Your professional career has a limiting reagent on it. That reagent is your education level, and if you’re trying to get a promotion in these interesting (in the Chinese curse sense) times, any kind of change to your income potential in a positive manner should be evaluated and considered.

One of the best ways to increase your earnings potential is through a Master’s degree program. Post-secondary education, particularly in work specialized fields, like Law and Business and Engineering, can be the difference between getting that promotion and pay raise, and being unemployed.

Here’s why: A Master’s degree demonstrates not just that you’ve gained an educational attainment, but that you have shown perseverance and a willingness to work. It shows that you can be self directed, and that you can get into a competitive program. And it shows your dedication to the field you got the degree in; it’s an indicator that you’re willing to stick to the field and are committed to it.

Getting a Master degree, especially if you’ve been in the work force for a while, requires a careful balancing act. You don’t have the time to go back to living on campus, and have other commitments as well — keeping your current job, maintaining your mortgage, and keeping in touch with your family. Fortunately, there are several good, accredited online Master’s degree programs, in fields ranging from jurisprudence to business to hotel management to counseling and education.

Online graduate degree programs have gotten better since the mid ’90s. Where they used to be seen as being a step up from diploma mills, now they’re offered by top rank schools, like Harvard Business School and MIT. The instruction is challenging and top notch, and the learning pace can be handled online from the comfort of your own home.

Other avenues for getting a Masters degree include getting accredited for the skills you already use in your job. This kind of “work related” degree program can extend to Doctorates if need be, though in most cases, it tends to be for gaining an Engineering degree for someone who started out as a shop machinist.

While a Master’s degree is not the only requirement for career advancement or career change, it’s an important one — and one that has, statistically, proven to be a real income generator. So look at your Masters Degree as an investment in yourself, and your own income potential, rather than as an expense that you have to shoulder.

Likewise, don’t treat a graduate degree as something that’s a guarantee — you still have to be good at the skills your future employer is hiring for. All a Master degree shows is that you have demonstrated these skills to someone else; it doesn’t demonstrate that you’ll be a good team player or a good fit for the business culture. Even though the Master’s degree will help you get a job interview you’ll still have to win them over in the interview.

Read on to learn more about online master’s degree programs for career advancement or career change, plus get tips on how to find an accredited graduate degree program that suits your career plan.

titleConnective Presence – Three Steps to Being at Home in Front of Groups/titlepNot everyone has severe stage fright or fear of public speaking. Many people tell me the first few minutes of a talk or speech are filled with tension and anxiety. But, they say that once they get past the first five or ten minutes, they feel OK. When I ask them to evaluate what happens in the first few minutes, they realize that it is making genuine connection with listeners that allows them to relax and share their ideas./ppFor years I struggled with stage fright and fear of public speaking. My struggles led me to develop ways to manage my tension and eventually to create a method that transforms the tension of stage fright. One of the greatest things I have learned is how to consciously generate connective presence before I start to talk. As a result, I now feel at home and comfortable from the very first minute of a talk. There is no waiting to get comfortable or hoping to get relaxed since I have learned to be present with audiences. There is just a stepping into being with my audience from the first moment. All my efforts can then be put into building deeper and deeper rapport with listeners and on sharing myself fully with them./ppHere is how you can create connective presence at your next opportunity to speak up or to speak in front of a group. The following steps will help you to manage your tension, intention and attention so that comfortable connection is a natural outcome of your presence./ppFirst, get yourself into a state of presence by focusing your awareness on being in your body. Simply place your attention in each part of your body, one part at a time. Start by focusing your attention inside your head for 5 or 10 seconds. Be aware of being in your head. Then focus in your neck, then your chest, etc, working your attention all the way down to your feet. You will notice that energy flows where ever you put your attention. By the time you get to your feet, you will be grounded in your body, feeling connected to yourself, filled with energy and present to the moment./ppNext, set your intention to care about your listeners. Decide to love them rather than worrying about whether they will like you or not. Decide to be there for them to share your ideas, insights, expertise and talents./ppFinally, open yourself to receiving their attention. As you step into the center of attention, be intentional about taking in their attention as support. You will literally sense their energy coming towards you. When you can take their energy in, there is no need to defend, protect or deflect their attention. It simply comes into you, filling you up with a bodily-felt sense of support. You are now in a state of connective presence, being with your listeners and ready to share your ideas./ppManaging tension is about consciously focusing human energy through intention and attention. It is what athletes do to get into the ideal performance state so they can play their best game. If athletes can learn this skill, then so can you. Try it and report back to me. If you need some help with grounding in your body, try my Grounding Meditation to support the process of developing your own connective presence./ppSandra Zimmer is the President and Founder of The Self-Expression Center in Houston, Texas. She works with professionals who are struggling with communication, who are gripped with fear about speaking to groups or who dont like the sound of their voice. She guides people through experiential learning programs that connect them with their natural abilities to express, communicate and present so they feel confident to share their ideas, insights and expertise with the world. Sandra can be reached at 281-293-7070 or at a href=mailto:Sandra@self-expression.comSandra@self-expression.com/a Her websites are a target=_new href=http://www.self-expression.comhttp://www.self-expression.com/a and TransformStageFright.com./pbrbr

