to words. This cycle is played over and over again through history ever since. Wars were started with words, genocide is carried out at verbal commands, families are ripped apart over vowels and verbs, because we for some reason can’t manage to tame our tongues or learn to wield this powerful sword responsibly. We choose the sacrifice of others to suit our own selves and our own desires.

This is the way I look at it, we have only two options when it comes to our impact on our world: we can either be a positive force and if the world falls on it's face at least we have no regrets about our part in it; or we can impact it negatively with our fears, disappointments, shallowness and self-gratification. Keep in mind even complacency holds a negative impact because it allows the spirit of entitlement and negativity to continue to run it’s course. You live what you give.... so give good!

Dueling Identities



The definition of individualism in Western Culture is factory maddened market driven, where profits become the primary motivator. and dictate a need for mass production in order to provide for a profitable bottom line.


Our homes, clothes and vehicles that we purchase as an expression of our own unique individuality are all mass produced. That unique shade of paint you are going to splash on your wall will also be on the walls of literally thousands of people’s homes, as a representation of their own uniqueness as well. And a prospective home buyer‘s mind, the home will be devalued if not considered up to date. All these mind sets are constructed and pitched in carefully polished spins in order to convincing us their
product will make us stand out and still be accepted in vogue as a statement of our success. The name of the game is to create a desire which needs immediate action to answer, not unlike creating an itch to sell a stick to scratch with. Individuals now are defined more by what they outwardly present, as opposed to inwardly. And if you don’t believe me think of two words : “first impressions“. What saddens me is that it is now profits driven motives which define individualism, and not necessarily humanity based. And this is a very costly mistake for a society to accept. Because if you buy into it you are indeed accepting it.

Take for example any individual who does not fit into our idea of the “norm.” They are shunned by society, abandoned, abused and humiliated. And I am not only referring to the bag lady on the downtown streets, I am taking into account our own youth who are being bullied in schools, on the streets and on the playgrounds for not keeping up with trends . For not holding mass beliefs, wearing mass marketed products, or living society defined lifestyles. And it is a shame that we who statistically claim to be a predominantly faith based society, allow this to happen considering that God Himself saw it befitting to fashion each and everyone of us individually. As the Bible says ”...and God saw everything that He made, and behold, it was very good.”

What is dangerous about a market driven identity is the entire nature of merchandising itself. There is a need to refresh, renew and mix it up on a regular basis in order to generate a continuous flow of capital, because it can not survive if everything stayed “good” forever. The breasts God gave today are no longer large enough, because creating new demands, and new ideals to chase after is survival of the fittest. The whole concept of what is the “norm,’ now days switches back and forth like a nervous cat’s tail. And it is getting increasingly harder for the average person to catch up with it. Trends switching from one widely held opinion to another at such a rapid pace, compiled with a society that defines one’s success on how well the individual can keep up, is what creating the “credit crunch” we are all currently struggling with. Leaving much waste in it’s wake. The environmental impact is devastating our landfills spilling over. Yet if you can not keep up with trends you are considered a deviant and classified on a lower rung of the ladder of success. But think of this; the faster that tail switches the more and more society will find it financially, emotionally and physically harder to keep up. Somewhere along the line there will be more people standing outside of the box than within, and the giant will be forced to grind to a halt. At no small cost. Look at the unemployment rates currently.

So how do we deal with this issue? Simply put, we address the demon with an even larger demon. We medicate! In recent history we find ourselves more and more medicated for “social” diseases and stress related melt downs than ever before. And another mass marketing mogul rears up, the pharmaceutical industry. What has suffered in this chase to be in vogue is the very thing we need to conquer these demons... that is our faith! On average it seems that we need two incomes to satisfy our consumerism. Little time is left to sit in quiet and contemplate where we are going, to spend any great deal of quality time with our loved ones, and even worse, much needed quality time with out Heavenly Father. Now how is He going to guide us out of the pickle we create if we can’t even find time to listen? Indeed it is true when said, “separation from God is hell .” The emotional impact, the stress, and the lack of adequate sleep is wearing this society thin and frail. Our economy it’s self is one of many things to stand up and testify. Our turmoil in the health care system another.

