Adrianna
Summer Edition 2021
COPYRIGHT. 2021. Adrianna Group, LLC
Dear Adrianna,
Two down, infinitely more editions to go. The name of the game now is integration, the integration of collaboration, literacy, and inclusion. That’s what it’s been about for over a decade. As I write this letter to you, I’ve already started and cultivated relationships with people that could be a game changer for our company but, on the other side of that, I hope we’re the kind of game changers that other people have been looking for.
With the background of the COVID-19 pandemic, I feel this is the start of the age of the entrepreneur. There’s never been a time where so many sides of various industries can now be done individually. Democratization is in full swing. Even still, despite people possessing the tools and the motivation, there’s always that need for direction. People may have it on their own, but we can use our brand and platform to further people, businesses, and other institutions along to something greater. A greater good. Dad
PUBLISHEr's Note For this edition, I wanted my team and I to really dial into the notion that our brand is bigger than publishing a magazine. This edition, as well as the future editions that will come, serves as the symbol of what the Adrianna brand is about.
If I were to put it into one word, it would be integration. I referenced this in the letter addressed to my daughter but it’s the most accurate way to characterize what I’m attempting to do here.
One of my favorite games of all time has been the board game monopoly. The biggest reason for that is that I enjoy working with and subsequently moving assets around; and the kinds of deals that could be done. It’s one of the reasons why I wanted to be an investment banker at one point.
However, at the end of the day, I wanted to have ownership for my own way of doing things. My own way of integrating assets with one another.
Please, do not confuse my goal of always wanting to publish a magazine with the notion that magazine publishing was the end game. Everyone and everything start somewhere. Despite this being the third edition of Adrianna, we’re only beginning.
This is the Age of the Entrepreneur. Marcus L. Craig Founder of Adrianna Group, LLC
Adrianna
Stand Above The Rest.
Adrianna
I've watched Marcus plan and study for years, and I know his determination will take this company far. Not only is he in it for his daughter, but all entrepreneurs, experienced or not. Lyndi Weston x Brand Ambassador
Weston Written By Marcus Craig
Page 9
Extra trades Written By Marcus Craig
Page 13
intellectual Written By Marcus Craig
Page 18
power in commodities Written By Marcus Craig
Page 25
rat races Written by jeremiah valentine
Page 31
politics on the national economy Written By Marcus Craig
Page 35
special thanks Written By Marcus Craig
Page 40
disclaimer Written By Marcus Craig
Page 42
source pages Written By Marcus Craig
Page 43
Listen to Our Podcast, The Adrianna Times on Google, Spotify, and Amazon Music.
Weston Relational history supplies us with a few insights. One of those insights is that it may tell you where a person’s passed life experiences and another may be where a person is going and what he/she would like to achieve. Who you meet along the way can be critical to achieving future goals. Lyndi Jo Weston is one of those people. Hailing from Gilbert, Arizona, she would check on board the USS McCampbell in the Spring of 2015 as an Operations Specialist; the same rate as myself. Our working relationship would start as watch standers in the same section and as time passed, we discussed future goals. A knack for all things creative was one of the
first things that stood out about Lyndi. As an In time, the motivation and resources were there avid illustrator, it was always a matter of time to start creating the graphic novel, but an effective
before she discharged from the U.S. Navy and process of executing the vision never materialized. pursue the kind of environment that better However, the lack of execution on the first project
suited her talents. Because I knew that my first only led us to fail upward. By not completing the business venture would be related to graphic novel, it provided me the space to publishing, there would be opportunities to potentially try other creative ventures. work
with
people
with
whom
I
could Eventually, the work stopped altogether. The vision collaborate and with whom I shared the of creating content was still there, just not the following two traits: 1. Possessed a talent execution. I would start again, mulling ideas over needed to develop the product I wanted to with both of my colleagues Robert Sanchez and release and 2. I already had built a firm rapport Lyndi. Ideas that were tossed around would be items necessary to work together for sustained like a show where I would be interviewed regarding periods of time. The original idea I would go various investment topics and another idea was to with at the time, was publishing a graphic novel start my own blog. It was both productive and fun centered around investing and business. with going back and forth with what we wanted out of life and how we envisioned the future would be for us and our friends.
