Business Adviser No. 19

R I O G R A N D E VA L L E Y E D I T I O N

Issue 19

Be Eco-minded

MAKE YOUR BUSINESS GO GREEN

POWERFUL LEADERS

Never Stop Learning INVESTMENT STRATEGIES FOR RETIRED SENIORS THE WISE WAYS

CANTU CONSTRUCTION Buying vs. Renting: The Experts Help You Decide

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Tried and Tested Rules for Finding Remote Work Opportunities 18 Ways to Look Professional and Dress For Success Make Your Business Stand Out On The Web With These Pro Tips 5 Awesome Business Lessons You Can Learn On A Golf Course

BUSINESS DIRECTORY PAGE List of preferred partners in the Rio Grande Valley area that are recommended by Business Adviser Magazine.

Sarah Hammond Atlas Electrical & Air Conditioning (956) 862-9628 atlasrgv.com

Edgar Hernandez Primary Residential Mortgage, Inc. (956) 491-1737 www.prmirgv.com

Yasidi Gonzalez Mutual of Omaha (956) 460-3017 www.mutualofomaha.com

Rick Benavides Big Realty (956) 283-4082 bigrealtyrgv.com

Oriol Zertuche Codesm (956) 277-1946 www.codesm.com

Albert L. Lopez IWC (956) 683-1818 www.iwcteam.com

Carolina Gonzalez Gold's Gym 2520 E Expressway 83 (956) 585-4653 1601 W Dove Ave (956) 630-4653

Magic Valley Electric Cooperative 1-866-225-5683 www.magicvalley.coop

David Ortiz Gold's Gym 1317 S. Jackson Rd (956) 781-4653 2000 S. Expressway 83 (956) 365-4653

Andrew Yoo Business Payment Systems (956) 277-1944 bpsmerchant.com

Our Team

Editor’s Letter

STAFF

EMPOWERING SMALL BUSINESS

Andrew Yoo Maggie Yoo Oriol Zertuche John Amour Reynaldo Vento Jonny Wilczynski

ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS Daniel Martinez Mody Diaz Chris Cruz Sarah Hammond Omar Guevara Rick Benevidez Bridgett McAdams Krause Chis'mere Mallard David Armstrong Mario Gutierrez John Amour Oriol Zertuche Maggie Yoo Andrew Yoo

CONTACT US In print, online, and in person, nobody connects the people, issues and ideas within valley business owners like Business Adviser.

Thank you for your continued support as we strive to establish Business Adviser Magazine as the leading resource for business owners in the Rio Grande Valley. Our vision is to create a brand that stands for businesses and provides everything local business owners need to succeed.

This magazine was founded due to an ongoing demand for a reputable, responsible source for business knowledge and advice.

The business world can be challenging, and business owners often have to make difficult decisions. Business Adviser can ease those situations by offering advice that guides you through the process.

Our team consists of experienced, knowledgeable entrepreneurs that eat, breath, and live for business.

With a dedicated team of industry experts and a hands-on approach to answering business-related questions, Business Adviser Magazine empowers business owners and helps them stay ahead of the competition. Our mission is to inspire the entrepreneurial spirit and foster business growth by providing reliable resources for business owners. I would like to take this opportunity to personally invite you to join Business Adviser Magazine. We are sure that your business will benefit greatly from the exposure generated by this publication as you establish your brand and increase your industry authority.

Sincerely,

Andrew Yoo, CEO & President info@businessadviser.co (956) 277-1944

In This Issue

12 16 18 20 24 26 32 36 37 38 42 44 45 46

18 Ways to Look Professional and Dress For Success Be Eco-minded! Make Your Business Go Green

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5 BUSINESS LESSONS YOU CAN LEARN ON A GOLF COURSE

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INVESTMENT STRATEGIES FOR RETIRED SENIORS

When to Give Up on Your Business Project Dream Big. Start Small.

How to Leverage LinkedIn to Create a Buzz About Your Business Tried and Tested Rules for Finding Remote Work Opportunities Method That is Helping Entrepreneurs Build Successful Businesses Crowdfunding: Worth The Buzz?

Is Your Business Cool Enough to Use the Hybrid Cloud?

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SHOULD YOU BUY OR RENT? WHY BUYING A HOME MAKES SMART FINANCIAL SENSE

Block Ads But Pay For the Content Flattr Plus Comes with a New Idea How to Manage Inbox Overload Effectively “You’ve Got Mail” IRS Adding 700 New Employees to Catch Tax Fraud

Elsa State Bank Announces the Appointment of Ene Prado as New Account Representative

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POWERFUL LEADERS NEVER STOP LEARNING

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WILL AMP SPEED UP MOBILE BROWSING

Make Your Business Stand Out On The Web With These Pro Tips

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STRATEGY

There is nothing wrong with wanting to win, but on many occasions, this obsession with victory can make you commit several mistakes. Don't be afraid to lose while playing.

e’re all humans and we can’t be engrossed in work all the time. Sometimes we’re away for hours on end, and we might miss a few business opportunities in that time. But if those hours are spent on a golf course, you don’t really have to worry about the lack of connectivity – golf offers a great opportunity to build connections and network.

Golf is a 4 hour adventure through greens, bunkers, and many other hazards. It is still one of the best ways to nurture and maintain relationships with potential clients.

While playing golf with a prospective client, you get an opportunity to see their integrity and mannerism. You also get to know their reaction to success and failure.

That said, deals are not normally closed on a golf course.

If that is your sole intention, you will probably leave without signing a contract. That might even ruin your relationships with business associates or clients. Golf simply provides a low stress look into the minds of business executives.

The sophisticated world of golf provides ample opportunities to network, and it is considered the best communication hub. Golf gives you an opportunity to study how a person behaves in an adversity. Don’t worry about their sporting skills. It is equally important that you do not

Golf gives you an opportunity to study how a person behaves in adversity. take the game or yourself too seriously while playing golf with a potential client. Your goal should be strengthening the business relationship.

Here are the top 5 business lessons you can learn from golf.

GIVE A FIRM AND SINCERE HANDSHAKE While shaking hands with someone, grab a firm hold and look the person in the eye. A person’s handshake will tell you a lot about them.

Make sure to leave a long lasting impression.

DON’T DWELL ON YOUR PAST VICTORIES You may have achieved several victories on the course, but when you are out there playing another round of golf, you have to be completely ready. Forget about yesterday and deal with the present challenge.

COME PREPARED To achieve success, you have to do a lot more than just show up and try for the best.

You should begin the preparation weeks in advance.

This applies to business as well. Whenever you’re in a business or golf battleground, always be prepared.

DON’T BE AFRAID TO LOSE There is nothing wrong with wanting to win, but on many occasions, this obsession with

victory can make you commit several mistakes. Don’t be afraid to lose while playing.

In business, too, you should be ready to take chances and fail. This will make your victories sweeter.

MAKE FRIENDS WITH YOUR ENEMY It is possible to build a great relationship with your rival.

Just because you are enemies on the course does not mean that you cannot be friends off it. In business, too, don’t regard your competitor as your enemy. Treat them as a challenge that encourages you to work harder.

