The South American country of Columbia may be many years fighting off its image as a battleground for drug lords and neighboring tin pot dictators.

But to those undeterred by its recent, violent history it offers much in the way of historic colonial charm and natural splendor.  The Caribbean port town of Cartegena, for instance, is perhaps its most impressive entry in the colonial charm category in Columbia or for that matter anywhere else along the old Spanish Main.  And  it therefore earns mention as a Nick Yates tropical destination of choice.

Landing at its international airport, Cartegena is likely to surprise even before one’s airplane touches down.  A beachside strip of expensive, high-rise hotels hugs the shoreline and seems to mock every violent news item which has come out of the county since, seemingly, the dawn of broadcast journalism.  And in those hotels daily buffet meals are served that one would truly be negligent in missing while in the city.  And yes, the Columbian coffee served in the best of them is superior in taste to anything you’ve likely ever had.

The town itself also lives up to its billing as the best surviving example of Spanish colonial architecture anywhere in the Americas.  The town walls in fact easily rate an eight on the Nicholas Yates scale (1-10) of historic architectural preservations.  And there are enough other old colonial stone buildings within the confines of the old town to provide all the photos you’d ever need for an impressive trip album.  Excellent beaches are found within a short drive from the city’s walls, but for amusement value (though not for swimming) the seaside sands found along the hotel strip — and the locals found on them — are well worth a visit.

Cartegena makes for a perfect 3-4 day visit to this colorful and historic part of the Caribbean basin.

Topics: Nicholas Yates on Business, Nick Yates on Travel | Give Your Two Cents »

Author: Nick Yates

Business travelers and others may have noticed that the rising price of crude oil has brought, in its wake, costlier air travel.

Checked baggage now incurs extra fees on some carriers; and the use of frequent flyer points to purchase air tickets now requires payment of an additional “fuel surcharge” on most others.  Business travelers must apparently learn to live with these added expenses, as any reductions in crude oil prices aren’t being met with suspension of the new fees.

But it now seems the airlines themselves may be in for some unpleasant surprises, courtesy of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Nearly one-third of domestic flights in the United States currently experience delays or outright cancelations.  And it is the airports that service the New York - New Jersey area that seem to be responsible for the vast bulk of these problems — or rather their crowded, local skies are.

New York’s JFK and LaGuardia airports and New Jersey’s Newark generate such volumes of air traffic, into such a small amount of surrounding air space, that the FAA feels it has to step in with some dramatic solutions to alleviate the congestion — which now, directly and indirectly, impacts much of the rest of the North American air traffic control system.

What the FAA is proposing is that the number of plane departures at these three airports be reduced, and that some of the existing flight slots be auctioned off to the highest bidders among the competing airlines.  This would have the immediate dual effects of lowering air congestion and raising airfares, as airlines would be forced to pass along increased costs to consumers.  Money raised in these auctions would be claimed by government for use in further alleviating the problem.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has balked at all this, pointing out that the auction proposals alone could add as much as twelve percent to the cost of airline tickets.  But the FAA seems prepared to withhold federal funds if they don’t get their way.

Meanwhile, existing flight delays are reckoned to have cost the country tens of billions in the last year alone. This has been another report by Nick Yates.

Topics: Nick Yates on Travel | Give Your Two Cents »

“You have got to be kidding — Ethiopia?”

Not an atypical reaction, when one suggests that the perennially blighted African nation might — just might — be a vacation destination worth considering for that next adventure holiday.  And in my case, I have to admit that what got me on the plane wasn’t so much the tourism aspect as the chance to visit a longtime friend stationed there by his humanitarian outfit. But I must warn you, do take heed of this information before taking this trip.

“But it’s one big disaster site!” added the female friend to whom I’d made the suggestion.  Given the stories that make their way out of Ethiopia in the course of any given year, I couldn’t fault her for feeling that way about the place.

But how incomplete such a one-sided image turns out to be.  Stand amidst the central market throngs in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital, and you’ll experience much more in the way of lively culture than you expect, conditioned by all those dire press accounts.  Stalls displaying all that is exotic, in a continent renowned for its ability to stir the imagination, stretch on in every direction.  People from all of eastern Africa’s ethnic groups mix with merchants in a morning ritual as old as civilization.  Who could not find the scene enthralling — not to mention National Geographic-level photogenic?  Even avenues far removed from the market offer colorful vistas into African life that seem to positively insist on photographic capture.

