BSI’s Entrepreneurial Master Series:#1 Why Businesses fails and what you can do to prevent this from happenning

We are delighted to have my friend and mentor, Mr Allen Pahmarajah present at our first Master Series Seminar. Allen will be coming from Singapore, and will be talking about why most businesses fail, and what you can do to avoid becoming a statistic! Allen is an AMAZING speaker, and has the ability to share his wealth of knowledge in a dynamic, easy to understand way.

The Seminar will be held in Sydney at the Grace Hotel on the Thursday 14th April at 5:30pm for a 6pm start. The Seminar will be COMPLIMENTARY, however, will be limited to 60 guests, so registrations will be on a first come first serve basis. Please click here to register.

For more information about the seminar, scroll down...

I look forward to seeing you there.


BSI’s Entrepreneurial Master Series:

Why Most Businesses Fail
(And How To Avoid Becoming One of Them)

The statistics are alarming: 8 out of 10 new businesses fail within the first five years with the majority of those frail survivors giving up within the next two more years, leaving only 2 standing to celebrate a 10th anniversary.




Who Should Attend This Session:

• Marketers, company owners and general managers across all industries, in small and medium-sized companies that serve both the B2B and B2C sectors

• Entrepreneurs who are planning to start a new business

• Service professionals and consultants in small (independent) practices

• Consultants and marketing service providers who serve the small business community

This series is a must for marketers and entrepreneurs in small and medium sized companies where everyone has to pitch in to make sure the work gets done and products and services are delivered as promised.

We have 3 specialist speakers for you:

Presenter #1: Allen J Pathmarajah

Allen J. Pathmarajah is a Fellow - Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, Marketing Institute of Singapore and Singapore Human Resources Institute. He is Executive Chairman of AJP Advisers Group.

He has extensive experience in Financial Services, Industry and Management Consultancy in England, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Malaysia.

He was with the Overseas-Chinese Banking Corporation Group (“OCBC”). Initially as Executive Director of Specialists Services Pte Ltd and concurrently Special Assistant to the Group Chairman. Thereafter, he was with Great Eastern Life Assurance Co Ltd as General Manager and subsequently as Managing Director. He was Adjunct Professor at Nanyang Business School, Nanyang Technological University.

Allen is Chairman and Director of several public-listed and private companies in Singapore and overseas and is and was a member of several government, professional and charitable committees.

He speaks on Leadership and various management topics to business and public sectors.

Allen is Chairman and Director of several public-listed and private companies in Singapore and overseas and is and was a member of several government, professional and charitable committees.


Presenter #2: Dylan Chan

Dylan Chan will be presenting a second segment: “how to mitigate business risk – a strategic approach”.

Dylan has been a Financial Adviser at Ark Total Wealth since 2004. Previously, he worked in a boutique financial planning practice in Pyrmont that provided advice under it’s own license.

Dylan specialises in structuring investment strategies through SMSFs as well as working with small to medium size business owners to assess, address and implement business succession and business risk mitigation strategies.



Presenter #3: Michael Klompas

Michael Klompas, will present a third segment dealing with the importance role of insurance to protect businesses and their employees.

Having access to both local and international insurers and underwriting agencies in Australia allows Ark Total Wealth the unique opportunity to quote on any risk type, especially “hard-to-place” risks.

Michael is passionate about the advice he gives and insuring all types of risks that are insurable. His strengths are communicating with clients to understand their needs, ensure compliant advice with exceptional personalised service fit-to-measure your personal circumstances and situation. He does not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach.

Michael Klompas is a General Insurance Broker of ARK General Insurance, an Authorised Representative of Westcourt General Insurance Pty Ltd AFSL 238 447 (www.wgib.com.au).



ABOUT THE BSI ENTREPRENERIAL MASTER SERIES

These sessions will be held regularly to help you deal with issues that effect all SME businesses. Topics will include:

• Accessing government grants
• Capital raising, including what investors look for when investing in SMEs
• How to access debt
• How to maximise your Superannuation through Self Managed Superfunds
• Advertising, taglines, promotion, low-cost (even no-cost) market research
• Budgeting, cash flow
• Risk mitigation and insurance
• HR issues.

