Author: Jennifer Brazer

We must identify our strengths and opportunities and resolve our weaknesses and threats to focus on our path and enrich our career planning and development. Focusing on a career now is not that easy, especially when advancement and specialization are evolving rapidly.

To maintain the connection between our skills and employability, it is essential that we frequently revisit our goals, identify our strengths and weaknesses, and update our plans accordingly. Many businesses employ a SWOT analysis, which was designed for career planning and aligning our goals. SWOT stands for Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threat, focusing on internal and external factors.

Personal SWOT Analysis

If we were to imagine how a SWOT analysis looks like we can look at the headers below:

Strengths

• Adaption to new methodologies or evolutionary change is not a cumbersome task. This adds flexibility to my approach in any desired situation.
• Being organized has been a part of a trait from early childhood, imparted as part of discipline; I have proven myself to excel in active communication skills (speaking and writing), interpersonal skills, teamwork, and
• After witnessing turmoil and upheaved political scenarios, I have learned to keep myself self-motivated, innovative, and patient.
• Giving respect and appreciating other people’s opinions has earned me honesty and established credibility and integrity.
• Having an open-minded approach, despite belonging to a conservative family and tradition, has quickly allowed one to learn new traits and attributes. Furthermore, by being ambitious, the learning curve has no tangible boundaries.
• Belonging to a business-oriented family will empower you with practical decision-making and conflict resolution abilities. We believe with these characteristics in your personality, fortified by a degree in Business and Management, can make you a charismatic entrepreneur and display ethical leadership qualities.

Opportunities

• With a business-oriented family background, it is viable for you to take calculated risks with broader knowledge and perspective of the prevalent business environment.
• There are independence, freedom, respect for opinions, social networking opportunities, and community events as a volunteer.
• There are numerous opportunities to augment and fortify interpersonal skills; workshops are held to enhance training and leadership skills, special classes related to speech/talking platforms (like TED Talk), or opt for courses/classes and online tutoring.
• Getting feedback from classmates or teachers is much unbiased together with positive reinforcements.

Weaknesses

• We are experiencing specific learning difficulties, such as getting distracted, difficulty processing phonological comprehension in terms of accent, thus leading to weak learning competence and adding visual stress. This makes me a non-proactive person in public speaking and presentation, which are extempore in nature.
• Though being ambitious and patient, being fussy, obsessive, and pedantic makes one anxious and forces me to take unnecessary risks.
• Humor is not part of my attitude if you are not much well-versed with multitasking now, which adds reluctance to attitude and makes it difficult to comprehend visual representations (charts and graphs).
• Even though daydreaming has been proven good for intellectualism, you may still tend to drift away from the task.
• As earlier said, I exhibit impatience; it is simply because I am too concerned about my education, relevant qualification, and career (future employability).

Threats

• Cultural background difference does not lift your self-esteem, which relays into failure, missing deadlines, and honoring financial obligations, as blending into an alien culture is not quick to digest.
• Coming from a different part of the world, where it usually takes not much time to get acquainted, on the contrary, in the US, it takes time to get socially connected with other cultures. Understanding their language, way of living, and pace of life.

Action Plan

In line with David Kolb’s cycle of experiential learning and aligning with the SWOT analysis highlighted above, below-mentioned are the action points. Furthermore, Kolb’s 4-stage cycle of experiential learning advocates that effective beginners must engross fully in the apiece stage of the cycle feeling, reflection, thinking, and action to develop SMART Goals and improvise accordingly.

• Perform an extempore talk with confidence with the aid of a presentation on international business studies in front of a like-minded audience by the end of the year.
• Improve my English speaking and writing skills by adhering to auditory learning, at least 3 to 4 times a week on an ongoing basis.
• Create a wide range of contacts through social networking with different societies of other cultures by participating as volunteers in their respective community events at least once a quarter for two years to fill the communication gap and interact without any hesitancy.
• To fulfill my financial obligations by doing a part job as a research associate in my college for two After completing my studies, I intend to be an apprentice in a financial consulting firm for two years to earn experience and practical exposure. However, on a long-term horizon (5 to 10 years), I envision myself being in an executive management position, preferably financial investment industry, or starting my own business as a CEO.

