A new type of training seminar offers the high quality companies are used to but at a truly affordable price. Inspirational Seminars Ltd is using the medium of seminars, which they have branded ‘Quick & Dirty!’ Instead of asking companies to book their staff on a 2 or 3 day programme, they have encapsulated the ‘real meat’ of these programmes in seminars just 3 hours long.
Training staff and management in the ‘Soft-Skills’ is seen as an investment in people however when the economic outlook is bleak, what was previously thought of as an investment becomes seen as a cost. But how can a company be fit to weather the storm if for example they stop motivating their sales people and line managers with good training? Companies shouldn’t be as much concerned about the economic outlook, as much as they should be on the look-out for good training that will continue to build their business.
Inspirational Seminars is a training company that is offering companies a new way to continue development of their staff but at a very affordable price. The ‘Quick & Dirty!’ concept allows organisations to continue with the essence of vital training whist allowing them breathing space to recover. When the budget allows, more in depth face to face training can take place using the same world class trainers and course writers to maintain continuity.
In recent years, the training industry has seen quite a lot of seminars that are really only vehicles to sell companies and individuals longer and more expensive courses; they contain very little in the form of usable information. The ‘Quick & Dirty!’ seminars offer people a stream of ideas during the 3 hours that people can go away and use immediately. These seminars will be rolled out over the UK and Europe after a series of pilot schemes starting in Oxfordshire.
John Burke, a director of Inspirational Seminars Ltd says; ‘the benefits to companies who take advantage of this type of training is that they get high quality training with low investment, they do not lose people from the office for more than half a day and there are no hotel costs involved. But perhaps one of the most important benefits is that both the material and delivery are of the highest quality because the seminars are run by very experienced, world-class trainers of international acclaim. Another benefit that companies find is that this type of training fills a gap until they are in a situation whereby they can undertake more in-depth training’.
He continues, ‘since people are the ‘life-blood’ of any company it is of course important for companies to continue the learning and development of people within the organisation. Most HR Departments are inundated with information from training companies and so the process of making decisions as to which company to use can be very much like a minefield these days. What companies should bear in mind is this: although expensive training needs to be good, good training needn’t be expensive’.
For additional information on the availability of these seminars, please send your email to info@inspirational-seminars.com or visit http://www.inspirational-seminars.com and visit the ‘Quick & Dirty!’ Seminar text at the top right hand side.
About Inspirational Seminars Ltd
Inspirational Seminars (ISL) is a consortium of trainers who have all worked with well established training companies over the last 20 years. These are people who have worked closely with each other and have now come together to provide unsurpassed quality training programmes to companies in the UK and Europe. Some of their trainers are psychologists, some are NLP Practitioners and all have personal experience in every subject in which they train.
Inspirational Seminars’ team of dedicated professionals aim to bring to companies first class, world-class results-oriented ideas that will improve the performance of individuals thus improving the overall performance of a client company. This is done with well developed and established methodologies and close working relationships with customers.
Inspirational Seminars offers Public Courses and Seminars throughout the UK and parts of Europe covering a wide range of sales, management and personal development. And because these programmes can be adapted for individual customer needs it means ISL can provide around 80% of most companies development requirements.
Tuesday 11 November 2008
Thursday 6 November 2008
Should we Bail Out the Banks or Have a Recession?
As the Banks sit there wringing their hands in anguish at the problems they are in, let's step back to see what they are actually causing in the rest of the economy.
First we have to understand about the "paradox of thrift", the concept introduced by that great British economist John Maynard Keynes, who has been very much misrepresented over the years. This concept states that if we all start saving too much, then we are not spending. This will then causes a slow down in the economy as goods and services are not being purchased in the same volumes.
Now lets consider what the banks are doing right now in their misguided attempts to correct the real problems that they have caused and with their desperate need for refinancing from Governments and Sovereign Wealth Funds. Yes, they are taking money out of the production cycle for debt re-financing. And as they are reducing the amount of lending, they are deflating global economies.
Are they mad? They are only concerned with their own survival, but it seems at the expense of the rest of the economy. Because they have got everybody's bank accounts online they are now indispensable/compulsory [just try to do without one, your tax office will go ape]. Worst luck. We need an alternative to bank accounts. An alternative that will not try and gear up your money to fund their profits and then pocket your cash when they screw up. How else can we interpret their actions.