This is the FIRST of BSI’S Entrepreneurial Master Series for the Season

This “Masters Series” is presented by successful and accomplished entrepreneurs that use real life case studies taken from a wide variety of small B2B and B2C companies. Every once in a while, we’ll borrow some ideas from larger companies that have paid the big bucks to teach us some of the most valuable lessons in business.

An important aspect of this “Master Series” is to network with your peers, develop valuable relationships and possibly even conduct direct business transactions. You’ll want to make sure you have lots of business cards on hand when attending the events.

Special Bonus #1:

This seminar comes with Allen’s presentation in the form of an ebook, including all his insights on how to safeguard your company against the most common pitfalls that cause business failure.

Special Bonus #2:

When you attend, you will have access to Ark Total Wealth’s “Managing Risk: How to Protect your Business” ebook.

PLEASE NOTE! This seminar, limited to 60 participants, requires registration. Similar sessions often get filled to capacity, register today on a first in, best dressed basis.

What Previous Participants Have Said About Our Entrepreneurial Master Series Seminars And Speakers

“Of the participants who evaluated our seminar, 90% would recommend it to a colleague.”
________________________________________

"Allen is a Guru - he addressed topics that mattered to me and my business. I liked that he stayed on topic, used relevant case studies and seemed to enjoy himself."

________________________________________

"Just the right amount of detail to cover the topic -- good case studies, too! Definitely worth attending. The eBooks are invaluable as an additional reference tool. Very good Q&A dialogue as well."

_______________________________________


"This is stuff I wish we had known BEFORE we started our company..."

Business Strategies International, Ark Total Wealth and Liquidity Finance are committed to show you the path to success by ensuring you avoid the pitfalls and mistakes that contribute to failure.

  This Seminar Series is brought to you by

Government Provides Incentives to Upskill its Workforce

Do You Love or Hate Your Job?

Survey Highlights: 6 out of 10 employees are now ACTIVELY looking for a new job! Half revealing that better career options elsewhere were their main motivation for leaving. 1 out of 4 said they wanted more responsibility within their roles. 1 out of 5 said they were simply bored with their current jobs. This all points to one solution – more, better and (FUN?) training Administrative staff are some of the most crucial parts of day-to-day operations for a business and it can be significantly costly to replace them. Especially if more than one admin staff member leaves at the same time. When that happens, it can cripple an already vulnerable small business. But the answer isn't as complicated or expensive as some employers might fear. The survey reveals 44% of workers would like to participate in other aspects of the business, 37% want to attend conferences and other events and 25% want a mentor. Most of these policies can be introduced without seriously affecting the bottom line. In fact, such investments have been shown to give considerable Return On Investment (ROI). Encouragingly, the survey shows:  6 out of 10 employees feel training courses could help their career, 1 out of 2 said their morale would be given a boost if they had access to more training. All of this is especially important for Generation Y employees, because they're looking at career development and want to have an outline of what's going to happen with them over the next 12 to 24 months. Often, just discussing the expectations and plans is enough to suppress the desire to look elsewhere for direction (or a new job!). That’s where our alliance with Dr Marc Dussault comes in – we were searching for a fresh, new solution – something completely out of the proverbial box. Our first collaboration is providing a “1 Day Mini MBA” as a bonus to an ACCREDITED Diploma Of Management Program. Promoted within a federal government initiative to re-skill Australians, you can obtain both for FREE. For more information on this first-time opportunity, click here. At BSI, we’re committed to helping both employees who want to advance their careers as well as assisting employers with the on-going responsibility of staff empowerment and job enrichment crucial to keeping great staff. Over the next few weeks and months, we plan to bring you a range of opportunities and solutions to this problem. As Albert Einstein put it so well “The thinking that got you IN the predicament you’re in, is not the thinking that will get you OUT of it” . That’s why we’re working closely with Dr Marc Dussault, to introduce you to Exponential Mindset Thinking where boundless opportunities don’t just become possible, they are probable as your thinking shifts to get you from where you are to where you would rather to be. As we know, every journey begins with a single step. Thank you for taking this first step with us, being involved in this dialogue. We look forward to having fun with you to make sure you reach your ultimate career and professional destination. P.S. Unlike what many people like to believe, ignoring a problem doesn’t make it go away. As an employee… When it comes to your career or profession, the onus is on you to manage and develop it as you wish. Marc calls it “living a life by design rather than evolving by default.” You need to make the decision NOW to get on the career path you want to be on. As an employer… You have the responsibility to seek out opportunities to leverage your support and access to government incentive programs and other valuable sources on behalf of your staff. They don’t just want it – they expect it. Your investment in people pays off – in the short term with less turnover and greater loyalty and in the long term with greater productivity, involvement and contribution. I know it sounds trite, but it’s true Together Everyone Achieves More. BSI wants to be part of your career and professional development T.E.A.M.