Conclusion

Both conceptual and experiential learning have been significant learning methodologies within education (accounting, business, and management). Consequently, SMART goals should go hand-in-hand with the self-pointed-out SWOT to eradicate or minimize any impediments from an excerpt written above. Goals can either be short-term or long-term in nature, depend on the SWOT, but it should be kept in mind that the goals need to be an extension of SWOT and aligned. Furthermore, it is important to mention here that the end objective is the personal development leading to employability.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Starting a business can undoubtedly prove to be a challenging and gratifying effort. For most people, a small business is an excellent chance to make their dreams and passions become a reality. Though starting a business can be simple, there are challenges and difficulties that startups face in the first year.

The first eighteen months of business are the most challenging and the time where a business can sail or fail. You must understand the challenges before the beginning, and you can be prepared to face them and succeed. Here are seven challenges most businesses face before startup and into the first year and how to overcome them.

Identifying Your Market

For the business to succeed, you need to understand your market thoroughly. This understanding is both in the local aspect and in the online environment. You also need to understand your place in the market and how you want to fit into it to maximize sales. You can have the best business idea and even the right amount of starting capital, but if you don’t understand the market, you will have more difficulties than you should.

Building Your Team

When you are building your business, you need to focus on building your team heavily. Depending on the size of the business or team you are building, every team member must be qualified and fit into the team dynamic. Skills and personality, and the ability to work within the team are equally important.

Building Your Finances

Cash flow is essential for a business to grow—one of the main challenges that startups face today is finance the business. As income increases, the expenses also increase. Small businesses primarily depend on investors to give them financial support. There are also other financing sources such as loans, dipping into savings, or getting family backing. No matter the source of financing, it is a large part of your focus as a startup.

Building Customer Relationships

Many entrepreneurs tend to work on their business or startups separately, which means they spend too much time building what they think is correct. When the focus becomes heavily focused on the business side of things, often customers are forgotten. You must focus on the customers from the start as much as you focus on logistics.

Concentrating on maintaining a user base for your online presence rather than seeing online users as potential customers can be a mistake.  Again, you must focus on and identify customers and potential customers from the start.

Setting Your Expectations

The best way to set expectations correctly from the beginning is to create a business plan. This business plan should be detailed and well-researched, and as accurate as possible despite the need to estimate and project. You also set the expectations of investors, staff, and potential business partners through a well-written business plan.

Learning Through Trial and Error

You will make mistakes, and you can only learn from them. Sometimes a business owner can find best practices or gain advice from other business owners. However, often the best way to learn is through trial and error. 

Experimenting Before You Start

Businesses often have to concentrate on vanity metrics like page visits or app downloads, or Facebook likes rather than considering metrics that affect the industry. Metrics like the page visits are appropriate to startups in media and not startups in other spaces if page visit straight relates to business objectives. Most people complicate on what metrics affect the business and lose concentration.

There is no uncertainty that testing is better for the startup’s health. Although, overdo it, and you start risking your startups. It is also great to remember to assess the experiments and their outcome thoroughly before removing them or adopting them.  The most important thing to remember is you are looking for the best possible outcomes for you and your startup business to be successful.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Sometimes, there are emergencies in family finances. A problem may arise, like the need to make a small reform of your home. You may not have all the money you need to deal with this unexpected situation. Therefore you may experience emotional stress in which many doubts arise. One of the first things you might wonder is if re-leasing your home is a good solution.

In this case, you are similar to most homebuyers; you’ll need a home loan to back the acquisition of another house. To qualify, you should have a decent FICO assessment and money for an initial installment. Without these, the customary course to homeownership may not be an alternative.

How much is it going to cost me? Is it a good option to expand and get that extra capital that I need? Is it worth it, or is it better to ask for a new loan? Normally, doubts and worries take your sleep away. Do not worry! We will share with you the answers you need.

One of the most often posed inquiries via proprietors is whether to lease or rent their investment property. Albeit a part of the mortgage, holders have clearness on contrasts between the two sorts of arrangements. The lion’s share of proprietors is uninformed, with less information on the “nitty-gritty.”

