World currency markets- an opinion, your thoughts?
World currency markets- an opinion, your thoughts? – http://www.nysun.com/editorials/chinese-gold-standard/88797/
Old school- fun at the academy awards 1977
Ali & Rocky
-Moral: do your best..,
Getting along with others can be enjoyable, even for introverts-
Networking. Even reading the word can cause some to feel apprehensive. But, when done right, networking is nothing more than building relationships. There are many misconceptions regarding networking and through this article you will gain a clearer understanding of how to network properly.
To begin, there are five steps outlined below that when put into practice, will aid in making networking not only effective, but informative and fun.
Step 1. Understand that networking is really just a process of meeting people and having conversations. It’s these conversations that form the foundation of the relationship you should be seeking to build. This is NOT you moment of fame so to speak to make your BIG sales pitch. Take it as a moment to develop a connection with others. Allow them get to know the SOCIABLE you which will aid in forming a measure of trust in the PROFESSIONAL you.
Step 2. Be directive, but not forceful. Strive to be the one who initiates the interaction, therefore, you need to be ready to help steer the conversation. Have some questions in mind beforehand – about the person’s career path, about their organization, about advice they may have for you, and so forth. Let the dialog flow from there.
Step 3. Follow up. You should always send a follow-up after meeting someone, and this can be in the form of an email, a mailed letter or post card or even a connection requests on linkedin if they are on this professional platform. If not use whats available to you. But why do I say linkedin and not facebook or twitter?
This is because Linkedin is a professional social media network, where users create profiles highlighting current ad prior work experience allowing you to build a network that can help you advance in your career and/or business. True, Twitter is designed with valuable tools for businesses as well expanding your reach and connects you with potential clients, while linkedin enables you to network with other businesses and individuals. Twitter works alongside Linkedin but it lacks profile depth. Facebook features many demographics of users and has a limited search functions. But, with Linkedin you can create an in-depth professional profile and the users information is standardized by education, profile headlines and experiences as well as your company. Linkedin has been branded “the place to find and be found.”
Step 4. Be appreciative. You should always respect the time and efforts of the people you interact with. That means be brief if you call without scheduling a meeting, be on time if you do have a scheduled meeting and be attentive at all times. And always express thanks for the time taken to meet.
This takes us to the last step!
Step 5. Maintain the relationship. The follow up doesn’t stop with an email or linkedin connection. Look for opportunities to reconnect on an occasional-but-ongoing basis in the months and years that follow. Seek to schedule a meeting where you can possible gain a new customer to co-inside with your created connection.
Following these five steps will help you sharpen your networking skills…
-Sharpening Your Networking Skills
Posted on June 5, 2014 by Philip Webber-
-Philip Webber | Advue Magazine
Financial Advisors… A viewpoint
Can an adviser affiliated with an insurance company be fee only? Yes.
State rules on insurance affiliation complicate fee-only status for some CFPs
By Mark Schoeff Jr.
July 21. 2014 1:16PM
22
Investment News
For nearly two years, the issue of compensation descriptions has roiled the investment-advice business. The topic becomes even trickier when insurance licenses are thrown into the mix.
Whether investment advisers like it or not, the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. rules on planners with a broker-dealer affiliation are clear. They cannot claim fee-only status — even if they charge their clients only fees — if they work for a firm that has a B-D arm, because that side of the house can collect commissions.
With insurance affiliation it’s less clear. For planners who don’t sell insurance but work in states that require insurance licenses in order to provide advice on the products, there’s a wrinkle. Some states make licensing contingent on an adviser’s appointment with an insurance firm, which obviously can collect commissions.
The appointment affiliates planners with a commission-taking company. That disqualifies them from fee-only status, right? No, not necessarily.
We believe every journey is important. We are independent. We are Cambridge.
First and foremost, planners must comply with state law, said Michael Shaw, the CFP Board’s managing director for professional standards and legal.
Beyond state requirements, the CFP Board considers whether planners sold insurance within the last year, whether they plan to sell in the future and whether they receive trailing insurance commissions.
“If that CFP is not actively engaged in selling insurance products, it is possible for that CFP to satisfy CFP Board’s definition of fee only,” Mr. Shaw said. “We have to take them on a case-by-case basis and take into account a number of factors. We have to peel back the onion and dig deeper.”
In peeling back the onion, however, the CFP Board may cause tears of frustration from planners who must use the fee-and-commission label if they work for a firm that also has a broker-dealer arm — even if they themselves only charge fees for investment advice — while those affiliated with an insurance company need not.
On the surface, this looks unfair: A planner can get a pass for an affiliation with an insurer but not for one with a broker-dealer. But Mr. Shaw insists it is not a double standard.
Brokerages are regulated nationally and operate under a different oversight structure than insurers, who are regulated state by state. The CFP Board has to consider the variances in state regulations, Mr. Shaw said — and has the flexibility to give planners a pass, if they are forced by state law to affiliate with an insurer.
