The Contester Blog

The importance of a professional business presentation can not be overstated in determining the fate of a new business opportunity. Nevertheless, it is amazing how many times the presenter does not apply these same essential professional requirements to their own person. You only get one chance to make a great first impression. Make the most of it!

This goes far beyond the obvious elemental issues of personal care and hygiene. A person brimming with strength, confidence and a professional demeanor commands respect and their words are much more valued, even if they might not be as strongly grounded in details of the project.

Before we take clients to decision-makers (investment bankers, venture capital firms, potential licensees, etc.) we conduct a basic clinic in personal deportment. The points we cover seem may minute, mundane or simplistic. However, they can become hurdles to making a deal if they off-put the target and divert attention from the meeting goal, a successful placement. We use a version of media training as offered by QVC or HSN before they put a new vendor on the air.

One thing a presenter should never do is to try and be somebody, or something they are not. Be natural. Nevertheless, a personal foible that can not be controlled should be hidden or minimized.

Dress professionally, the centerpiece of the meeting is not your diamond brooch, gold pinky ring, or five inch stiletto heels, but your product or opportunity. Wear appropriate clothing for the type of business environment you are seeking to enter and for your physique. There is nothing worse for a presenter than to be minimized by a wardrobe choice that overwhelms the meeting. A skirt to short, a blouse cut too low, a mismatched shirt and tie, or an overwhelming cologne are only a few of the errors that can ruin the meeting agenda you must pursue.

It is not necessary to buy an Ermingildo Zegna suit, or a Chanel jacket in anticipation of presentation day. Clean, well pressed, proper fitting are essentials and more important than the price or label of the clothing. In fact, wearing a $3000 suit can be a turn-off, as investors usually want a prudent shepherd of capital as a partner. The high line, designer wardrobe can be interpreted as flashy, showy, a sign of a profligate spender.

It is always wise to spend a few minutes before the formal portion of the presentation engaging the participants in conversation. Do not be banal. With people you do not know at all, or at least very well, you can not risk any topic that might risk hitting a nerve or sending a negative vibe. A trophy on the bookshelf, a photo of a boat, an antique pen and inkwell, these are the types of things that can start an ice breaking chat. Keep it brief and mostly be a listener.

When the presentation begins, look the participants directly in the eye. When a question is asked, look the questioner in the eye. You do not, indeed, cannot come off ferret-like and achieve the result you desire. Eye contact is essential to projecting an air of strength, comfort with your subject, and confidence that can be contagious. I have sat in post-meeting reviews and seen otherwise fine projects shot down because the presenter did not seem to have the necessary presence to spur confidence from the investors.

If you are seated at a table, sit up straight, I prefer to be on the edge of my chair. This position projects an air of energy and can-do attitude. Body language is always being read.

If you are standing at an easel or making a power point presentation, use smooth, sweeping hand movements to highlight items and key points. Do not chop, swipe and jerk about with your free hands. Keep concentration on the details of your project, not your karate moves. Your motions should elegantly and forcefully enforce the strengths of your presentation. Stand up straight and avoid walking and talking.

Your voice should be modulated to the size of the room and number of participants. Do not yell, shout or be bombastic. A smooth pace and steady delivery is preferred to a racehorse style. The meeting participants may, or may not be, fully familiar with your opportunity’s business model, its endemic trade terms and “inside baseball” analogies.

Your strategy for taking and answering questions is dependent on your strength and the reception you are receiving from your audience. When I am cut off mid-presentation with a question, I typically answer, “Good question, I will be covering that point in just a moment”. Then I go right back to my outline. This deferral of answering provides two important benefits: one, I stay in control of the meeting and nicely exhibit my strength, two, I exhibit my mastery of the topic by having the question ready to be covered in coming remarks. For me this works. If you know your topic cold, and project an air of strength that is easily recognizable, you will be able to defer questions and provide answers in the context of your agenda.

Never ask a question yourself as an item in your presentation unless you KNOW the answer. If the question has more than one answer, or worse, an answer negative to your needs, avoid asking at all costs. We all know that wellness is a big issue for baby boomers, correct? Does your wife or girlfriend love shoes? Don’t all true Sox fans hate the Yanks? This type of question is non-threatening to your prospects. Gear a query, if needed, to an absolute truism related to your project.

