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How To Select A Managed Futures Investment

Written on September 13, 2010 – 11:08 pm | by Ashley Johnson

Managed Futures

Over the last seven years, the amount of money invested in Managed Futures has more than quintupled! According to hedge fund tracking firm Barclays, assets under management rose from about 41 billion dollars in 2001 to more than 219 billion dollars today!

As global demand for commodities proceeds to heat up and more investors (institutional and individual) start viewing commodities as a smart investment vehicle, we anticipate this trend to continue. This expansion has also elevated the demand for ways to select a Commodity Trading Advisor. In this article, we will summarize what we feel are some of the best tools, and techniques available to the individual investor when deciding on a managed futures product.

Managed Futures Defined

Let?s first establish what managed futures are and what they are not. Managed futures are not stocks or ETF?s that simply make investments in commodities. Managed futures accounts are investments in which funds invest in mainly leveraged, future dated contracts for commodities or financial instruments.

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Tags: Futures, Managed Futures

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4 Ways to Motivate Employees to Provide Stellar Customer Service

Written on September 11, 2010 – 6:24 pm | by Ashley Johnson

At one point in life, you undoubtedly have been a victim of poor customer service. Perhaps it was a curt and unhelpful telephone call, or maybe a grumpy restaurant server. Of course, no one likes to stand in a slow line at the Post Office with live workers who appear to operate like robots. All of these situations are a great learning experience of what not to do for your customers.

Exceptional customer service is like attracting bees to honey. The better your treat your customers and clients, the more likely they will return to do business with you. But how do you ensure that your employees provide that top-tier level service? Here are a few tips.

Demonstrate Exceptional Customer Service

The buck always stops at the top. Just like children learn from observing their parents, your workers will likely model their service after your example. That makes it your responsibility to be the prime example and exude the service level you expect from your employees.

This holds true for both internal and external customers.

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Tags: Customer Service, Service

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Instantly Jumping To Conclusions – Week In Review

Written on September 11, 2010 – 6:16 pm | by Michael Harris

If your business relies on search engine traffic then this week could have been a nervous one for you. Wednesday saw Google launch a new user interface which refreshes the search results displayed as people type in the search box – they call it “Instant“, others in the industry have described it less endearing terms.

Seconds after launch people have been guessing the impact that it will have on their and their clients’, web traffic. The first thing to check, however, is how your brand is displayed and which other words they associate with you – and then take remedial action if required. After that you should do what most businesses should do in a changing environment – gather data, assess, and develop reasoned conclusions before making any knee-jerk reactions to how you now “optimise” your website.

We’re Doomed

It’s predictable that many would over-react by saying “SEO is dead” and comming out with rubbish regarding how business owners should respond. Just relax as the impac

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Tags: Conclusions Week, Week

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Are You Cut Out To Be A Business Angel?

Written on September 8, 2010 – 12:04 am | by Michael Harris

Financial Angels, aka business Angels, provide much-needed funding to entrepreneurs and small business owners, assisting them in establishing or growing their business. While business Angel funding is not yet being used to its fullest potential, increasing numbers of entrepreneurs are turning to these financial Angels for funding, particularly in this time of low bank lending and economic recovery. If you have toyed with the idea of becoming a business Angel, there is truly no better time than the present to enter this potentially profitable realm. Due to the current economic climate, there are deals to be had, and these deals have the potential of turning into highly lucrative investments in the coming years.

There are many reasons why people choose to become financial Angels, not the least of which is – of course – the money. Investing in promising start-ups as an individual or as part of a syndicate can result in significant returns, particularly for those who develop a diverse portfolio. And

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Tags: Angel, Business Angel

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Profitability Factor Blurs Morality of Microfinancing

Written on September 7, 2010 – 8:07 pm | by Ashley Johnson

What the father of microfinance Mohammad Yunus, convened to the world, is being contradicted by a few entrepreneurs now. An IPO is one such venture that is controversial for microfinance, as it also takes into consideration profits rather than morals when it comes to micro-lending. This means that lenders depend on donations, governments and International organizations like the World Bank, which makes it controversial to some.

Recently, SKS Microfinance Ltd., a large Microlender in India, had made its debut on the Bombay Stock Exchange. On the first day itself, shares surged by 18%. Vikram Akula founder of SKS, commented that going public is the only way to generate more capital that will help serve India’s poor. Contradicting this approach, Yunus, Nobel Peace Price winner for pioneering microfinance, says, “Microcredit should not be presented as a money-making opportunity. It is an opportunity to make an impact on poor people’s lives.”

Microlending is meant to lift the poor out of poverty. But now

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