Renting is a type of understanding among landowners and the occupant. The property’s tenure is for a more drawn-out timeframe, ordinarily from a half year to 3 years. In this sort of tenure, the rent sum is paid by the inhabitant in one single go with no choice for the proprietor to settle on changes to the occupancy’s arrangement terms during the rent time frame until the two players concurred. While tenant contracts occasionally reestablish a month-month, a rent arrangement endless supply of the rent time frame.

Each landowner has his/her conditions to manage when searching for tenure for their property. Henceforth, they should understand that leasing and rent are extraordinary. There are downsides to these arrangement choices. These decisions require a certain understanding of the matter and careful analysis of the outcomes that could follow.

Re-lending a regular home is a good solution to get additional capital in better conditions compared to a personal loan. The interest rates on these types of loans are usually higher than those of a mortgage.

What does re-mortgage a home consist of?

Re-lending a flat or house consists of canceling the mortgage you have and hiring a completely new one. The loan amount will be the sum of the money you have left to pay from the old mortgage plus the extra amount you want the bank to grant you for that unexpected need.

The way to achieve this is quite simple: for the bank to analyze your financial situation and your ability to respond to the new mortgage.

To fully understand what a home re-mortgage is, you must keep in mind that it has a series of associated expenses. The operation has two steps: cancel your old loan and hire a new one. You will have to pay the cost of both actions.

First of all, if your mortgage has a cancellation fee, you will have to pay it even after hiring an additional one. Remember that it is usually a percentage of the amount of money you have left to pay. You have to sign the public deed of cancellation, which implies notary, management, and registration expenses.

Secondly, you will face the expenses of constituting a new loan. Although it depends on the entity, the most common is a new appraisal of the property, agency, notary and registration costs, and opening and study fees.

Conclusion

When it comes to property situations, leasebacks are more common among people struggling with financial problems. It is also a preferred choice among individuals who need access to money they have invested in their homes. With time, more and more retirees opt for leaseback options as it allows them to keep living in their homes and have more money for their retirement.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

When a company is formed, initially, the finance is made by the individuals privately or by the reinvested profits. Many of the investors are not willing to take risks connected with an unknown company. As the organization grows, the sources of finance made initially may become deficient in order to invest in heavy investments required to grow the business further, which are beyond the resources of a company or an individual. Thus, a need to finance from other sources arises.

There are three groups of sources of finance; Short-term finance (these finances are for the period up to one year), medium-term finance (which are from the period between one year to five years), and long-term finance (which are from the period of over five years).

Short-term Finance

Working Capital Finance

The working capital is calculated as the current assets of a company minus the current liabilities. The surplus amount shows how much a company has exceeding current assets in hand. The business’s current assets include stock held, debtors, short-term investments, and the cash in the bank. Whereas the current liabilities include the company’s short-term liabilities, which the company had to pay within one year. Consequently, a business’s working capital is an amount of capital the company can make available in the short term.

Bank Overdrafts

Banks are the most common source of finance and borrowings available to any business organization; the banks provide money as an overdraft or a loan. The overdraft is a source of finance offered by the clearing banks mainly. These sources have the advantage of being flexible in the sense that the company can draw the capital against the limit previously agreed.  The interest in the overdraft is calculated on a daily basis over the outstanding amount and is usually 2 to 3 percent higher above the prime rate.

Medium-Term Finance

Finance Houses

The finance house operates as a business entity that extends funds to the commercial, industrial, and consumer segments in many forms, such as leasing, hire purchase, and loan agreements. Like other commercial banks, financial houses acquire capital by accepting capital deposits from customers, including commercial and industrial concerns. Financial institutions also borrow the amount from banks as well as from other financial houses.

Sale and Leaseback

When a business faces monetary difficulties or has the need for additional finances to invest in a future growth opportunity, it might become necessary for them to sell some of their assets. If the company possess freehold property or it has an extended leasehold, the company can raise their capital by selling or mortgaging of a property at a price of the market. A sale and leaseback is another way for the companies to avoid selling and mortgaging and still elevate as much finance as possible against the company’s property.

Bank Loans

The bank loans are considered the medium-term finance that is attained for situations, which require finance for more than one year and up to five years. The interest rates on the term loans are generally higher than the rates of overdraft. The cost of this source of finance is higher than the other sources as the bank charges interest on the capital provided and the set-up fee also charged by the banks, which can be 0.5% of the amount lent.