6 Important Tips for Converting Prospects Into Customers

Written by: BusinessBlogsHub | Posted on 13 June 2010. Tags: Customer acquisition, Sales strategy

Once you have figured out how to gather a bunch of prospects, you then need to catch them and make them want to buy what you are offering. You need to strategize from the beginning, and come up with the gimmick you need to succeed in selling your product or service. So here are a few tips for converting prospects into customers:

• Don’t try a hard sell – People are too wise today to be pressured into buying anything. Television, newspapers and the web have made information too easy to access, so don’t try it. What with job insecurity and the fluctuating economy, you are going to have to use patience and reason.
• Put your customer’s needs before your goals - Offer them affordable solutions to their problems. Explain how your product (or your service) is going to make it easier for them in the long run. Provide newsletters or free product guides to help substantiate your claims.
• Make quality information, free demonstrations, or free samples of your product available to potential customers - This can be something they can conveniently download onto their computer, such as how-to ebooks, testimonials, or a place to order free samples. But you can also provide them at your store. Make sure you get a name and address, or at very least a first name and email address before you give them the goods. It can be used for further advertising.
• Offer a solid guarantee - If the guarantee you offer is twice as long, covers more than your competitors do, or extends the original warranty, people will feel safe purchasing your product or services. Offering all money back, or even double money back, is bound to be a clincher. That should tip your prospect into a confident customer!
• More time should be spent on benefits than on features – You would be surprised at how many buyers are no longer impressed by the bells and whistles. Money is too hard to come by these days. They want to know how spending this money is going to benefit them, their home, their business, or their family. They are considering this product because they have a need or a problem that needs attention.
• If the sale isn’t made, remember why – Did you not have the feature he needed for his particular problem? Look for ways you can fill that need. When it becomes available, contact this prospect and tell him about it. Even if he has already found the product somewhere else, he will remember that you cared enough to try to help him. He will come back.

Incentives for Australians to upskill and get trained

Get a Diploma of Management and a 1 Day Mini MBA fully funded by the Australian federal goverments incentives to upskill workforces

How would you like to upskill yourself in the next 6 months AND acquire an ACCREDITED Diploma of Management?


There is a unique opportunity to take advantage of a federal government initiative to upskill Australians to enhance workforce capabilities and address skills shortages within the workplace.
You or a member of your team may be eligible to complete the ACCREDITED Diploma of Management over the next 6 months including a special bonus 1-day Mini MBA Workshop for the first 100 registrants.
You will learn and develop the skills to…
 Manage Budgets and Financial Plans

• Develop and Implement Strategic Plans
• Manage Projects
• Manage People Performance
• Ensure Team Effectiveness
• Facilitate Continuous Improvement
• Manage Risk
• Manage Operational Plan

The modular nature of the Diploma Of Management Program is specifically tailored for busy business executives like you, who need to juggle work, business and personal priorities and commitments.
If you meet the criteria, the Diploma Of Management Program is $3,250 and the 1 Day Mini MBA is $750 for a total of $4,000. The Federal Government will reimburse your employer the full tuition fees, a total of $4,000 in a commencement and completion payment. In other words, it won’t cost you a single cent. That means both are yours FREE when you meet the criteria for the Federal Government’s training initiative.

This diploma will give you new management and leadership skills to advance your career as well as help you grow your business.
If you’re interested to find out more CLICK HERE to register your interest and benefit from the special promotional offer to attend the 1 Day Mini MBA Workshop if you’re one of the first 100 registrants.