On my current road trip, my wife and I have been to Detroit, Birmingham, Ann Arbor and Coldwater, Michigan. In Birmingham we stayed with my uncle. He has some power in the automotive industry. I thought it a duty to tell him that I do not think American executives have been putting America first. He came back with some good culturist points. We agreed about the impact of international competition. Where he and I greatly disagreed was his putting so much of the blame on what unions have done to our work ethic.

We have been down sizing at an amazing rate. Detroit is an example of that which I speak. The industry has been slaughtered. One corporation went from 250,000 to 85,000 jobs within the last four years. Detroit’s downtown has many, many closed businesses. That means that people like my uncle have to move to suburbs like Birmingham. The entire city of Detroit has been stranded. He told me that a lot of the jobs have gone to the South of the U.S. where unionization isn’t as entrenched.

Not having the statistics to contend his assertion, I spoke generically about the merits of localism and the peril of globalism. Globalism not only bodes ill for those fired. Abandoned executive mansions circle downtown Detroit. While we were there a blackout that lasted five hours impacted our suburb. No American can get off of the grid and remove themselves from their fellow Americans. A big house, without power, surrounded by impoverished ex-employees does not strike me as ideal.

Ann Arbor appears to be a model for success. In Ann Arbor we went to Zingerman’s famous deli. Their food is sublime. The passion for their staff for their specialties inspired me. University of Michigan has created a learning culture that has brought people from all over the world and seems to have created research centers that are supporting themselves. There is, as my uncle would say, opportunity in America if people would only have a progressive and disciplined culture. This is true, but not all people will create small businesses and staff research facilities.

We came to Coldwater because Frances Kellor, the head of the 20th century Americanization movement, grew up here. As a classic sociologist Kellor looked at society holistically. One half of her program to Americanize the immigrant involved getting native born Americans out of the blaming mode and into the helping mode. Workers need to ask themselves if their implementation of our traditional Protestant work ethic is falling behind that of China. But Kellor’s Americanization told those in power that blaming is too easy. Americanization put pressure on all sectors of society to recognize that the West is a team that must compete with others. Where ever you travel in our Western nation you learn the culturist truth that we are all, rich and poor, in it together.

John Press is the author of Culturism: A Word, A Value, Our Future. He is a an adjunct professor and doctoral student at New York University. http://www.culturism.us has more information about culturism.

The forex options market started as an over-the-counter (OTC) financial vehicle for large banks, financial institutions and large international corporations to hedge against foreign currency exposure. Like the forex spot market, the forex options market is considered an “interbank” market. However, with the plethora of real-time financial data and forex option trading software available to most investors through the internet, today’s forex option market now includes an increasingly large number of individuals and corporations who are speculating and/or hedging foreign currency exposure via telephone or online forex trading platforms.

Forex option trading has emerged as an alternative investment vehicle for many traders and investors. As an investment tool, forex option trading provides both large and small investors with greater flexibility when determining the appropriate forex trading and hedging strategies to implement.

Most forex options trading is conducted via telephone as there are only a few forex brokers offering online forex option trading platforms.

Forex Option Defined – A forex option is a financial currency contract giving the forex option buyer the right, but not the obligation, to purchase or sell a specific forex spot contract (the underlying) at a specific price (the strike price) on or before a specific date (the expiration date). The amount the forex option buyer pays to the forex option seller for the forex option contract rights is called the forex option “premium.”

The Forex Option Buyer – The buyer, or holder, of a foreign currency option has the choice to either sell the foreign currency option contract prior to expiration, or he or she can choose to hold the foreign currency options contract until expiration and exercise his or her right to take a position in the underlying spot foreign currency. The act of exercising the foreign currency option and taking the subsequent underlying position in the foreign currency spot market is known as “assignment” or being “assigned” a spot position.

The only initial financial obligation of the foreign currency option buyer is to pay the premium to the seller up front when the foreign currency option is initially purchased. Once the premium is paid, the foreign currency option holder has no other financial obligation (no margin is required) until the foreign currency option is either offset or expires.

On the expiration date, the call buyer can exercise his or her right to buy the underlying foreign currency spot position at the foreign currency option’s strike price, and a put holder can exercise his or her right to sell the underlying foreign currency spot position at the foreign currency option’s strike price. Most foreign currency options are not exercised by the buyer, but instead are offset in the market before expiration.