Follow these tips on the golf course and you’ll get to learn a lot from great minds.

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THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE

STAR GALA 2016

AT THE BOGGUS FORD EVENTS CENTER STAR has provided over $450,250 in scholarship to 399 4-H and FFA graduating seniors interested in furthering their education. The STAR Scholarship program is available to all 4-H and FFA members who meet the eligibility requirements of the Scholarship Program.

$10,000 SPONSORS

$5,000

SPONSORS

$2,500

SPONSORS American Industrial Constructors

Commissioner Joseph Palacios

Chorizo De San Manuel Enrique & Patti Ramos F amily

Wylie Implement W W W . G O S T A R . O R G

STRATEGY

INVESTMENT STRATEGIES FOR RETIRED SENIORS

THE WISE WAYS E

veryone wants their nest egg to last a lifetime. This wouldn't be possible without sound investment strategies. In fact, choosing the right investment portfolios becomes even more important after you retire.

Most people have trouble coping with the unknown called retirement. They are worried that their savings won't last as long as they do. So how

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should you approach your investment portfolio when you are no longer earning a paycheck?

CREATING A WISE INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO When you are investing in your retirement, choosing safe and wise portfolios are extremely important.

A working person has the option of working longer if their investments do not yield satisfactory returns. But

once you retire, you lose that opportunity.

Most retirees who have taken care of their investments will not have to revamp their investment portfolio once they retire. Maybe you are planning to withdraw 4-5% of your total savings in the very first year of your retirement.

In the subsequent years, you will perhaps want to adjust that amount by the rate of inflation. At this withdrawal rate, you are unlikely to

exhaust your savings over 30 years or so. That said, you still need to assess your

Choosing the right investment portfolios becomes even more important after you retire.

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STRATEGY

Before you invest, make sure you understand the flexibility of your budget. investments to ensure that your portfolio balances your requirement for safety and growth. No one wants to be plagued by financial woes in their twilight years.

Here are the three factors you need to review before choosing an investment strategy: your income from various sources, your risk appetite, and the flexibility of your budget. Once you have reviewed these three, you can structure an investment portfolio. Two popular asset-allocation strategies are the bucket plan and the cover-the-basics plan.

and social security to meet fixed expenses. You will then invest the rest of your assets in diverse portfolios to pay for non-necessities like travel and entertainment. Both approaches require you to match your regular sources of income to fixed monthly expenses. This way, you can calculate the difference between your income and expenses. So, for example, if your fixed monthly income post retirement is $3000 and your fixed monthly expenses are $5000, you will need to find another $2000 to take care of your expenses.

If you believe in the bucket approach, you should consider putting $48,000 to $72,000 in a short term investment like bank deposits. Such investments are unlikely to yield good returns, but they are sufficient to finance 2-3 years of spending.

THE BUCKET PLAN

COVER THE BASICS PLAN

The bucket plan divides your savings into 3 segments which you can use during the initial, middle, and last stages of your retirement. In the cover-the-basics approach, you will use your fixed income sources like pensions

If you are a fan of the cover-the-basics strategy, instead of creating a cash hoard, you should consider putting that money in an immediate annuity. This kind of annuity works like a pension. You invest a large sum with an

insurer and they pay you the money back with interest every month. You will receive this monthly payment until you die. The monthly pension will take care of your expenses and you can invest your other assets in riskier portfolios that also have a good chance of earning a higher return.

ceive each month. Life spans are increasing and rates are hitting rock bottom, so if a 66-year-old couple invests a $100,000 in a joint-life immediate annuity, it will return only about $475/month if they want to receive the monthly payments until both of them die.

On the flip side, lifetime annuities are becoming less attractive now. Their returns depend on two factors: the age at which you want to start receiving the payments and the existing interest rates. If the beneficiary is younger, they will be receiving monthly payments for longer. This will reduce the amount of money they re-

Ultimately, your investment plan is a personal choice. Make sure you know all of your options before you choose.

LIFESTYLE

TO LOOK PROFESSIONAL AND DRESS FOR SUCCESS 12

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INVESTMENTS LIFESTYLE

Suit? Check. Tie. Check.

Shoes. Check.

And still not looking professional. Happens to you? That’s because professionalism is more about attitude and less about looks.

By simply changing some behaviors and actions, you can send the right messages.

Here are some attributes of men and women who look professional. It is not easy to demonstrate these attributes all the time, but fake it until you make it.

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BE CONFIDENT Professionalism and success go hand-in-hand.

Confidence is one of the hallmarks of highly successful people. So, wear it on your sleeves. Make sure that you have the competence to back up your confidence. However, confidence without competence won't take you far.

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BE AUTHENTIC There is no harm in faking it till you make it. Even so, make sure that your behavior, your performance, and your claims are grounded in reality.

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DON'T BAD-MOUTH YOUR COLLEAGUES OR BOSS. This is particularly important if you are in your first job. Remember that people who bad-mouth, flirt, or gossip are not taken seriously.

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RESIST THE URGE TO COMPLAIN People who complain all the time won't leave a positive impression on their colleagues or boss.

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DON'T COMPETE WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES. Your goal should be the best you can be. Don't try to do something better than someone else. Instead, try to do it to the best of your ability.

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BE CANDID Professional peoples are known to be honest. They are capable of assessing a situation and offering an honest opinion.

BE AWARE OF YOUR PLUSSES AND MINUSES You should know your strengths and weaknesses. You should know who you are and what you are capable of doing.

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BE A STRATEGIC THINKER People who start something with the destination in their mind are much more likely to succeed than those who start with no goals. Professionals identify their goals first. They then work backward to achieve those goals.

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BE DISCRETE Develop your communication skills. You should be able to express your views candidly and without offending people.

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BE CARING Learn about the goals, fears, and aspirations of other people and help them to the best of your ability.

BE REALISTIC Have realistic expectations.

Promise what you can deliver and promise the best you can.

BE ENTHUSIASTIC Enthusiasm has always been and will always be a positive quality. Enthusiasm is a by-product of optimism and acts as a force multiplier.

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BE PERSISTENT Don't give up that easily. Pay attention to small things and persist.

BE A PERFORMER Your accomplishments speak volumes about your professionalism. Repeated accomplishments are even more powerful.

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BE CURIOUS If you are a professional, you are never ever finished learning. So be curious, learn new skills, and polish your existing skills.

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BE WILLING TO TAKE RISKS There is a difference between being risky and taking risks.

Every action involves some risks, but inaction will not take you anywhere so learn to take calculated risks.

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HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR No, you are not supposed to crack jokes all the time, but having a sense of humor certainly helps in trying situations.

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GET FIT If you don't care about yourself it is hard to convince others that you care about others. So, hit the gym, eat well and stay fit.

Try to incorporate these qualities and you’ll see that others perceive you as more professional.

Often times confidence is created, not inherited. Step out of your comfort zone. It's the best way to grow.

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MANAGEMENT

BE ECO-MINDED MAKE YOUR BUSINESS GO

No matter which industry you belong to, we bet there will be cutthroat competition in it. If you want to sell and make money, you need to differentiate your business from your competition. One way of doing this is to adopt eco-friendly practices. By going green, you can also improve your bottom line.