At best a bank is only a marginal business. How can it possibly make money from holding our money? They do it by using our money for their own gain. But when their assumptions and their miscalculations mean that they have lost our money, its only natural that we the customers are going to feel a bit angry. No wonder there are "runs on the bank". No bank can survive a loss of confidence in the system. That's why we have problems now - we have lost confidence in "the system".
The only solution is to re-build that confidence, hence massive inter-governmental support, or to come up with alternatives. Well Governments are doing their bit but....
So lets as responsible business folk with creative minds come up with some alternatives to the traditional banks.
First is the internet concept of ZORPA
Next is anybody's best guess. Please lets come up with some solutions.
Over to you.
John Burke, Ecadamist, and International Worrier!
First we have to understand about the "paradox of thrift", the concept introduced by that great British economist John Maynard Keynes, who has been very much misrepresented over the years. This concept states that if we all start saving too much, then we are not spending. This will then causes a slow down in the economy as goods and services are not being purchased in the same volumes.
Now lets consider what the banks are doing right now in their misguided attempts to correct the real problems that they have caused and with their desperate need for refinancing from Governments and Sovereign Wealth Funds. Yes, they are taking money out of the production cycle for debt re-financing. And as they are reducing the amount of lending, they are deflating global economies.
Are they mad? They are only concerned with their own survival, but it seems at the expense of the rest of the economy. Because they have got everybody's bank accounts online they are now indispensable/compulsory [just try to do without one, your tax office will go ape]. Worst luck. We need an alternative to bank accounts. An alternative that will not try and gear up your money to fund their profits and then pocket your cash when they screw up. How else can we interpret their actions.
At best a bank is only a marginal business. How can it possibly make money from holding our money? They do it by using our money for their own gain. But when their assumptions and their miscalculations mean that they have lost our money, its only natural that we the customers are going to feel a bit angry. No wonder there are "runs on the bank". No bank can survive a loss of confidence in the system. That's why we have problems now - we have lost confidence in "the system".
The only solution is to re-build that confidence, hence massive inter-governmental support, or to come up with alternatives. Well Governments are doing their bit but....
So lets as responsible business folk with creative minds come up with some alternatives to the traditional banks.
First is the internet concept of ZORPA
Next is anybody's best guess. Please lets come up with some solutions.
Over to you.
John Burke, Ecadamist, and International Worrier!
BOE cut interest rates by 1.50% to 3.00%
After one of the most hotly debated rate decisions in recent times, the Bank of England delivered its largest interest rate cut in 15 years today, slashing the UK base rate by a full 1.50% to 3.00%, in an effort to shield the ailing British economy from the fallout of the global credit crisis. The move follows on from last month’s coordinated 0.50% cut with other major Central Banks, as the credit crisis increased its stranglehold on the global economy.
Faced with mounting evidence that the UK economy is headed for recession, the Monetary Policy Committee has come under increased pressure to take more decisive action. Earlier this week Britain’s service sector, the backbone of the UK economy, was seen contracting at its sharpest rate on record while factory output posted its longest decline since the 1980’s recession, heralding further job losses. However, the most influential of recent developments was the sharp contraction in third quarter GDP, confirming the UK economy is on the brink of a recession, sharply reducing consumer and business confidence for the coming year.
Recent comments by Governor Mervyn King stating that “it now seems likely that the UK economy is entering a recession” signals further monetary easing is in the pipeline.
Major Interest Rates
Major Interest Rates
US Fed Fund Rate 1.00% 29th Oct 2008
EU Min. Bid Rate 3.75% 8th Oct 2008
UK Base Rate 3.00% 6th Nov 2008
Source: HIFX Financial Services Ltd
Faced with mounting evidence that the UK economy is headed for recession, the Monetary Policy Committee has come under increased pressure to take more decisive action. Earlier this week Britain’s service sector, the backbone of the UK economy, was seen contracting at its sharpest rate on record while factory output posted its longest decline since the 1980’s recession, heralding further job losses. However, the most influential of recent developments was the sharp contraction in third quarter GDP, confirming the UK economy is on the brink of a recession, sharply reducing consumer and business confidence for the coming year.