A change in duty stations would separate us by distance but not our friendship. Lyndi would go on to be stationed on board the USS Carl Vinson, and I would go on to be stationed aboard the USS Ross. Although Lyndi and I are separated by many miles and we do not regularly speak, when it is time to put forth the necessary effort to achieve something, we pick up where we left off. The website and planning for the Adrianna brand was started nearly two years ago and Lyndi was there with me, along with other advisers, from the beginning. Her advice has helped me to continue to move forward. Over a thousand revisions later, the website looks as sharp as it has ever been, and part of that achievement goes to Lyndi. Currently, the company’s immediate goals are strategic partnerships as well as collaborations. These items require that the Adrianna brand scale up for both the sake of size and profitability as well as fostering deeper relationships with individuals and/or other businesses. For me, starting as an entrepreneur, one of the best ways to move forward is to have a team that not only understands what I envision my company to be; but also, to work with people whom I trust and to have the collaborations trust each other. Both of those notions are what I have with my colleague Lyndi. Entrepreneurship requires a team effort. It starts with the founder’s ideas, efforts and resources as well as the available input of collaborations. I thank Lyndi for her continued advice and for also being an ambassador for the Adrianna brand. This article speaks to the level of commitment people have when they support a vision. I also want to thank and appreciate everyone who continues to build with me the Adrianna brand. Lyndi Weston, I salute you for your time, efforts and feedback.
Adrianna
When You're Ready to Record, Release, and Relate Your Music With Like Minded Artists That Appreciate the Finer Sounds, Let Us Know.
Contact Requiem Records Founder Yaqub Howell on IG (Yaqub_Howell)
Requiem Records
The Millennial Veterans is a support group to help younger veterans and veterans in transition for life after serving. Join Us on Facebook
Extra Trades Many individuals have turned today trading a mindset like that of gambling. This means that they will make what would look like very speculative trades in the market that someone with more experience in the field may not commit its money to. On the surface, stock traders may not wish to be compared to the kind of gamblers of Las Vegas or Macau in the industry of day trading. Though, the similarities of these industries are too close to ignore and understanding it possibly can help get to the core of day trading success. People may use day trading as a form of gambling because of the better odds that they may have in the long run. Unlike with actual gambling, you put down a stake and if it loses then you simply lose the money placed in the bet. With day trading, the volatility of the market can change at any moment and one can potentially only lose a part of your initial investment. It also has the chance to recover over the course of a day or even months, depending on how individuals wish to trade or invest. The general concept of day trading instead of long-term investments is more for the quick cash flow that is reached by capitalizing on market volatility. This kind of activity takes time to understand and can also be time consuming. So, this may be what a lot of people who associate it with gambling enjoy. What happens when a selected stock moves into a bear market? One definition of a bear market says markets are in bear territory when stocks, on average, fall at least 20% off their high. Twenty percent is an arbitrary number, just as a 10% decline is an arbitrary benchmark for a correction. Another definition of a bear market is when investors are more risk-averse than risk-seeking.
Adrianna
This is thrilling for gamblers, but for investors taking the market seriously, it can be disheartening. A 20% decrease in the market can affect a lot of investors in the space, but the benefits of looking into more long-term stable investments than short term volatile investments is knowing that over the course of 5 to 10 years, you are more likely to make a gradual increase in the market. Day trading activity has exploded with the proliferation of social media. There are a few both individuals and entrepreneurs openly speaking about their experiences as well as opportunities in the stock market with the purpose of greater engagement with the public. With trading becoming more simplistic and accessible, you do not need a broker nor a sizable amount of capital behind you to trade shares. People have been able to take as little as $100 and start building positions in blue-chip companies such as Coca-Cola, Amazon and Apple through ETFs. This is also why a lot of people with gambling tendencies have moved into the space. If someone was able to start with very little capital and grow it through consistent market participation, then it is not unreasonable for people to lean towards starting to trade. When it comes down to day trading in financial markets, you are not only dealing with the expectations of others in the market but also with people capitalizing on what’s trending on social media where other advantages in financial markets can be found. Financial influencers on social media are also exerting market power due to the amount of money that can be invested. Platforms like Reddit have been able to exert greater influence on markets given the fever in which insight and opportunities are dispensed.
Adrianna
Technology has forever changed the trading environment. People can take their pick of social media platforms. There is also the proliferation of automated advising where computers are aiding investors, traders, and advisors in financial decision making. Podcasting and entertainment channels are also at our disposal which will only grow well into the future. At the end of the day, one notable difference between day trading and gambling is that in gambling, you are more likely to have a negative result in the end. In contrast, investing can still have a positive return on your investment through dividends, stock splits, and the use of dollar cost averaging. Day trading has already reached new heights, but with new heights comes higher expectations and different expectations. What are you expecting next?