I always ask for questions at the conclusion of the presentation. If you have provided a comprehensive, professionally delivered presentation, there will be questions. This is good, an excellent time for you to burnish your credentials as an expert on your subject.

Anticipate the worst during this open floor portion of the meeting. It is my experience that there are no perfect ideas. This should not be a deal killer, if you have alternative answers at hand. There is always an issue that is of some worry. If you are properly knowledgeable about your project you will have anticipated this and have appropriate answers. If you have not anticipated a shortcoming, well, oops! It never fails: decision-makers never seem to miss asking these questions. Your ability to satisfactorily answer the weak link question will probably determine your success.

Read the body language of your audience. Are they paying attention? Are they taking notes? Are they whispering to each other? Take note of positive head nods, pointing at documents and frowns, or negative head nods. The collective visual response of your audience can be a guide, to speeding or slowing your presentation and preparing mentally for the coming objections you must overcome.

A few years ago I took a clients product into HSN for initial review. The buyer loved the product, the price and the marketing program. He requested a meeting with the owner of the product. We spent hours with her, practicing, taping and massaging her product presentation. After all, she was going to be on national television acting as spokesperson for the item. She did fine in practice. She was excellent in the buyers meeting. She met with her HSN on-air personality and practiced the day before going on the air. The tape was excellent.

In the green room, before she went on camera, she was jovial, relaxed, and seemingly very confident. When the red light popped on, and she was introduced to the viewing public for the first time, she froze. The HSN personality, very smooth and agile, asked a couple of fur-ball questions. However, the timing was broken and the opportunity was lost.

You do not typically receive second chances from a decision-maker. The pressure of knowing that a one shot meeting has the potential to critically effect a project is daunting. The best way to mitigate that pressure and achieve a successful result is to be the expert on your opportunity, able to persuade by words, props, physical presence and professional bearing, your command of your subject.

Geoff Ficke has been a serial entrepreneur for almost 50 years. As a small boy, earning his spending money doing odd jobs in the neighborhood, he learned the value of selling himself, offering service and value for money.

After putting himself through the University of Kentucky (B.A. Broadcast Journalism, 1969) and serving in the United States Marine Corp, Mr. Ficke commenced a career in the cosmetic industry. After rising to National Sales Manager for Vidal Sassoon Hair Care at age 28, he then launched a number of ventures, including Rubigo Cosmetics, Parfums Pierre Wulff Paris, Le Bain Couture and Fashion Fragrance.

Mr. Ficke and his consulting firm, Duquesa Marketing, Inc. (http://www.duquesamarketing.com) has assisted businesses large and small, domestic and international, entrepreneurs, inventors and students in new product development, capital formation, licensing, marketing, sales and business plans and successful implementation of his customized strategies. He is a Senior Fellow at the Page Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, Business School, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.

Introduction
Conflict in relationships is inevitable. Put two men together with their own sets of needs, values, personality traits, and life histories/experiences and you have a fertile ground for potential differences to cause clashes. This is normal and a necessary precursor for growth in your relationship with your boyfriend or partner. Anger is a common emotion that emerges during conflict. While conflict and anger are normal aspects of building and maintaining a relationship with someone, there are right and wrong ways to manage them. This article will address some ways to defuse anger in your disagreements with your lover to ensure a more positive environment to go about negotiating your differences.

Anger Management 101
It’s important to realize that when two people are angry with each other, very little of productive significance will come from these interactions because emotions are high and listening skills tend to be overshadowed by defensiveness. Though cliché, the statement “Anger is ok, it’s what you do with it that counts” is very pertinent here. During conflicts with your partner, you are ultimately responsible for your own feelings and anger. Your partner does not make you angry; you choose how you are going to react, regardless of the contributing factors. The goal is to create an atmosphere where you and your boyfriend can have a constructive communication session free of volatile emotions and where you each can feel heard equally.

No More Drama
One of the most effective ways to defuse an angry situation is to call a Time-Out. In much the same way that children are disciplined with Time-Outs to calm down and regain behavioral control, we adults also benefit from this type of cool-down period as well. The strategy issimple, but only works if you and your partner agree to its execution beforehand and follow through with it to completion.