Fear not though, there is a light at the end of this tunnel. Indeed we do have to thank an ever loving God for never failing foresight, and intimate patient knowledge of our endless follies. And for creating a universe that is never slack in seeking balance. If we are not willing to slow down in our lusts for material “things“ then we will be forced by the nature of those very desires to do so any way. It is likened to eating too much cake, at some point our desires will come back to haunt us. The global state of our economy it’s self is one of many things to stand up and testify that this is already happening. Our loving Father, as any parent may allow us to try and choke ourselves with our ill choices, but in His infinite wisdom also thought to create living and breathing as a reflex action; so that though we may be allowed to suffer from our own foolish actions, we may not necessarily need to lose our souls over them

As we are forced to cut back, slow down, and spend in terms of quality as opposed to quantity; let us maintain this leanness even when everything gears back up again. As we all know it will somewhere down the line Let us make a conscious choice to value the people we love, who carried us and our spirits through our difficult times. Specially grateful our loving Father. Spend more quality time in His presence, and learn from this experience; or indeed we will face the cycle again, until we do learn.

Technology Gives Upper Hand On Protecting Children From Predators

Child Predators and Technology

By CHICKMELIONfreelance

Statistics show that more than three-forth's of violent crimes against children occurred either in the offender’s home or in the victim’s place of residence. It would be prudent then to get the heads up for potential threats in your neighborhood, or child's play areas. According to the US Department of justice bureau , on any given day there are approximately 234,000 sex offenders who were convicted and are either in custody or allegedly on parole or control of corrections agencies.

To address this situation,Thin Air Wireless has an on the go application for the Apple iPhone (version 2.0) that can give parents an upper hand in monitoring their child’s safety. It is called the “Offender Locator iPhone Application.” This company specializes in innovative GPS location technology, and have now added to their product line an application that can:display a list of sex crime convicts in any given area; allows parents to receive updates when an offender moves into the area; search friend’s neighborhoods via the address book ; or if traveling one can type in a street address to generate a list.

The benefits from this product is two fold: aside from the obvious peace of mind that is at the finger tips any time any where; the company has also structured a means of collecting 10% of the proceeds and redirecting these funds towards supporting philanthropic organizations dedicated to addressing the critically important issue of child predators in America through outreach, education and advocacy.

The information provided by the application is for public safety and intended to be used to protect those who may be at risk and is not intended for the purposes of punishing the offender. Remember it is also considered a crime to engage in discrimination or harassment against a registered sex offender and may put you at risk of facing criminal prosecution and /or civil action. If you have information related to any violations of probation of any offender in your neighborhood, report it right away.

On another technological front, here is the heads up on a program called “Street View." It is a web-based program that allows users to search Google Maps for residences, businesses and other geographic locations. It then delivers what its name implies - highly-magnified, 360-degree panoramic street-level photographic images of those addresses. In essence it has the potential to allows anyone from the comfort of their home to view photographic images of the most likely route your child walks to school, or to calculate the distance between your front door and your child's school bus stop. After you assess your neighborhood risk level, you might want to consider asking Google to take the picture of your property off of their Google Street View program. Don’t get me wrong, this application is a good tool when used properly, and is very useful for a stranger trying to find their way around in an unfamiliar city. Google is more than willing and able to restrict access to Street View images upon request.

Recognizing the threats and being pro active is the best forms of protecting your children in this ever changing and evolving technological environment. It also can give you peace of mind and the freedom of movement knowing that your safety is not only your priority.