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MANAGEMENT Here are some simple measures you need to take to reduce your carbon footprint.

USE PCW (POST CONSUMER WASTE) PAPER AND PAPER PRODUCTS If it is possible, do not use paper at all; but if you really must use paper, choose eco-friendly paper. PCW paper is made by recycling paper. PCW recycled paper can be manufactured using 45 percent less energy. Also, this method creates much less waste than the traditional paper making process.

When you buy paper, make sure that it is labeled 100 percent PCW. If that is not possible, look for paper that contains a high amount of PCW. Also, make it a point to recycle your paper rather than sending it to the landfills.

USE BIODEGRADABLE CLEANERS There are several benefits to using biodegradable cleaners. They reduce your exposure to harmful toxins. By using them, you can also reduce the number of chemicals you release to the environment. Use natural or herbal soap, shampoo, and detergent. These green products are now available at most stores.

to reduce your cooling and heating costs by over 20 percent. Free energy audits are available in many states. Actually, some states will even pay for all or some of the repairs.

USE LED OR CFL LIGHTS

REPLACE YOUR OLD APPLIANCES WITH NEWER APPLIANCES WITH ENERGY STAR RATINGS

LED and CFL lights are more expensive than incandescent bulbs. On the bright side, they last longer and consume much less energy. LED and CFL bulbs fit inside most standard light fixtures. Each one of these bulbs will save you over $200 over the course of their life.

Energy Star home and office appliances have labels that will help you find out the amount of energy they use. Products with higher ratings are more expensive than those with lower ratings, but don't hesitate to splurge on them. The longterm savings justify their price.

GET AN ENERGY AUDIT OF YOUR HOME AND OFFICE

CHOOSE HERBAL OR NATURAL BEAUTY PRODUCTS

Seal cracks and leaks in the walls, roofs, and attic. By doing this, you will be able

Going green is worth implementing, and with a little effort, is easily done.

When buying beauty products, make sure that they are made of natural ingredients. Green products cost more or less the same as other products containing toxins.

SWITCH TO ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES In many parts of the country, it is possible to buy 'green energy' from your utility provider. Green energy is produced from renewable sources like wind, solar and hydropower. Green energy is slightly more expensive than conventional energy, but when you go

green, you are reducing your impact on the environment.

RECYCLE ALL THAT CAN BE RECYCLED When buying and replacing items, look for recycled products. Buy vintage furniture instead of new pieces.

USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WHENEVER POSSIBLE. Private vehicles contribute to air pollution. One way of reducing your carbon footprint is to ride a hybrid vehicle or use buses and trains. You will also save a lot of money.

USE GREEN WEB HOSTING COMPANIES Green web hosting companies involve themselves in a variety of eco-friendly activities. They use green energy, plant trees, buy carbon offsets etc. Green web hosting costs more or less the same as conventional web hosting, so you have every reason to use it.

By simply taking these simple steps, you can reduce your environmental impact and save thousands of dollars each year.

Better still, these measures will help you win the favor of eco-friendly consumers.

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STARTUPS

WHEN TO GIVE UP ON YOUR BUSINESS

PROJECT

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STARTUPS

Evaluate the situation honestly and if you are far from your goals, stop pumping in more money.

S

uccessful entrepreneurs are known for their perseverance.

Unlike the rest of us, they don’t give up that easily. They pursue their goal even if the chances of success seem slim. Is this the right approach? Every new project has a financial, physical and emotional cost. You invest a considerable amount of money and put in hours of hard work. And before you even realize it, you become emotionally attached to it. It is not easy to give up, but sometimes that is exactly what you need to do. Some projects aren’t worth pursuing and the earlier you realize it, the better.

Here are a few questions you should ask yourself to find out if your idea is worth pursuing.

HAVE I MADE ANY REAL PROGRESS? No one launches a business just for the fun of it. You want your company to acquire clients and make money. That said, profitability is just one of the factors you should consider while measuring progress. In the initial years, it doesn’t really matter if you don’t make any profits.

But you should still have

acquired repeat customers and built a network. If your business neither made money nor acquired customers, then maybe you are flogging a dead horse.

AM I CAPABLE OF ACHIEVING MY BUSINESS GOALS? A lot of factors affect the success of a project and a large number of them are not within your control. Recession can affect the viability of any business idea. The credit crunch is another such factor.

It takes several years to build a profitable business, and the ideas that seemed viable in the beginning may not be viable after a year or two. So, make an honest analysis of the situation.

the writing on the wall. Some entrepreneurs believe that since they have invested time and money in the project, it will eventually become successful. This over-optimism encourages them to invest more money by digging into their savings and mortgaging their home and other property. The additional investment will probably buy your business more time, but if it doesn’t take it further, you are throwing good money after bad. So evaluate the situation honestly and if you are convinced that you are far from your goals, stop pumping in more money.

AM I STILL COMMITTED TO THIS IDEA? You should be excited about the project. You must believe in its potential to be successful. If you lose the passion and motivation after working on it for a while, you may

need to ask yourself if you are still excited about the plan. If you aren’t, try to find out what it might take to regain the lost interest.

DID I MISS A LOT OF OTHER OPPORTUNITIES? In order to pursue this venture, you may have said no to several other projects. If you feel that the missing opportunities were more viable and compelling than the one you are currently pursuing, maybe it is time you explored them.

AM I THINKING AND ACTING REALISTICALLY? Commitment is good but if you become overly attached to the project, you may miss

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SPONSORED

DREAM BIG. START SMALL. Meet a FinTech entrepreneur who is making retirement benefits accessible to local business.

G

rowing up on the line between the U.S. and Mexico, Carlos Armando Garcia saw his family and other families work hard and make sacrifices for a better future.

But looking back, he realized how limited their access to good retirement saving plans really was. Fast forward to New York City and his trail of successes in the FinTech world. Now, he’s set out to get more people investing towards their retirement by making it simpler, for employers and their employees. Carlos Armando is introducing Finhabits, a new option for retirement planning through IRAs and for as little as $12 a year.

ON THE IDEA BEHIND FINHABITS We all work hard for a better future. But we don’t always have the habit of putting our money to work for our retirement. Think of all the small things we do on a regular basis; things we do without thinking

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like brushing our teeth, eating healthy, etc. Little by little, their benefits add up. Investing is just like that! We’re using mobile technology and behavioral nudges to help people get into the habit of investing, so they can can reach their financial goals, including more income for their retirement.

ON OFFERING RETIREMENT PLANS I believe that employers are the best positioned to put their employees on the right track for their retirement. However, offering a 401K plan takes more administrative time and costs more. That’s been putting retirement plans out of reach for many small and medium size businesses.

Our service offers an easier and more affordable solution through individual retirement accounts (IRAs), which are more flexible.

ON THE TECHNOLOGY Innovation is what drives our business. We’ve put a lot of time building a

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as little as $5 a week. No more excuses!

ON CREATING GOOD FINANCIAL HABITS A habit is an action made without thinking too much about it. All you need is a reminder.