The ancient Ethiopian hill town of Harer far to the east is not only tied to the very origin of coffee but is also immortalized in the diaries of famed nineteenth century British adventurer Sir Richard Burton.  Once a forbidden principality, its narrow lanes, fiercely Islamic traditions, and great distance from all that suggests the modern world are lingering trademarks.  Here you can stand in the streets and witness donkey caravans unloading cargo from distant villages beyond the reach of even dirt roads.  Khat, the mildly narcotic plant whose green leaves are addictively chewed by much of the population is sold openly in local markets.  At night, just beyond the city walls, you hear the sound of jackals in the moonlight.

Dire Dawa, a desert town just a few hours to the north, sits on the edge of the vast Danakil Desert and cradles its own legacy of centuries of caravan trade from the arid Horn of Africa region.  A walk through its market provides a glimpse of clashing cultures blending Africa and the Middle East.

Lake Tana, a major source of the waters that go on to form the Nile River, sits in the country’s northeast highlands.  Located in a more fertile region enjoying far more rainfall, the lake is bordered by small fishing villages home to the predominant Ethiopian Christian culture that dates back almost two millennia.  From the towns at the southeastern shore of the lake a short trek south following the river takes you past crocodile habitats, farming villages and the Blue Nile Falls, a cascade of awesome size and grandeur.

Yes, disasters and their aftermath may be regular enough visitors to Ethiopia; but they vie with much else that continues to draw travelers to this ancient and fascinating land.

Topics: Nick Yates on Travel | Give Your Two Cents »

It’s hard to conceive of many places on earth with more to offer the discerning traveler than Israel. Nick Yates would like to chronicle a few of his experiences in this fascinating country.

Starting perhaps with the Galilee region.  The Sea of Galilee — Lake Kinneret to the Israelis — might be any other stunningly azure lake, were it not so dramatically set in its perfect bowl of surrounding mountains.  And were not that drama the ancient land of so many historic millenniums.

Nestled along its eastern shore, the rental cabins of Kibbutz Ein Gev provide an evening view of staggering panoramic sunsets that the ancients themselves must surely have remarked on.  And if the lighting isn’t enough, then of course there’s the whole geology thing.  (Get set to snooze, you loser natural history averse types out there!)  As the continents have gone their separate ways over the eons, a frightfully large crack in the earth’s surface has found its way across much of East Africa, under the seas, and right through the Israel-Jordan borderland.  The top end of this crack now cradles the lake.  Down from this, through areas equally famous since Biblical times, runs the River Jordan on toward the Dead Sea.

Now, it seems to me that any serious traveler would want to stand upon those hills, and take it all in, at least once in his or her lifetime.  Perhaps some are too put off by the violence (yes) which seems to naturally come with this sacred terrain.  And yet — two peoples have lived on this land for ages, and their established cities, towns and villages plus the ancient ruins of others await any who can see beyond mere troubles to the ageless reality which pervades.

For me, just standing on a hilltop overlooking what the Israelites, the Greeks, the Romans and the crusaders after them took in as a matter of course is more than enough to justify the airplane fare and whatever middling concerns I may have security-wise.

The Israelis, by the way, are perhaps the most accustomed in all the world to Americans and our wiles.  After all, many of them are themselves American emigrants to the land of their religious heritage.

On second thought — I may In fact want to continue to have it all for myself!  So go ahead and take your spouse to Disney World instead.

Topics: Nick Yates on Travel | Give Your Two Cents »

Author: Jordan Hanthorn

Setting out on your own to build a network marketing business initially appears to be a daunting task, and it can be, but it is also a most satisfying accomplishment. Most large network marketing businesses take several years or more to build, although there are some exceptions to this rule.

I have heard of people making ninety thousand dollars a month after their first year. Although there have been numerous books about Network marketing from such names as George Faiva, Tim Sales, Zig Ziglar and a host of others, you will find if you research the subject in depth that very few Network marketing downlines were built in exactly the same fashion.

