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From the desk of Bob Meyer...
07/06/2010
People
With Money Are Happier, Poll Shows
The Gallup World Poll surveyed 136,000 people across 132
nations from 2005 to 2006 and it shows that income is more
highly correlated to happiness than previously thought.
Essentially, the study concluded that money is an object
that many (or most) people desire and pursue during the
majority of their waking hours. And they use their financial
success as a measure of overall success and a reference for
how �good� their lives are.
That doesn�t mean money makes everything better. The study
found that income had less correlation to the more emotional
enjoyment of life, which include things like laughing, joy,
and connections to family and friends.
You Have 168 Hours ... Per Week
Want to get the most out of life? Author Laura Vanderkam, a
thirty-something Manhattanite, says you must begin thinking
like a company, leveraging your core competencies and
exercising clarity of strategic intent to achieve greatness.
She urges parents to engineer relaxed evenings and to spend
high-impact time with kids.
She attempts, in her book 168 Hours, to guide us
toward a better awareness of time and how to manage it. We
have more time than we think: Subtract 56 weekly sleeping
hours (eight a night) and 50 hours for work and you still
have 62 unscheduled hours each week. Of that, she reveals
that husbands and wives talk to each other a mere 12 minutes
daily!
Americans Optimistic About Personal Finances
In The Future
The Pew Research Center�s Social & Demographic Trends
Project reports that nearly a third �32%� of 2,967 adults
surveyed in May said they had lost their job at some point
during the current recession, which began in December 2007.
Those surveyed, however, were optimistic going forward, with
62% saying they think their personal finances will improve
in the next year.
Growth Of Emerging Economies Good For USA
The largest of the world�s emerging economies (Brazil,
Russia, India and China) have advanced their global GDP
(global domestic product) share to 15% from 7% since 1995.
And their relative economic expansion has come at the
expense of Europe and Japan � but not the Unites States.
Fifteen years ago, the U.S. accounted for 25% of global GDP.
Today it�s still 25%. Europe�s share however, has fallen to
21% from 25%, while Japan�s has plummeted to 9% from 18%.
What�s more, this emerging market prosperity is advantageous
as the emerging economies� increasing domestic demand(s)
translates into a larger market for U.S. goods and services.
All
back issues of "From the Desk...� can be accessed by
clicking
here.
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newsletter for your convenience.
See you next week. . .) |
IRTA International
Convention Coming To Pennsylvania
The
International Reciprocal Trade Association has announced details of
its upcoming 31st annual international convention, with the timely
theme of �Modern Barter, Leading the Way to Global Economic
Recovery.� The event will be held October 28 through October 30, at
Pittsburgh�s convenient downtown Hilton Hotel.
�We
expect this convention to draw over 125 attendees representing more
than 75 trade exchanges from all over the world,� offered IRTA
Executive Director Ron Whitney. �We will feature nationally renowned
and powerful speakers, with seminars on sales, modern brokering,
social networking, media training, technology, community
currency/time dollars and much more.�
�The �Modern Barter, Leading the Way to Global Economic Recovery�
conference theme will provide an excellent opportunity for us as an
industry to demonstrate to the business and financial communities
how the process of Modern Trade and Barter is on the leading edge of
global economic recovery,� stressed IRTA President David Wallach.
Mike Krane, President of Greenapple Barter Services in Pittsburgh,
asserted, �We are proud to be able to host this year�s IRTA
convention and incredibly excited by the energy and buzz that has
been created by the IRTA team. This will certainly be a convention
that no one in the industry should miss.�
Prior to the convention, on Wednesday evening October 27, Greenapple
Barter will be hosting their huge Trade Show at the Pittsburgh
Convention Center. All IRTA convention attendee companies are
invited to participate in this remarkable trading opportunity by
taking a booth at the show, which will feature 150 vendors and 1,000
attendees.
For
more info on the IRTA convention and registration go to
www.irta.com, or e-mail Ron Whitney at ron@irta.com.