For instance, when you’re ready for bed, you brush your teeth. Your dentist might also send you a postcard reminding you that it’s time for a checkup. Finhabits is designed to help people get into the habit of investing, with subtle nudges to set money aside. platform that works on smartphones, so it’s easy for people to join the plan and to manage their account. It’s automated, which means we got rid of the middlemen.

That’s how we can offer a retirement plans for as little as $12 a year per employee.

That compares to the 401K industry average, which is around $2,000 per employee.

ON WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE EMPLOYEE There are important benefits for all employees. They’ll be investing their money in a fully diversified portfolio which helps minimize risk.

Additionally, our platform uses fractional shares of ETFs. That just means that they can start contributing to their retirement plan with

ON WHY EMPLOYERS CARE Taking care of your employees is taking care of your business. It’s all about developing good long-term relationship that benefits everyone. When you commit to offer a retirement plan to your employees, the company starts to feel like a family because you show them that you care for them.

Happy employees make for happy customers!

You can follow Carlos Armando on Twitter @GarciaCarlosAR.

There are important benefits for all employees. They’ll be investing their money in a fully diversified portfolio which helps minimize risk. Additionally, our platform uses fractional shares of ETFs .

GOLD'S GYM

BANK OF SOUTH TEXAS

MARKETING

HOW TO

LEVERAGE LINKEDIN TO CREATE A BUZZ ABOUT

YOUR BUSINESS

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LinkedIn promotes leadership in a way that very few other networks allow.

Be sure to leverage this advantage.

L

inkedIn is in a league of its own. It is different from other social networks like Facebook and Twitter in many ways. While most other networks are informal places to connect with your friends and share silly stuff like cat videos and celebrity gossips, LinkedIn is a professional network. It is a place where professionals from all walks of life come together and share their experiences. It is a place where companies find talent.

LinkedIn promotes leadership in a way that very few other networks allow. This laser-like focus has made LinkedIn a great marketing tool for modern brands. If your brand is on LinkedIn,

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INVESTMENTS

you can gain several benefits.

And not being on LinkedIn is a major mistake.

Company managers that use LinkedIn effectively can:

There is no harm in boasting about your company and its culture. Just make sure that you are doing it tastefully.

If you have created a great workplace, feel free to show it off. You want to attract the best talent and for this purpose, you have to prove that you have built a great company that values and nurtures talent.

mation. This will only benefit your business.

You will have great information on your company blog as well. So add links to your best content in your LinkedIn profile and other social channels.

Cross-posting is also a great way to generate new leads.

Better still, it attracts traffic to your site.

PROMOTE THEIR COMPANY CULTURE Your company culture is as important as the quality of your products. It is what differentiates you from your competition. Great companies have a great culture.

If you are looking to hire the best talent, you have to demonstrate that you are a great company to work for.

Use LinkedIn to highlight the work ethics and practices that make your company unique.

Your company culture is as important as your products.

Your culture will bleed over into everything your company creates.

ESTABLISH YOURSELF AS AN INDUSTRY LEADER

ATTRACT THE BEST TALENT AND RETAIN THEM

If you are an expert in your field, share your knowledge with others who might benefit from it. LinkedIn’s publishing feature allows domain experts to showcase their knowledge and expertise.

Users who publish regularly have become thought leaders in their industry. They report great success in promoting themselves, their company and their brand. Employees also appreciate it when their bosses candidly express their views and thoughts on LinkedIn. By establishing yourself as a writer on LinkedIn, you can prove your domain expertise and your commitment to sharing high-quality infor-

LinkedIn started out as a recruitment tool. It became an all-purpose social platform much later. It is still a great place to find talent. LinkedIn is a place to scope out the talent pool you want to draw from. If you don’t use this tool to recruit new talent, you are not utilizing it fully.

So if you have any positions available, post job listings on LinkedIn. LinkedIn makes job hunting and recruiting easier for both employees and employers.

LinkedIn can help with retention as well. Do a bit of surfing. Reach out to employees at companies similar to

yours and see what information they are sharing about their experiences there. What are the things that they like?

What are their pet peeves?

Try to find out what other companies are doing to retain their people. Research into their company culture. This way you can unearth a lot of valuable information. Using this information, you can improve your work culture and make your company more attractive to your employees.

GET FREE PUBLICITY LinkedIn can play an important role in ensuring that your company’s voice is heard on the internet. It is a free marketing tool. So use it to your advantage.

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INVESTMENTS

TRIED AND TESTED RULES FOR FINDING REMOTE WORK OPPORTUNITIES makes remote jobs particularly suitable for mothers who want their work to fit around their children and other domestic responsibilities.

DISADVANTAGES OF REMOTE WORKING Some people can't get any work done if they don't have a boss breathing down their neck. If you belong to this category, remote working is not meant for you. When you work from your home, you have no one to supervise your work. If you lack discipline and motivation, you will find it rather difficult to complete assignments on time.

“WORK FROM HOME AND EARN $$$” Seen these ads? While most of these are hoaxes, it’s common for people to earn from remote work opportunities. Yes, remote working has become increasingly popular. Surveys have revealed that 37 percent of the US population is comfortable with the idea of

Remote working has its advantages and disadvantages and it is not meant for everyone.

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telecommuting. Flexible work options are also known to create happier and more productive people. So, is remote working suitable for you?

A feeling of isolation is another problem that remote workers often face.

While it is possible to communicate with your colleagues or clients on the phone, it does not feel the same as having a face-to-face conversation with them.

Finding remote jobs is becoming easier because more and more organizations are adopting flexible work practices. Before you start hunting for a remote job, you need to ensure that it is suitable for you. Remote working has its advantages and disadvantages and it is not meant for everyone.

Generally speaking, remote working means working from your home or another private space. You will most probably need a laptop and an internet connection to connect to the servers of your employer. The best thing about remote working is that you can work from anywhere. This

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INVESTMENTS If you are convinced that remote working is for you, here are some places to find remote jobs.

REMOTIVE.IO Their newsletter reaches over 15,000 people. They have created an open spreadsheet of over 200 startups that offer remote jobs. Their list includes startups from over 20 countries.

Many people claim to perform better when they are on their own schedule.

REMOTE OK Remoteok.io is a great place to find tech jobs. The company has non-tech listing too. They aggregate remote job listing from across the internet.

When you work from home, you should be able to deal with distractions of all kinds.

Some remote workers also report conflicts in their work-life balance.

When you work from home, you have no fixed hours. Because of this reason, many people have trouble switching off. They keep thinking about work all the time and have trouble focusing on non-work related activities.

While some people find it difficult to switch off from work, others have trouble switching on. When you work from home, you should be able to deal with distractions of all kinds.

ADVANTAGES OF REMOTE WORKING

FLEX JOBS Flex Jobs recently published a list of 125 companies that offer remote jobs.

This collection includes several large companies as well.

The availability of remote jobs is a blessing for many people. Companies have also realized the benefits of letting their employees work remotely.

And as this trend becomes more and more popular, finding remote work will also become easier.

POWERTOFLY PowerToFly helps women find jobs they can do from anywhere in the world. This is an online job listing site. The company helps women from all walks of life find employment.