Adrianna
Introducing World Traveler
Karina Ramirez Follow her on IG at Karinaramirez_G
Subscribe to Our Instagram at the_official_adrianna.
Intellectual As the modern world becomes increasingly interconnected through the Internet and apps, one area that is even more intensely competitive as a result, is the field of business. Whether it is looking for a competitive advantage, out innovating the competition, or looking for a “disruptive” paradigm that could change an industry forever, entrepreneurs are faced with more options for getting the job done but also layers of complexity that were never present before. One of these complex issues for business owners and individuals, especially those that deal with their own product lines, is intellectual property more commonly known as IP. Intellectual Property (IP) is the essence of a company’s offerings for the public and embodies current innovations, aspirations, and visions for the future. Yet it is often misunderstood in terms of what it is from a functional and legal standpoint. After all, normally IP is heard about when people are discussing Fortune 500 companies or apps; you rarely, if ever, hear about the IP of a small firm or company. All companies and individuals have the potential to own and generate intellectual property that they can then monetize. Intellectual property can be anything from The Avengers movie series by Marvel Comics, to trade secrets and even the design of an object. The following points are key factors in understanding intellectual property (IP):
Exclusion is Necessary
One of the fundamental rules of intellectual property ownership is that it is an exclusionary phenomenon. What does this mean in practice? Calling IP exclusionary refers to the ability of the owner of the intellectual property to decide who is allowed licensing of the IP, for what purpose, where, how long, and for how much, among other things. In other words, the IP owner can exclude others from using the IP simply by making such prohibitions known. When this is the case, the legal system offers the IP owner a myriad of options for protecting their property as well as for potentially prosecuting anyone that has violated the owner’s rights. This is often why you see companies buy another company, simply to own their IP. When a company purchases another company, they gain ownership over their intellectual property in the process thus allowing them to utilize it as if it were their own. One of the more prominent examples of this is Disney’s purchase of Marvel and their later transformation of that publishing company’s moribund lineup of classic comic superheroes into blockbuster Hollywood IP that continues to post huge revenues for the new parent company.
Multiple Jurisdictions Aside from being exclusionary, IP is also territorial. In practice, this means that the intellectual property owner only has protection for their property in the jurisdiction within which the IP is established. Basically, if a business files paperwork in the United States, their IP is protected by the laws of the US; but should it be abused outside the jurisdiction of the United States, the business will be without protection in that case.
For the business to protect their intellectual property, the appropriate legal paperwork needs to be filed in all jurisdictions in which their business is transacted or within which their IP will be sold and marketed. While many great strides towards a universal, global IP protection regime are being made, owners are still forced to navigate a range of different bureaucratic mazes to protect their property.
What is Possessed, must be Protected (Copyright) The enforcement of IP ownership boils down to a process in which the owner attempts to protect their rights anytime they are violated. That is the essence of “IP must be enforced” and it makes sense from a pragmatic standpoint. For example, if someone is squatting on a property, and does so for a set number of years, the former owner can potentially loose ownership rights to the squatter in some cases. The same process could be applied to IP, though the squatter may not necessarily walk away with ownership rights. If IP is not enforced, it is considered abandoned and thus collecting on violations of your rights as the owner of the IP might be difficult or impossible. Remember that an IP refers to inventions, innovations, and other unique aspects of a firm that sets a business apart from the competition. If IP is unenforced, an individual and/or business is allowing that innovation to be universally diluted and utilized, thus diminishing the competitive advantage while also infringing on the rights of the IP’s owner. This means that protecting an IP is not only a priority for a company’s legal department, but also it has directly tangible monetary consequences in some instances.
Bad Intentions Because anyone can generate and own their IP, it can also pretty much be violated by anyone as well. Often, this occurs in what would be called an “innocent” or nonmalicious manner. Nonetheless, as has been previously aforementioned, IP owners need to protect their rights and intention does not matter when this occurs.
While IP owners tend to shy away from enforcing an IP violation if there is no monetary association with the derivative (Example - A fan has made art depicting the IP and is allowing people to download it for free.), this is not always the case. This is because an IP can even refer to the process of creating something rather than the final product itself. The main point here is that IP can be enforced whether the violator of the IP has done so with the intent of stealing the owner’s rights for monetary and/or business advantages or has done so innocently and without awareness. Both violations can be viewed equally under the law though the former may be more harshly judged than the latter due to the human element in legal systems.