Pandemic Planning For Small Business: How To Guide

Never Too Small to be a Victim of a Pandemic

By CHICKMELIONfreelance

It is a subject we are all too familiar with especially of late, but are we all prepared for it? It is no matter if you are a single proprietor or an entrepreneur with a sizeable workforce, together you all are the driving force and backbone of the North American economy, and you (and your employees if you have them) are the most essential asset of your business. Do you not think you are well worth protecting?

The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that there is a substantial risk of an influenza pandemic within the next few years. It is acknowledged to represent a threat to global economies. Because pandemic's happen when a new kind of virus spreads easily from person to person, it is prudent to have considered the potential risks to your enterprise and your selves before hand. As the saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Be informed so that you know what to do!

A pandemic flu will have an impact on all aspects of your business: your employees, your suppliers, even your customers. You need to consider how to sustain yourself for several weeks within a threat. What are the core functions that drive your business, and who performs this duty? If that person was ill, who could back them up? Do you need to think of training someone else just in case? Are you able to cope with up to 20 to 50 % of your workforce not being able to come to work for various reasons? Or the potential drop in customers for that time period? Aside from illness, what other conditions affect your employees absence? As an example an interruption in day care or public transportation might have to be looked at and planned for. Have you considered an increased demand in your business due to an outbreak, how will you then deal with this?

You also need to consider possible interruptions in essential services which you routinely depend on to conduct your business day to day, from the “ever important” contracted cleaning staff , your suppliers, as well as potential interruptions to infrastructure like transportation, sanitation, water, power, and potential disruptions to the food supply. Keep in mind gathering what is needed during an outbreak may be restricted or insanely expensive, it is simple supply and demand economics. Network with your suppliers and your municipal governments. Look for possible loop holes and threats. The more information you can gather on potential threats, the better equipped you can be to combating unexpected headaches at the worst possible moment it time.

Preparedness should be two tiered in your planning process: preventative measures should be looked at and implemented, as well as an action plan for the worst case scenario. Considerations in preventative maintenance should encompass: fostering a healthy work environment by ensuring adequate air circulation and it’s regular maintenance; posting tips on how to stop the spread of viruses at work to ensure good habits are formed well before hand; providing sanitation products for the workplace especially the washrooms; and finally encouraging employees that if they have the flu, or think they might, to just stay home. Staying home when sick and proper and effective hand washing are the most effective ways to help slow the spread of a virus. If your workforce is at home, can your computer systems allow or accommodate people working from home or from other locations? Can your phone services be re-routed? It is essential that everyone is “in” on the preventative plan? Including the cleaning staff? Ensure cleanliness of work surfaces including door knobs, hand railings as well as shared telephones, keyboards, computer mouse, etc.

When it comes to an action plan for coping during a pandemic, the task can be daunting. There are employment specialists who for a fee will help you design and implement “Business Continuity Plans”, and if you are a fair size it might well be worth the investment. But if you are looking to do it for yourself, or are curious of what all might be involved, both the Canadian Center for Occupational Health (CCOHS) and the Center for Disease and Control in the US have websites that you can access pandemic planning checklists for free, as well as vital links to surveillance bodies like the WHO and local and national public health officials to keep informed and on top of possible outbreaks and threats. It is a wonderful place to start! These two governing bodies can also supply you with workplace tools like “Slow the Spread!” posters and “Hand washing” posters for the facilities as constant reminders to build healthy habits before an outbreak and minimize the risk of days lost due to illness.

In addition to a good plan you might consider looking into stocking up on supplies to keep on hand during an outbreak to ensure your workforce is able to safely continue to their tasks like; ventilation masks, or rubber gloves. Now would be a good time to set aside to shop around so you can establish a budget in the very least. Although shopping around is highly recommended the following two suppliers are being provided as a baseline only, both having online catalogues with pricing included, as well customer support to answer your questions and concerns.