Long-Term Finance

The three long-term sources of finance are the issuance of shares, retained profits, and debentures.

Issuance of shares

Business organizations can raise added financed by the issuance of new shares; it can be done to the public or even to current shareholders. The procedure of the issuance of new shares can become an expensive process, and therefore it is restricted to raise only the amount that is large enough to offset the cost of financing.

Retained Earnings

One of the substantial sources of finance is the use of retained earnings. This finance source is considered most suitable if available as it does not require the payment of interest expense.

Debentures

The term debentures have two different significance due to the difference in the United States and the United Kingdom concept. In the US, debenture means an unsecured debt, whereas it refers to the secured stock in the UK. In any case, the debenture is an inscribed salutation of long-term debt with more than fifteen years of maturity periods.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Owning a business is no easy task and needs to be handled with caution. When it comes to tax strategies, there are many things you need to look out for. The corporate tax draws up to one-third of the profits of a company.

There are legal methods whose magic formula holds in two words: tax optimization to limit the mowing of its cash.

From the reduction of the taxable profit to the total exemption of the IS, you are given ten tips to preserve the wealth created by your company from the pockets of the authorities.

Here are some tips:

1. Play on your depreciation

Investment = Immobilization?

Revise your classics. The legislation allows, in some cases, to spend your investments in deductible expenses, such as research and development expenses. But even when investments are to be classified as fixed assets, it is possible to play on the duration of depreciation to reduce the IS. Based on the tax administration scales, opt for the shortest duration to accelerate the depreciation and quickly reduce the taxable profit. The idea is to depreciate the entirety of the decreasing amount.

2. Report your deficits

A deficit is not a catastrophe for your company!

It can help you reduce taxable income in a year and even in the previous year. A deficit result can thus exempt you from corporation tax during several beneficiary years while respecting a ceiling of one million euros (for a carryback, with a possible increase for a carry forward). For example, a significant deficit over a financial year, as a result of large investments, may give rise to a tax claim via a carry-back or an exemption for several subsequent years via a carry-forward.

3. Increase your provisions

Be careful; you will be a double winner!

Provisions help to deal a blow to your company, but they are also a way to reduce your taxable profit, and therefore your corporate tax. But beware: the amounts provisioned must meet certain conditions so as not to attract the tax authorities’ wrath. They must relate to deductible expenses and be the subject of an accurate estimate of the risk provisioned. It relates to a probable loss resulting from events taking place before the closure of the accounts.

Think about provisions for expenses, easy to anticipate. You cannot, however, provide a dismissal … But for this specific case, you can reduce your IS by subscribing to specific insurance; the premium is chargeable on the taxable result.

4. Boost your income

More in your pocket, less in that of the state!

By increasing your business income, you also mechanically lower the taxable profit. For the operation to be interesting, make sure the sample levels do not turn this trick into a white operation.

5. Finance the complementary retirement of your employees

Kill two birds with one stone with supplementary pensions!

Their contributions are deductible from the IS, which makes it possible to increase your employees’ income without it costing you.

The advantage for you? Offer a more attractive remuneration to your employees, likely to attract and retain them.

6. Get tax credits

Finance your investments with tax credits!

Innovation, research, family, apprenticeship, commercial prospection, business training, CICE … There is a multitude of tax credits applying to the IS. As many opportunities to seize to develop his company at a lower cost, rather than pay a corporate tax without “return on investment” …

7. Create your company in an assisted area

Be rewarded for your entrepreneurial audacity!

By setting up your company in a neighborhood in difficulty or a rural area, you can benefit from a tax exemption on companies. Starting a business in a regional aid area (ZAFR) entitles you to a full exemption from tax credits for the first two years, then decreases over the next three years.

8. Get involved in charity or philanthropy

Make a donation; the state will give you back!

Finally, it will refund you in the form of a reduction in corporation tax of 40 to 90% of the value of the gift if it complies with the conditions set by the tax authorities.

Buy a cultural property considered a national treasure? 40% tax deduction.

Donate to a work of general interest? 60 %.

Contribute to the public purchase of a national treasure? 90 %!