Creating IP
Anyone can generate intellectual property. However, where and how it is generated may impact the ultimate ownership of the IP. In other words, if you generate novel IP as part of your job while working on the clock for a company, your employer might own that innovation, not you. Yet, if an employee creates the IP after work hours and in their own home, then your employer likely has no ownership over the IP - though this is not always the case (depending on the terms of employment). Often companies will sue employees for generating novel, innovative work outside of business hours that touches upon the market space within which the employer operates. An example of this includes former Google self-driving car engineer Anthony Levandowski (Who then went on to start his own self-driving tech company) only to be sued by his former employer for infringing on the ownership rights of their IP.
Timing is Critical In terms of an individual getting IP recognized or protecting your rights when violations occur, timing is critical.
Because an IP can be generated by anyone, someone else can initially create that IP with innovation or invention. Similarly, an owner’s rights to compensation diminish the longer IP violations go unenforced thus incentivizing companies and others to immediately protect their rights.
IP Ownership Allows for Innovative Derivatives Formally establishing ownership over IP gives the owner the creative freedom to create derivative works and further innovations. It also allows them to license it out and receive monetary compensation in exchange. Yet it is the ownership aspect that can prove most critical for companies or artists that need to have complete control over their IP in order to utilize it however they deem appropriate. If an individual is licensing IP from someone else, it will always be theirs, no matter how much you improve it or take it to the next level. Thus, ownership of an IP equates to increased economic freedom of expression down the road whereas licensing provides a ceiling limit for that process.
Correct Application Intellectual property is not very well understood by the general public. Therefore, it is often misapplied in practice. Misapplication of IP law not only leads to a dilution of the ownership of the IP, but it also limits the rights of the owner.
IP Can Be Invoked Anytime It is Violated When IP is violated, the owner has legal recourse to seek compensation for that infringement. This extends for the life of the IP. Although, the longer an owner waits, legal recourse can become more difficult. In short, IP violations can be addressed no matter how long ago they occurred if the IP ownership is established and active.
Time Limits
One thing about IP that is sometimes different from a company’s trademark is that IP is for a limited time. After a certain time period, the IP’s ownership rights can no longer be enforced. In some places, this is seventy years after the initial application, though it varies depending on the jurisdiction. This is different from a company trademark like the Apple logo or Coca-Cola font: These can be held in perpetuity so long as the company that owns them is actively using them as part of their business.
Adrianna
Learn how to budget, invest, pay down debt, save, and more with Money Coach Detts Isla. DM FinancialFreedomEnthusiast on IG For More!
Start Your Own Investment Revolution
Get Trading Alerts, Research, and Guides To Make You a Better Trader and Investor. Contact Detts Isla for more information through her FinanceFreedomEnthusiast page on Instagram
Rebel Investing
Power in Commodities The dynamics of global trade are often determined by a range of factors that are largely sourced from each trading nation’s inherent strengths or weaknesses (also known as endowments). For developing nations that lack industry and services, these inherent strengths and weaknesses become more pronounced due to their overwhelming status as drivers of a national economy. Among a nation’s natural endowments include its lands and waters as well as any resources that can be extracted from them - even including the land and the water itself. In other words, these natural endowments, also known as commodities, give trading partners a reason to do business with and even potentially invest in that trading nation. Seen through to its logical and perfect theoretical conclusion, the trading partners mutually enrich one another through this process with the natural endowments of the one trading partner funding the development of industry and services that stratify, diversify, and advance the other’s domestic economy. Of course, this is not often the case and some trading partners, working with corrupt local entities representing the other nation, take an extractive approach. Thus, taking the commodities from one nation at aggressive rates that enrich a small group of the ruling class, while leaving the rest of the nation in poverty. No matter what the ethical approach to commodities trading is, commodities are essential to the functioning of industrial and advanced economies and, as such, are potent factors in the growth and direction of not only the global economy but also international relations, diplomacy, and even military action.
The Role of Commodities in Global Trade Commodities are integral and critical to global trade on every level. Yet despite this fact, some countries engaged in commodities trading are often under-developed or even considered third-world nations. This can be explained when you consider “the role a commodity plays in the upward chain of production in the global economy.” To enable the kind of growth that first-world nations expect, commodity inputs necessarily need to be cheap, readily available and if possible, maintain a persistent stable supply. When you apply these requirements to commodities, you note that, by sheer necessity, growth is not factored into the equation. From a purely rational perspective, a “race to the bottom” for commodities prices makes sense if the only avenue for growth, as a producer of commodities is to increase market share rather than the price. Because of this, we so often see desperately extractive processes in economies dependent on commodities trading, even up to and including environmental degradation and abuse of human rights, because the producer needs to keep the supply stable and the price low. Yet commodities are not just natural resources but instead represent a unit of production that enables other economic markets to come into reality.
