“Employing superstars is fine, but the team is far more important than individual stars.”

“The challenge of business leaders is to build a peak performing team that is much more than just a group of individuals under one roof.”

“Managers are coming to realize that the people who are best equipped to make decisions in the sections are those who work in them. With team members themselves involved in making decisions, the role of the manager changes. To extract peak performance from teams of people in the new world of business, managers have to be leaders, rather than jus supervisors.”

“The teams themselves are changing to business units that, instead of simply following orders, accept their function and add value for the customer. Teams are often cross-functional, following the realities of the business, not limited to just their own territory. For us to be competitive our teams have to be equally fluid, ready to adapt as soon as the need arises.”

“Planning has to be an over-arching function that includes the entire business, not just a section. Sales, purchasing, design, production, finance: all have to be working from the same page.”

“Successful change from the bureaucratic to the co-operative can be gauged by looking at three elements: the rational, the emotional and the political.”

“The period of renewal during the transformation phase should lead to a culture that is always ready to adapt. In such an organization, management support the learning of individuals and a culture of learning and personal growth develops.”

“The final result is the revitalization of the entire organization. The changes can be dramatic. New business may be invented. The very rules of how the business competes may change. At this point, you do not have to tell the people working in the business that the organization has been transformed – everyone can see it”.

“The un-knowns facing business fall into two categories the known un-knowns and the un-known un-knowns. The known un-knowns are variable factors of which you are aware. In the mining business, next year’s or next month’s gold price is a known un-known. Changes to the exchange rates fall into much the same category, affecting everyone, but particularly importers and exporters. We know they are going to change. We do not know how much or in which direction.

“The known un-knowns should be easier to deal with than the un-known un-knowns. Into this category fall changes like those that have affected farming in the last 20 years. Under the old system the agricultural boards removed the commercial uncertainty of farming. Today both the weather and the state of the market are uncertainties facing farmers.”

“The first thing we have to accept is that perhaps half of all un-knowns are beyond our control. What we must do, is see to it that we have made provision for the other half”

Everybody is always looking for the next big thing. We are told that within each of us there is a billionaire, that it is a matter of reaching your human potential. There are magazines for business opportunities, articles, and ideas galore. Flip to the back pages of any of these magazines and you will conveniently find the business opportunities that are advertised everywhere with promises to make millionaires of us all within 365 days or less.

Sure, if you are robbing banks – that is.

There are many stories that have come from life altering and mind altering situations where regular people or rags to riches have actually become millionaires. Most of these stories come down to the human factor, their resilience, their commitment, and their faith in themselves. The reality is that for them, fear is a common factor that existed but they had under control or drove them forward. The fear of a new opportunity as not as great as their desire to consciously create their success and physically take action to do so. They were part of the Do It! Generation, the slogan we use to be very familiar with by the Nike swipe on a shoe, shirt, or hat.

It is true that there are some who have rags to riches stories about a simple, yet brilliant, idea which made them incredibly rich. It has happened; it still does and will still. The story of Bill Gates is an interesting success story, or the founders of Google, the inventor of the Company Bodog for online gambling, or the founders of Google… all are great internet success stories. But, the fact of the matter is that we do not need to sit hand in head, staring at a bowl of stale popcorn for dinner, for circumstance to force us into a moment of business brilliance.

It can, and should, happen almost every day.

Opportunities are all around us if we only know where to look. “There are business opportunities around every corner, in every paper, in every circumstance,” says Bill Gibson, Canada’s Top International Business Speaker and South Africa’s favourite business guru.

In a recent article he tells us how to maximise these opportunities:

Identify your full business opportunities: “Ask yourself what business you are really in and then act on it,” says Gibson. “If you are a neighbourhood convenience store you can really take the term, convenience, to a new level by offering more than just the basics, but expanding into total convenience for your clientele. Video hire, instant, meals, a delivery service or a wider variety of goods. The opportunity is ripe for the taking.”

Identify opportunities arising from your current business: Business owners need to ask themselves if their companies’ resources are being fully utilised? Is it possible to diversify or enhance the product or service currently offered? Strengths can be expanded and weaknesses corrected to provide new opportunities. An aircraft manufacturing company had a fibreglass division which was underused and costing the company money. The choice was to either close the division (costing jobs) or find an alternative use for it. The company decided to start designing bathtubs and, so successful were their designs, that a new company was formed just to design and produce the tubs.