If someone you know has not completed a qualification above a Certificate IV level, or is a small business owner, and are seeking to gain new skills for their business,  current employment or for a future job role then you should send them this email. send to a friend
  

Great Email!

Dear Ivan,

I want to personally thank you because you were one of LinkedIn's first 100,000 members (member number 94061 in fact!*). In any technology adoption lifecycle, there are the innovators, those who help lead the way. That was you.

We hit a big milestone at LinkedIn this week when our 100 millionth member joined the site.

When we founded LinkedIn, our vision was to help the world's professionals be more successful and productive. Today, with your help, LinkedIn is changing the lives of millions of members by helping them connect with others, find jobs, get insights, start a business, and much more.  

We are grateful for your support and look forward to helping you accomplish much more in the years to come. I hope that you are having a great year.

Sincerely,

	Reid Hoffman Co-founder and Chairman LinkedIn

Become a Friend of Ark on Facebook

For latest stuff on Ark activities.....

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ark-Group/10588813043

If no payrise is on the cards - ask for training!!

When Money Isn’t Available

An article by Merryl Naughton  -  04 Jul 2010

Simone was hankering for a pay rise but when she asked, her company was not in the best place financially, having read How to Get a Payrise, Simone knew to ask for something other than money.

want training - click here

With a payrise not on the cards, Simone arranged for her company to pay for an industry accreditation and time off to study. Once she has this extra qualification she'll be even more marketable and so her options for getting a pay rise by moving companies will be sooo much higher. Well done Simone! http://www.howtogetapayrise.com/payrise-stories/in-government

A Classic on So Called Social Media Experts

Get a Diploma of Management and a 1 Day Mini MBA fully funded by the Australian federal goverments incentives to upskill workforces

How would you like to upskill yourself in the next 6 months AND acquire an ACCREDITED Diploma of Management?


There is a unique opportunity to take advantage of a federal government initiative to upskill Australians to enhance workforce capabilities and address skills shortages within the workplace.
You or a member of your team may be eligible to complete the ACCREDITED Diploma of Management over the next 6 months including a special bonus 1-day Mini MBA Workshop for the first 100 registrants.
You will learn and develop the skills to…
 Manage Budgets and Financial Plans

• Develop and Implement Strategic Plans
• Manage Projects
• Manage People Performance
• Ensure Team Effectiveness
• Facilitate Continuous Improvement
• Manage Risk
• Manage Operational Plan

The modular nature of the Diploma Of Management Program is specifically tailored for busy business executives like you, who need to juggle work, business and personal priorities and commitments.
If you meet the criteria, the Diploma Of Management Program is $3,250 and the 1 Day Mini MBA is $750 for a total of $4,000. The Federal Government will reimburse your employer the full tuition fees, a total of $4,000 in a commencement and completion payment. In other words, it won’t cost you a single cent. That means both are yours FREE when you meet the criteria for the Federal Government’s training initiative.

This diploma will give you new management and leadership skills to advance your career as well as help you grow your business.
If you’re interested to find out more CLICK HERE to register your interest and benefit from the special promotional offer to attend the 1 Day Mini MBA Workshop if you’re one of the first 100 registrants.



If someone you know has not completed a qualification above a Certificate IV level, or is a small business owner, and are seeking to gain new skills for their business,  current employment or for a future job role then you should send them this email. send to a friend
  

Live update on Japan's Disaster

Click Here for a live update on Japan's Disaster

Ark Informer - March 11 - Is your Super super

Please find below our March 2011 Ark Informer discussing Superannuation as an effective long term savings strategy.

Our hearts go out to all those who have been effected by Japan's Earthquake and Tsunami.  Shane Oliver's March edition talks about the likely economic/financial impact of Japan's earthquake. Olivers Insights.

If you would like to donate towards this crisis, the Red Cross is running the Japan and Pacific Disaster appeal.Click here for more info.

Our current poll on our Ark Website is "do you think the all ords will reach 6000 in 5 years time :- 77% say yes 23% say no. Feel free to make a vote.