What is a Commodity?
At its most elementary level, a commodity is an input necessary to make a product. Bottled water would be an example of this. In this instance, the commodity is water and the petroleum components used to make the plastic bottle is another commodity. Combined with added labor (either machine or human), the consumer is left with a product called bottled water. The water and petroleum byproduct are thus commodity inputs and bottled water is the output of that synthesis. To identify commodities, look for inputs that are necessary to make another product.
An example would be rare earths that comprise the batteries that power EVs or the sheet metal that clads their bodies. In the realm of food, you could look at olives that are then processed for their oil as a commodity or corn that is later transformed into a myriad of edible food products or even biofuel. Though we could spend the rest of this article discussing what exactly differentiates a commodity input from a final output, we will not investigate that here. Instead, we will assume the position of a commodity as an economically quantifiable aspect of the primary production of a finished good or service. From this perspective, “labor is a commodity in that it can be quantified in a monetary sense and its impact on the final product or service is understood within that context.” Yet, obviously, a human being is different from a piece of coal or rare earths, hence why the broader discussion of what a commodity is and how it should be accounted for in trade spans every field of discipline from political science and sociology to economics and mathematics.
Commodities and Various Levels of Development
Countries engaged in the commodities trade as the primary source of their economic output are said to be in the primary market or primary economy. This stage of “development is often compared to bartering in that the commodity-producing nation offers up its raw materials” in exchange for money, services, or finished goods. A broad regional example would be the Middle East and the oil industry that has increased the wealth of many people. A vast swath of undeveloped and under-populated desert, just one hundred years ago, today cities like Riyadh, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi has arisen out of the sands like glass mirages forged out of imported metal and paid for with oil revenues. The Middle East also, in some areas, provides an example of how to properly appropriate commodity wealth to develop a more stratified economy.
While the Middle East is not a major producer of finished industrial goods, it does have a welldeveloped and sophisticated services sector including finance and tourism - all made possible by oil trading. The drive to further diversify the economies of the Middle East and move away from oil as a source of wealth is the pressing issue of the day for many governments and the problem with which the future generations of those countries will manage. For an example of a commodities trade that is often fraught with unethical practices and controversy, look no further than Africa’s diamond mining industry. The likes of which has caused regional conflicts and people pressed into forced mining labor to extract them. Yet simply attempting to develop a more stratified of an advanced economy is itself fraught with many issues. In this regard, the nation of Brazil can be used as an example. It is a nation that has a somewhat developed industrial sector, as well as, a still somewhat massive primary economy, Brazil is stuck in what is known as the middle-income trap. It is neither rich nor poor but has enough markers of uneven development that it cannot be classified as a fully first-world country.
China’s Belt and Road Initiative and US Maritime Power
The need for a stable supply of commodities often drives companies and even countries to take extraordinary measures to secure them. One major development that has emerged in the past decade that many economists are watching with marked interest is China’s Leader, Xi Jinping and his Belt and Road Initiative. A massive project burdened with the task of physically tying together the countries of central Asia, the Middle East, and Africa with China’s booming economy, the belt and Road Initiative” includes roads, ports, airports, supply depots, and even military bases.
In theory, the promise is that this physical “Silk Road” between these nations will not only provide the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) with the commodities it needs to keep its factories operational; but also encourage development and provide a market for those factories and their goods in the other nations tied to the initiative. This latter point is murkier and harder to understand from the perspective of how these places will be able to develop viable consumer markets for China’s goods if there are uneven development strategies in place. Balancing the need for its own development, with that of its neighbors, possibly could become a system that benefits one party but has ambiguous benefits for the broad base of the other. A “similar system that has enabled astounding global economic growth” while securing “trade in both commodities and finished goods is the naval might of the United States” and how it is applied to key shipping routes around the world. See the link below for additional information.
Avoiding the Middle-Income Trap: Australia’s Mineral Wealth A prominent case study for avoiding the middle-income trap and transforming mineral wealth into national prosperity and stability, is the nation of Australia. Long a bastion of stable growth, Australia is one of the most mineral-rich places on the planet and has successfully leveraged this trade into “developing a range of industrial and service-based economic sectors.” Without delving into policies or actions implemented by the Australian government, the strategy was to ensure that development and trade proceeded balanced with the process of trading in commodities and how equal that was in terms of power relationships. Simply stated, how a commodity-producing nation balances its need to make money from a resource while simultaneously ensuring that it can benefit from any technologies derived from it.