Whenever you feel your anger flare-up to the point where you are unable to be attentive to your partner or be fully present, announce your need for a Time-Out. Before leaving, schedule a time that you and he can reconvene to address your issues then. Reactivity can damage relationships, and by postponing your response until after you’ve had a chance to regroup and center yourself, you’re increasing your chances for being able to communicate more effectively. You’re also not avoiding the problem, just delaying it until both of you can more readily attend to the issue at hand. It’s also important not to follow each other once a Time-Out has been called because this defeats the purpose; respect your partner’s need for space and feel reassured in the knowledge that you will discuss your issues at a later time. In essence, when you call a Time-Out, you are really saying to your lover, “I care enough about you and our relationship to discuss this issue at a later time when I’m able to really listen to you and hear your needs and concerns. My anger right now interferes with that ability.” This communication technique, which is commonly taught in couple’s therapy, works best when applied consistently.

More Anger Coping Tips
1. Identify your personal triggers to anger. Pay close attention to the body signals you receive that alert you to anger arousal, the situations that upset you to help highlight patterns, and the thoughts you have that fuel anger and emotional upset.

2. Practice relaxation techniques (deep breathing, visualization, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, etc.) and don’t forget the importance of regular exercise in managing stress.

3. Distraction techniques can be helpful during your Time-Out, such asjournaling, reading a book, listening to music, playing video games, talking to a friend, taking a hot bath, going for a walk, etc. Do something self-soothing.

4. Develop affirmations and positive self-talk to help coach yourselfthrough difficult anger-producing situations.

5. Try writing your partner a letter before you have your talk to discharge negative emotion and perhaps develop a better perspective on the situation that upset you. Destroy the letter when finished.

6. Get in the habit of expressing your needs and feelings directly and assertively in as close to the moment as you can. Stuffing feelings only leads to a stockpiling effect of “unfinished business”; this, in turn, creates hidden resentments and can take a toll on your health and relationship.

Conclusion
Anger and conflict are a natural part of any relationship and must be handled carefully to protect the trust and intimacy of your partnership. The important thing to remember is to avoid reactivity and to stop and think before acting to help cultivate a more responsible and focused dialogue with your partner. Anger is commonlythe result of an unmet need, a perceived threat, or a symptom of depression, among other things. Trying to uncover its origins first, avoiding placing blame, and viewing your disagreement as an opportunity to work together as a team in creating a win/win solution to your challenges will go a long way in helping you to accomplish your relationship goals.

© 2004 Brian L. Rzepczynski

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEBSITE? This article can be reprinted freely online, as long as the entire article and this resource box are included:
Brian Rzepczynski, Certified Personal Life Coach, is The Gay Love Coach: “I work with gay men who are ready to create a road map that will lead them to find and build a lasting partnership with Mr. Right.” To sign up for the FREE Gay Love Coach Newsletter filled with dating and relationship tips and skills for gay singles and couples, as well as to check out current coaching groups, programs, and teleclasses, please visit www.TheGayLoveCoach.com.
Please also include with the article the words © Copyright and prominently display a link to our main page at the end of the article. Any feedback would be appreciated and can be sent to brian@thegaylovecoach.com. Thank you!

About the Author

Brian Rzepczynski holds a Master’s degree in Social Work and is a Certified Personal Life Coach. He has a coaching practice,The Gay Love Coach, in which he works with gay men on developing skills for improving their dating lives and relationships. He publishes a monthly ezine called “The Man 4 Man Plan” and is also the co-author of the self-help book “A Guide to Getting It: Purpose & Passion”, published in May 2005.

With the costs of holidays increase many people are opting for UK based holidays to help save money. Camping is become more and more popular between groups of friends and families. However the initial outlay for the actually equipment you need can be expensive and this can put people off. Of course once you have brought the equipment you can enjoy many more holidays when you want for a fraction of the price

Whether you want a quick last minute weekend away or whether you want a lazy week in the sun – a camping holiday can be an ideal way of spending a leisurely few days away.

Millets are currently offering 20% discount on any orders placed between now and the end of June. This means that you can stock up on everything you need to enjoy a safe, fun camping holiday at a fraction of the cost!

Add this up with benefits you get from other shops – for example food shopping or garden toys and you can really make this summer a summer to remember with a fun packed holiday at a fraction of the cost!

If you’ve missed this short deadline for the discounts at Millets visit back often for updates on voucher codes.

Not decided which water based lubricant to own? The questions might well be answered in this fab lube article.