Is Your Trade Exchange Missing Out On
Valuable New Business?
If
your barter company�s listing on BarterNews.com isn�t current, you
are definitely missing out on new business. The web site
BarterNews.com receives heavy traffic � with over 150,000 page-views
every month. Entrepreneurs and corporate executives check the
thousands of articles, the weekly �Tuesday
Report,� and the �Contacts
Section� of our site. They use the latter to find barter
companies with which to do business.
Is
your barter company�s listing up-to-date?
To
keep your listing current is very easy. See the links below to (A)
update any changes to your company�s listing, such as new location,
phone number, web site or other information, and (B) if your company
has not been listed.
Here�s how to get on board:
To
make changes to your listing
click here.
For
new listings
click here.
How To Start & Grow Your
Business With Little Money
The
following succinct tips and suggestions will enable your endeavors
to launch and grow a new business:
�
Cash flow
is most important as it�s your oxygen. If it stops flowing for more
than a brief period of time you�re dead. Obviously you must focus on
cash flow. Your profit, market share, or anything else is secondary.
One key to success � be very realistic when projecting your
revenues.
�
Barter
should play a role in your company�s operational efforts. Methodical
planning and execution of your trading efforts will generate
additional cash flow, as barter purchases are made for needed
products and services.
�
Postpone
any and every purchase by sharing /bartering office space, supplies
and equipment. The more time you have before making a purchase the
more time to ascertain what the best deal is, as well as clarifying
your needs. (And remember, technology purchases tend to drop over
time.)
�
Use credit
for (as) cash, not capital expenditures. Borrow money only to manage
short-term gaps in cash flow. Don�t borrow money for large
expenditures. You may have to personally guarantee those loans,
which is how entrepreneurs end up in personal bankruptcy rather than
just closing the business and moving on.
�
Sell
direct and focus on building close relationships. Manage your
growth, make your customers your top priority. (Happy customers can
be your most effective advertising.) And don�t sell or promise what
you can�t deliver. Additionally, focus on establishing relationships
to support your growth before you need them.
�
Remember
what business you�re in, you�re not in the business of lending money
� so don�t. Get a payment, even a partial, upfront whenever
possible. Make it your policy and be clear about it upfront
payments.
�
Be
prudent, don�t gamble what you can�t afford to lose. Betting the
entire company on one opportunity is gambling.
�
Don�t hire
any paid employees until profits enable you to pay them. Consider
finding people who will work for equity or at least a deferred
salary.
�
International visitors look for BARTER CONTACTS in our Global Barter
Section. If YOUR exchange isn�t listed see the forms on the lower
left of the page. (Click
here.)
�
Attention trade exchange owners...thousands of visitors every month
visit our BARTER CONTACTS section on our web site where we have
names & addresses of barter companies in the USA. If YOUR exchange
isn�t listed, or the information is incorrect, you can correct the
situation by using the forms to the lower left of the USA map. (Click
here.)
Click here
www.barternewsblog.com.
Celebrities, Movie Stars &
Entertainers Value Power Of Barter
Stars and celebrities increasingly are looking for barter
arrangements that offer a bigger piece of the action. Here are some
recent examples:
�
Ashton
Kutcher has bartered for a minority stake in Popchips (a healthy
snack-food maker), in addition to being named the company�s
�President of Pop Culture.�
�
Lady Gaga
has been named chief creative officer of Polaroid. She will be
helping develop new products, in addition to her financial stake in
the company.
�
Sarah
Jessica Parker is the new chief creative officer of fashion brand
Halston (owned by Hilco).
�
Ellen
DeGeneres has a 15% stake in Halo Purely for Pets.
�
Several
years ago rap artist 50 Cents cashed in on a barter deal (making
millions) that he struck with Energy Brands Inc., maker of the
Glaceau line of waters, including VitaminWater. (The company was
later sold to Coca-Cola Company.)