Rare Earth Elements and Future Technologies
Nothing illustrates this technology gap in trading relations more acutely than rare earths and the technologies they enable. While China is a global leader in rare earth production, they are not the only source. Other sources “don’t have nearly the clout that the PRC has in global trade - nor are they likely to ever have it.” The central problem with trade differentials is that, once gaps are established, they tend to grow at exponential rates leading to uneven development practices that not only become impractical in a changing economy; but leave the endeavoring nation more behind than ever before. For this reason, many analysts are skeptical of the “Belt and Road Initiative” because other projects of similar or smaller scale have not produced developing, robust economies but rather have resulted in semi-mercantilist situations in which the major economy secures permanent markets for its goods and services, not competitors.
Know When to Lead or to Follow.
Adrianna
Rat Races Do you feel tired running on the wheel? The hamster wheel of life that we all run on every day. It can be exhausting trying to keep up with our neighbors, various trends and/or family members. At some point in time, most people
get
tied
to
commitments
with
subscriptions, expensive car payments, or Door Dash. A few years ago, I was forced to change my spending. Things had gotten out of control. I had thousands of dollars in credit card debt. I could not even make the minimum payment and I had no savings. I thought I understood how money works and I thought I needed more of it.
Even though I knew I was
resourceful, it was not enough. I told myself if I made more money, I would be fine. I would impulse shop and give into buying shoes, clothes, electronics, and other things I did not need all to make myself feel better. I remember the day it all changed. Dave Ramsey posts YouTube videos all the time giving financial advice to everyday Americans like me and you. One day a lady called in and she was with living with her husband above her means. She was making over $150,000 or more with her husband but they were still up to their eyeballs in debt. He told her, she needed to sell her car to make her payments on student loans and credit cards. Something happened when he said it. She got quiet, in the way all people do when you tell them the truth and they start thinking. He hung up on her and said “Everyone thinks they need a fancy car because they deserve it. Everyone thinks they deserve the best. The truth is what you spend your money on is for stuff you do not need. You do not need a new car, you want one. You do not need the newest iPhone or the newest this or that. Stop being a child and grow up. Stop impulse buying things that do not matter. You know how you get ahead? You live below your means and pay off your debt. Then you work the baby steps of my financial plan.” The words rang to my soul.
Subscribe to Bolted Loose from Jeremiah Valentine
B.L.
Only on SubStack
I knew he was talking to me. For years, I had been spending without care for the future. I thought I was doing enough because I was resourceful. Every time I truly needed something, I made it happen. The reality was that I was not resourceful; I was using my credit card. I think we all do this. We get caught in a lifestyle that includes new brand-named tennis, new cars, fancy houses with expensive trimmings and fixtures. Then the next thing we know, we cannot afford our lifestyle because it has become too much. A lifestyle commonly known as the rat race. We are subconsciously or consciously trying to compete. This is a game you will not win. You will end up with a bunch of stuff that does not matter in the long term, and you will make the problem worse. There will always be another lender who gives you money. There will always be another fancy car or piece of tech coming out. It is how they get you back in the race. You must ask yourself are you going to win today? Or are you in it so you can pass your wealth down to your children? No one needs everything, it is a lie. We all need essentials, everything else is circumstantial, we should act like it. Children are impulsive and often cry when they do not get what they want. Children cannot control themselves; but you can, you are an adult. You can make anything happen with challenging work and dedication. Ask yourself these questions. What do you really want? Are you willing to sacrifice the rat race for achieving your dreams? Think about it.
Adrianna
Honest Bookkeep
Honest Bookkeep offers virtual professional bookkeeping for Real Estate Investors from secure, cloud-based software so they can: -Focus valuable time on investing, not administrative necessities
-Have records at the ready to secure future financing - Maintain current and accurate data to analyze which investments maximize ROI - Stand ready for tax season, with us or another preparer Having your books in order is critical to securing your next deal!
visit honestbookkeep.com
Politics on the National Economy One inescapable fact of modern life in the United States is that almost every issue is politicized to an almost insane degree. Whether it is what product a company sells or how they sell it, there are so many varied interests to satisfy and consider in any public-facing business that it is mind-boggling. Yet, while some might want to blame this on social media or some other new phenomenon, really, there is nothing new under the sun. Politics and political systems that are spawned from them inevitably impact business. Even now, the degree and extent to which contentious party politics has any impact whatsoever on the business climate in a country is largely determined by the amount of power the majority party wields in practice. Given the somewhat limited nature of US political parties in terms of absolute power, it helps us to also examine the opposite situation: The People’s Republic of China. There we see a unified political system with one dominant party that actualizes the entirety of the state’s resources to achieve its goals. Though markedly different, however, both systems are impacted on a macro and micro level by on-the-ground politics that influence business decisions in small yet decisive ways.