Their target audience includes fresh graduates as well as mothers who left their jobs to raise a family.

While remote working has its fair share of disadvantages, it has got lots of advantages too. It is the perfect option for women who have young children to take care of. Flexible hours are a great help for parents who don't want to send their children to daycare. There are also people who generally perform better when they are on their own schedule. Working from home also means no commuting. This saves a lot of time and money.

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COVER STORY

ShouldYou

Buy or Rent?

s e k a M e m o H a g Why Buyin e s n e S l a i c n a n i Smart F 28

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COVER STORY

Many people dream about owning their own home. It is an important milestone because buying a home may be one of the most significant financial decisions you will ever make.

Since the costs associated with buying a home may seem complicated when compared to renting, it can be difficult to determine which is the better option. Fortunately, the experts at Cantu Construction are here to explain why buying a home is the best choice.

BUILDING HOME EQUITY One of the main benefits of homeownership is the ability to build equity. Home equity is the amount of money that represents the current value of the home less any remaining mortgage payments. This value is built up over time as you pay off the mortgage and the value of the property increases. Equity is an asset that you can trade for other assets. For example, if you sell your house, you will get cash for your equity. “When you have equity, you have a lot of options,” said Laura Garcia, Sales and Marketing Director at Cantu Construction. “You can use it for home improvement, debt repayment, college tuition, or any other investment.”

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COVER STORY

FIXED MORTGAGE PAYMENTS When you purchase a home with a fixed rate mortgage, your monthly payment will never increase over the life of the loan. Rental payments, on the other hand, increase yearly.

When you rent, you realistically have no idea what you will be paying in several years to occupy the same residence.

When you purchase a home with a fixed rate mortgage, you will have the same payment every month for up to 30 years.

“The stability of a fixed rate mortgage makes it easier for you to plan for your future,” said Garcia.

TAX BENEFITS Another major benefit of homeownership is the tax deduction.

Your mortgage interest payments and property tax payments are tax deductible. If you consider that during the first few years the majority of your mortgage payment is made up of interest, this deduction can have a significant impact on your tax liability.

Additionally, the closing costs you paid when you purchased your home may be tax deductible. Renting is never tax deductible under any circumstances.

“When you consider that you can often finance a home for the same or less than the amount you pay in rent, you really come out ahead with ownership,” said Garcia.

APPRECIATION AND INVESTMENT

According to Garcia, townhomes are an excellent choice for first-time homebuyers, families, and retirees. Cantu Construction residential communities offer prestige and richly rewarding lifestyles.

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Homes are considered a good investment because the value typically rises as you pay down the balance of your mortgage.

In the United States, the median home price has gone up each year since 1968. On average, the value of a home increases at the rate of inflation plus 1 or 2 percent. When you own your home, you can choose to sell it to liquidate the equity or rent it out for an extra source of monthly income. “The combination of your equity build up and the appreciation in your home value will start you on the path of wealth creation,” said Garcia.

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COVER STORY

The stability of a fixed rate mortgage makes it easier for you to plan for your future excellent noise reduction between units. As the owner, you also are free to rent out your property for additional income.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT HOME According to Garcia, townhomes are an excellent choice for first-time homebuyers, families, and retirees.

Cantu Construction residential communities offer prestige and richly rewarding lifestyles. The spacious and luxurious townhomes in Villagio can be completely customized to suit the buyer’s lifestyle and preferences. The subdivision is conveniently located near hospitals, shopping centers, restaurants, businesses, and the expressway. Here are some of the benefits of living in Villagio: •

•

Included maintenance and landscaping. When you live in Villagio, your property will be beautifully maintained. The homeowner’s association takes care of the front lawn, pool, gym, and all common areas.

The benefits of privacy and homeownership. You have your own entrance, outdoor patio, and no one lives above you. There is also

•

•

Outstanding amenities. Residents in Villagio have access to great amenities such as a private park, walking trails, pool, BBQ area, and gym. The homeowner’s association maintains all of these amenities.

Safety and security. In this closeknit community, it is difficult for criminals to break in unnoticed. It is also a gated community, which provides increased safety and security for you and your family.

If you have questions about the benefits of homeownership, Garcia encourages you to contact the experts at Cantu Construction. Garcia believes that the philosophy of Cantu Construction is diversification and industry leadership, which has kept the company going strong, even during tough economic times. The company has been in

business for 37 years with experience in home building and commercial development. “Our quality and service set us apart,” said Garcia. The company has an in-house drafting team, interior decorator, and a 24hr maintenance team that clients can enjoy.

With convenient hours 7 days per week, clients are exclusively matched to one sales executive who will guide them through the construction process from financing, construction, selections, and closing. The staff helps clients with their home after closing, even 25 years later.

Cantu Construction has taken the South Texas building industry to the next level by bringing newest architectural designs, lifestyles, construction techniques, and materials to the Rio Grande Valley. Clients can feel confident knowing that Cantu will always be around for them and their family, home, and business for many years to come.

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INVESTMENTS

Here is a

METHOD THAT IS HELPING ENTREPRENEURS BUILD SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES www.businessadvisermagazine.com

INVESTMENTS

Franchising is a great way to run your own business and get expert assistance from outside. But before you choose this business model, you should find out whether it is the right option for you.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO FOR A FRANCHISE: You have to make an initial investment to open a franchise. You will also have to pay a monthly fee. An advantage of running a franchise is that the business has already established itself. It has a talented staff to do things that you will have to learn through experience.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO FOR A BUSINESS: When you launch a new business, you will often have to struggle with building your brand. You may find it difficult to attract customers. A national franchise, on the other hand, is a name that customers already recognize. Customers rely on the quality of their products and service. When you become their franchise, you will have to follow strict guidelines. You will receive intensive training and marketing help. You will also have access to leads. A franchise is a bit like a blueprint that allows you to capitalize on an established business model. Don't buy into a franchise thinking that you will be able to become a millionaire overnight.

You will have to work hard within their system if you want to prosper.

Take, for instance, the case of the food service giant McDonalds. They have stores all over the US. Walk into any of their stores and order a Big Mac. The quality will be the same because they have a standard way to prepare a Big Mac. They insist that all of their stores offer the same product and hence the quality is always the same. An advantage of this business model is that the store will attract patrons from day one. On the flip side, you may lose your franchise contract if you do not follow their business model.

IS FRANCHISING THE RIGHT OPTION FOR YOU? When you open a franchise, you will have to follow certain rules. You will have to offer the standard products and services. Ask yourself these questions to know whether franchising is right for you.

ARE YOU READY TO INVEST A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF MONEY? Opening a franchise might be more expensive than building your own business from the scratch. On the bright side, when you open a franchise, you don't have to pay for marketing, advertising, or legal services. When you run your own business, you are responsible for all of these.

CAN YOU COUNT ON THE FRANCHISOR'S REPUTATION? You can if the franchisor enjoys customer loyalty and name recognition in your area.

ARE YOU READY TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS? When you run a franchise, you will have to ensure that you conduct your operation the way the franchisor requires.

Your employees may have to wear uniforms. You will probably have to offer specials when your franchisor says.