How to Have a super SUPER As Financial Advisors, superannuation is one of our most favoured investment assets for wealth accumulators. Why? Because Clients can’t withdraw it all for a holiday or car It is continually growing as your employer puts in more money every year Legislation is constantly changing to make superannuation more flexible and advantageous for everyone not just the rich It is tax free at the end This combination allows us to build long term investment strategies for our clients to take advantage of changing markets and legislation to help our clients achieve their personal financial goals. In this ‘Ark Informer’, we will endeavor to explore some superannuation strategies that you can employ to help fund your retirement. 1.     Investing your super appropriately – Most people are unaware that they can actually choose where they would like their super to be invested. This includes the product you are invested in (E.g. AMP, First State Super or BT) and also the underlying funds (E.g. Australian Shares, International Shares, Asian Shares). You can also create a blend of different options to find the right portfolio for you. If you are young, you may want to consider investing in more growth assets whereas if you are approaching retirement you may want investments that pay more income are and more conservative. A small change now, can make a large difference later on. 2.     Using your super to pay for some personal insurances – This is one of the most underutilised strategies as most people aren’t aware that you can have your superannuation fund your life insurance and even your income protection. Due to the competitive nature of insurance, some super providers are even cheaper than their outside super option. 3.     Salary Sacrifice to super – This involves contributing your pre-tax money (your pay before the ATO touches it) into your super so you pay tax at 15% instead of your Marginal Tax Rate. This strategy can potentially reduce your income tax but also increase your super balance for retirement. 4.     Start a Self Managed Superannuation Fund (SMSF) – This is the fastest growing area in superannuation and it involves you setting up your own fund and managing it (with the help of a professional). An SMSF provides greater investment selection such as the opportunity to buy direct residential property and leverage but it requires more attention than a retail superannuation fund. If you have more than $200,000 in your super or you and your partner have more than $200,000 you should seriously investigate this option. Please feel free to watch our SMSF concept video here 5.     Purchasing a Property with the assistance of Borrowings through your Self Managed Superfunds. Benefits include concessional tax treatments, diversification, leverage, estate planning, borrowing capacity and asset protection. To download our Property and Self Managed Superfund Ebook, please click here 6.     If you are over 55 – look at the option of a Transition to Retirement Income Stream. This can be a very effective way to reduce you tax and increase your superannuation balance leading into retirement. If you would like to know more about superannuation strategies, please feel free to contact us directly on 02 9262 3333 or via the appointment link on the right and one of our specialists will be in contact with you.

With kind regards

What one would do with $1m - from karl brown

karl brown • $1mill ,, hmm I would invest in companies that have advantage of near monopoly or that have amarket edge on the competition

Here are my favoutite stocks in the UK, rmember this is only my opinion I aint no professional advisor just a well researched punter..

Baltic OIL (AIM< BTC) virtual monopoly managing the most efficient shipping terminal on the BALTIC , trading at 4 time earnings and with asecond half due to be 20% better than first half itys a raging buy in my book Ortac resources (AIM> OTC) with a newly announced upgraded proven 1million ozs of gold resources in the ground and capitalised at only £26mill...do the math.
Petro MATAD (MATD) the only credible mongolian oil explorer with government backing. and great connections.. 900 mill barrels of light crude in the ground easily accessible and next door to china a ready made consumer. They have a monopoly on an area twice the size of Ireland. market cap of only £250mill.
Iomart (IOM) cloud computing, simply the best in the UK and fastest growing at 60% per annum and just past a critical mass and so far ahead of the rest of the Uk competition .


my best 4 to turn $1mill into $2 mill in a year

The Presidents Speech

This is a classic!!

Your Wealth Magazine

Nicky Boyles "your wealth magazine" has loads of content rich information. A great read. I have had the honour of being a panelist in the magazine - looking forward to your feedback on what you think! The beauty is that if you subscribe in the next few months.... you subscribe for free!!

Outstanding Property Opportunity Inner West

Introducing the Marrickville Apartments

An Inner West property has just become available which I believe is excellent value to the Ark Investor.


The Investor puts 10% down now... and the balance in 18 months – (which can be funded from super and gearing or negatively geared for high income earners).

• 1 bedder $450k, no stamp duty – est. rent for $450 per week

• 2 bedder $600k – no stamp duty – est. rent for $600 per week...