Water Based Lubes are not only simply for sexual intercourse. Getting lubed up for personal fun is one of the most common uses for sexual lubricants, sex oils and sexual lotions. Using sex lube during one on one fun is safe, excellent and practical. You yourself will want your vibes to slip and thrust as notably as possible.

If ladies are looking for a fruity lubricant which is safe to use with all dongs stick to a water-based one, there are numerous delicious types out there like cream. And there are some that melt.

Veterans might well already know what sexual lubricant is most suited for them. But if you yourself are purchasing a sexual lubricant for the 1st time we would love to recommend the following. It?s wise to begin off with a water-based sex lube. Water-based lubricants do not stain and fruity lubes are totally safe to try on all martial toys. If you wish to use a water based lubricant for mouth play Sex Bomb recommend you yourself get one of the sumptuous blueberry flavoured ones. Anal supporters tend to go for thicker water based lubricant because these fruity lubricants are slightly longer lasting. Remember, the more lube you experiment with the more brilliant screwing you can have. Turn the tables with Strap On Dildos from sex bomb.

It doesn’t matter how new you are to copywriting, or how old…the fact is, there will be times when you’d feel more confident with the brains, talent, and experience of a writing partner.

Perhaps you’re writing for a new client who’s in an industry you know nothing about. Perhaps you’ve been asked to come up with some very high level concepts. Or maybe you’re getting paid partly based on response rate, and you simply want to make sure your package is as good as it possibly can be.

The answer to these and many other copywriting situations is to call in another copywriter. Share the fee and make sure you hand in perfect work. Not only will you find tremendous relief in “buddying up,” but you’ll get the work done faster and the results will be better, making for a happy client who comes back.

This is not an unusual arrangement in an advertising agency. Typically a junior writer will do the hard work, a copy chief will go over the work, and finally a creative director will put the stamp of approval on the work after possibly adding their 2 cents.

And when it comes to concepting, a copywriter is often paired with an art director, or a group of copywriters and designers may be assigned to come up with ideas.

In the freelance world, many copywriter “gurus” achieve guru status because #1 – they don’t take jobs they don’t think they can win, and #2 – they hire as many as 5 copy chiefs to go over their work.

Some months ago I found myself in a “copywriters bake-off,” as the client called it. I would be up against 3 other writers in the concepting phase for a plum job for Intuit, one of the world’s leading software companies.

Was I intimidated? After writing copy for 19 years, and more than 30 packages for software, I can say that…YES, I was!

But before I put my creative hat on I thought about whom I could bring in. I decided on Carol Worthington-Levy, a well-known graphic designer with many direct marketing awards for results.

My strategy was twofold: not only would I submit concepts from two heads rather than one, but I would submit them in an actual design format which would come across much more impressive than the text format I anticipated my competition would use.

The strategy worked, the client loved the concepts, and I won the job. (Although I then found myself competing against 3 other teams in the copy phase!)

More recently one of my coaching students had a new client
and wanted validation of the copy she’d written. She sent it to me, and while it was an excellent piece, it did need a stronger headline. Working together we came up with a headline that would have been difficult to improve upon.

The next day my coaching student sent an email that her client was positively thrilled with her work, and had made only minor edits.

So whenever you feel your chest tighten up with that old
(unnecessary) feeling of anxiety, call on a colleague who has proven success with whatever type of project you’re tackling. Just the thought of bringing in a partner should make you feel more relaxed.

Recently I called on Richard Rosen, my old employer and
internationally recognized direct marketing guru. He’s used to paying me for copywriting; but in this case I needed his help on crafting a strategy. Knowing ahead of time that I’d want to call him for help with a particularly complicated product launch, I worked an extra fee into the budget to pay for his expertise.

So open up your thinking: whom do you know who has
knowledge and experience you can leverage? If you don’t know of anyone whose ability you’re sure of, ask around for a referral, or go to the Web site of a pro you don’t know personally, but whose work you respect. If they can’t team up with you, they’ll know who can.

Copywriters are an anxious bunch, often fretting over imagined insecurities. Buddying up with a copy chief (or other expert) eliminates the jitters and allows you to learn from a pro. If you think about whom you can bring in to a difficult project, you’ll find that you can eliminate one of the copywriter’s biggest self-defeating obstacles – that of insecurity.