Take advantage of current situations: Some people may see it as opportunism, but fact of the matter is that we do not live sheltered lives. There are many good, and sometimes bad, events that demand attention and offer potential profits. For example if your city is experiencing an increasing crime rate, for example, this has lent itself to a huge boom in the personal security market. Armed response, pepper spray, even security complexes are now the order of the day. After a volcanic eruption on Mount St. Helens, entrepreneurs developed souvenirs and novelties for the tourism industry. It is not a matter of exploitation, but rather clever and rapid reaction to needs created by sudden changes in the environment.

Magnifying (amplifying) people and events: “Magnifying or amplifying the popularity of a special person, group, enterprise or event can ensure greater demand for a product or service,” says Gibson. “Use an image-making strategy to create market demand.” This method of increasing interest is especially effective in the tourism industry. Without Nelson Mandela, Robben Island would just be another prison, would it not? Sandton Square renamed itself Mandela Square at Sandton. While it is a great tribute to the world’s greatest statesman, it is also an excellent move to magnify or amplify the status of the square. Some South Africans will argue that the large bronze statue probably does not do the man justice, but most international visitors will not see it that way. Amplify the importance of your offer, if marketed the right way, the masses will follow.

Capitalising on a growth trend: Try to get involved in areas where more and more people are getting involved in. Consumer spending behaviour is a fickle thing and can move in any direction at a rapid rate. New innovations, tastes, lifestyle choices and fashionable trends offer many profitable opportunities for the entrepreneur with his or her ear to the ground. “To capitalise on the growing trend towards natural healthcare,

many pharmacies now offer wide ranges of these products,” says Gibson. “The explosion of the call centre industry is another example of taking advantage of growth trends.”

Most Amercian companies use Canadian or Indian-based call centres. It is cheaper for them and, especially in Canada’s case, the quality versus cost ratio is especially favourable. Many local companies have caught on to this and are making vast sums of money. Taking advantage of a fashion opportunity also falls into this category. Skateboarding, for example, has become very fashionable again. The same can be said for the clothes, music, and equipment that go hand-in-hand with the skateboarding culture. It needs to be taken advantage of.

Find use for waste materials: South African billionaire, Patrice Motsepe, started his empire by coming to an agreement with a gold mining company to utilise the dust left from its mining activities. With a special process for extracting gold from the dust he built his business. Today, Motsepe is involved in all manner of industries including mining, finance and soccer. One company’s waste can be another’s bread and butter if utilised the right way.

“A market switch happens when consumers move from one type of product to another on a long-term basis,” says Gibson. “Just think of society moving from VHS to DVD players, from tapes to CDs to MP3s and such.” When a market switch occurs a whole host of other industries benefit from it. Packaging is needed for the new ranges of products. Other support equipment is needed to enhance products’ fashionability for the consumer. Cell phones are a classic example of secondary offers enhancing the image of a base product.

There are many other areas which we can explore to find that business idea that will make our dreams a reality. Newspapers are full of potential ideas, if we only open our minds to the possibilities hiding amongst the pages. Gibson says that we have trained ourselves to miss the obvious, to look in the wrong places and to over complicate the matter. Business genius is not born from a bowl of stale dinner popcorn, it is all around us. In everything we do, in everything we read, in every travesty and adversity we may face. We just have to be positive enough to see beyond a few strands of hay.

For information on Bill’s Turning Entrepreneurial Spirit Into Business Opportunities audio CD and manual program which can be purchased and emailed in soft copy to you contact info@kasu.ca.

Business opportunities are all around us, just like radio and television waves, but we don’t recognise them until we tune them in with an antenna and receiver.  If you are interested in more information on the 51 opportunities we believe are key  for recognizing opportunities contact  info@kasu.ca for more information on Turning Entrepreneurial Spirit Into Business Opportunities  to help you search for new venture ideas. If you keep those questions in your mind, you will begin to “tune in” on the opportunities which surround you.

Every existing or potential business owner can always be searching for new venture opportunities. A business is like a living organism; parts are always in a process of dying and need to be replaced.