Foreign currency options expires worthless if, at the time the foreign currency option expires, the strike price is “out-of-the-money.” In simplest terms, a foreign currency option is “out-of-the-money” if the underlying foreign currency spot price is lower than a foreign currency call option’s strike price, or the underlying foreign currency spot price is higher than a put option’s strike price. Once a foreign currency option has expired worthless, the foreign currency option contract itself expires and neither the buyer nor the seller have any further obligation to the other party.

The Forex Option Seller – The foreign currency option seller may also be called the “writer” or “grantor” of a foreign currency option contract. The seller of a foreign currency option is contractually obligated to take the opposite underlying foreign currency spot position if the buyer exercises his right. In return for the premium paid by the buyer, the seller assumes the risk of taking a possible adverse position at a later point in time in the foreign currency spot market.

Initially, the foreign currency option seller collects the premium paid by the foreign currency option buyer (the buyer’s funds will immediately be transferred into the seller’s foreign currency trading account). The foreign currency option seller must have the funds in his or her account to cover the initial margin requirement. If the markets move in a favorable direction for the seller, the seller will not have to post any more funds for his foreign currency options other than the initial margin requirement. However, if the markets move in an unfavorable direction for the foreign currency options seller, the seller may have to post additional funds to his or her foreign currency trading account to keep the balance in the foreign currency trading account above the maintenance margin requirement.

Just like the buyer, the foreign currency option seller has the choice to either offset (buy back) the foreign currency option contract in the options market prior to expiration, or the seller can choose to hold the foreign currency option contract until expiration. If the foreign currency options seller holds the contract until expiration, one of two scenarios will occur: (1) the seller will take the opposite underlying foreign currency spot position if the buyer exercises the option or (2) the seller will simply let the foreign currency option expire worthless (keeping the entire premium) if the strike price is out-of-the-money.

Please note that “puts” and “calls” are separate foreign currency options contracts and are NOT the opposite side of the same transaction. For every put buyer there is a put seller, and for every call buyer there is a call seller. The foreign currency options buyer pays a premium to the foreign currency options seller in every option transaction.

Forex Call Option – A foreign exchange call option gives the foreign exchange options buyer the right, but not the obligation, to purchase a specific foreign exchange spot contract (the underlying) at a specific price (the strike price) on or before a specific date (the expiration date). The amount the foreign exchange option buyer pays to the foreign exchange option seller for the foreign exchange option contract rights is called the option “premium.”

Please note that “puts” and “calls” are separate foreign exchange options contracts and are NOT the opposite side of the same transaction. For every foreign exchange put buyer there is a foreign exchange put seller, and for every foreign exchange call buyer there is a foreign exchange call seller. The foreign exchange options buyer pays a premium to the foreign exchange options seller in every option transaction.

The Forex Put Option – A foreign exchange put option gives the foreign exchange options buyer the right, but not the obligation, to sell a specific foreign exchange spot contract (the underlying) at a specific price (the strike price) on or before a specific date (the expiration date). The amount the foreign exchange option buyer pays to the foreign exchange option seller for the foreign exchange option contract rights is called the option “premium.”

Please note that “puts” and “calls” are separate foreign exchange options contracts and are NOT the opposite side of the same transaction. For every foreign exchange put buyer there is a foreign exchange put seller, and for every foreign exchange call buyer there is a foreign exchange call seller. The foreign exchange options buyer pays a premium to the foreign exchange options seller in every option transaction.

Plain Vanilla Forex Options – Plain vanilla options generally refer to standard put and call option contracts traded through an exchange (however, in the case of forex option trading, plain vanilla options would refer to the standard, generic forex option contracts that are traded through an over-the-counter (OTC) forex options dealer or clearinghouse). In simplest terms, vanilla forex options would be defined as the buying or selling of a standard forex call option contract or a forex put option contract.

Exotic Forex Options – To understand what makes an exotic forex option “exotic,” you must first understand what makes a forex option “non-vanilla.” Plain vanilla forex options have a definitive expiration structure, payout structure and payout amount. Exotic forex option contracts may have a change in one or all of the above features of a vanilla forex option. It is important to note that exotic options, since they are often tailored to a specific’s investor’s needs by an exotic forex options broker, are generally not very liquid, if at all.

Intrinsic & Extrinsic Value – The price of an FX option is calculated into two separate parts, the intrinsic value and the extrinsic (time) value.