Master copywriter and coach Chris Marlow publishes a free ezine for copywriters who want to quickly build a profitable business. Visit:
www.FreelancersBusinessBulletin.com

Link together the two of people’s ultimate quests and you will reveal something that’s universally called a web based sportsbook. And really, what could believably be more imaginative. Visualize a troop of people cheering to support a preferred club, and incessantly lays are announced tied in to the ruckus. Aiming to get a bit of the action, on-lookers customarily venture to surmise who will win in the coming match. All of this comes to be a cute little match titled web based sportsbook.

Love sports bet usa ? Sign up for the web’s best sites here.

If you want to wager, you will probably want to look up a web based sportsbook, i.e. a setup that tenders web based sportsbook. In the U.S., you will find no less than four states to do sports gambling in a lawful manner, but illegally you can attempt it anywhere if you can find a bookie AND you happen to be legally an adult. Among the sports events you can choose to wager on are professional including, naturally, college football plus basketball, pro baseball, pro hockey, including, naturally, horse and dog racing. Patrons could wager on the total combined score of a game or fight, when any given contester will go under, and even if a tossed coin in a game or fight will come down either heads or tails.

The betting establishment will depend on mere numbers to help you come to a decision which club you judge will win. First we have the spread, or points lead allocated to the weaker lineup anticipated to go down by x number points. Self-Evidently, this comprises the sportsbook provider’s conventional practice of making level wagers possible for a sports book. To give an example we may wager on a competitor anticipated to go down and and nevertheless win the wager if the lineup actually loses by x number of points.

One can opt for numerous types of lays, the straight being the general favorite in sports gambling.

Why not go for it and enjoy yourself at the same time. Only ensure that you won’t get too carried away and use up your complete retirement fund on a crotchet… If you don’t, you will be sure to be caught in grief for the rest of your life…

Property Index can help with overseas property investment, view the properties available for investment.

Notwithstanding the fact that Property Index is actually a rather young establishment, doing business since March 2007, they have quickly gained in reputation. They’re a extremely cool establishment focusing on offering expert advice to every visitor striving to buy, sell, etc. property in most parts of the world. Their promise: to lend you a hand to uncover exactly what’s desired very quickly plus sans hassle. Real estate can easily be found just about anywhere in our times, one of the most exclusive areas being real estate available in Spain. It’s fairly easy to specify the good property for sale in Spain, the explanation for hunting for estate here is the houses and apartments for sale and the splendid option of being able to live right amid this bubbly, fervent and bouncing people.

It is one of the most fashionable areas in our times, and considering the lovely landscape and agreeable weather surrounding you, how could you ever say no. Real estate in Spain is steeped in history, art and culture, this realm of the world has long been home to many civilizations. About 25-30 years back you’d find merely a tiny number of English looking for property in Spain. Just ask about anyone who has emigrated to Spain and they will be certain to corroborate this. Many would look upon it as a fad and others look upon it as a virtually a fixation. Patrons intent on moving to this region will range from young families in search of a bit of a new life perspective to the older generation planning on relaxation and enjoyment.

Note, though, that you may likely encounter a few bugbears when trying to purchase property abroad; it stands to reason that there are a hundred heterogeneous, occasionally conflicting, steps be it when strategising, surveying or completing. If you miss out on just a single minor procedure it is liable to well engender large bugbears and, most importantly, monetary loss. Naturally, as is to be expected with this trendy region, property may well be incredibly expensive in this destination and this, of course, is basically a result of the high buyer demand. Despite this clients are very spoilt in a place determined by beaming land and sensational view. It certainly has most all just about anyone could ever desire and more.

What is a lanyard in fact? I can tell you that you can see lanyards every day because they are used in almost every domain. Many people haven’t even heard about lanyards although they all know what they are. So basically people just don’t know what they are called.

Some good definitions of a lanyard are a neck strap, security strap, ID strap or ID cord. So any of you have seen a lanyard worn one, bought one. They are quite popular.

A lanyard is a piece of material worn around the neck for hanging small objects. So what are the advantages of lanyards? Well think about having an object that you need at hand and still both hands free. It’s an useful thing to have.

If you look for a definition in the dictionary then you will probably find something like a string worn around the neck or around the shoulder. There are many uses for lanyards in schools, businesses and government agencies as well as other organizations for holding name badges but the primary use remain for identification and promotion.