Business owners need to be looking for new products, services, processes, and procedures to keep their organisations healthy. Without growth and new energy every business will eventually die.

There is a big difference between a business idea and a business opportunity. You might have many IDEAS for business ventures, but they are business OPPORTUNITIES only if they have a chance to succeed. Separating the opportunities from the ideas is like separating wheat from the chaff, the way to find the “good stuff”. This program includes a list of questions which you should ask about any new venture ideas. If the answers show that the idea has promise, you can proceed to develop a business plan. If your answers show some serious problems with the idea, then you can modify it or move along to another idea without losing much time or money.

Existing and potential business owners should be prepared to replace one business idea with another. The failure of one idea is less important than the failure of a total business organisation. If one idea does not test out well, another can be tried. A large pot of ideas is a basis for business success, so that alternative ideas are always available. Anyone relying on a single idea has nowhere to turn when that idea fails. The continuous cycle of generating ideas and testing them to find the real opportunities ought to be a normal part of business development. When too few real opportunities are found, more ideas should be generated.

Having a good idea is only the first step in developing a business. A good idea cannot ensure success if other essential factors are not in place. However, a poor idea can fail even when the best business skills are used. Anyone with a single idea needs to check that idea thoroughly before acting to start a business. In addition to checking the single idea, the potential business owner needs to consider alternative ideas which may have more promise. Thorough examination of a business idea is always cheaper than the expense of business failure.

Finding business opportunities requires a systematic, analytical approach, and also a degree of unstructured creativity. Many individuals find it difficult to combine both approaches. To draw on the strength of both dimensions, you might want to consider developing a team for exploring opportunities. The result from a group of people with different talents and skills can often be superior to those from one person. Interaction among people can lead to new ideas which no-one would have thought up alone. Developing a small group with a variety of business and thinking skills can be both exciting and profitable. Suggestions in the program will work equally for individuals and groups.

The importance of business planning cannot be overstated. Once an idea has been selected as the basis for a venture, thorough business planning is essential. After using this program, you ought to have one or more ideas which are good enough for you to invest the effort of developing a business plan for your business or new product/service launch.

We can only supply ideas through our blog, but the ideas, judgements, information, and decisions about your potential ventures are YOURS. Your success will depend on your own efforts and ideas.

Above all, remember that information is not power, information combined with right actions is power.

By Ryan Anthony Gibson

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Sponsor Message: If your business is going to be funded by friends and family, then you should go to http://www.kasu.ca and document your loans.

Canadians Should Ask Your Friends And Family For A Loan This Christmas

I can only think of one better time to ask friends and family for money after having a child, and that is Christmas. One of the biggest celebrations in Canada, it is the time of year when you meet up with your family and friends, receive and give gifts and be happy!

Awaited by many, it brings the arrival of a new year and fresh beginnings along with it. Sometimes it so happens that you can’t loosen up the purse strings. Prior commitments, large debts, repayments and other arrears decrease your purchasing power at this time of the year. Also, a major part of this is cash flow which is really only a pay check away… after the holiday. Therefore many ask for loans from Friends and Family during this time.

However, we also tend to meet with friends and family and discuss new business ventures, investment opportunities, weddings, new events in one’s life, school and educational development and the funds related to these endeavours. The reality is, sometimes you need to prep those close to you that you are going to ask for money, so here are some suggestions:

1. Call ahead and mention that when you see them at said event, that there is something you want to discuss with them with regards to a new business, educational endeavours, the wedding, whatever might be what you need funds for. They may ask what you would like to discuss, but simply either mention you would like to discuss in person, but if they are perisistant, you can open up.
2. If you told them you may discuss funds, and they are open to the idea, you may want to mention that you have organized your finances and would like to make sure you bring a loan document to the event with them. Especially if you have already discussed general numbers you need and what they can afford. If you didn’t tell them, don’t worry they probably already know. Just be prepared to discuss with them how much you need, the use of the funds, and the fact that you would really like to document it and make sure they get paid on time and with interest. The with interest factor does play a part.
3. If you have any outstanding loans, part of the discussion with the family member would be to put the new funds and the old funds on one agreement plus interest, and that you would like to put the debts on a payment plan to make sure they get paid. That you have read this is the best way to handle this situation. Chances are the other debts are not even in writing. The addition of these in writing may give the person giving the loan an overall sense of security with the matter.
4. Don’t discuss the matter in front of a room full of people. Mention that you want to discuss that “thing” you mentioned beforehand. It helps pull away the friend or family for a moment without making them feel odd because they would expect it was to happen. If they delay the discussion, just ask when is best.
5. Try not to have the discussion when someone is drunk, so prior to the festivities. What is said under the influence is often followed by remorse and inability to deliver on promises, and sometimes ill feelings both mentally and possibly physically about promises they regret making. It is generally best to come before the guests and before the alcohol to discuss matters of this importance.
6. Use the key words, that they will get Interest Paid, higher than the Bank, that they will get a loan document and the security in knowing there is a payment plan clearly described.
7. Listen to what they have to say, and what they are asking for in return for the funds, often the final closing question for someone who is humming and hawing is what would be the terms they would need in order to get the loan completed.