There are so many ways to build a downline (also known as an ‘organization’, ’sales force’ or ‘community’) that this type of business definately favors the creative mind. Perhaps the toughest aspect of network marketing or multi-level marketing (mlm) is the patience it requires to succeed.

Unfortunately, a large percentage of people who join mlm drop out or are mostly inactive, which is of course very frustrating. Nonetheless, most individuals who stay with the business and work it coinsistently are handsomely rewarded in the end. A major positive aspect of network marketing is the the modest level of investment.

Many multi-level marketing organizations can be launched for as little as $1000 and under. Compare this to a franchise, most of which require at least $100,000 to start (and in many cases much more) and which are not immune to employee and other problems normally associated with brick and mortar and food service businesses. The payout is not immediete on these types of business systems either.

In Network marketing, however, you deal have to sometimes deal with a negative stigma in some people’s minds regarding the industry. Cliche’s such as “is this a pyramid scheme?” or “is this a Ponzi scheme” are occasionally uttered by some prospects. In addition, friends and family are often not supportive in the beginning because of the high dropout rate or other factors.

It appears that the ‘old school’ or Wave 2 network marketing methods had something to do with this attitude. In that way of thinking, you were often expected to buy large quantities of product and store it in your garage or basement, drag neighbors to mlm meetings and so on.

Those days are generally over, but their memory persists for some people. These days, most products are drop shipped directly by the company and training and recruiting are generally done via conference call. Network marketing has come a long way, and attitudes are changing ever so slowly.

What is called ‘Wave4′ Network marketing has come into view, and it is characterized by conference calls for training, more sophisticated lead generation techniques, drop shipping and more use of the internet. It is estimated by some including Robert Kiyosaki that since we are now in the information age, network marketing will become more and more popular. In the industrial age, there was more job security; people could often expect to work the same job all of their life and the company would take care of their retirement.

But the information age, which we have been in since around 1992 or so, characterized by more frequent job changes, which will result in less job security, and especially fewer retirement benefits. This will influence more people to give network marketing a chance, the arguement goes; Time will tell.

There are other compelling reasons to believe this industry will grow considerably. Modern technology, and especially the PC, has allowed people to enter this business who never could have in the past. The industry has changed considerably and has been embraced by big corporate players such as At&T.

There is the misconception among some people that a network marketing company is similiar to a ponzi scheme or a pyramid scheme. But this is not at all the case. Many sincere men and women are building legitimate businesses with this proven system. In fact, when Donald Trump was asked years ago in New York by David Letterman what he would do if he happened to lose all of his wealth and had to start over again, he replied that he would find a good network marketing company and would get to work. In my opinion Network Marketing will get bigger and gain more recognition and credibility in the near future.

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Author: Lazz Laszlo

The excitement of starting a new business can really get your adrenaline pumping. You have trouble sleeping, but it’s a good trouble. Your eagerness to get started can be overwhelming at times.

You lie in bed at night imagining the bigger house, the luxury automobile in the garage, and the yacht. No need to be embarrassed, we all have done it. We all imagine so much that we’ve spent a million or two dollars before we’ve brought in a nickel with our new business or idea.

It’s common for new businesses to spend on the look of a business rather than the infrastructure. Important is the computing power at your command, what isn’t important is the desk that the computer rests on.

I know people who have come up with an idea that they think is the greatest money-maker of the century, only to be stuck with a garage full of widgets that couldn’t be dumped on a salvage buyer for a few cents on the dollar.

Make sure you have a market for your products or services before you spend your business capital on luxury offices and furniture. The pay-off is that if it’s a really good product or service, you’ll get the income to handle the frills.

Don’t order 5 thousand custom business cards for you and every employee. A couple hundred generic cards without names printed on them are great for the employees and a couple hundred with your name printed on them should do nicely. By the way, you don’t need the seven color embossed, foil-stamped, laminated cards to begin with; wait until you get the yacht.

What may seem like just a few thousand dollars, or a few hundred dollars, could be the money to keep the business going an extra few days, month, or quarter. It could be that time frame that brings in the really big client that you’ve been pitching for months.