HAVE YOU GOT AN ORIGINAL IDEA? Most franchisors will not allow deviation, because they don't want your store to damage their brand. If you want to work on an original idea, launching your own business may be better.

When you open a franchise, you don't have to pay for marketing, advertising, or legal services. When you run your own business, you are responsible for all of these.

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TECHNOLOGY

CROWDFUNDING: WORTH THE BUZZ?

Crowdfunding has the potential to democratize startup funding. But is it going to be a game changer?

I

t is too early to predict.

Crowdfunding, like other forms of funding, has its pros and cons. Let’s analyze.

WHAT IS CROWDFUNDING Crowdfunding is essentially a funding method that allows anonymous people to invest in startups. Crowdfunding allows startups to directly seek funding from public.

While it is not easy to impress a VC with the potential of your idea, laypersons get impressed readily. That is what makes crowdfunding so attractive to startups.

The concept certainly sounds enticing, but some Harvard Business School professors feel that crowdfunding lacks the muscle to make waves in the investing world.

The idea is an old one. Political parties and non-profit organizations have been soliciting funds from people for over a century. And now the internet has made it easy for independent entrepreneurs

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and companies to present their ideas in front of a large number of potential investors. Crowdfunding is different from donations in many ways. When you donate money to a charitable organization, you expect nothing in return. Here you are simply donating money to support a cause you believe in.

companies have also raised thousands of dollars through Kickstarter to produce specific apps or other products.

When you need funding to produce something and the VC wants to see the product before giving the money, you land in a tricky situation. The

Some crowdfunding platforms that currently exist (Indiegogo and Kickstarter) belong to this lending category. Kickstarter started out as a platform that allowed creative people to request funding for their work. Often, the funder would get concert tickets or a signed thank-you note in return. Some other

biggest advantage of soliciting funds through Kickstarter is that you don't have to show the product. You only need an idea.

Crowdfunding allows startups to directly seek funding from the public.

Equity crowdfunding, by contrast, gives funders a share in the company they support. Right now equity crowdfunding is not open to the general public, but this will change soon. Securities and Exchange Commission is planning to allow companies to raise up to 1 million dollars from crowdfunding.

Individuals with a net worth or annual income of $100,000 will be able to invest up to 10% of their total income.

The cost of launching a business has dropped considerably over the years. Thanks to the availability of outsourced coding and cloud computing, anyone can launch a webbased business for $100,000 or even less. This actually results in the launching of a large number of startups.

This could increase the diversity of companies and competition in a particular sector.

On the flip side, crowdfunding will also result in the creation of several companies that lack the potential to succeed. After the initial euphoria, when they approach VCs to scale up, they will find it rather difficult to get further funding. Even startups funded by traditional VC financing, fail up to 75% of the time. Failure rates are going to be much higher for crowdfunded start-ups.

www.businessadvisermagazine.com

TECHNOLOGY

IS YOUR BUSINESS COOL ENOUGH TO USE THE HYBRID CLOUD?

W

hen businesses migrate to cloud computing, they take information technology out of its typical compartmentalized role. Cloud computing allows organizations to integrate their activities with just about any department if they want to.

Cloud storage is perhaps the best thing that happened to business. When an organization turns to cloud computing, its goals must be optimizing costs and finding areas where the cloud can provide value.

The objective must be about making IT more responsive to the requirements of the business. Cloud based businesses are naturally more agile than their competitors. They are also capable of making complex decisions quickly. In addition, they tend to have more skilled employees and a highly active IT department.

Companies that do not realize this or try to control every aspect of the migration to the cloud are more likely to experience disruptions.

Using the cloud is cool. We’ve head this for a while now. But what’s so good about the hybrid cloud? Why should businesses move to it? Here are some thoughts about business and the cloud.

BENEFITS OF CLOUD COMPUTING When a business moves to the cloud, it will not have to invest in expensive on-premises equipment. Instead, it can choose a ‘pay-as-youneed’ system. This payment model allows even small organizations to enjoy all the benefits of IT without having to make a huge investment.

That is the real power of the cloud. If you are not taking advantage of it, your lack of agility and exorbitant capital costs may sink your business.

The cloud may be cool, but there are privacy and security concerns and some organizations simply don’t want to run their businesses in a public cloud-based server. If that is the case, they only have to select a private cloud. It might be more expensive, but privacy and security are the qualities that are far above the money factor. Which cloud suits you the best? It depends on your industry and company values.

BENEFITS OF THE HYBRID MODEL It is possible to build your private cloud based system that will still provide the same benefits offered by public cloud systems. It is the middle ground between traditional in house data centers and full-fledged public cloud computing. In addition, if you are happy with the experience, you will be able to migrate to a public cloud whenever you want.

The hybrid cloud model allows you to host some of the infrastructure publicly and some privately. Applications that must be controlled entirely by you can be hosted on your in-house private cloud whereas applications that need to be controlled only partially can be hosted on enterprise public clouds. As for organizations concerned about security, the hybrid cloud model will offer them the peace of mind they need.

TECHNOLOGY

PAY

BLOCK ADS BUT THE CONTENT

FOR

FLATTR PLUS COMES WITH A NEW IDEA Flattr Plus will pay the creatives who procure popular stories, articles and videos on the Internet.

C

lick on a web page and enjoy its content without any pesky ads – that’s the beauty of Adblock Plus. But publishers and advertisers detest Adblock Plus, and why wouldn’t they? By blocking ads, this plugin has made it difficult for publishers to monetize their content. Now they are exploring ways to help content developers get paid for their great work.

They have teamed up with Swedish micro-donation company Flattr with this objective.

allow users to seamlessly give money to publishers whose work they love.

Flattr Plus will pay the folks who create popular stories, articles, and videos on the internet. To support the people who create great content for your consumption, you need to sign up and specify the maximum amount you want to donate. The idea is to

Flattr Plus aspires to be an easier way for users to pay for the content they access.

You don't have to pay for each piece of content individually. You just specify the amount of money you want to donate to various publishers. The publishing industry

38

Flattr Plus is not the first company to float this idea.

Technologists have been advocating this for a while.

If every user paid a small amount for each piece of content they read, it will help publishers create content without having to rely on the advertisement. Online ad blocking has caused many headaches in the publishing industry, and they are exploring alternative ways to monetize their content.

has been experimenting with various business models, but it is not clear whether they want to work with Adblock, the company that launched the ad blocking software.

Also, it is not clear whether readers will want to pay for content when they can get it for free.

HOW FLATTR PLUS WORKS Flattr Plus makes it easy to pay for online content. You don't have to decide which publisher you want to donate to or how much. You don't have to buy stories or sign into different websites to pay. You surf the internet as you would typically do. Flattr Plus would track your online activities to determine where you spend the most time and distribute money accordingly.

Flattr Plus will launch this summer. It will take 10% of what you donate.

The biggest problem with this proposal is that most users access numerous sites.

They may be ready to donate to their favorite sites, but the amount of money that each site receives will likely be negligible. Besides, most content on the internet is free and it is not easy to encourage people to pay for it. Also, those who see ads and those who pay for subscriptions are unlikely to show the willingness to pay more.