Those are 7 quick tips, I hope you enjoyed them.

Sincerely,

Written by Ryan Anthony Gibson

Holiday Loans

As discussed in prior blogs, these are to cover new expenses and typically are done in order to not take on regular debt from credit cards or to stretch your credit limit without having to go to the bank and ask for permission. In actual fact, this is the result of an impending spending binge which will drive the individual to take the loan with the concept of paying back the loan next payday. To binge is to consume more than one needs or can afford, and often in order to enjoy oneself during the holidays, spending money seems to be the anticdote for many. Such spending binges are actually why many are in debt with credit cards and bank loans, and face the onerous facts that lead to bad credit due to impulsive buying and habit. The holidays bring in a number of new expenses. These expenses cause, in a sense, a “spending binge” – a fast and consistent spending of money regardless of whether or not you can afford it at the time. Spending binges are the reason that a number of people find themselves in either a great deal of debt or broke by the time the New Year comes around, and this can put a significant strain on both the family and one’s life. Whether it is for gifts, travel expenses, food, or seasonal home improvements, the cost of the holidays is sometimes too much before the next payday.

Many people take out personal loans for the holidays, I know I have. Every year I actually give a loan to one of my securities Guards who doesn’t get paid by the management company until after the Holidays. Every year this has made his life so much more enjoyable, as before, it was very stressful not being able to afford the nice things until after the holidays. It is a simple gesture that has made an awesome friendship because he pays back the following month. I of course make it an interest free loan due to it being someone I want to help, you can do this as well, but don’t be shy to put a good interest on the loan as it does show how much it is appreciated. A Holiday loan should cover all 3 possible expenses, so think of how much you really need before asking for it.

 These holiday loans are designed to cover all of those expenses, and as the years go by they get paid back. Holiday loans have lower interest rates than credit cards , making it far easier to pay them back over time, and have a variety of options that make them an affordable option for anyone that needs to cover extensive costs over the holiday period.

Holiday loans are one way to avoid spending the last of your money or racking up credit card debt. While generally if you can afford to pay for these items in cash then you should, if you are one of the many that cannot afford those costs, you may want to look towards Holiday loans as an effective alternative.

In addition, lets face it, the holidays are the times for family time at the end of the year which is always a time to relfect but more importanly look forward, and lets face it, during the Holidays we are thinking about and discussing new business, houses, wedding rings, car loans, studies, student loans, student expenses, all of which take money, and who better to ask but the people who love and care for you the most. This is where kasu comes in you have done the hard part by choosing to ask someone for the loan, the easy part is buying our document for $59.99… so what are you waiting for! www.kasu.ca

What is a Christmas Loan or a Holiday Loan?

Generally speaking a Christmas loan or Holiday Loan is generally a short term loan with no collateral that has been approved by a financial institution solely based on credit rating or by friends and family to ensure that the Christmas vacation, shopping, and holiday season is enjoyed by you and your family.  Holiday loans are the same, but primarily for traveling and or vacations during a Holiday Season. Such loans help those who are short on funds and short on cash flow or credit for Christmas shopping and celebration expenses. Expenses are hectic over the holidays, with vacations, gifts, clothing, trees and festivities. Many of these loans are required to be paid next pay day after the holiday, but some loans are flexible, especially between friends and family.