Regulation versus Deregulation
Perhaps the single most popular area that is often cited by critics of democracy and fans of systems like that found in the PRC is that to many regulations lead to stymied economic development. This is not completely anecdotal because small businesses tend to thrive in areas where less regulation is imposed. Barriers to entry or the costs of getting started from a bureaucratic perspective tend to be lower in areas where right-wing politics prevail and higher in those where things such as worker’s rights, environmental protection, and fair wages are popular - things typically associated with the left. Aspiring entrepreneurs or investors may opt for the lower barrier-to-entry market, though this is not always the case.
Looking towards China, we see an interesting rub between the relatively lax regulatory schemes of the PRC and the almost completely deregulated Hong Kong market. Bringing harmony between these two systems is not only causing social unrest but it is also calling into question the highly regulated nature of the mainland’s economy in comparison. In the United States under the current administration, there is some concern on the part of primary resource industries that increased regulations could make business more difficult or expensive for them in the future. This is due to the Democrats’ tendency to side with environmental causes.
Environmentalism
As mentioned above, regulation tends to be one of the dividing lines between left and right in many countries and can impact whether a business and/or entrepreneur even enters the market to begin. Another major factor tied to this phenomenon is environmentalism or the care and concern for the natural environment. Here the divide is along the lines of preserving nature at the expense of economic development. In the previous administration in the United States, environmentalism was not given such pride of place in the legislative agenda. That has changed with this current administration. Strong environmental movements are not only associated with increased regulations and costs to doing business but also strong regulatory regimes in general.
Worker’s Rights and Business Opportunities
The extent to which states should protect the individual worker from predatory labor practices is often tied to arguments about economic opportunity. We see this frequently in the debates surrounding the gig economy and workers’ rights. Though businesses do afford their official employees more protections, there is some evidence to suggest that employees who take nontraditional routes are able to make more over time.
Whether or not the local business climate allows for this is another matter entirely. Arguments in favor of more regulations on employment, stress that the state must step in should things go wrong thus leaving the ultimate burden on the taxpayers in general. A popular example of this is the finding that many Walmart employees are on food stamps while working for the company full time. To keep prices low, Walmart often keeps its wages low which, in turn, results in workers that are barely able to live on their earnings. This results in a situation in which the taxpayers, in general, pick up the slack but, simultaneously, are reluctant to raise wages for workers because of fears that prices at places like Walmart will also go up. Left-leaning politicians tend to be in favor of higher minimum wages while right-leaning politicians tend to argue that the market is the best guide for what someone should be paid. In either case, the ultimate decision of a business owner is impacted by whichever sentiment prevails in that locality.
Taxes
For many liberal democracies, the idea of taxation tends to divide political parties more than anything else. Here, however, the argument is also more complex as there are divisions even on the right and the left about who should pay what. Favoring the investing class typically means lowering specific taxes like those on capital gains while being in favor of lowering taxes on consumer items is often associated with more left-leaning groups. Though the opinions are varied and myriad, a general rule is that taxation impacts businesses if it makes the cost of conducting business higher and thus raises the barrier to entry for entrepreneurs into the market. Currently, in the United States, there is a lot of discussion about making people pay “their fair share” though both parties are struggling to define exactly what that means.
Social Unrest and Rule of Law
Whether right-wing or left-wing, one consistent feature of wealthy states is that they have a strong system of justice and rule of law. Because of this, social unrest is kept to a minimum and, when it does occur, it has a natural outlet for its expression. Here we find the immediate flaws of the PRC’s system that many do not like to discuss. While business loves the deregulated nature of many of China’s markets, the uncertainty about how something will play out in court coupled with the inability for anyone to express opposition to government policies results in an environment that is less than optimal for business. Business owners must be able to invest and operate with the knowledge that they are part of a predictable system that will honor their property rights.
Arbitrary enforcement of regulations, seizures of property, and disregard for legal rights tend to make business a risky proposition from multiple angles. Sadly, in China, there is a level of capriciousness that is not found elsewhere. Though the nation promised a “one country, two systems” policy regarding Hong Kong, the somewhat heavy-handed nature of single-party rule is already surfacing as tensions between Hong Kong and Beijing spill over into street demonstrations. We will all see how this plays out.