Recent comments by Governor Mervyn King stating that “it now seems likely that the UK economy is entering a recession” signals further monetary easing is in the pipeline.
Major Interest Rates
Major Interest Rates
US Fed Fund Rate 1.00% 29th Oct 2008
EU Min. Bid Rate 3.75% 8th Oct 2008
UK Base Rate 3.00% 6th Nov 2008
Source: HIFX Financial Services Ltd
Friday 24 October 2008
Tax Strategy Hurting Businesses
Call to end tax on vacant properties
A group of the largest property owning companies have called on the government to scrap or amend legislation covering business rates on empty properties in the pre-Budget report.
Companies began paying full rates on vacant properties for the first time this year, following an initial grace period. It has been criticised as an extra financial burden on an already struggling property sector.
Many companies and organisations outside the sector also own real estate, including pension funds. Local councils have suffered as they also pay tax on empty properties. Campaigners say the tax is stifling regeneration.
The letter to Gordon Brown has been signed by companies with a combined market capitalisation of £370bn.
These include companies from AstraZeneca and McDonald’s to Next, Tesco and Nokia, as well as Land Securities, British Land and Canary Wharf.
Segro and Brixton, among the other supporters of the letter, which was collated by the British Property Federation with Property Week magazine, estimate that the tax will cost them £8m and £5m this year respectively.
The letter asks for a 50 per cent relief on the tax for shops and offices for two years, and an indefinite stay on industrial buildings.
The government scrapped a former relief for empty properties in April. It estimates the move could generate up to £1bn in extra revenue.
The Communities and Local Government Department said: “There are no plans to reverse the changes to empty property rate relief introduced on April 1. However, as with all taxes the position is kept under review and the government has engaged with industry and local authorities to understand how the reforms are working overall.”
Ian Coull, chief executive of Segro, said: “This outrageous piece of taxation is hitting the whole of the British economy at a time of severe downturn.”
Source: FT; By Daniel Thomas
Published: October 23 2008 22:47 | Last updated: October 23 2008 22:47
A group of the largest property owning companies have called on the government to scrap or amend legislation covering business rates on empty properties in the pre-Budget report.
Companies began paying full rates on vacant properties for the first time this year, following an initial grace period. It has been criticised as an extra financial burden on an already struggling property sector.
Many companies and organisations outside the sector also own real estate, including pension funds. Local councils have suffered as they also pay tax on empty properties. Campaigners say the tax is stifling regeneration.
The letter to Gordon Brown has been signed by companies with a combined market capitalisation of £370bn.
These include companies from AstraZeneca and McDonald’s to Next, Tesco and Nokia, as well as Land Securities, British Land and Canary Wharf.
Segro and Brixton, among the other supporters of the letter, which was collated by the British Property Federation with Property Week magazine, estimate that the tax will cost them £8m and £5m this year respectively.
The letter asks for a 50 per cent relief on the tax for shops and offices for two years, and an indefinite stay on industrial buildings.
The government scrapped a former relief for empty properties in April. It estimates the move could generate up to £1bn in extra revenue.
The Communities and Local Government Department said: “There are no plans to reverse the changes to empty property rate relief introduced on April 1. However, as with all taxes the position is kept under review and the government has engaged with industry and local authorities to understand how the reforms are working overall.”
Ian Coull, chief executive of Segro, said: “This outrageous piece of taxation is hitting the whole of the British economy at a time of severe downturn.”
Source: FT; By Daniel Thomas
Published: October 23 2008 22:47 | Last updated: October 23 2008 22:47
Thursday 31 July 2008
Wednesday 30 July 2008
Don't Expect Too Much Support from Your Bank
The following article re-printed below is not good news at all. As the recriminations start, Banks will have to defend themselves and by the look of things end up paying off angry investors.
Either way the credit crunch is only starting to seriously unfold.
Barclays dismisses San Marino lawsuit
Barclays Capital will fight vigorously a lawsuit filed against it in London’s High Court by a banking client Cassa di Risparmio di San Marino, which alleges misrepresentation by the UK investment bank in the sale of complex debt products.