Adblock argues that a lot of people who block ads are actually ready to pay for the content. If that is indeed true, then Flattr Plus will make it easy for them.

www.businessadvisermagazine.com

INVESTMENTS

POWERFUL

W

hat is the last thing that you learned? And when did you learn it? If you don’t remember learning anything new in the last month, you’re not a true leader. Leaders have a constant desire for learning.

This opens their mind towards several aspects of life and increases their chances of success.

BUT HOW CAN YOU LEARN? Learning is a continuous process. It is said that King Bruce learned perseverance from a spider. You can anything from

LEADERS NEVER STOP LEARNING

anyone, but that doesn’t happen all the time. If you want to continuously learn new things, you should try reading.

Reading opens your mind and soul to a world where you’ve never been before. Another way to learn is to listen. Are you a good listener? Most people are not. It’s easy to put your own point forward but to accept other people’s views is a bit difficult. If you have the learning ability, you will learn new things almost every day.

With the relationship between leadership and learning, the next question is:

CAN LEADERSHIP BE LEARNED? The good news is that yes, it can be learned. If you are willing to change your

attitude and be open towards learning, then yes, you can learn leadership as well. You just need a firm commitment to collaboration and development. All of us have some leadership skills. But a person cannot have all of them. The rest need to be cultivated.

Read some good books on leadership and you’ll be able to become a better leader.

SHARE WHAT YOU LEARN It is said that when you can increase your knowledge by sharing it. So whatever ideas, experiences, and resource you have; make sure you share them by collaborating with your peers. This way, your knowledge can undergo iterations and you’ll learn from collective reflections and

insights. This will also build trust and respect. Now the question is – how to collaborate. There are a number of tools for that. Social media is the best way to collaborate with peers, especially LinkedIn. By sharing, sensing, and seeking, you can learn from everyone in your network.

Make sure you follow these strategies and learn something new every now and then. When you learn and expand your information base, you gain more respect, which is very important for leadership. Read, listen, and share… and learn how to excel at leading your team. And make sure that you relearn. If you’ve learned an art a few years ago and have forgotten it, relearn it to stay on top of things.

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INVESTMENTS

HOW TO MANAGE INBOX OVERLOAD EFFECTIVELY

“YOU’VE GOT MAIL” I

f you are like most CEOs, you will probably be receiving a flood of emails every day. How do you manage them? Do you reply to each and every email that hits your inbox? If you take longer to reply or if you fail to reply at all, you will anger your customers.

Angry customers don't help any business. So what is the solution?

It is true that you are a busy executive, but people still expect you to reply to their emails within a reasonable timeframe.

There are several benefits to getting back to clients and customers on time. Here are some tips to control your inbox before it controls you.

ESTABLISH A ROUTINE If you receive hundreds of emails a day, you are unlikely to have the time to answer all of them, but some emails need to be replied to. Answer them first. And if you feel that some emails are not important, don't answer them.

There is no point in wasting time on emails that are unlikely to have an impact on your bottom line.

Don't try to answer emails throughout the day. A better solution is to answer them all at once in the morning or evening. Of course, this will result in a response delay.

While some people will get an immediate response, others will have to wait for hours.

This may lead to misunderstandings.

LET EVERYONE KNOW ABOUT YOUR ROUTINE Setting up an automatic message that informs people about your replying schedules will help in this situation. If you don't check emails between 9 am and 6 pm, let them know that.

Request people to text or call if something is urgent.

If you establish such a routine, people who have some urgent business will call you.

A phone call solves problems faster than 20 emails. If you make it clear that you should

If you establish such a routine, people who have some urgent business will call you 42

only be interrupted for really pressing matters, your people will take it upon themselves to solve issues themselves.

This way you can empower them. If you are there all the time by email to solve even silly matters, you will neither empower your people nor be able to concentrate on your work. Also, when you let people know that they won't receive an immediate response, they also feel better. They can stop wondering whether you received their email or not. In other words, everyone benefits from such a system.

So what is it that prevents you from establishing such a routine if it is so effective? Here is the answer. Most of us have a compulsive need to check our emails every two minutes.

It will take a while to break your email addiction. But once you put the process in place and stick to it religiously, it is going to work.

www.businessadvisermagazine.com

INVESTMENTS TAXES & LAW

700 NEW EMPLOYEES IRS ADDING

TAX FRAUD

TO CATCH

Tax fraud is a prevalent problem in today's world. The IRS is implementing means to combat this issue.

IRS

plans to hire about 700 new employees to chase delinquent taxpayers. This move should give sleepless nights to those who have been evading tax for several years.

The agency feels that enforcement has been lax over the last several years. By hiring more people to do audits, they hope to catch the cheats.

was particularly true in the case of business taxpayers. Actually, individual taxpayers were also left unaudited. The budget cuts also reduced a person’s or business’s chances of being prosecuted by the IRS for tax evasion. It dropped from 13.3/million population (in 2013) to 9.2/million population (in 2015).

IRS defends its decision to hire more people by saying that every dollar that the government invests in them returns at least 4 dollars to the exchequer. They claim that the numbers will be even better when there is strict enforcement of law. They describe the recent hiring spree as their most important enforcement hiring in over 5 years.

The new employees will be hired in two waves. The first batch will be hired in the first few weeks and will fill entry level positions. These employees will fill vacancies across the country. The second batch of employees will be hired later this year. They will assist in high-profile enforcement

Massive budget cuts have created major gaps in the IRS workforce. As of 2015, there was a 15 percent drop in the number of IRS revenue officers. These are the people who knock on people's doors and force them to pay up. There was also a drop in the total number of revenue agents who do audits of people and businesses. This year, congress gave IRS an extra 290 million dollars. That money was spent on improving customer service and beefing up cyber security arrangements. As for the new hiring, well, IRS says that they have found money within their own budget to hire new people.

areas such as refund fraud, international tax issues, and identity theft.

The new employees will offer their service in the enforcement area because budget is allocated to it. Unlike a householder, the IRS can't move funds from one department to another. If the Congress adopts IRS's budget proposal for the year 2017, they will add over 5000 positions across the agency.

More than 2000 employees will be leaving IRS by the end of this year.

Over the last ten years, they have lost over 17000 employees to retirement and attrition. By hiring about 700 people, they will definitely not be able to replace all those who have left the organization. However, they will fill important vacancies in the enforcement workforce. Also, existing employees will receive promotions and other growth opportunities. According to IRS, the extra hiring is in the right direction.

The IRS's audit rates dropped dramatically during the last few years. This

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TAXES & LAW SPONSORED

ELSA STATE BANK ANNOUNCES THE APPOINTMENT OF ENE PRADO as New Account Representative Melissa Wood Reed

Elsa State Bank & Trust Company today announced the appointment of Ene Prado as New Account Representative.

In this role, Prado will primarily be responsible for promoting products to new and existing customers. She will also provide quality customer service by assisting customers with their banking needs.

“I am delighted to welcome Ene Prado to our team,” said Glenn Bell, Board Chairman at Elsa State Bank. “Ene brings a wealth of experience to her new role, and we are pleased that she will be offering our services to existing and potential customers in the upper Valley.”