Their commercial advantage is that they are often used in conferences, trade shows or any other events. If they are used for promotional reasons they will probably have attached some kind of accessories like crocodile clips, Dog clips, mobile phone holders.

Now, let’s think how one can advertise his business trough lanyards. If you try to customize a lanyard with your company’s logo or slogan and making an unique design you will have a great impact. Because they are used in combination with so different, many and common objects you can be sure that your message will be seen by many people.

So, we have seen the uses of lanyards, now let’s see what is available. I think that the most basic lanyard is a simple blank metal ball chain. Then, there are the cotton or nylon lanyards which can be found in different colours. the most popular lanyards are the custom printed ones. Nice designs with beautiful and well chosen colours can be very eye catching.

In conclusion, lanyards, even if many don’t know them by name are very popular and used. They are also a great way to advertise products companies or messages. So buy one because it’s useful or use them for promotional reasons.

For selected lanyard listings and resources like badge lanyards and custom lanyards just visit our site.

Should you operate your business as a corporation? Or is there another, simpler alternative?

You’ve probably noticed that in the past decade there are more and more businesses with their names followed by the letters “LLC” instead of “Inc.”. “LLC” stands for Limited Liability Company, is the newest type of legal entity that exists in the United States, and for many entrepreneurs it is the ideal marriage between the tax advantages of the limited partnership and the limited liability feature of the corporation. Now available in all 50 states—even to non-U.S. citizens–most likely the LLC should have a key place in your business structure.

When it comes to legal entities for conducting business, limited liability companies are the newest kid on the block in the United States. The state of Wyoming was the first to pass legislation, in 1977, to establish this new entity. By 1999 all fifty states in the United States had enacted legislation to allow the formation of this exciting new legal entity.

But why is the LLC so attractive, so irresistible to legislators? And why have so many entrepreneurs opted for the LLC instead of a “C” corporation, or even an “S” corporation? And most important, how do you decide if it’s right for you?

Perhaps the most important reason is for the popularity of the LLC that the it satisfies the demands of both accountants and attorneys. Accountants tend to prefer the Limited Partnership (“LP”) because they are concerned about the dangers of “double taxation” if their clients use a corporation: If your corporation pays dividends, the corporation pays taxes on its profits, and its shareholders pay taxes again on those same profits when they are taxed on the dividends they receive. By contrast, attorneys usually prefer the greater asset protection offered by the limited liability that the corporation has to offer to all its owners.

Let’s begin with an understanding of what the limited liability company is. Basically it is a partnership among its owners, who are called “members”. The LLC is like a limited partnership (and an S-corporation), because it is a “pass-through entity”–each partner’s or member’s share of the net gain or loss for the year “passes through” to the individual tax-payer’s 1040 individual tax return. There is no separate tax to which the LLC itself is subject. On the other hand, the LLC is also like a corporation, because unlike the limited partnership–which requires a general partner, who is responsible for all results of all decisions and actions of the partners–all its owners benefit from limited liability.

People choose to form LLCs basically for the same reasons that they would elect to set up an S-corporation or a limited partnership. The LLC, like the S-corporation, is attractive if you have earned income that puts you in a high tax bracket, and you would like to be able to offset that income with the losses that you can normally expect to incur in your first years in a business. When I formed my first business entity twenty years ago, my husband and I selected the S-corporation. We both had salary income that placed us in a high tax bracket, and we knew that our new consulting business would incur significant capital expenses in the first few years. After all, we would have to purchase new equipment such as a fax machine, a laser printer, personal computers, and the replaceable supplies to operate them. We were also aware that it would take some time to build a clientele, so our income from the business would take a few years to take off. The S-corporation allowed us to carry the losses we incurred onto our individual 1040 tax returns. The losses were deducted from our gross personal salary income, and we paid dramatically lower taxes.

If you can get this advantage from an S-corporation, why would you bother with an LLC? The LLC has a number of advantages over the S-corporation:

1. First, LLC does not have the limitations that the S-corporation has on who can be a member of the LLC. Only individuals, estates, some trusts, and other S-corporations can be members of an S-corporation. Individuals (shareholders) must be either U.S. citizens or residents. By contrast, the LLC is not subject to these limitations. Thus, it is an ideal entity that you can combine with other entities in your business structure. For example, you can have a corporation or other legal entity be a member of an LLC.