Resonate Make sure to check out our IGTV series, Resonate on Instagram.
We'll be going behind the scenes with the Founder of Adrianna Group, Marcus L. Craig as he shares with everyone the process and journey as the Adrianna brand reaches new heights.
Helping Others Hits Way Better Than Only Helping Yourself.
Adrianna
Special Thanks to Our Contributors Adrianna Craig-Lopez Lyndi Jo Weston Denise Craig Detts Isla Jenna Carlton Jeremiah Valentine Jessica Jaral Karina Ramirez
Adrianna
The Fall Edition of Adrianna will be released September 1, 2021.
Adrianna
Disclaimer The Founder and personnel associated with Adrianna magazine are not certified/registered financial professionals. Additionally, Adrianna Group, LLC is not a registered/certified financial institution within the United States, its territories, or other jurisdictions. All information and views provided via this magazine and its related businesses are for entertainment purposes only.
The company, its founder, and associated personnel are not liable for the investment performance of any asset. Investment performance may differ from individual or group to another.
Individuals are encouraged to conduct their own research. Consult with a registered investment advisor (RIA) for your investment needs.
The opinions and commentary of our website, podcast, and parent company do not reflect any official policy of the U.S. government or its entities to include the U.S. military or any of their personnel.
Adrianna
Source Page Published by The University of Skovde. Copyright 2017 The Authors. Proceedings of the 13th SWECOG Conference. Skovde University Studies in Informatics 2017:2. https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:942691/FULLTEXT01.pdf Hewitt Adrian. & Page Sheila (2003 January 01). World Commodity Prices and their Impact on Developing Countries; ODI (Overseas Development Institute) ODI.org. Supported by European Parliament https://odi.org/en/about/our-work/world-commodity-prices-and-their-impact-on-developingcountries/ Reviewed by Rzepczynski, Mark. S. Book Reviews (2016, Volume 11, Issue 1). Commodity Markets and the Global Economy (a review), Blake C. Clayton, Cambridge University Press. https://www.cfainstitute.org/en/research/financial-analysts-journal/2016/commodity-markets-andthe-global-economy Masters, Jonathan (Updated 2019 August 19), Backgrounder; Sea Power: The U.S. Navy and Foreign Policy. Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). CFR.org. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cfr.org/backgrounder/sea-power-us-navy-and-foreignpolicy%3famp Keller, Kelley (ESQ.) (2019 September 30). Intellectual Property for Business Owners – 10 Things You Should Know. http://kelleykeller.com/10-things-every-business-should-know-about-intellectual-property/ Statt, Nick (2020 March 19). Self-driving Car Engineer Anthony Levandowski pleads guilty to stealing Google Trade Secrets. https://www.theverge.com/2020/3/19/21187651/anthony-levandowski-pleads-guilty-google-waymouber-trade-secret-theft-lawsuit Statt, Nick (2020 August 04). Former Google Exec Anthony Levandowski Sentenced to 18 Months for Stealing Self-driving Car Secrets. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.theverge.com/platform/amp/2020/8/4/21354906/anthonylevandowski-waymo-uber-lawsuit-sentence-18-months-prison-lawsuit
Source Page Miao, Hannah (2020 November 19). Walmart and McDonald’s are among top Employers of Medicaid and Food Stamp Beneficiaries. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/19/walmart-and-mcdonalds-among-top-employers-of-medicaidand-food-stamp-beneficiaries.html Davies, Rob & Davidson, Helen (2021 January 23). The Strange case of Alibaba’s Jack Ma and his three-month Vanishing Act. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/jan/23/the-strange-case-of-alibabas-jack-ma-and-histhree-month-vanishing-act Chik, Holly. (2020 June 09). South China Morning Post. How Hong Kong Protests Erupted and what lies Ahead for Movement Marking Anniversary on June 9. https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3088102/quick-guide-how-hong-kongprotests-erupted-and-what-lies Fabian, Jordan & Epstein, Jennifer. (2021 May 05). Biden Says He’s Open to Compromise on Corporate Tax Hike. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-05/biden-says-he-s-open-to-compromise-oncorporate-tax-rate-hike Popovich, Nadja, Albeck-Ripka, Livia & Pierre-Louis, Kendra. (2021 January 20). The Trump Administration Rolled Back More Than 100 Environmental Rules. Here’s the Full List. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/climate/trump-environment-rollbacks-list.html Morath, Eric. The Wall Street Journal. (2021 May 05). Fox Business. Biden Blocks Trump-era gig worker Rule. https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/biden-blocks-trump-worker-rule
Adrianna