Some advisers could argue they have no say in whether their firm has a B-D arm that has nothing to do with them.
But given the fact that at this point the broker-dealer affiliation is black and white but serious confusion remains with insurance affiliation, some adviser groups are taking the matter into their own hands.
The Financial Planning Association of Florida wasn’t taking any chances when it pushed through the state legislature this year a law establishing a non-producing insurance license, which doesn’t require an adviser be affiliated with an insurance company to get the license and give advice. Previously, the state required advisers be appointed with a carrier to do so.
It’s difficult to tell how many other states require an insurance license and appointment by an insurance company to give advice. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners doesn’t keep such statistics. Neither do any insurance-industry lobbying organizations I contacted.
Many states don’t require a license for insurance advice. Iowa is one of them, according to Nick Gerhart, commissioner of the Iowa Insurance Division. A knowledgeable adviser told me that Illinois does require a license, but an official from the state’s insurance department didn’t respond to a request to confirm that.
Virginia does require a license but offers an “insurance consultant” license that doesn’t include appointment with a carrier, according to Kenneth J. Schrad, director of the Division of Information Resources at Virginia’s State Corporation Commission.
California offers a life and disability insurance analyst license, according to Madison Voss, a spokeswoman for the state’s Department of Insurance. Before an adviser can qualify for that license, he or she must hold for five years a life and health agent license, which does require appointment.
There are 31 (yes, 31, that’s not a typo) people and businesses in California who hold the analyst license, while there are more than 450,000 agents. But — and this is a big exception — investment advisers do not need a license to provide insurance advice if that advice is rendered “in their role as an investment adviser,” Ms. Voss said.
With a rapidly aging population, advisers are getting more and more questions about insurance. They’ll have to check with their state regulators to see what license, if any, is required to give answers. And if affiliation is required, and the adviser wants to maintain their fee-only status, it sounds like they’ll have to check with the CFP Board and just hope their facts and circumstances withstand scrutiny.
– Urban Financial Services Coalition – Since 1974
Urban Financial Services Coalition (UFSC) youth mentoring July 24, 2015
UFSC San Francisco Bay Area member Jasper Smith doing youth entrepreneurship mentoring today July 24, 2014 in San Francisco, Ca at Jones Memorial with Ms. Hilary Byrdes Financial Literacy Bootcamp!
Urban Financial Services Coalition
ufscnet.org
1200 G Street, NW – Suite 800
Washington, DC 20005
Tel: (202) 289-8335
(925) 698-3884 – cell
Vision
To ensure the full and equitable participation of people of color at all levels in the financial services industry.
Mission
To be the pre-eminent financial services organization that provides professional development programs, supports educational advancement and promotes economic empowerment for its members and minority communities at large.
Build a track record of supervisory and business leadership experience spending 12 hours a month…
Build your management experience with a strategic leadership volunteer team at the 40 year old Urban Financial Services Coalition (UFSC)!
Each Urban Financial Services Coalition Chapter uses a Chapter Assessment tool and Chapter Plan to operate effectively in concert with the UFSC International Chapter Development Team. Leaders in chapters develop, refine and display their personal business leadership skills in a UFSC chapter executing real initiatives. UFSC – since 1974. Join us today.
Urban Financial Services Coalition
1200 G Street, NW – Suite 800
Washington, DC 20005
Tel: (202) 289-8335
(925) 698-3884 – cell
Vision
To ensure the full and equitable participation of people of color at all levels in the financial services industry.
Mission
To be the pre-eminent financial services organization that provides professional development programs, supports educational advancement and promotes economic empowerment for its members and minority communities at large.
Did you know statistically…
Did you know statistically, that the purchasing power ( about 1 trillion dollars according to Nielsen*) of African Americans is, greater than the national purchasing power of countries like Hong Kong, Israel, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Switzerland, etc?
If compared to other countries, African American purchasing power would be 16th out of 193 countries according to World Bank figures. -huge- The total for the African Diaspora is much higher.
Are you aware and plugged in??
Join the:
Urban Financial Services Coalition
ufscnet.org
Vision-
To ensure the full and equitable participation of people of color at all levels in the financial services industry.
Mission-
To be the pre-eminent financial services organization that provides professional development programs, supports educational advancement and promotes economic empowerment for its members and minority communities at large.
Community Empowerment with the Urban Financial Services Coalition (UFSC)
I just watched SF Bay Area UFSC Chapter President do a excellent financial literacy presentation at the SF Bay Area National Black MBA Chapter regarding implementing personal financial strategies. What a great event and exchange of valuable information!
BRICS
Your financial statement might be generated inside the BRICS footprint… Know about it. http://m.timesofindia.com/business/international-business/BRICS-Development-Bank-launched-first-president-to-be-from-India/articleshow/38440605.cms
walter 