There are about 20 of the 100 units that we believe are grossly underpriced, as all units are priced at under $600k to avoid stamp duty and the 20 are substantially larger (100m2)

This looks to be a great investment.



Click here to register your interest, and an Ark Adviser will call you to discuss the opportunity in more detail.

Click Here for  a detailed review of the opportunity.

If I had $1m to Invest, where would I invest this?

I Posted the question "If I had $1m to Invest, where would I invest this?" on a linked in Blog, and got +200 responses. I have listed these responses in the attached download... I think it makes interesting reading. It will be interesting to see how these predictions pan out!!

An interesting comment was an investment in a "Groupon" type investment. $1m was invested a tear ago in Spreets and exited last month for $40m to Yahoo!!

To download the responses - click this link

Using your Super to Buy Investment Property

This is a Webinar that every Australian should listen to! click here

Interest Rate Breather

Below is a letter from our Mortgage Brokers....

Today, in the monthly RBA board meeting, the board has decided to keep the official cash rate at 4.75%.


Whilst we can take some breather now, we are of the opinion that rates will start to move towards the middle of the year.

We have seen lenders come to market with some very appealing fixed rates around 7.10% for 3 years. While they seem to be trying to capture the rate conscious consumer, we at Liquidity see some of the offerings from lenders as a great opportunity to lock in your rate.

We are always looking at ways in which we to reduce our clients outgoings. This may be in the form of switching products, loan structure or debt consolidation. If you would like to speak to us about ways in which we to can reduce your monthly outgoings, we are more than happy to have a complimentary free home loan health check.

Please call on 02 9290 2777 and ask for Michael or Danny.

Looking forward to assisting you soon.

Michael Luca and Danny Luu
Mortgage Brokers

for a complementary home loan or finance health check  click here

Suite 701, Level 7, 14 Martin Place Sydney NSW 2000
GPO BOX 4013 Sydney NSW 2001
P: +61 2 9290 2777
D: +61 2 8203 0426
M: 0405 113 543
F: +61 2 9262 5788
E: michael.luca@liquidityfinance.com.au or  danny.luu@liquidityfinance.com.au

Below is a flyer from Liquidity Finance, who can assist our clients obtain a fleet discount and car loans with competitive interest rates. If you are interested, please don't hesitate to contact us on 02 92902777. Click here and a member of our team will get back to you, With kind regards  save thousands on vehicle prices           low interest rates available call now and let us help you save              ph 02 92902777 michael luca * ivan kaye * danny luu

Perfect time to Review Your Insurances

During our regular research review of various insurance providers, we have identified that there is considerable difference between the various insurance providers and some major providers are currently offering personal insurance at extremely competitive and low rates.

These low rates won’t be around forever as they are currently undertaking their review to increase their insurance rates in mid February.

If you have an existing insurance policy (Life/TPD, Income Protection or Trauma) you may be able to replace these insurances at a lower cost to create additional cash flow or if your insurance is held within super it will give you more money to invest in the market.

If you have an insurance policy that has been underwritten within the last 5 years you can potentially roll your insurance over without completing any additional medical forms.

Below is an example of a client whose insurance we re-structured in December;


Current Insurance

Life/TPD and Income Protection all held outside of super costing $5,644 per annum from their cash flow.


New Insurance

Life/TPD moved to inside super and all insurances moved to new provider at a total cost of $3,962 per annum. This reduced their premiums by 29% and their cash flow was increase as the Life/TPD insurance is now funded through their super.

If you would like a complimentary review of your personal insurances please contact 02 9262 3333 or click here.

Ark Informer December 2010 -The 2 year rollercoaster... but has the ride finished?

If you cast your mind back to just before Christmas two years ago the financial world appeared destined for the grave. Lehman Brothers had just collapsed, the Governments started taking on toxic assets and the Australian Government implemented a guarantee on deposits to restore confidence amongst the consumers.

Australian Interest Rates started falling but at nowhere near the rapid reduction that was seen in the United States and Europe. The word ‘sub-prime’ became an everyday conversation and it was later discovered that American Banks gave out NINJA loans (no income, no jobs or assets) to unsuspecting American citizens. This resulted in almost one in five Americans owning a home with more debt than the actual value of the house.
The Australian Market was down 52% and price to earnings ratio’s sitting at around 8 times (long term historical levels are 14.8).