It’s easy to get fast and loose with the company funds, because in many cases; the money is borrowed from a bank, loaned by a friend, or supplied by a silent or active partner.

You have to treat every dollar as if it’s your last. Treat each dollar the same way you treated money, before you had any in an account at a bank.

Your cash flow, which is essentially negative in a start-up, has to be controlled and here’s some tips on how to maximize your cash in the beginning of a venture;

1) Think need rather than want and what I mean by that is only spend money on the absolute essentials. The big desk and the thousand dollar cell phone can wait. Besides, by the time you can afford them, your taste may have changed or the technology that you just had to have has been replaced with even better technology at a better price.

I’m not asking you to not get what you need to run your business, but I am advising that you examine your expenditures before, rather than after they’re made.

2) One of my favorite sayings growing up and to this day is; why buy new when used will do. The great thing about buying used or refurbished supplies is that you can save a lot of money. Maybe instead of saying that you can save money, I should say you’ll spend less of your precious cash.

Buying recycled paper, using both sides of the paper before discarding, and only printing what you really need, can save in the office. You may pay a little more for cellophane tape by the individual roll, but do you really need to buy a pack of thirty-six rolls when you first start out.

I could talk a lot about office supplies, but I think you get the message and the message is; don’t load up on office supplies. Buy office supplies as you need them.

3) In the beginning, you pay the bills. Do not turn your bill paying over to someone else until you are firmly established and know within a hundred or so dollars a week, what your business income is going to be.

In the first couple of years, your cash-flow is so crucial to your survival that it’s probably a strong reason why so many companies don’t make it. You should manage the money in the beginning or as many of my business colleagues say, “Don’t ever give up control of the cash.”

4) Be quick to invoice and slow to pay. In the beginning, you want to get your billing out quickly. Keep in mind that there are a lot of slow pays and you will probably not be a priority, but get your invoice in the mail.

Once you get terms on what you need, don’t be in a hurry to send the check out. You have to put your suppliers on a program. What I mean by that is; you pay them, but not the minute the invoice hits your desk. Pay the most important vendors the fastest and let the others wait 30 days or so for their money.

I’m not telling you to be mean; I’m just telling you the other side. No one is really going to be in a hurry to pay you and the sad truth is; some people will never pay you.

Every business has write-offs or charge-offs and that’s part of business. There’s a good chance that you will be billed for something that you will either not pay, or refuse to pay, because of dissatisfaction with the item or service. Again, it’s all part of being in business.

5) A good plan to follow is; lean and nice. Only spend on the things that you really need and be nice to the people who supply you. Being nice can come in handy in the event that you come up a little short at the end of the month.

Being a good guy, paying your invoices in a timely manner can buy you time when your cash flow gets tight; and it will if you are in business for any length of time.

If you’re lucky enough to stay in business for any length of time, you’ll experience the other type of not being able to sleep.

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Author: Sanjay Agrawal

It is that phase in the economic cycle when people do a reality check. Uncertainty looms ahead, and managements drive themselves crazy figuring out where the next big check is going to come from to keep the wheels of the organization running. Cowering in our own cubicle or workbench, we never know when they will hand us our proverbial pink slip and bid us goodbye.

There are two alternatives to handle this economic condition. The first is the tried and tested. Dignity in one pocket and resume in the other, we knock at the doors of the other companies whose outward facade conveys an impression of everything being hunky-dory inside. And get rejected by the people who aren’t sure when they themselves will get the boot.

Let us consider this alternative from a different angle. When we were born, we used to be cleaned and washed, fed and clothed and generally taken care of. We used to look up to somebody to do all that for us. Haven’t we continued with the same pattern, of looking up to somebody, of expecting a job to become available that we can perform, which will feed us and clothe us and generally fulfill our material needs? Isn’t it time we grew up?

As kids, we were given an extra dollop of ice-cream for being good. Remember the visits of the Santa Claus every year? Now we expect somebody to pat our ego and nurse our pride with lofty-sounding designations and nifty little perks - the corner office, that special parking space, the vacation with the family, the topped-up bonus and that ESOP handout, the promotion that gives us the opportunity to look down upon people who once were peers, thank you. And when these goodies are not forthcoming, we sulk and we pout and we go look for another Santa Claus. Tell me really, have we grown up at all?