In Canada:

Stevens Home Medical Supplies Store
www.stevenshomemedical.com
Email: stevens@stevens.ca

In the United Stated

FLU-ARMOR
Info: info@fluarmour.com
Address: 122 East Kings Highway
Suite 504
Maple Shade, NJ 08052
Phone: (856) 335-3925

Don’t be caught at the worst possible moment without a plan. Lives may well depend on your foresight, including yours. It is never too early or too foolish to dish up an ounce of prevention. And it well may be the most cost effective means of ensuring survival through a very volatile and threatening time.

Banking On The Pantry To Be Fulll

By CHICKMELIONfreelance



You have your retirement plan in order, yet this economic environment made you re-think your strategy for those “just- in- case” situations. If you are one of the fortunate ones, you have managed to scrape a few dollars to put towards some sort of savings plan. You have your investment councilor talking you into “Dollar Cost Averaging” as an alternative strategy in these volatile investment markets. I get it, you have worked hard for your dollar, and you are worked hard to protect it and make sure it is there for you when you need it. So let me ask....how’s your pantry doing?” Have you invested in that too?

Have you thought of savings in a more tangible sense, translated into the pantry as an emergency food source for Lord Knows what? Because there might well be times and situations ahead of you that your saved dollar may not stretch far enough to meet your needs or even be accessible to you at all for a moment in time. You don’t want to be put in a situation where you might have to make a decision between paying a bill or feeding the family.

Unfortunately more and more families are facing such a tragedy. Hunger does persist in North America, and is on the rise. Currently according to statistics provided by Bread For The World, one in ten households in the US suffer from lack of enough food. And as the unemployment rate increases and food prices increase it is only gong to get worse. From an economical sense it is prudent to stock up while you have the resources to do so.

We have been pretty spoiled up to now and have gotten comfortable in the habit of “living day-to-day.” We have leaned heavily on credit to cover the lack of foresight and planning, which has lead to our current global credit crunch. Now we need to re-learn old habits. Habits our parents and grandparents practiced during the “Dirty Thirties” and the “War.” Habits these hard times taught them and what we need to re-introduce to our children.

And before you balk at the idea let me throw a few scenarios at you: you have an accident and you are in a tad bit of a dispute with your insurance provider so it might be a while before you see some support; or you have lost your job but there is a waiting period that goes in effect before you see your unemployment insurance; or it is a week before payday and your hot water tank spontaneously aborts on your floor... there may be a bit of money in the bank account, but that could well go towards some bills too. A well stocked pantry has you covered. While you are attempting to juggle finances to cover these unexpected headaches, putting food on the table is not added to your list of worries. You think better on a full stomach.

What does a well stocked cupboard mean? It means fore planning. It means thinking about certain scenarios and figuring what would be needed to keep on hand to cover for that length of time. Depending on the size of your family and their nutritional needs. It also means starting a new habit, one you will teach by demonstration to your children. You are going to practice every time you walk into a grocery store to grab something extra for the pantry. You can do this even if you are a college student , on a limited income, or even someone who walks to the grocery store. A small start and consistent practicing of storing up will build up a healthy cupboard in no time. If you are fortunate to have on occasion access to a little extra in cash flow, or transportation, by all means do some bulk shopping. It is the most cost effective means of getting value for your dollar.

Where do you start with organizing the pantry? Governing bodies like the USDA and Canada’s Food Guide agree on Nutritional Food Pyramids as daily dietary models. That is an excellent place to start. They suggest that your daily diet consist of the following sources n order to maintain optimum health. Get a hold of them online or on the phone to request in depth information regarding these models. But for now here is a brief description of the models to help you gain some insight to what you are looking at in order to stocking a healthy fully balanced pantry. Just remember NON PERISHABLE is the focus!

WHOLE GRAINS: cereal, rice, crackers, pasta...
VEGETABLES: both canned and dry, (include tomato paste, goes excellent with the pasta and is a good source of vitamin C)
FRUITS: Canned, dried, or juices...
CALCIUM: canned milk, lactose free products, almonds , dry beans...
PROTEIN: canned meats and fish, beans, peas, nuts, seeds...


