Unless you’re living under a rock, chances are that you’ve heard the news that Donald Trump has somehow won the 2016 US election and is going to be the next President. Whatever your political slant (personally, I wasn’t a fan of Hilary Clinton, but wouldn’t have voted for Mr Trump either), the reality is that […]
One of the greatest traps in business, micromanagement, is also a recipe for disaster in personal productivity. If you don’t trust your system, you’ll never let go of everyday minutiae, limiting your overall effectiveness. Essentially, a lack of trust can stop you from having a productive mind. Although it’s not a trait I find particularly
What is an employer looking for? Having been through the job search a few times, I’ve discovered a few tips and tricks to optimising the process. When I’m approached by someone looking for help, I usually find that their starting point is their own point of view, rather than that of a prospective employer. “It’s
Do you understand what an employer is looking for? Read More »
Originally introduced as a way for ’Average Joe’ to buy into the stock market, Mutual Funds have experienced roaring inflows of investment for decades. Pooling the every day savings of millions of retail investors, they were championed as a great way to get professional investment management. But more recently mutual funds are losing their attractiveness
Managing expectations is an important part of any deal. Successful deal makers work to ensure that when a negotiation is concluded, all sides feel satisfied with an agreement. Studies show that satisfied negotiators are more likely to uphold the terms, and more importantly ‘spirit’, of an agreement. As contracts may not cover every possibility, having partners
PING! Off goes your phone. You have another email. You reach over and glance at your screen to see the little orange circle has ticked up again. Does it make you wonder how anyone is handling email overload? If you’re struggling to keep on top of your email, you’re not alone. Although I do my
Earlier this year, I was browsing my local Waterstones, when I came across a copy of ‘Blair Inc.’ on the shelf. I have to admit to an enduring curiosity in our former Prime Minister, and so picked up the book and parked myself in the attached Costa to start reading. To those of you that
There is more information available to the average UK citizen than at any previous time in history. With just a few taps of a screen we can now access information on a whole range of retail investment opportunities; information on savings accounts, stocks, ISAs, PIPs, bonds, investment trusts and REITs is readily available and more
Are you missing the best investment opportunity? Read More »
I’m often asked how to go about sourcing investment opportunities. In my opinion, the ability to build relationships and connections is absolutely fundamental to success; the ability to establish a wide network of entrepreneurs and investors can help you to start developing a stream of opportunities far more lucrative than a simple retail bond or savings account.
Earlier this month, Panorama launched a documentary entitled ’The Great Pension Rip-Off’. The documentary was about the dangers posed by the Conservative’s recent pension freedoms, and as expected, there were the usual list of woeful stories from individuals who had been conned out of their hard-earned pensions by an unscrupulous company looking to make a
As some of you may know, when I first left University, I took up work with a company called Field Associates. It was a small business which positioned itself in the market as a ’growth consultancy and business brokerage’. What I came to learn was that this company handled a range of small business opportunities
I’ve already written about choosing investments in the stock marketing, but one of my preferred types of deal is the venture capital, or ’angel’ investment. The reason I enjoy these types of deal is the flexibility which they allow to provide significant benefits to all parties involved. As the capital partner, I’m looking to maximise
The question of whether to engage a financial adviser is a difficult one to answer. Despite this, if I am asked what added value an adviser brings, the answer simply rolls off my tongue. If your car breaks down, and you have a problem with the engine, you don’t try to fix it yourself. You hire
Are REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) a good investment? Will they continue to be in the face of a rapidly inflating property market? Whilst REITs are usually fairly unique (other than being a vehicle for investing in real estate), there are several factors that individuals can take into account when assessing an investment in one.
Building a passive income is the best way to become financially free. If that sounds like a bold statement to you, I’d ask you to look at a list of the world’s wealthiest individuals and see what they do for a living. Entrepreneurs and investors are those individuals who have realised that working for someone