2. The LLC has much greater flexibility for allocation of rights, profits, and assets than the S-corporation. The S-corporation can have only one class of stock: In other words each share of stock has the same rights as every other share. This means that the allocation of profits and assets is extremely rigid. If Parties A and B are equal shareholders in a corporation, and the corporation decides to distribute its profits of $10,000, then A and B must each receive $5,000. This might not necessarily be equitable if one partner was much more active and produced a much greater share of the profits than the other. The LLC allows for A to receive, say, $8,000 if its business activities generated 80% of the profit, leaving B with the remaining 20%, or $2,000. This can be very attractive in a partnership in which there is a significant difference in the amount of capital and ongoing business activity that the partners are contributing to the business.

3. The LLC is not subject to the same corporate formalities that are required of the S or C corporation. While the LLC must still maintain appropriate LLC records and bookkeeping, it is not required to be managed by a board of directors and maintain minutes of regular board of directors meetings.

4. Unlike the S-corporation, liquidation of an LLC is generally not a taxable event. As your personal and business financial situation change over time, you may determine that it is no longer in your interest to maintain a “pass through” entity for your business. Once your business begins to turn a regular profit after the relatively high costs of the first year or two, you may decide that a C-corporation that is taxed at a maximum of 25% (unless it is a personal service corporation) would be more advantageous to you. If you have been operating as an S-corporation and you liquidate it by selling the liquidated assets to the shareholder(s) at their fair market value, the liquidation will be a taxable event. This does not apply to the LLC. This is one of the factors that makes the LLC particularly attractive for holding real estate.

5. The concept of the charging order makes the LLC especially effective for asset protection. This makes it a particularly attractive entity for holding real estate. The corporation should not be used to hold real estate, because if the corporation is sued, the court might award shares in the corporation in the judgment. Control of the corporation translates into control of the property, and you effectively lose control over your real estate holdings.

By contrast, the charging order, used with Limited Liability Companies as with Limited Partnerships, gives the plaintiff only the right to receive income distributions from the interest of the party or parties against whom the suit was brought. The charging order grants no voting rights or management powers. Thus, the existing managers or members could vote simply not to distribute income, thus leaving the plaintiff with no recourse; yet the plaintiff will have to pay taxes on the income allocated to her, even though the funds were not distributed(!). This offers a strong incentive for the plaintiff to negotiate for a settlement.

Clearly, the LLC is a powerful tool for protecting your assets against financial predators. If you use it for real estate holdings, you can maximize this protection by holding each piece of real estate in a separate LLC. Thus, if one LLC comes under attack from financial predators, the operations affecting only a single property will be affected.

Disadvantages of the Limited Liability Company

Needless to say, there are some disadvantages with the LLC–otherwise there would not be remain so many other attractive options for structuring your business. Why might the LLC not be the best option for you?

1. Increased taxes for LLC members in high tax brackets. Once your LLC is making a profit, its income passes through the individual members, who are taxed directly on that income, whether it is actually taken out of the LLC or not. Thus, members who are in a high tax bracket might pay higher taxes than they would if they used a C-corporation, which is subject to lower marginal tax rates. Proper planning of disbursements for expenses and other aspects of the business could overcome this disadvantage.

2. Higher initial filing fees for LLCs in some states. Some states may levy heavier tax obligations on LLCs in their initial years. Our home state of California requires that an LLC pay a minimum $800 tax in its first year, while corporations are exempt in their first year–whether the business has any earnings or not! It can still be worthwhile for you to start an LLC: If you have high start up costs, tax savings in the thousands of dollars will outweigh these higher filing fees.

3. Unlike corporations, LLCs do not have continuity of life, that is they are limited usually to a specific period of time (say, 50 years) depending on the state. If an LLC member dies, the remaining members may vote to continue the LLC business. LLC interests can be gifted to other family members; and the LLC can have a trust or family limited partnership as a member, thus providing for effective estate planning.

4. The LLC is a relatively untested entity. There is the large body of case law on corporations but on LLCs. We may also expect to see changes in the laws governing LLCs as the implications of this new entity become more apparent to legislators.

Space does not permit coverage of all the advantages and disadvantages of LLCs, but clearly the LLC can be a powerful tool for operating your business, protecting your assets, and planning your estate. It is easy and inexpensive to set up on your own, if you use one or more of the items on our www.WealthStrategies202.com Wealth Structuring Resources page.