The San Marino-based bank is seeking damages of at least €170m (£134m) in losses and lost income related to five complex credit-linked notes bought by CRSM for €450m in 2004 and 2005.
It is also seeking unspecified damages related to the restructuring of three other complex notes in June 2005.
“The legal action has no merit and we will contest it vigorously,” Barclays said on Tuesday.
The suit is part of an increasing number of actions faced by banks over their complex credit products since the market turmoil that began last year led to widespread losses in the financial industry.
Lawyers said that many disgruntled clients are pursuing the banks that had arranged complex debt products, but that claims are mostly settled well before they near a court filing, which is seen very much as a last resort, particularly in Europe.
Barclays has faced a number of similar lawsuits over collateralised debt obligations it has structured and sold.
In 2005 it settled a $151m claim brought by HSH Nordbank of Germany.
HSH is also currently suing UBS, the Swiss bank, over alleged mismanagement of a $500m portfolio of collateralised debt obligations to London. The case, which is set to be heard in New York, was among the first to be filed over subprime mortgage losses in the wake of the credit crunch.
Barclays, meanwhile, is also named in a lawsuit filed this month by Oddo Asset Management of France in New York, which relates to two investment funds known as “SIV-lites”.
That suit also seeks damages from Solent, a London-based hedge fund that managed one of the investment funds, and from McGraw-Hill, the owner of Standard & Poor’s, the rating agency.
Bankers said Italy was beginning to discover the depths of its problems with structured products. Marco Elser, senior manager in Rome at Advicorp, an independent investment banking group, said: “Half of Italian banks don’t know what they have in their accounts, because the derivatives around which the structured products were sold are so complex that it would take an Einstein to figure it out.”
Additional reporting by Guy Dinmore in Rome
By Paul J Davies
Published: July 29 2008 19:05 | Last updated: July 29 2008 19:06
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2008
The action above could be the first in an avalanche of law suits filed by investors who could feel a little hoodwinked by the avaricious banks and their rush to sell "products" to their clients in the headlong desire to make ever increasing profits from a "business" that should only be marginal at best.
When you run a business that has its hands in your pockets, the tendency is for it to help itself.
John Burke
Either way the credit crunch is only starting to seriously unfold.
Barclays dismisses San Marino lawsuit
Barclays Capital will fight vigorously a lawsuit filed against it in London’s High Court by a banking client Cassa di Risparmio di San Marino, which alleges misrepresentation by the UK investment bank in the sale of complex debt products.
The San Marino-based bank is seeking damages of at least €170m (£134m) in losses and lost income related to five complex credit-linked notes bought by CRSM for €450m in 2004 and 2005.
It is also seeking unspecified damages related to the restructuring of three other complex notes in June 2005.
“The legal action has no merit and we will contest it vigorously,” Barclays said on Tuesday.
The suit is part of an increasing number of actions faced by banks over their complex credit products since the market turmoil that began last year led to widespread losses in the financial industry.
Lawyers said that many disgruntled clients are pursuing the banks that had arranged complex debt products, but that claims are mostly settled well before they near a court filing, which is seen very much as a last resort, particularly in Europe.
Barclays has faced a number of similar lawsuits over collateralised debt obligations it has structured and sold.
In 2005 it settled a $151m claim brought by HSH Nordbank of Germany.
HSH is also currently suing UBS, the Swiss bank, over alleged mismanagement of a $500m portfolio of collateralised debt obligations to London. The case, which is set to be heard in New York, was among the first to be filed over subprime mortgage losses in the wake of the credit crunch.
Barclays, meanwhile, is also named in a lawsuit filed this month by Oddo Asset Management of France in New York, which relates to two investment funds known as “SIV-lites”.
That suit also seeks damages from Solent, a London-based hedge fund that managed one of the investment funds, and from McGraw-Hill, the owner of Standard & Poor’s, the rating agency.
Bankers said Italy was beginning to discover the depths of its problems with structured products. Marco Elser, senior manager in Rome at Advicorp, an independent investment banking group, said: “Half of Italian banks don’t know what they have in their accounts, because the derivatives around which the structured products were sold are so complex that it would take an Einstein to figure it out.”