Christmas time is the time to approach family or be prepared to lend to family, so do so with a Christmas Loan or Holiday Loan, a short-term personal loan between friends and family. Like lending money any time of the year, you first put a loan document in place, the timeframe is generally a lot shorter than the typical agreement, for example 60 – 90 days, and the interest rate is generally a bit higher. Make the loan with friends and family, and they get the joy of helping you during Christmas and better interest on their money than having it sit in the Bank over the Holidays.

You have already done the hard part by asking someone you know for that loan over the Holiday or Christmas. Let’s do the easy part together – documenting that loan and in turn protecting the relationship between you and your friend or family member.

Kasu is here to make the process as easy as possible: draft a loan, set up a payment schedule and decide whether you are paying or receiving interest. The best part is that it is all done online!

Draft your Personal Christmas or Holiday Loan TODAY for a one-time payment of only $59.99!

Click Here and choose to make a new profile and begin making your Christmas Loan Document today.

What is a Christmas Loan? How do you get Christmas loans from friends or family?

A Christmas loan is generally a short term loan with no collateral that has been approved by a financial institution solely based on credit rating or by friends and family to ensure that the Christmas vacation, shopping, and holiday season is enjoyed by you and your family.  Christmas loans help those who are short on funds and short on cash flow or credit for Christmas shopping and celebration expenses. Expenses are hectic over the holidays, with vacations, gifts, clothing, trees and festivities. Many of these loans are required to be paid next pay day after the holiday, but some loans are flexible, especially between friends and family.

With the Christmas holiday coming up very quickly there many bad credit lenders who will offer you Christmas loans to buy those Christmas presents.

The reality is that people who take loans during Christmas do so without considering interest rates, because it is the most important time of the year, and cash flow often becomes tighter. The solution is not always with the Christmas Loan companies, the concept is not that foreign to people and is easily applied to friends and family. It is actually a great term for you to use when going to get a loan from friends and family.

Christmas time is the time to approach family or be prepared to lend to family, so do so with a Christmas Loan, a short-term personal loan between friends and family. Like lending money any time of the year, you first put a loan document in place, the timeframe is generally a lot shorter than the typical agreement, for example 60 – 90 days, and the interest rate is generally a bit higher. Make the loan with friends and family, and they get the joy of helping you during Christmas and better interest on their money than having it sit in the Bank over the Holidays.

The key to a Christmas loan is exactly that, you need to get through Christmas. If you feel comfortable borrowing from the family member and making the loan over 6 – 12 months, than discuss it openly and offer them a good return on their Christmas loan money. The reality is if a family member came to me today and said they can’t afford Christmas, I would understand… I would lend them money if I had it. If you are like me, than you need a Christmas Loan Document today to document your loan with your friends or family who’s in need. These loan documents are available at www.kasu.ca and just implies that you make the loan terms in a shorter timeframe as you fill out the “make a loan document” section.

If you are lending to friends and family over the holidays and have decided to give a Christmas loan, firstly you should document it, however we definitely recommend you considering:

1. Their personal financial situation, whether they have credit to pay for the holidays for at what those rates are or whether their credit is maxed.
2. If they have had a job for over 6 months, it’s a good indicator of you getting paid back according to Christmas Loan company standards
3. Make sure you are not loaning out of your credit, that it is cash you actually have, starting your year in more debt and your friends in debt to you is not the best way to start the new year

Above all else, feel good about lending the money, and make sure you feel appreciated for doing it. And likewise to the person receiving money from friends and family let the lender know how appreciative you are of the Christmas Loan. Remember to be smart with your money and do not overspend or overlend your situation, that Christmas is really about loving and giving, but giving doesn’t always have to be expensive gifts and should be about appreciating what you do get. If its in your heart, a Christmas loan is a wonderful thing to give, and you should consider documenting it with your family, and if you are looking for a Christmas loan… consider your friends and family and discuss this with them with a document.

Writer Ryan Anthony Gibson

This is my daughters first film. That’s grandpa in the cowboy hat. Little did we know shooting film in Africa at age 8 would lead to a career in film. Which of course lead to a student loan for film school from Daddy and Grandpa, a business loan for her equipment to launch her career, and of course a personal loan for her second film, because this will always be her first film. Your friends and family should not be afraid to ask for a loan. Try www.kasu.ca today Canada!