Prado brings more than 30 years of experience in the banking industry to this new role. Prior to joining Elsa State Bank, she served as Branch Manager for a local bank, keeping the branch in audit-ready condition and coordinating all branch operational activities.

Prado will be based in Edinburg, Texas at the branch located at 621 W. University Drive.

Elsa State Bank & Trust Company is a community oriented bank providing high quality financial services to individuals and businesses. Our primary objective is to maintain public confidence in the Bank and to preserve a sound financial institution. We will accomplish our goals by continuing the tradition that made us successful while looking towards a bright future and a new generation of loyal customers.

To learn more about Elsa State Bank & Trust Company, please visit www.elsastatebank.com.

Corporate Contact: Alma Moreno Elsa State Bank & Trust Company 300 W. Edinburg Avenue Elsa, TX 78543 Phone: (956) 262-1391

"I am delighted to welcome Ene Prado to our team."

Glenn Bell,

Board Chairman at Elsa State Bank.

MARKETING

MAKE YOUR BUSINESS STAND OUT

WEB PRO TIPS

ON THE

WITH THESE

If you want to reach your potential customers online, you need to ensure that your website is simply the best.

T

he internet provides a dizzying array of choices available to the public. But when so many choices are available to your consumers, how will you make your business stand out?

Here are some simple ways to impress potential customers and win their business. None of these tips cost a bomb. You just need to invest a little time and effort and you will be able to reap rich rewards.

46

There are numerous websites out there. They are all vying for the same eyeballs.

If you want to reach potential customers online, you need to ensure that your website is simply the best.

MAKE SURE THAT YOUR WEBSITE IS OPTIMIZED FOR MOBILE DEVICES If you want your visitors to stay on your website, you need to build an intuitive website with a great user interface. A responsive website will look

For today's internet users, a responsive website is a fundamental requirement. www.businessadvisermagazine.com

MARKETING great on all devices including mobile phones. If you can't build a mobile friendly website on your own, you will need to hire someone for this purpose. Find a good developer who can do this job without burning a hole in your pocket. Mobile search has surpassed desktop search, therefore optimizing your site for mobile phones is extremely important now. Once you have built a great website,

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is entirely doable, and is a must for every new business.

Why work hard on your website if it won't be found?

keep it up-to-date by adding fresh content on a regular basis. You also need to ensure that there are no broken links on the site.

OPTIMIZE IT FOR SEARCH ENGINES There are numerous websites on the internet now. If you want yours to show up when people search for a product or service offered by your company, you need to optimize it for search engines.

Search engine optimization is all about increasing your site's position in search results. About 94 percent of people who use Google don't bother to venture into the second page of search results.

So if you are not on the first page, you are losing the vast majority of potential clients.

There is no point in optimizing your website for highly competitive keywords and phrases because it is nearly impossible to get to the first page of Google for those keywords. Instead, look for less competitive words and phrases that are still used by people when they search for your product or service.

Google Trends is a great service that allows you to find out what people are searching for.

While choosing a domain name, make sure that it includes words or phrases related to your business. Also, make it a point to include your keywords in your title tag and Meta description. SEO is much more complex than this. Actually, search engines consider over 200 factors while determining a site's position in search results. If your budget permits, hire a professional SEO agency. If you are doing SEO on your own, make sure that you have a user-friendly website with great content. Write for people, not search engines.

If people love your content, search engines will also love it sooner or later.

Try to obtain links from other sites in your niche.

Buying or selling links is not recommended because Google detests that practice. Link building is not easy but you can improve your chances of getting links by producing high-quality content on a regular basis.

BE ACTIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA Social media can drive traffic to your site and when you use it effectively, it will create a buzz around your brand.

Create profiles on popular social networks and encourage people to like or follow them.

There are so many social networks out there and you can't be active on all of them, so experiment with various networks and focus on the ones that deliver the best results.

Your social media profiles need to be updated on a regular basis. Post fresh content regularly and interact with your followers. Link to your social media pages from your website.

BUILD A REPUTATION THROUGH VERIFIED REVIEW SITES There are several review sites that allow users to rate products and services. Don't be tempted to buy reviews because it is an unethical practice. Instead, encourage customers to leave a review after they buy your product or service. Add links to review sites on your website and in your emails. Don't be afraid of negative reviews.

When people complain about your product online, act quickly and ensure that the problem is resolved. This way you can actually turn a negative situation into positive.

47

AMP Will

Speed Up Mobile Browsing?

48

www.businessadvisermagazine.com

TECHNOLOGY

If you have ever tried to view web pages on a mobile device, you would know how slow and frustrating the experience is. But things are changing, thanks to the advent of the Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) Project.

AMP is a Google supported open source project. It enables publishers to produce mobile optimized content and deliver it instantly on all platforms.

A

MP is the brainchild of Google. The search giant launched this initiative on February 24th with the objective of speeding up the internet browsing experience on smartphones and tablets.

According to Google, AMP will lead to 85 percent faster web browsing experience. That is a tall claim and a lot of people are still skeptical.

and some restrictions. Google claims that AMP web pages load 85% faster than non-AMP web pages on 3G mobile internet connections.

WHAT IS AMP

The user could perhaps block the ads to speed up page loading times. Then the publisher becomes the biggest loser.

Publishing companies monetize their content through advertisements. If no one sees those ads, they won't be able to produce more content.

Again, no one wins.

AMP is basically a lightweight open-source HTML framework developed by Google in collaboration with some other companies. Using this framework, developers can create lightweight web pages that load fast on any device.

AMP uses ordinary HTML but with some extra features

A slow connection does not help anyone. It annoys the user who has to wait a long time for the content to load.

And if the content fails to load, the publisher doesn't get the traffic on their content or the ads they use to support their site. No one wins.

By launching AMP, Google hopes to turn these no-win situations to win-win situations for all the parties involved.

Google claims that publishers who use AMP will be able to show ads and interactive

content with no real impact on the speed. This will actually make such content more palatable to users.

HOW AMP WORKS AMP gives publishers the option to have their content cached on Google's servers.

Google has superfast servers spread across the world. So Google can serve content much faster than a small publisher who hosts their content on slow servers.

When you click on a listing in Google's search results, you are going to that website. But if you click on an AMP link from the SERP, Google won't direct you to the publisher's site. Instead, they will show you the content they cached.

Since you will be staying on Google, the whole experience will be faster. AMP also places several restrictions on HTML with the objective of speeding up browsing.

However, developers can use a special JavaScript library provided by Google. Some CSS styles that are related to animations are also forbidden.

On the plus side, developers will be able to show photos and videos.

Some HTML elements too have changed. For example, instead of the <img> tag, AMP uses the <amp-img> tag. AMP images load only after other pieces of content on the site. As a result, users can start reading the content before the images appear on the page.

AMP certainly looks promising. And if it manages to deliver on its promises, mobile browsing will change for the better.

AMP HTML does not support the use of forms. It does not support JavaScript either.

AMP uses ordinary HTML but with some extra features and some restrictions. Google claims that AMP web pages load 85% faster than non-AMP web pages on 3G mobile internet connections.

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