That Christmas was a pretty nervous one for many investors and employees.

This Christmas holiday season paints a much brighter picture with the market recovering 46% and price to earnings ratios now sitting at closer to 13 times. We are currently living in a rising interest rate environment which demonstrates the power and resilience of our economy. Although our markets are still linked to the movements in the US, we now have other influences such as Asia and the emerging markets. The expectation is that the Australian economy will grow at 3.5 to 3.8% per cent next year and the resources boom is expected to continue for another 20 years (as announced by the RBA).
So are we still on the rollercoaster?

There are some more expected dips in light of recent financial system collapses in Ireland, Spain and Portugal and whilst Europe and US get back on the track but the positives seem to outweigh the negatives with the power economies of Asia providing great momentum for the world economy.
Based on this, it is suggested that you review your current investment portfolios in the new year to ensure you have allocations to the growing economies as opposed to those on a dip.
In our recent e-book, ‘Investing in Equities’, (click here to download) we explain our investment theory behind maintaining and increasing exposure to the market. This is the core strategy and it is employed to try to achieve long term capital growth, irrespective of the short term fluctuations in the market.

This strategy is validated based on the recent Russell and ASX report comparing 10 and 20 year performances of various asset classes. It showed year on year returns of between 8 and 11% per annum in both the Australian Residential Markets and Australian Share Market. (for more information click here)

We want to take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a happy christmas and a 2011 filled with health, wealth and wisdom.

The Ark Team  
Click here to Contact an Advisor

Good International Stocks

I went top an adviser briefing in Feb 2010 see http://www.arktotalwealth.com.au/gvi-market.aspx

He recommended the following international stocks... he was on the money with Nestle and Colgate!!

Nestle - View the full NSRGY http://www.wikinvest.com/wiki/NestleSince Feb 2010 share price has gone from $35 - $55 (57% increase)

Colgate – good branding – endorsed by dentists, 75% revenue in emerging markets http://www.wikinvest.com/stock/Colgate-palmolive_(KAR:COLG) Since Feb 2010 share price has gone from $42 - $92 (120% increase)

Telefonica (Spain), http://www.wikinvest.com/stock/Telefonica_SA_TEF) Since Feb 2010 share price has gone from $70 - $65 (7% decrease)

Exxon, Shell http://www.wikinvest.com/stock/Exxon_Mobil_(XOM) Since Feb 2010 share price has gone from $67 - $74 (10% increase)

What to look for in a Company

• Look to buy good quality businesses cheaply
• Either 1,2 or 3 in a space and is difficult to displace
• Transparent
• Good Point of Difference
• Regular and Increasing Dividends to Shareholders – generally outperform companies with low dividend yields re growth.
• Strong and Lazy Balance Sheets are good!!
• Grow earnings and Dividends over time
• Good Margins
• EBIT has consistent growth
• Strong Brand

Trend to Refinance your Loans in 2011

A national survey has found many investors seem to have made a new year's resolution to refinance their home loan this year.

A poll conducted by Australia's largest independently owned mortgage broker, Loan Market, found 54 per cent of brokers believe refinancing will dominate the home finance market this year, surpassing first home loans which dominated the past few years.

Australians traditionally are reluctant to change lenders, but the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) lift official interest rates up to 4.75 per cent during 2010, the banks lifting standard variable rates by even greater margins, plus moves to make it easier to switch banks have changed this trend.

"Homeowners on an average $400,000 mortgage can save up to $4,000 years if they can be bothered switching lenders to get a better home loan deal.

Michael Luca of Liquidity Finance says that there can be as much as a percentage point difference between the variable home mortgage rates currently on offer and people are start comparing rates.

Michael says that this is a good time to look at consolidating your debts, taking the opportunity to reduce debt on credit cards, which have interest rates often more than triple that of an average variable home loan.