Now this is not my idea but I came across it in my research and I think it is brilliant and worthy of mentioning. Family Education Network suggests that you Pyramid your pantry. Start by taping a copy inside of your pantry door. Then begin with the bottom shelf. place your whole grains and work your way up shelf by shelf. It is brilliant for two reasons: you can visually see which food group needs your shopping attention ; as well as when it come time to meal plan, you can reach for an item off of each shelf to ensure a balanced meal. Restocking is made easier by a well organized pantry.

In a final note, I would like to speak in terms of us all being responsible for each other in these stormy times, it is with this attitude that we will all survive together in our tight squeezes. If you can possibly remember to kick a can to the food bank as well, think of it as paying forwards. The old adage of what goes around comes around plays well into this current situation. Think of it as an investment as in any bank and be grateful you don’t have to draw from it. Understand a few things though: we all benefit from a healthy society and eating is very much a part of health; you get what you give so give good; and finally modeling paying forward starts a contagious chain reaction among those who live around you ensuring that such safety nets survive and are available just in case you need them somewhere down the road. I don’t know about where you get your groceries, but my store has a collection bin at the exit of the store for our local food bank. Look around, ask the management if they have one or even consider having one, and practice using it. Honestly this is not an empty investment, dividends will be returned just when you need them most.

A Change of Perspective

A Change of Perspective
byCHICKMELIONfreelance

We have all had our dark days in our lives. Filled with negative events and emotions we would just as soon put behind us. If only we knew how!

It is very much a natural process of living and we are often encouraged to see the blessings in times like these. For how can we test the true integrity of our joy or accomplishments unless we had something to set it against as a backdrop. But in all honesty, who wants to stay there?

It is quite common to be told and I know you have had it said to you, “think positive!” It is what we say when we feel helpless about the situations facing people we know and love who might be experiencing a negative moment in their lives. We say it because quite often we really don’t know what else to say! And it is good advice, but do we know how to apply such sound advice?

There is a Psalm in the Bible (the 77th) and it outlines a pretty dark and bleak moment in the author’s life. His heart is in serious turmoil, he is so troubled he can’t even find the words to describe it. With his grief openly displayed, we as witnesses can watch these negative emotions stew and brew within him and grow like a plague. Doubt grows out of the sorrow, as it so very often does. Doubts of a future, doubts of faith, doubts that God even cares, or anyone for that matter. And if these thoughts and emotions were allowed to continue the negative energy would gain momentum potentially to a destructive level. Like yeast in the batter, that’s what just one negative thoughts can do if allowed to roam free in the head.

This psalm is a beautiful piece of prose. It is so well written, one reading it can actually sympathize cathartically with the man and his plight. We can feel his negative energy, his sorrow and his doubts. Then the author has a breakthrough in his storm, a positive thought is planted and we can feel the healing energy of this positive thoughts with it’s momentum and final victory in the psalm. In reading this psalm you can literally feel the power of positive thinking as if God Himself felt so inclined to answer the doubts of whether He cared or not.

The key to the author’s turnabout was that he recognized the negativity of the energy his thoughts were creating and he willfully chose to stop them dead in their tracks. His future was in doubt, his present was bleak, so he searched the memory banks for a beautiful moment to cling to and he planted the seed to his eventual turn around. Within that seed he found his hope again. Another good strategy is to start counting your blessings. See the good in the day, the situation, even better in yourself. Search hard for them! You may feel an inner resistance from the negative energy, but don’t give up, keep looking at the beneficial thoughts, set as a daily habit even so they are readily available to you when you need them.

Positive and negative thinking are both contagious, all it needs is a bit of momentum on your part. Visualize favorable and beneficial situations. Replace negative inner dialogue with positive words. Disregard immediately any feelings of doubt. If you persevere, you will transform the way your mind thinks. It does not matter what the circumstances are at the present moment, by changing the way you perceive things, you change the way you will act and re-act to it accordingly. Now that’s the foundation your positive habits should be built on. It may take some time and practice to get proficient with noticing your own negativity and then gaining ground with it. Yes you will have to be strong. But strength comes with practice. And in the long run you’ll be a much happier and balanced person for it.