A child’s first film could lead to student loans, business loans, and personal loans.

Are you considering asking for a loan from a friend or family for the purpose of shooting a film documentary, funding for a film documentary, I think you should watch this video of a Documentary filmed by a Canadian in South Africa about the Nanhua Buddhist Temple.

After watching this movie, you will find a way to fund your project.

Do friends who borrow money from you and not pay you back dominate a situation? The reality is, that if you allow yourself to be dominated you will be dominated, and you will say to yourself… they needed the money. Who doesn’t? Redistribution of wealth is one thing, but some people spend without thinking about the consequences. I recall an associate I lent a sizable sum to complaining that his ski vacation was only a weekend versus a whole week this year. I felt very critical of the person as I did not have a plan in place for getting repaid, and this was my fault!

So why draw up a document in the future? If they need the money, then they can get it in writing. And they will, because they do need the money. If you are doing them that favour, they can do you that favour. Worse case scenario, tell them that any loan over $100 your advisor has instructed you that you must put a loan document in place.

After deciding on the loan terms in Canada, you can set-up with your Bank email transfers or automated transfers interbank that allow for automating the payments on the loan. The nice thing, especially with family, is you don’t have to be heavy handed, the collections agent or cop trying to get the loan money back when its due. No, in this instance you can relax because you have documented the loan and automated the repayment of the loan, and nothing needs to be said. Automation is the key. Especially with younger people they will treat the loan more seriously.

All of this can be set-up on the internet in less than an hour. A loan document from www.kasu.ca doesn’t take longer than 10 minutes, and to automate the Banking at RBC, CIBC, BMO, or Vancity for example is a matter of online banking access. The cost for the service, a one time $59 fee and the smarts to log in to the friend or families banking account and pre-set the repayments. You can either complain about the vacation, or get paid first. It’s your choice because… they need the money. If it’s automated it will likely not get undone, rather people are more conscious of making sure the funds are in the account and payment is made in these circumstances. So next time you lend money and are critical of how they spend their funds, realize if you are not getting paid it is your fault.

Using Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) For Friends and Family Loans Effectively

The Royal Bank has been the first to respond from the various banks who have been emailed with regards to automating repayments of friends and family loans. The reason for this, is once you have made a loan and repayment schedule with www.kasu.ca or www.documentyourloan.com, you will have to start paying back a loan at a certain time.

The best way to pay back any loan is like the best way for saving money, you automate it. Most people don’t even think of this, to be honest they rarely think of documenting the loans either. The reality is the effort it takes really teaches people the value of making payments on loans and sticking to a deal. If you are going to lend money to friends or family you should document the loan and get a payment schedule in place and automate it.

How does it work with RBC?

If you don’t bank with RBC but your family member does, the family member could send you email money transfers, this could be set-up through RBC Online Banking fairly quick and seamless, and can be done automatically every month… HOW COOL IS THAT?

Step One: Sit down with a family member; build a loan online using www.kasu.ca

Step Two: Build a payment plan, and then login the friend or family members RBC account and automate the payment to come out at the month you are to begin, and then program it to come out every month as set-out in the payment plan!

A two step process to setting up a loan and automating it.

All online, all manageable, no rocket science. RBC would get preference for friends and family I lend money to. The payment gets sent through email to me, and I could open the message and deposit the funds at any Canadian Bank. This is a great way for friends and family to lend money and then get paid back… with interest as discussed in the agreement.

I could imagine as a family member, you would feel happy to actually get paid back money you lent, and as someone receiving a loan it feels good to pay family and friends back.  

If you don’t want to use email banking payments, then RBC would be happy to set you up with an account in your friend or family location. If you explain the purpose of the account, they might make a better deal on interest and options due to trying to keep your money in their bank that is being paid in and build value for you are a customer. They would just set-up a monthly auto-transfer from the family member’s account, of course after the would have signed an agreement to do so, and it would go directly into your RBC account. Of course your family member would need to initiate this process at any RBC Branch, the forms are there to sign, they suggest just setting up an appointment.

Thank you RBC for this great explanation of how we can use RBC to repay loans or get paid back loans from Friends and Family!

Build a loan with www.kasu.ca and then get paid back with Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) online email transfers or auto-transfers today!