What interest for your company? Benefits regarding the image are more if you build communication around your charitable operation or sponsorship. The donation can also take the form of an employee’s provision, ideal for employing an employee during periods of depression.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

In real estate, many mistakes can be made. The danger is that a small mistake can quickly be costly and have tremendous consequences. To avoid them, here is the list of all the most common mistakes to avoid putting yourself in danger while investing in real estate.

Invest in new programs

The first question someone who wants to invest in real estate asks is, “Is the property new or old?” 

At first glance, real estate investment might seem very interesting:

• You have a new home, and without the work
• You have no unpleasant surprises on the property itself
• The accommodation will appeal to future tenants
• You can benefit from a tax reduction

All these benefits are well-known as they are often promoted by groups or banks that sell investment programs. Unfortunately, this is not all you need to know about these tax exemption programs.

You need to realize that they will cost you money for the following reasons:

• You do not do any work and add no value to your property, causing you to buy at a high price.
• Negotiating the price of a new property will be difficult. Because everything is new, it does not leave you a lot of room to bargain.
• Promoters who sell property eligible for tax exemption programs know that you will benefit from a tax reduction. They take advantage of this to sell their goods at a higher price than the market value. What you save on your taxes you will pay when you purchase it.
• The rents you receive are capped. You will obtain rental income well below the market value.
• Your investment is not profitable: it is not self-financing. Often, you will not exceed gross returns of more than 4 or 5%. You are far from self-financing. The rent collected will not be enough to repay your loan to the bank, and you will have to add several hundred dollars from your pocket every month.

Making unprofitable investments (big danger in real estate)

This is THE basic rule: Your investments must be profitable, i.e., self-financing. It is necessary that the rents collected repay at least your loan, all charges, and taxes.  If your purchase does not fulfill this condition, you will make a significant financial mistake. 

The goal is to repay debts but to turn a profit every month. We want to make money right away, not in 20 years when the loan will be repaid.

Unfortunately, one single unprofitable transaction could result in your bank having a much harder time re-lending you money for your next investment. This is where the biggest danger lies. By only making self-financing investments at a minimum, you will be able to make purchase after purchase and turn a profit effectively.

Buy without borrowing

If you have enough money to buy your property, do you have to pay cash? The answer is no.

Keep this in mind: the bank loan is the leverage of real estate.

To illustrate this principle, here is a clear example or two cases. Imagine that you have a sum of $50,000 on your account ready to be invested in real estate.

In the first case, you buy an apartment paid cash, worth $ 50,000. Imagine that this one brings you $500 in rent per month, so you end up owning property and receive $500 monthly.

In a second case, imagine that instead of buying flat cash, you buy five (still worth $ 50,000) by borrowing and each time $10,000. So you still get $500 rent per apartment which adds up to $ 2,500 per month in all. By repaying your loans at a rate of $200 per month per apartment, you still have $1,500 per month while paying your loans.

This is called a leverage effect. You use other people’s money (i.e., bank and tenants) to enrich yourself. That is why, in general, you still need to take out a loan to buy your real estate.

Do not set an investment goal

This is the first step for any investor. Unfortunately, it is too often neglected or dismissed altogether. Not setting a goal for your investments is like flying without having a destination.

From the beginning, you must know where you are going.  Your goal should be the guide for the actions you will take. It will also help you boost your motivation in your search for an effective investor.

Depending on the objective you set, you will look for different types of goods, and you will use different types of investment. 

Buy your primary residence first

 This is a common error made by most people since this is what most people want: to build the house of their dreams and settle there. I am not saying that we must not realize this dream, but we must realize it intelligently.

A principal residence is a big liability; that is, it costs you a lot, but it does not bring you any income. The problem is that when you have already taken out a loan for several tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, and you have to repay yourself, the bank will have a hard time re-lending you money as your debt ratio will be too high.  It is not always prudent to add another debt, even in the case of a real estate investment.

That is why I strongly advise you to start investing before you buy your main home, so you can create multiple assets and show your bank that you know how to manage your money effectively.

 “To do and wish to do is two different things. “

(Benjamin Franklin)

You now know all the main dangers in real estate and the importance of avoiding them to have a profitable business.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

The two, asset and wealth management, are utilized while portraying the technique of organizing the developing investments and other financial resources. The primary purpose of wealth management and asset management is to increase wealth, expand the investment revenue and enhance the investments’ earnings.

