The Rise (But Not From The Dead) Of Zombie Banks

On September 24, 2009

The Rise (But Not From The Dead) Of Zombie Banks

As share prices of financial firms have continued to climb this year in the face of an uncertain economic recovery, the discussion about the role of so-called zombie banks is beginning to come up again. Wednesday, Reuters' Rolfe Winkler pointed out a discussion between three economists about how zombie banks are hoping that a sudden return of liquidity to mortgage-backed securities will one-day raise them up from the dead. Winkler highlights Boston College finance professor Ed Kane's comments about this kneel-and-pray strategy. It's worth re-posting: Kane: Another point is that these so-called "hard-to-price assets" have much more value to "zombie banks" than to anyone else, which is why there is no liquidity in that market. The deeply insolvent institutions want...


On September 24, 2009

Property Insurance Outlook: Dull But Stable

No one really finds insurance interesting, not even insurers. In fact, insurers like it to be dull: no hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, wildfires, tornados. Instead of stories on the morning news, insurers prefer to quietly collect their premiums and drop them in the bank. Thus, two reports from the property casualty front should make these insurers, and their investors, very happy. Barring a major catastrophe or unforeseen event, risk managers should see stable property casualty rates at least through the beginning of 2010, said executives from insurance broker  Marsh & McLennan on Wednesday. With the likelihood of hurricanes diminishing by the day, that prospect is a fairly safe bet. Using the "D" word, Marsh's chief economist said, "It's a classic dull market. Supply...


On September 24, 2009

The Horror of Abundance

An education "expert" hired by Pearson finds that students who rely on web searches rather than Pearson's textbooks "are woefully inadequate when it comes to processing real information they need." Barack Obama complains that his healthcare reforms have stalled because there's been too much "misinformation" circulating over the last few months. Columnists at traditional newspapers warn the public about the dangers of relying on the blogosphere, rather than professional journalists. The message from the gatekeepers of knowledge is the same: there is now too much information online and your Average Joe just can't handle it. It's not like consumers seem to care, though.  Online at least, they've consistently chosen the almost-good-enough free option over paying for the professional version.   Nevertheless,...


On September 24, 2009

Want To Be a Hip Hotel? Launch a Clothing Line

When Starwood's W Hotels decided it would sell non-hotel items, such as flash drives and cuff links, the hotel chain cemented its status as the hip, progressive brand. Now W is going a step further with a whole new product offering: a clothing and jewelry line. The new line, called Global Glam, will be designed by 34 new and established designers and inspired by new W properties in downtown Manhattan; South Beach, Miami; Santiago, Chile; Hong Kong; and Istanbul. Apparel and accessories will range from $50 to $500, with two collections released each year. W officially launched Global Glam on Sept. 10 in conjunction with New York's Fashion's Night Out, a night of festivities that kicked off the latest fashion...


On September 24, 2009

Guilty G20 Leaders Need to Beat Protectionism | BTalk Australia

[podcast] G20 leaders meeting in Pittsburgh need to make protectionism a priority. Mark Thirlwell says the global financial crisis are imposing protectionism by stealth and the USA is one of the worst culprits. He says the changes need to start at home.
On September 24, 2009

FPB Checks In On Lending Rates, Growth Expectations

New survey results from the Forum of Private Business once again focus on how hard it is for small companies to get money from banks.  Otherwise, small business owners seemed to be fairly split between adopting optimistic and pessimistic outlooks.

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On September 24, 2009

iPhone Making Enterprise Inroads

Based from the number of enterprise apps being adapted for iPhone usage, it's becoming clear that Apple's smartphone is making significant inroads into the enterprise space. Given the troubles Microsoft is having with Windows Mobile, Apple could well emerge as a serious competitor to Research in Motion, Palm and Nokia in the enterprise mobile device market. Apple's snafus and missteps notwithstanding, application vendors are apparently convinced that the iPhone in the enterprise is a real phenomenon, and not just a marketing manager's fantasy. NetSuite, a vendor of on-demand software used by corporations to manage their businesses, recently paved the way for customers to run their applications over the iPhone and says "more than 1,000" of their apps were downloaded...
On September 24, 2009

Wii Climbs Aboard Price Cut Bandwagon With $50 Trim

In what may signal the earliest start for the holiday shopping season ever -- at least as it applies to the video game industry -- Nintendo of America on Thursday confirmed that will indeed be dropping the price of its Wii console by $50 to $199. This is Nintendo's first price cut for its market-leading Wii.
On September 24, 2009

Attributes of a Business Leader – Part 1

podcastSome people start a business because they're passionate about a particular cause and they want their business to have an impact. Some people start a business because they are looking for a better work/life balance. Some are simply looking for more freedom...

This is what Michael Gerber spoke of when he coined the term, "The Entrepreneurial Seizure." For most people, having your own business is about being your own boss, having freedom and making your own money. But one thing people often don't consider is the idea that a business -- at it's best -- should serve as a financial asset today and in the future.

Have you thought about what your business needs to look like in order to provide you with the passive income to live the life you truly want? Do you have an exit strategy that will allow you to sell your business for top-dollar?

In the first part of this E-Myth Your Business podcast, E-Myth's President Wendy Vinson and Seminar Leader Karin Iwata discuss the common personal attributes successful business leaders possess and how those attributes help them turn intention into action.

Podcast: Wendy Vinson E-Myth's President Wendy Vinson and Seminar Leader Karin Iwata, discuss the common personal attributes of successful business leaders.

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