When to Blame Yourself if They Lie

There are two things to understand when it comes to children and lying. It is a learned behavior... and hey relax, every child does it one time or another.

No you are not the worst parent on the planet looking at the worst human being on the planet. Most children lie for simple reasons like ; to avoid punishment, to impress others, to boost their own self esteem, to get something they want, or because they have heard their parents lie. Say perhaps they overheard a conversation that involved lying about plans in order to avoid something.

The most common reason for lying particularly among young children is to avoid punishment. Especially if the punishment is severe or the parents have unrealistically high expectations above and beyond what the child can actuary do. It is like the child is being set up, and will feel obliged to handle the situation the best they can given their limited abilities and powerlessness. Call it a creative adaptive response as opposed to lying, and recognize your role in it. There is nothing wrong with admitting to a child that you may have been wrong, it not only models “owning up” to them, but it also eliminates the unrealistic super hero expectations they may hold of you at that age. And it will be far less of a shock when they grow older and discover you are mere human.

In The Driver's Seat By Visualization

In the Driver’s Seat by Visualization
By CHICKMELIONfreelance

You are an entrepreneur, that makes you are a mover and a shaker. No matter where you are standing in the phase of your business plan, whether it is the inception of your idea, or the expansion... there is forward momentum developing. It is your responsibility not to stalemate this movement by limited thinking. Momentum has energy and if you can charge this energy positively, you are in the driver’s seat for your own success.

The more open minded you can be the bigger you dare to think, the greater are the opportunities and possibilities that present themselves before you. This is called creative visualization, a mental technique of using thoughts to change the balance of energy around you which brings changes to your environment in accordance with them. It requires you to first be very aware of the energy you create for yourself. Awareness is always the first step in actualizing any goal.

We have all met one or two people in our lives who seem to exude both confidence and the Midas touch. We have watched them succeed in every possible scenario, whether it be in good or bad times. We have felt their vibe when in their presence. It is attracting.... magnetic! And if asked, there is a very good chance that this individual would admit to practicing visualization techniques in order to direct their success. Most successful people use it consciously or unconsciously, attracting the success they want in their life by visualizing their goals as already accomplished. They literally see it through to the end, only they script the ending as being a very successful one, as opposed to leaving all up to chance.

I have heard that a martial artist who when facing splitting a block of wood bare handed, does not see the wood but visualizes the other side of it instead. He focuses through it, and thus directs his energy through to the successful completion of his task. Here in lies the key. Before any visualizing can take place, you got to have a plan... a direction at least. And you have to see (visualize) your plan right through to the successful end. And you must practice seeing this until it becomes a mindset that will dictate your focus, your mind and body on a course straight towards that goal.

Does this work? Of course it does! Most of us visualize daily without even paying attention to what we are doing. Unfortunately we all can remember our, “I can’t” moments; they seem to be conditioned as habits where we have told ourselves that we are unlucky, unloved, unattractive, etc, ...actually making these things realities for ourselves. But by thinking of the good things and thinking of them often as a part of our regular routine, we are re-conditioning our subconscious and creating positive energy through guided imagery.

Two perks right off the bat come to mind: first off it is you who is fully in control and how often can we say that; and secondly it is not only absolutely free it can be practiced anywhere. Sounds like a pretty good investment to me!

On a final note, when you do realize the success you have worked so hard towards, by all means reward yourself. Don't wait for someone else's acknowledgement of your good efforts. Rewards are tokens of encouragement that can spur you onwards and upwards. By you acknowledging your own efforts , you are in control of your own personal responsibility and happiness. Then you will never falling short of recognizing and feeding from the positive vibe your victory created. Use this momentum to propel you and your business even further forwards.