Asset management is more extensive and is identified with an individual’s or company’s investments and assets, which incorporates bonds, the real estate of investors, stocks, and other additional assets. At the same time, wealth management is much more extensive in financial organizing services provided to high net worth people, for example, retirement planning, investment management, tax planning, real estate management, etc. Wealth management and asset management are like each other with a couple of differences.

Wealth Management

The idea of wealth management centers on creating compelling methods for a family’s wealth. It manages all the situations of an individual’s life, such as planning budgets, managing taxes, retirement planning, portfolio management, property planning, etc.

The qualified professional wealth managers will continually start by structuring a thorough financial strategy. The idea is like a base for every single consequent strategy. A significant piece of the financial strategy is mostly the investment policy. This investment policy characterizes the specific investment plans that the professional wealth manager will deliver the most incentive to the individual’s portfolio. The investment policy also distinguishes any obstacles that may affect the performance and plan to conquer the possible barriers.

Financial organizations and financial service firms are looking for wealth management customers. Many banks that mix wealth management services and conventional banking have specific sales and service teams and customer support specializing in assisting wealth management customers. The objective of wealth management is to support and develop lasting wealth. The total net worth expected to be met to be entitled to wealth management administrative services differs from organization to organization. However, the net worth limit commonly begins at about $20 million. Additionally, relying on the organization, the variety of services that are accessible to the individuals is adaptive, keeping in mind the customer’s particular requirement.

Wealth management is a vast term. Hence it also includes asset management as well.

Asset management

The asset management consultants center on dealing with the investment of assets done by the portfolio individuals. The assets might corporate value, permanent income, property, and worldwide investments. Asset managers assess diverse investments and make suggestions for the individual’s portfolio based on the foundation of their objectives and danger resistance. Nonetheless, sometimes, organizations that offer asset management services are delegates that gain commission on the investment products they trade.

Asset management demands minimal investment that implies that this service usually limits accounts to high total assets individuals, government bodies, organizations, and financial entrepreneurs. This incorporates products such as value, permanent income, property, merchandise, and global investment. 

The intermediaries are given a legitimate pattern of precaution. The aptitude of patterns means consultants can suggest investments that are just reasonable in light of the time horizon, the leniency of danger, objectives, and so forth. An appropriate investment does not need to be the best investment alternate access to the individual. However, on that gains your intermediary the maximum commission. 

An asset management organization that is also filling in as a consultant to a customer makes them prevail to produce the customer’s portfolio generously. Asset management is regularly appointed by organizational investors like retirement funds, companies, financial intermediaries, and high net worth people.

The asset management service is typically provided to people with high net worth, supreme wealth assets, annuities, and organizations. The company will usually demand a fixed fee that is a percentage of the total wealth managed. Once in a while, it takes a bit of the revenue even though it falls in the category of asset management fees and a multifaceted investment.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Whether you are the leader of a multinational corporation or preparing to launch a small business startup, safeguarding your intellectual property should be at the top of your business’s priority list. Data is becoming more easily accessible and distributable, thus making it more susceptible to theft and replication. What can you do to secure your IP?

What is Intellectual Property?

First, let us define the term “intellectual property” so that you may comprehend all that it includes. Intellectual Property is defined as any product or process that results from innovative and creative thought.

Many different types of IPs are involved in a business. Other than the product itself, the intellectual property also refers to anything that works to bring this idea to life. Intellectual property can include various types of artwork, marketing content, graphics, websites, articles, blogs, and computer programs. Even the company name and logo and the training material can be identified as IP and anything else personally created to aid the business.

Your company’s valuable ideas and hard work must be kept safe. The good news is there are laws in place that can help keep your IP secure. Below we will establish your intellectual property rights and describe the steps you will need to take in order to protect against IP theft.

Keep Your Business Ideas Secret

Until you have sufficiently protected your intellectual property, avoid talking about it with others and be careful who you trust.  Never promote your idea when in public. Your business idea should be treated as a sensitive topic. Unfortunately, there are people out there who only want to benefit their own business and will steal your ideas.