And so let us see what the second alternative looks like. Here it is!

Which is to use the season of doom and economic gloom to go inward and realize that this actually is an opportunity to get out of the rat race once and for all and do our own thing. Set up our own shop. Be our own boss. Hoist our own flag. I am running out of symbolism, but you get the idea.

Returning again to the kid analogy, remember the things that we enjoyed doing when we were young and not yet entered the rat race, the things that thrilled us the most? When we did what we did because we liked doing what we were doing, and not because we had to do what we ended up doing because that was what the boss wanted us to do. Or else. There is money to be made, you know, in doing things that we enjoy and are passionate about. It is only a question of figuring out how. Let me also tell you, that the figuring out how happens only during times of economic recession, and not when the going is good and everybody is smiling and doing the rumba.

“Realize your own potential” becomes a cliche when the HR boys and girls use it while dangling the golden cage before us. It becomes a mantra when we use it to really understand how far we can go when we are on our own. Have we forgotten life outside the cage? Have we forgotten - or worse, never ever known? - what it means to be free and to do our own thing? To set our own goals, to make our own targets, and to soar as high as our wings and our ambitions can take us?

Or have we become rather addicted to our inner child’s needs being taken care of by that neatly-suited-booted HR manager and his / her team of cohorts and headhunters and detectives, spying on every move we make outside the office and trying to figure out what must be going on in our mind, so that we can be, uh, appropriately manipulated?

Or have we rather come to enjoy the performance reviews where the senior takes malicious pleasure in nitpicking the omissions and commissions that we may or may not have indulged in throughout the year? Like the stern teacher handing over the grades in class. The armpits used to sweat the same way then too, didn’t they?

Or have we rather come to relish the politics and the backbiting and the gossip and the bitching in the office and the workplace? The latest news about this affair and that, the latest news on who is in favor and who has fallen out of favor, the devil who is badmouthing about us behind the back … oh, won’t we miss them all?

Let’s step out of the world we have immersed ourselves in and become comfortable in. And step into the world of freedom. Let’s find the vocation that we enjoy the most. Let’s learn the right skills that are needed to survive and thrive in the market. And take the plunge with faith and belief in self. Success and prosperity are waiting to be ours, if only we reach out for them. Let us be brave for a change. Let’s reach out! Now!

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Author: Susan Kimbrell

“The critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something. It’s as simple as that. A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today. The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer.”
- Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese’s

So you think you’re an entrepreneur?

Wikipedia defines an entrepreneur as follows: An entrepreneur is a person who has possession over a new enterprise or venture and assumes full accountability for the inherent risks and the outcome.

An entrepreneur is not just someone who wants to work for himself or herself. It is someone who is driven to do so. I have been self employed for the past 8 years. Overall, it’s been great, but there have been times when I wished I had someone to lean on, to fill in, or to blame. But ultimately, I fill all those roles and I’ve found that I have a lot more drive and talent than I ever gave myself credit for.

I think the hardest thing to learn is that you have to operate outside your comfort zone. It’s the only way to grow. If you continue to do only those things that you feel comfortable doing, you probably won’t be very successful. I used to hate to call people so I started making myself do it. What I learned was that it wasn’t so bad. I never thought I could blog or write an article so I made myself do it. I’m not a very good writer, but I’m not the worst. I never thought I could build a website but I did. The first attempt was not bad, but I got better at it. Just like learning to ride a bike - you try, you fail, you get up and try again until you succeed.

The fear of doing something is often much worse than actually doing it. We’re afraid of what other people will think about us - almost to the point of paralysis. It’s easier to do nothing and avoid being criticized than it is to attempt to do something new. Just remember that your worst critics are most often the ones sitting on the sidelines doing nothing, wanting you to fail so they don’t feel so worthless. You’ll find that other entrepreneurs are much more supportive and helpful and truly respect the fact that you’re trying.

So just do it. Whatever it is that you’re doing, stick with it and push yourself. Don’t let fear hold you back.

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