Copyright 2006 Azur Pacific Associates

Germaine A. Hoston, Ph.D. is President and Treasurer of Azur Pacific Associates, a consulting and translation firm and distributor of the Secret Millionaire Asset Security System and Eventis wealth-building courses. Get a free gift when you sign up for her free wealth structuring eNewsletter for entrepreneurs at: http://www.wealthstrategies202.com

If you are struggling with ever-increasing credit card debt, a 0 APR credit card could be the magic wand for you. There are a number of 0 APR credit cards in the marketplace. These 0 Interest credit cards offer cardholders zero percent on new purchases and certain 0 APR credit card offers also allow balance transfers, lowering the interest burden even further.

The Truth About 0 APR Credit Cards

These types of 0 APR credit cards are offered by popular credit card lenders including American Express, Citibank, Chase, HSBC, and Discover. These cards have many benefits to offer if you have a good to excellent credit rating.

Keep in mind, that the zero percent offered with these cards is not permanent. It is an introductory rate and is typically offered for ninety days to as long as 12 months. At the end of the interest-free or zero percent periods, cardholders will have to pay a higher ongoing interest rate. Generally, these rates could vary between 10 % – 14% and sometimes can be as high as 24%.

A 0 APR credit card is ideal when you want to purchase something expensive but cannot find another way to finance it. There will be no interest charges for the in and you will have the introductory buffer period to pay off the expense. But buyer beware … make sure you can pay the purchase off before the introductory APR expires.

Most 0 Interest credit cards allow balance transfers from your existing higher interest cards and many will waive the transfer fees. This is one of the best methods to pay off debts at a faster rate, leading to substantial savings on the interest charges incurred.

It is possible that a single credit card can have multiple APRs including the following:
1) One APR for balance transfers, one for purchases, and one for cash advances – the APR normally would be higher for cash advances compared to balance transfers and purchases.
2) Tiered APRs – Different APR levels can be assigned for different account balance levels or tiers, e.g., 15% for balances between $1 – $500 and 17% for balances higher than $500, etc..
3) Introductory APR – 0 APR as the introductory offer and a higher rate upon expiration of the introductory period.
4) Penalty APR – A penalty APR rate may apply if you are late with your payments.

The Traps to Watch Out For:
A 0 APR credit card is an attractive proposition, and often is too tempting an offer to resist. However, it is essential to be informed about the often-untold catches in these lucrative offers.

1. The 0 APR is a Limited Time Offer – In general, the 0 APR offered is only for a limited period. The period could vary from 3 months to 12 months. This implies that purchases made during this period will not attract any interest. You need to be cautious about the expiry period and remember to pay off before the period ends inorder to avoid hefty interest charges.

2. Once the introductory period is over, the 0 APR credit card may have a ridiculously high interest rate like 20% or higher.

3. On-Time Payment – Most of these 0 Interest credit cards require you to pay the minimum payment on time every month during the introductory period. Late payments will result in penalties that include shifting the remaining balance to a much higher APR.

4. Complete Payment – Certain 0 APR cards require you to pay off the balance entirely before the expiration period of the introductory offer. If not, the default high interest rate could be applied to the entire balance. Ensure that you understand these credit card terms clearly.

5. Applicability of the 0 APR – Most of the 0 Interest cards offer the 0 APR on new purchases and balance transfers in the introductory period. However, there are some cards that offer 0 APR on balance transfers only with higher applicable APR’s on new purchases.

6. Other Fees – Some credit card companies compensate the 0 APR by charging high annual fees or transfer fees on balance transfers.

7. Cap on Balance Transfer – Certain cards may have a cap or limit on the balance transfer amount. This means that the 0 APR will apply only for the amount within the cap limit and anything more will be charged the default higher APR.

While it may be an attractive offer to go for 0 APR credit cards, it may not be a wise decision in certain scenarios. So, before you seriously consider a 0 APR credit card, it is essential to compute credit balances, interest rates, and your pay off capability. Read the terms and conditions carefully to avoid credit traps. Understanding the fine print could have substantial savings apart from trouble free credit rating.

For more information on what to watch for in 0 APR credit card offers, Robert Alan recommends that you visit CreditCardAssist.com