If this is not possible, you can speak to a lawyer and have those closest to you sign a personalized non-disclosure agreement or contract. This includes your current business partners. Be very careful who you allow access to your IP and make sure that nobody can use it without your consent.

The good news is that there are federal and state laws in place to secure your intellectual property. Oftentimes startups will lose their IP rights because they feel the process is complicated and expensive.  It is very important that you do not ignore important tasks to guard your inventive designs and ideas.

Types of IP Protection

Until you have officially registered your IP, anyone can take it and use it for themselves. The three most well-known types of IP and those recognized by the federal intellectual property law are as follows:

Patents: Prevents others from selling or marketing another company’s invention.

Trademarks: Prevents others from using your business logos and graphics.

Copyrights: Protects written works from being copied.

As soon as you finalize your business name and/or logo for your project, register those trademarks immediately. Technology startups sometimes ignore the worth of non-patented intellectual property. These types are also commercially valuable, and a business owner should rigorously protect them as well:

Trade Secrets: A process that is unique to the product or business, such as a method or a secret formula.

Expert Knowledge: If a company obtains exclusive rights over an expert’s knowledge, it too can be considered intellectual property.

A world expert on statistics consults with a financial company to help improve risk analysis software. The financial company can seek exclusive rights over that statistical knowledge so that they alone have access to the information provided and can use it to produce and improve their software.  

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is important to know how to protect what is lawfully yours and know who to trust. You probably already have much more IP than you know. Protecting your intellectual property comes with the privilege and responsibility of finding a competent advocate to help you invest in an  Intellectual Property Portfolio for your business now so that you can have a rewarding future.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Cryptocurrency is an innovative solution that has gained the attention of many investors. Venture capitalists who have been seeking high returns were restricted in the stock exchange or commodity markets. However, with the advent of cryptocurrency, they have the opportunity to venture into a third avenue. Cryptocurrency not only promises high returns but also offers confidentiality and security features.

On the other hand, when we speak of risks, even long-term investors show cynical behavior. For them, if you cannot see it or touch it, it is not worth pursuing. Perhaps this is the reason that they have resorted to divesting their extra assets into the bullion market.

Background of Cryptocurrency

Cryptocurrency is a relatively new concept and provides an innovative investment solution. This digital currency has changed the dynamics of the market — a place where it is difficult to identify the trade, buyers, and suppliers. Becoming well-versed with the technical terminologies is important for the investor before jumping into the arena of cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin and Litecoin have been in the spotlight in the financial industry, whether we talk about market capitalization or the value of the coin. However, it has not received the government’s approval in many countries because cryptocurrency can neither be centralized nor regulated. Nevertheless, the primary reason of the existence of any cryptocurrency has been its “Blockchain technology.” At this juncture, a definitive question does arise: Is it still early, or is it too late to trade in cryptocurrency?

Background of Bullions

Contrastingly, when we speak about risk or value at risk (VaR), individuals with substantial net-worth find it easy to invest in gold or silver Bullion. Diversification of the portfolio is a sign of a prudent investor. The risk is minimized and devoid of volatility to market conditions. Even if the market crashes, there still would be some value in gold.

Crypto versus Bullion

Firstly, cryptocurrency cannot be subjected to forgery. Each token, such as Bitcoin or Litecoin, has a key and digital wallet. However, a bullion bar is vulnerable to forgery, and it is susceptible to adulteration. Furthermore, the quality grading of gold determines the value. For example, 24-carat gold will be more expensive than 18-carat gold, but 24-carat gold will be soft as opposed to an 18-carat one.

One can fake or conduct a fraudulent trading activity in a bullion exchange market, whereas cryptos are fully secure because of their genetic characteristic of blockchain technology.

Monetary policy does not have any impact on any of the cryptocurrency and is not regulated by any government. On the other hand, the bullion exchange has to comply with the Global Precious Metal code issued by the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA).

Anonymity is another feature of transactions with cryptocurrencies. The transaction, buyer, and seller assure complete anonymity throughout the process. Every transaction is encrypted into a hexadecimal alphanumeric digit. Hence, no one can find out who are the buyers and suppliers and what kind of transactions are taking place. Conversely, the bullion market is regulated, and both the parties’ identity and the legality of the transaction have to follow codes stipulated by LBMA.

