Marketing your small business is about more than just collecting business cards—it’s about creating connections. Savvy networkers know how to build a network of colleagues with similar or complementary interests. True networking does not have short-term actions in mind. Instead, it seeks to establish strong, meaningful relationships. Networking is ongoing and reciprocal; it is a [...]
We all like to feel normal, and nothing helps you feel normal like having the same stuff as your neighbors. Having the same gadgets and cars lets you feel like you fit in with your neighbors, and there is also a status component—having what others have can trigger feelings of success. Unfortunately, all that stuff [...]
In a perfect world, we would all have friendly, responsible, and reasonable neighbors. Unfortunately, this is not the case, and our firm frequently receives calls from our clients about damage their neighbors have done to their properties. Often, those neighbors do not have proper insurance coverage. The complaints we receive cover a wide range of [...]
Learning that you’re a victim of identity theft is devastating, and fighting the damage done to your credit report and financial life is incredibly time consuming. Clients tell me that they’ve spent anywhere from 20 to 100 hours trying to prove to the IRS that they’ve been victimized. According to the IRS, you may learn [...]
We were always told to be careful with my mother because she was frail and had a heart condition. My father died nearly 40 years ago. As for Mom? She’s still going strong at 91. My friend has a child with dyslexia and behavioral problems. There’s a lot of love in that home, and they’re [...]
Your neighbor is running a 5K for a worthwhile charity and hopes you’ll sponsor her. A nonprofit agency to which you’ve donated in the past keeps contacting you about additional gifts. A coworker is collecting funds to buy a milk-producing goat for a needy family across the globe. These are all good causes, but donation [...]
Money may not buy long-term happiness, but it can provide you with opportunities you may not have without it. If you have planned properly, you will have many options open to you during retirement —you can work and continue to earn an income, or you can volunteer your time free of charge. But if you [...]
Americans today continue to be disciplined with their spending habits. Saving money continues to be one of consumers’ top financial goals, but many have taken on more risk than they would prefer in order to play catch-up and pay off debt, according to a recent study from Northwestern Mutual. The 2013 Planning and Progress Study, [...]
Price is a huge factor for investors and hedge fund groups that are interested in real estate investing. For that reason, many investors turned to purchasing foreclosures in recent years—the properties were discounted, and many were in great locations that were previously cost prohibitive. But as the number of investors snapping up distressed properties grew, [...]
Graduation season is upon us, and those of us who are parents are suddenly struck by the fact that, before we know it, we will be sending our children off to college. Use the time before they leave for school to have focused conversations that will empower and prepare them for the challenges ahead. In [...]