Additional reporting by Guy Dinmore in Rome
By Paul J Davies
Published: July 29 2008 19:05 | Last updated: July 29 2008 19:06
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2008
The action above could be the first in an avalanche of law suits filed by investors who could feel a little hoodwinked by the avaricious banks and their rush to sell "products" to their clients in the headlong desire to make ever increasing profits from a "business" that should only be marginal at best.
When you run a business that has its hands in your pockets, the tendency is for it to help itself.
John Burke
Tuesday 10 June 2008
Join Technorati
Technorati Profile
Its all about cross networking and interconnections!
Or is it just to get Technorati up the google rankings by inward links? So to balance things here are a list of my blog and web interests with lots of great partners and projects: No particular order.
G8way
Jamie Lawrence Football Academy
JLFA Blog
Refill Food
Cherrie Box Media
Emerging Markets Investor Services Ltd
Watersons Marketing Group
Inspirational Seminars Ltd
Inspirational Seminars Blog
Sylvia Modu
Faye Klein Lingerie
DMR Ltd
Bevin Fagan (who sadly died in April 2008)
Gold Investments
Property Investment and Credit Crunch
Business Start Ups
Yorkshire Network
Gold Bullion Trading
Click4Marketing
Affordable Seminars
Barbur Realty
Canal Craft
Management Resource
Unique Sounds
Plus a whole load of ongoing projects in Africa to build Solar Tower Power Stations, renewable energy systems and exploding the myth of global warming and the great carbon tax con.
I am also very keen on lean government along the lines that Hong Kong adopted and not the over-bloated British Model!
Its all about cross networking and interconnections!
Or is it just to get Technorati up the google rankings by inward links? So to balance things here are a list of my blog and web interests with lots of great partners and projects: No particular order.
G8way
Jamie Lawrence Football Academy
JLFA Blog
Refill Food
Cherrie Box Media
Emerging Markets Investor Services Ltd
Watersons Marketing Group
Inspirational Seminars Ltd
Inspirational Seminars Blog
Sylvia Modu
Faye Klein Lingerie
DMR Ltd
Bevin Fagan (who sadly died in April 2008)
Gold Investments
Property Investment and Credit Crunch
Business Start Ups
Yorkshire Network
Gold Bullion Trading
Click4Marketing
Affordable Seminars
Barbur Realty
Canal Craft
Management Resource
Unique Sounds
Plus a whole load of ongoing projects in Africa to build Solar Tower Power Stations, renewable energy systems and exploding the myth of global warming and the great carbon tax con.
I am also very keen on lean government along the lines that Hong Kong adopted and not the over-bloated British Model!
Friday 30 May 2008
New Business in London
Having helped several businesses this month with a flurry of new web sites to show off their successes.
Cherrie Box Media
Is a web and print media company run by my nephew Jason Fagan in SW2. Plenty of new clients are helping Jason and Clive in this new venture.
Jamie Lawrence Football Academy
Jamie is a star with his team with their support of disadvantaged youth in SW17 whee they work with the Nightingale School. We have also created his first blog site as well.
Emerging Markets Investor Services Ltd
Is an inward investment company based in the UK and Ghana which has got some pretty big projects on the go. From Oil tank farms to Solar Power Stations. Good liuck to Yacoba and Richard
G8way Youth Support
This is a fantastic outlet for music, videos, unsigned stars of music and modelling and lots lots more. Run out of 49 Effra Road its ideal for central London. Well done Jason and Beverley
Next month there are even more projects to tackle
Cherrie Box Media
Is a web and print media company run by my nephew Jason Fagan in SW2. Plenty of new clients are helping Jason and Clive in this new venture.
Jamie Lawrence Football Academy
Jamie is a star with his team with their support of disadvantaged youth in SW17 whee they work with the Nightingale School. We have also created his first blog site as well.
Emerging Markets Investor Services Ltd
Is an inward investment company based in the UK and Ghana which has got some pretty big projects on the go. From Oil tank farms to Solar Power Stations. Good liuck to Yacoba and Richard
G8way Youth Support
This is a fantastic outlet for music, videos, unsigned stars of music and modelling and lots lots more. Run out of 49 Effra Road its ideal for central London. Well done Jason and Beverley
Next month there are even more projects to tackle
Saturday 22 March 2008
Web Sites for Grown Ups
In today's world its the adults that seem to shoulder all the responsibility and provide our children with guidance and advice.