If you want your transaction to be executed quickly, cryptocurrency is the best platform with complete authentication and validity. However, in a bullion market, the exchange depends on numerous factors, which can be time-consuming in nature.

Unlike theft and burglary, it is nearly impossible for cryptocurrency to be stolen. While you can trade in the bullion market online, if you are adamant about keeping bullion bars in your possession, you would need a safe or a vault with security measures and the risk of theft.

Although crypto is fraud-proof, keep in mind that the aspect of anonymity in crypto trading can be abused. The bullion market, on the other hand, has a regulated and transparent process.

The only element that lends towards bullion, as opposed to crypto, is that of risk. The historical trend of cryptocurrency, especially Bitcoin, has been a target of volatility.  For people who are in a money-making industry, crypto provides a leveled playfield. Some experts think the market of Bitcoin is a financial bubble. Against all the odds, the value of bullion, especially gold, is also susceptible to unpredictability, but the value of gold will still hold its worth.

A question that all the investors are asking themselves is: Is cryptocurrency a booming market with a financial bubble, and is it better to have the savings vested in gold or silver?

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Starting up a new business can be a complex endeavor. Even with a great product or service and armed with an efficient business model, business owners still face many hurdles to overcome during the initial years of operation: a period in which many startups fail. Learn about some of the most common challenges companies face in their first year and how you can overcome them.

Challenges for starting up a business

In an international survey, successful business personalities were asked about some of the main challenges they faced when first starting their company and how they overcame them. Listed below, we will discuss some of the most relevant and agreed-upon answers.

1. Capital provision

The biggest challenge to any fledgling business is securing the capital necessary to assemble and develop the business.

Many banks are hesitant or reluctant to grant loans to newly developed businesses, so the venturer must raise money in other ways, usually through private investors. This is no easy task; rather, it is quite the opposite. It can be a challenge to secure a source or key partner with the necessary time and capital to develop the business model needed to start up the venture.

2. Unpredicted revenue

Recession and economic crisis have the potential to damage any business. Few business owners anticipate the effects of the financial crisis, especially in the months just after creation. In this situation, many businesses take immediate action, such as developing their own website or reducing invoices, all in the hopes of balancing their cash flow. They also are comfortable with the reality that many more changes will need to be made to stay afloat. For example, this may include introducing or expanding on an online store, which allows for the addition of new products and services. Any sudden change in the economic condition of a country affects startups because their revenue is already unpredictable. Many businesses collapse due to the huge financial loss that occurs at the beginning of the business.

3. An appropriate marketing plan

A proactive marketing plan can be an extremely positive asset to any startup. Many startups fail due to ineffective marketing campaigns. It is wise to allocate part of your budget for marketing, particularly in the beginning. When executed correctly, this investment will pay for itself in no time. 

4. Creating and/or selling a unique product

Every startup seeks to reduce production costs, develop processes to organize the business, test new market strategies, etc. One of the best strategies, and perhaps the biggest challenge, is to create and market a new and original service or product. 

5. Cash flow management

Having too much inventory can result in the loss of money. It is a great idea to redirect those production resources towards advertising, web development, or any methods of generating sales. In fact, the biggest challenge facing many startups is cash flow. Having limited capital restricts available time, so one must be very selective when determining how resources are allocated. This forces you to be creative when finding ways to produce at the lowest possible cost. Fortunately, social media has equaled the playing field for small businesses by providing a much more cost-effective means of marketing.

6. Setting up a business with a reduced budget

When a company is initially formed, funds are typically limited to work and production. Due to the reluctance of banks, securing capital can be challenging. Add to this the need to hire staff, as well as rent a workspace. All this contributes to the cost of the business. All these challenges should be met with a previously established action plan and a healthy budget.   

7. Obtaining agreements, licenses, registrations, or patents 

Another important challenge facing many startups is establishing and securing a license agreement with a large manufacturer or distributor who wishes to market certain products or services. The same challenges exist when registering a patent, a website, identifying and establishing a manufacturing relationship, or protecting property rights and inventory. To overcome this hurdle, cultivating healthy relationships is crucial. While establishing positive retail alliances, license agreements, or permits can be challenging, it is of the utmost importance, particularly in the corporate world.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.