Economy
September 8, 2021
If you’ve ever thought of selling your business, Smart Planning Helps the Dream Come True! On a trip I took last year, I bravely walked through the San Francisco airport wearing a Chiefs jersey. The looks I got were priceless. There were a few fun shout-outs here and there, but mostly San Fran still seemed a bit sore about losing Super Bowl LIV with an end-of-game flameout. Joe, behind the airport café counter said, “What a great victory for Kansas City and depressing loss for San Francisco — right when the 49ers had victory within their grasp! This is gonna […]
September 8, 2021
There’s enough negativity in this world. From social media to newspapers to TV, haters and critics abound. As I read a recent list from Entrepreneur Magazine and Yahoo! about the top reasons for business failure, I decided to write a list on the top reasons for business success by today’s fantastic entrepreneurs. Take these with a grain of salt – they are all my opinions after 27 years in the business world. Purpose and Direction. Business owners who are clear on their purpose and why their company exists are better communicators with their team and their clients. They tend to […]
September 8, 2021
If you’ve ever thought of selling your business, Smart Planning Helps the Dream Come True! On a trip I took last year, I bravely walked through the San Francisco airport wearing a Chiefs jersey. The looks I got were priceless. There were a few fun shout-outs here and there, but mostly San Fran still seemed a bit sore about losing Super Bowl LIV with an end-of-game flameout. Joe, behind the airport café counter said, “What a great victory for Kansas City and depressing loss for San Francisco — right when the 49ers had victory within their grasp! This is gonna […]
September 1, 2021
It’s finally time to retire. Now what? Do you spend time on the golf course? Are you looking forward to spending your days with your grandchildren? Do you already have a month-long vacation booked to Europe? Retirement looks different for everyone. It largely depends on age, lifestyle preferences, and personality. It’s about freedom and carefree days, right? So why does it matter what you do during retirement? The truth is that the days during your retirement matter just as much as the days preceding it, especially when it comes to your finances. Here are some tips on what you could […]
July 16, 2020
A report from First Trust Advisors, L.P.: It’s time to think about something other than COVID, statues, the election, and defunding the police. How about higher education? Specifically, student loans and grants. Just like the bipartisan efforts to making housing more affordable, these programs were well-intentioned. But, also like the housing market, they have led to serious problems. The US has about $1.5 trillion in student debt outstanding, more than subprime mortgage loans in 2007. We’re not worried these loans will cause a collapse in the economy, but they are a major burden that must be dealt with at some […]
June 25, 2020
A report from First Trust Advisors, L.P.: Turning off the global economic light-switch, and then turning it partially back on, has sent shockwaves through economic data that, while anticipated, have been jaw-dropping in both directions. For example, US retail sales plunged a combined 21.8% in March and April, before rising 17.7% in May. Manufacturing production fell 20.0% in March and April, before gaining 3.8% in May. Non-farm payrolls shrank 22.1 million in March and April, followed by a gain of 2.5 million in May. The savings rate surged to 33% in April, the highest rate ever recorded with current metrics. […]