However, there comes a time when adults of all age need some time to relax and enjoy themselves. So hide the kids eyes, here is a simple business idea aimed squarely at the masses.
Just like the pioneering work of Ann Summers in de-sleezing porn and bringing the sex industry to the high street in an acceptable and fun format, now comes FAYE KLEIN (http://www.faye-klein.com/).
Its a replicatable website that allows anybody to own an exotic lingerie store. Thats right a web store, with no stock lines to buy, no unsold stock sitting in the warehouse, no wondering what the next fashion will be. Its all out of the box. AND ITS FREE!!
Its a take o
n the PARTY PLAN. The web master and supplier give you a series of web sites to promote a range of 10,000 lingerie items, complete with shopping cart facilities, secure payment systems and everything you could possibly want. They provide banner images, and customisable web sites that you can put your own logo and images on.
Takes about a day to get up and running, including all the customising. What more could any budding young or old(!) entreprenuer want.
The trick though is to drive traffic to the web site so it will start to sell products. So link to other web sites, get into directories, e-zines, newsgroups, use contacts and friends alike to get it promoted.
Their best affiliate is earning $50,000 per month!
Now that is not to say that just anyone can do this, but with effort and expertise people are earning good money on the web in the most unusual businesses and ways.
However, there comes a time when adults of all age need some time to relax and enjoy themselves. So hide the kids eyes, here is a simple business idea aimed squarely at the masses.
Just like the pioneering work of Ann Summers in de-sleezing porn and bringing the sex industry to the high street in an acceptable and fun format, now comes FAYE KLEIN (http://www.faye-klein.com/).
Its a replicatable website that allows anybody to own an exotic lingerie store. Thats right a web store, with no stock lines to buy, no unsold stock sitting in the warehouse, no wondering what the next fashion will be. Its all out of the box. AND ITS FREE!!
Its a take o
n the PARTY PLAN. The web master and supplier give you a series of web sites to promote a range of 10,000 lingerie items, complete with shopping cart facilities, secure payment systems and everything you could possibly want. They provide banner images, and customisable web sites that you can put your own logo and images on.Takes about a day to get up and running, including all the customising. What more could any budding young or old(!) entreprenuer want.
The trick though is to drive traffic to the web site so it will start to sell products. So link to other web sites, get into directories, e-zines, newsgroups, use contacts and friends alike to get it promoted.
Their best affiliate is earning $50,000 per month!
Now that is not to say that just anyone can do this, but with effort and expertise people are earning good money on the web in the most unusual businesses and ways.
Saturday 12 January 2008
Where has Banking Support Gone To?
Post Sub Prime (see my blogs from JANUARY 2007) and Northern Rock in the UK, the banks have taken their bat and ball and gone home.
Whilst the Banks were happy enough to flog derivatives to make themselves billions, now that their errors of judgement have materialised, it's business that will pay the price. Banks are not lending, they want to reduce overdrafts and defer decisions concerning investment propositions.
All of a sudden they have become too risk adverse. But now they risk causing a severe recession, they have to lend to keep the economy on track. Without liquidity industry will suffer. The Banks should take their pain from the sub-prime debacle, but no, its us who will suffer.
A set of recent proposals sent to various banks have all met with a similar fate. The lending ratio is dropping to nearly 50/50, security needs are getting to a point where those with this much free assets would not need the facility anyway. And cases are being deferred for 6 months.
So what are we to make of this?
The recession is already here.
Whilst the Banks were happy enough to flog derivatives to make themselves billions, now that their errors of judgement have materialised, it's business that will pay the price. Banks are not lending, they want to reduce overdrafts and defer decisions concerning investment propositions.
All of a sudden they have become too risk adverse. But now they risk causing a severe recession, they have to lend to keep the economy on track. Without liquidity industry will suffer. The Banks should take their pain from the sub-prime debacle, but no, its us who will suffer.
A set of recent proposals sent to various banks have all met with a similar fate. The lending ratio is dropping to nearly 50/50, security needs are getting to a point where those with this much free assets would not need the facility anyway. And cases are being deferred for 6 months.
So what are we to make of this?
The recession is already here.
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