True Wealth

Dr. Steve Sjuggerud's investment philosophy in True Wealth is simple:

 

Buy assets of great value when no one else wants them... and sell them when others will pay any price.

 

Over the past decade, this simple approach has revealed unusual opportunities you simply won't hear about anywhere else – including timber, gold coins, and government "tax certificates." If you get in early, all these investments have the potential to make outstanding gains – with extremely low risk, just as they have for True Wealth readers for years.

 

For example, True Wealth subscriber Raymond Martin, a former news producer at CBS, told us, "Of all the people I follow, Dr. Sjuggerud is, by far, the best at what he does... make me money. No one else comes close."

 

Over the years True Wealth readers have had the opportunity to make outstanding gains in Hong Kong stocks (31%)… farmland (49%)… Texas oil and gas royalties (165%)… and in "virtual banks" (37%), to name a few. Dr. Sjuggerud also recommended buying gold back in 2002 – when it was trading for around $320 an ounce. Subscribers who followed his advice saw gains of 273% and 206%, and 182% in collectible coins.

 

Dr. Sjuggerud makes about two dozen research trips around the world each year, looking for investment ideas that are cheap, unknown to the average investor, and beginning an uptrend.

 

A former stockbroker and vice president of trading at a $50 million international mutual fund, Dr. Sjuggerud holds a doctorate in finance (his dissertation covered emerging-market currencies) and has been quoted by the Wall Street Journal, Barron's, and the Washington Post, among many others.

 

On the third Friday of each month, Dr. Sjuggerud's True Wealth will bring you safe, profitable alternative investment ideas that are perfect for retirees and those about to retire.

 

http://stansberryresearch.com/products/true-wealth/

Tis the Season to Look Back and Plan Ahead: Creating Your Essential End-Of-Year Marketing Checklist

We are fast approaching the end of 2014, and while we write our company holiday cards and order those last-minute client gifts, we should also be developing our marketing plan for 2015 (if we haven't done so already). To make this a successful year, we need to review our "Ghosts of the Marketing Year Past" so our business can continue to learn, change, and grow. Key to this process is a series of specific areas you should assess:
· Examine your monthly income from January through at least November 2014. Compare your revenue to the previous year for each month, as well as overall for the year. If there's a large variance, explore why this is the case. You'll also want to study which a) products and/or services and b) customers generated the most revenue this past year, so you can consider how you can refocus your sales goals for 2015. Compare your profits from 2014 to 2013. What did your margins look like, and do they need to be changed?
· Study your expenses for 2014. Reflect on whether or not you made changes regarding vendors, utilities, and employees. How did these changes affect your 2014 costs? If there is an increase in costs from 2013 to 2014, why is this the case? Perhaps you need to look at all the areas in which you could potentially cut vendor costs, make employee changes, or reduce overhead costs such as rent, utilities (internet/phone), etc. It's important to also factor in any anticipated technology expenses you may need to incur in the upcoming year. How will these items be paid for?
· Compare the income from your products and/or services to 2013. If you added new products and/or services during the past year, look at how well they performed and what you would tweak or change (if anything) for 2015. Review your sales numbers and examine if you need to add new products and/or services to the mix, or possibly remove a product and/or service altogether.
· Pull out your 2014 promotions calendar. Scrutinize with a critical eye towards making more informed decisions regarding which promotions to carry over into 2015. For promotions you do every year, compare how each fared next to the same promotion during the previous year. Did you introduce new promotions this year? If so, how well did they do versus your projections? Write a list of any changes or improvements you need to make if using the same promotions. Finally, create your marketing calendar based on these observations and make sure there is ample space between each promotion.

· Analyze last year's social media, SEO and SEM programs. Which social media platforms generated the most leads for you? If you are not posting valuable content on a regular basis, create a schedule and stick with it. Scrutinize the results of pay-per-click programs to make sure you are getting the best bang for your advertising buck. Reexamine your company website with fresh eyes. Visit your competitors' websites and note anything you want to add and/or change on your site. Consider hiring in-house staff or an outside marketing consulting firm to track and tweak your SEO. Develop your 2015 strategy based on previous performance and industry trends.
· Look at your customer base. Do you have a good number of prospects lined up for next year? What specific plans do you have in place to reach them - and convert them? How many customers did you gain this year, and how many did you lose? For those customers you lost, try to find out why they left. This can be valuable feedback to help you make changes and help prevent this from happening with future customers. Now, focus on your existing customer base and the overall revenue they generated. Do some customers cost more in resources than the revenue they bring in? Are you seeing a downward performance trend with certain customers? This is important in helping you determine whether you either need to make a greater effort to raise those sales numbers or generate new customers to make up for the loss.
· Know your competition, especially locally. What products and/or services do they offer that you don't, and vice-versa? Hone in on the one or two companies that are your most direct competition. Look at their websites and collaterals and get ideas regarding your own marketing efforts for 2015, strategies that will help set you apart from them.
This end-of-year examination will place your business in the best possible position for success and profitability in 2015. Don't let the "Ghost of Marketing Years Future" catch you off guard!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Tis-the-Season-to-Look-Back-and-Plan-Ahead:-Creating-Your-Essential-End-Of-Year-Marketing-Checklist&id=8849654

http://addicted2success.com/quotes/52-motivational-picture-quotes-for-an-epic-year-of-success/

17 Things Every Successful Leader Says Every Day

Successful leaders get that way because they have a positive attitude, and they know how to build strong and enduring relationships with their employees. Instead of becoming adversaries, they become partners with their employees--earning their respect, their trust, and their loyalty.
They don't do this, however, by keeping their opinions to themselves. They really connect with their people--involving them, engaging them, and letting them know that they are valued and respected members of the team.
Go from being a good leader to a great leader by saying these things every successful leader says every day:

1. What do you think?

Your employees are a never-ending source of ideas, many of which you may have never thought of or considered. When you ask them what they think, you're letting them know that you want and value their ideas.