If you would like a complimentary meeting to review your debt situation, and identify whether you can save money on restructuring or switching your loans, please contact Michael or Danny at Liquidity Finance on 92902777 or email http://www.blogger.com/goog_551273287

For more information see http://www.liquidityfinance.com.au/

Drakensberg 2010

CHAMPAGNE CASTLE Dec 2010

From berg

From berg

From berg

Hans Rosling's 200 Countries, 200 Years, 4 Minutes - The Joy of Stats - ...

The world is getting smaller... Asia and China is catching up. We are becoming a converging world

Have you taken out Travel Insurance on your Holiday

The holiday season is approaching, and many of us are looking forward to our annual holidays. My family is travelling to South Africa for our Annual Holiday, and I am in the process of looking to take out a travel insurance policy to mitigate any risks that might occur on our holiday.

After searching the Web for articles on travel insurance and what the best deals are, (I have reposted the relevant articles on our website  - click here ), we have decided to take out a Chartis Travel Insurance Policy (who are the leaders in this space).

If Travel Insurance is critical for me when travelling, it will also be critical for our clients and subscribers.

I have negotiated a deal with Chartis, so that our clients will be able to get a 20% discount on regular travel insurance prices if they book though the attached link. Click here to access this link.

I hope you enjoy the festive season, and wish you “health, wealth, wisdom and happiness” for 2011.

BSI Learning - Diploma of Management

There is an opportunity to take advantage of the Federal Government’s initiative in upskilling Australians to further enhance workforce capabilities and to address skills shortages within the workplace. You or a member of your team may be eligible to Complete the accredited Diploma of Management Course at a cost to your Employer of $3,250 over the next 6 months – and the Government will reimburse your employer $4,000*!. *subject to eligibility This course will give the applicant new management and leadership skills to enhance their career and business initiatives. If you or someone you might know has not completed a qualification above a Certificate IV level, and are seeking to gain new skills for your current employment or future job role then you should apply. send to a friend This course will give the applicant new management and leadership skills to enhance their career and business. If you are interested in finding out more CLICK HERE to register your interest. With kind regards Course Overview The Department of Education and Training NSW has recently approved the inclusion of the Diploma of Management qualification which means eligible employees will qualify for federal government incentives. BSIL Hume Learning’s Diploma of Management is a fantastic way for your  employees to gain new management and leadership skills, enhance their career and knowledge of business operations. It is ideal for the business owner, senior manager, or developing business leader to: Reinforce, enhance and grow skills Apply critical and contemporary management principles, tools and techniques Develop new networks and opportunities. Course Structure The Diploma covers the following units of learning:         BSBFIM501A Manage Budgets and Financial Plans      BSBMGT616A Develop and Implement Strategic Plans        BSBPMG510A Manage Projects         BSBMGT502B Manage People Performance        BSBWOR502A Ensure Team Effectiveness        BSBMGT516A Facilitate Continuous Improvement        BSBRSK501A Manage Risk        BSBMGT515A Manage Operational Plan The program combines 5 days of non consecutive workshops with online and self paced learning, including small group work. The course is typically completed in a timeframe of around 6 months. Eligibility and Course requirements The approved Diploma Traineeship is available to all employees and employers can qualify for $4000* in Federal Government incentives for each eligible participant that commences and completes the course, which more than offsets the cost of the Diploma, at only $3,250 per person. *Subject to eligibility checks To be eligible for this funding, a participant must not have previously completed a qualification higher than a Cert IV. If you are interested in finding out more CLICK HERE to register your interest. To enquire about your employees’ eligibility and for further details please contact Donatella  Ottaviano on 02 9993 0703 or email info@bsilearning.com.au SEND TO A FRIEND ABOUT BSIL                                                                                BSI  Learning (BSIL) is a leading provider of Organisational and People Development Services and outsourced training solutions in Australasia.Our vision is to deliver value across the entire Employee Lifecycle. We  utilise the full spectrum of learning methodologies including Workshop,  Action Learning, Distance Learning, Coaching and e Learning and our global training partnerships keep us abreast of the latest learnings and  product developments from around the world. Visit our website... BSI Learning Pty Ltd Suite 1, Level 3. 55 Holt Street, Surry HIlls NSW 2010 www.bsilearning.com.au Telephone: +61 2 9215 0196 Fax +61 2 9212 5545 "Realise your potential"