2. I trust you.

Every employee wants to feel that he or she has earned the boss's trust. When your employees know that you trust them, they will repay you with their good work, their loyalty, and their trust.

3. I know you can do it.

When employees know that you are confident in their abilities, their own self-confidence will increase--improving the probability that they will accomplish their goals.

4. It's not your fault.

Sometimes problems occur and there's nothing your employees could have done to prevent them. Be quick to recognize when these situations occur, and let your employees know you understand that they are not to blame for them.

5. I'm proud of you.

Who doesn't like to know that his or her parents--or boss--is proud of his or her work and accomplishments? Don't hesitate to let your employees know that you are proud of what they've done.

6. Please.

No employee wants to be ordered or bossed around. While you may be the boss, you can and should be polite when asking an employee to do something for you.

7. Thank you.

Believe it or not, 58 percent of employees reported in a workplace study that their boss seldom if ever personally thanked them for a job well done. Be the kind of leader who is generous with the praise, and your employees will appreciate you for it.

8. Great idea--let's do it.

If you get good ideas from your employees but you don't ever actually implement any of them, your employees will quit bothering to bring new ideas to your attention. Encourage your people to create and innovate by implementing their good ideas whenever possible.

9. I've always got time for you.

Your people are your most important asset--far more valuable than your facilities and equipment, product inventory, intellectual property, and all the cash you've got in the bank. Make a point of taking time to talk with them whenever they request it. If you can't sit down with them right then and there, make an appointment on your calendar to meet with them as soon as you possibly can.

10. I couldn't have done it without you.

Employees crave recognition for a job well done. Let them know that you value their contributions, and that they play a vital role in the organization. Even better, tell them exactly what it was they did to earn your praise.

11. No one is perfect.

Instead of playing the blame game when your employees make mistakes (which only causes them to refrain from doing anything beyond the required minimum in the future), let them know you understand that mistakes will be made, and that as long as lessons are being learned from these mistakes, you support what they are doing.

12. What can I do to help?

Your employees want your support. By asking what you can do to help them--and then following through with the requested support--you are clearly demonstrating to them that you are someone they can rely on when the chips are down.

13. I made a mistake.

No employee respects a boss who refuses to admit making a mistake, or who tries to blame his or her own mistakes on a member of the team. Earn the respect of your people by quickly and publicly owning up to your mistakes, and then doing whatever it takes to correct them.

14. I need your help.

When you need help to get your own job done, don't be afraid to ask your employees for it. They will not only make your burden lighter but also appreciate that you think highly enough of them to ask for their assistance.

15. Anything is possible.

Successful leaders know that there really are no limits to what can be accomplished, given sufficient resources and motivation. Be a glass-half-full kind of person, and your positive attitude will rub off on your employees.

16. I'm sorry.

Never underestimate the power of a heartfelt apology when you say or do something that offends or upsets an employee. These two words--"I'm sorry"--are extremely powerful, and they can heal many wounds.

17. I've got your back.

Employees want to know that you've got their back when they most need your help or support. Be steadfast in your commitment to your people, and do everything in your power to be someone they can count on--in good times and bad.
http://www.inc.com/peter-economy/17-things-every-successful-leader-says-every-day.html

Take action.

 

Simply doing the work is hands down the best way to conquer inhibitions. Break an idea into actionable steps, and focus on how the idea can make a difference.
We admit it: Our initial idea was a failure. But because it was an MVP, this small misstep didn’t cripple our company. In fact, it served as a powerfull learning opportunity.
When you think the worst thing that can happen to you is failure, then that fear isn’t very powerful. Failure happens to everyone, and it’s a necessary part of the innovation process.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/240492

10 Unforgettable Quotes by Jim Rohn

 

1. “Don’t wish it was easier, wish you were better. Don’t wish for less problems, wish for more skills. Don’t wish for less challenge, wish for more wisdom.”
2. “The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not a bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly.”
3. “We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.”
4. “Days are expensive. When you spend a day you have one less day to spend. So make sure you spend each one wisely.”
5. “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.”
6. “If you are not willing to risk the unusual, you will have to settle for the ordinary.”
7. “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.”
8. “Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day.”
9. “Don’t join an easy crowd; you won’t grow. Go where the expectations and the demands to perform are high.”
10. “Learn how to be happy with what you have while you pursue all that you want.”

http://www.success.com/article/10-unforgettable-quotes-by-jim-rohn#sthash.0IjI9IiF.dpuf

"Don't solicit feedback on your product, idea or your business just for validation purposes. You want to tell the people who can help move your idea forward, but if you're just looking to your friend, co-worker, husband or wife for validation, be careful. It can stop a lot of multimillion-dollar ideas in their tracks in the beginning." Sara Blakely, founder, Spanx

 

Source: brainyquote.com