The intrinsic value of an FX option is defined as the difference between the strike price and the underlying FX spot contract rate (American Style Options) or the FX forward rate (European Style Options). The intrinsic value represents the actual value of the FX option if exercised. Please note that the intrinsic value must be zero (0) or above – if an FX option has no intrinsic value, then the FX option is simply referred to as having no (or zero) intrinsic value (the intrinsic value is never represented as a negative number). An FX option with no intrinsic value is considered “out-of-the-money,” an FX option having intrinsic value is considered “in-the-money,” and an FX option with a strike price at, or very close to, the underlying FX spot rate is considered “at-the-money.”

The extrinsic value of an FX option is commonly referred to as the “time” value and is defined as the value of an FX option beyond the intrinsic value. A number of factors contribute to the calculation of the extrinsic value including, but not limited to, the volatility of the two spot currencies involved, the time left until expiration, the riskless interest rate of both currencies, the spot price of both currencies and the strike price of the FX option. It is important to note that the extrinsic value of FX options erodes as its expiration nears. An FX option with 60 days left to expiration will be worth more than the same FX option that has only 30 days left to expiration. Because there is more time for the underlying FX spot price to possibly move in a favorable direction, FX options sellers demand (and FX options buyers are willing to pay) a larger premium for the extra amount of time.

Volatility – Volatility is considered the most important factor when pricing forex options and it measures movements in the price of the underlying. High volatility increases the probability that the forex option could expire in-the-money and increases the risk to the forex option seller who, in turn, can demand a larger premium. An increase in volatility causes an increase in the price of both call and put options.

Delta – The delta of a forex option is defined as the change in price of a forex option relative to a change in the underlying forex spot rate. A change in a forex option’s delta can be influenced by a change in the underlying forex spot rate, a change in volatility, a change in the riskless interest rate of the underlying spot currencies or simply by the passage of time (nearing of the expiration date).

The delta must always be calculated in a range of zero to one (0-1.0). Generally, the delta of a deep out-of-the-money forex option will be closer to zero, the delta of an at-the-money forex option will be near .5 (the probability of exercise is near 50%) and the delta of deep in-the-money forex options will be closer to 1.0. In simplest terms, the closer a forex option’s strike price is relative to the underlying spot forex rate, the higher the delta because it is more sensitive to a change in the underlying rate.

John Nobile – Senior Account Executive
CFOS/FX – Online Forex Spot and Options Brokerage

The forex trading with $1.3 trillion market is larger than every other market combined. Forex trading is available to everybody to trade with the same risk and reward. Movement of market in forex can be quickly or sharp in negative or positive direction. You can manage your risk by understanding how this unique market works and what drives it up and down. It will interest you to know that forex market carries higher risk than any other market.

The market movement can fluctuate for reasons out of our control and unforeseeable including changes in political and economic policies. These unpredictable situations are what drives the value of the currencies up and down, thereby changing their values in respect to other currencies. It is this very volatility that attracts investors. It is necessary that you understand all your buying and selling options so that you appropriately react to these currency fluctuations immediately.

Be determined to manage trades without emotion as it can help you manage your risk. Map out the percentage you are willing to risk on each trade and stick with it. When you have multiple trade open, it’s important to stay on top of the percentage that you have at risk because multiple losses can be devastating and one big loss can wipe out all your other profits.

If your trading platform provides the ability to set stop losses, you should determine your stop loss at the time you enter a trade and set it. When your stop loss is reached, your trade will automatically be closed limiting your potential loss.

It is important to take the volatility of the market into account when determining your stop loss amount. If you set it too large, you could lose a significant amount of money before the stop loss is triggered. If you set it too small, the random ups and downs in the market will mean that your position is being closed early incurring additional transaction costs.

Avoid currencies that are closely related. It is a smart risk management strategy to avoid trading two currencies that tend to move together like the British pound and the Euro. These currencies are correlated. The most common pairing is the US dollar and the Euro.

You should avoid taking a long and short position in currencies which generally move in opposite directions. You are taking more risk than you need to do.

Finally, don’t gamble. If you’ve lost money on your previous few trades, don’t double-up your next trade in order to recoup your previous losses.

For more information on forex trading visit http://www.forexonlineinseconds.blogspot.com

Agwu Chukwuemeka Odi is an expert in the field of forex trading and stock trading online. Visit http://forexonlineinseconds.blogspot.com for more information on forex trading.

Ways to make money online are invented every day, and there are more and more of them. Some of them can help you make a lot of money, some of them make money by themselves and some of them just take the money away from you. The systems that they use are very different, and there are some that are problematic, but a lot of them can help you make a lot of money, and some of them help you make easy money.

The Forex system currency trading is based on the international currency exchange trade. This means, that the base of the system are the different currencies. The trade is based on the fluctuations of the values of currencies. In the system, you can buy and sell national currencies, and make money because the value of the currencies varies.

Because it is an online system that means that you can make the money online for 24/7. The international exchange just does not stop when the sun goes down in your country, but it goes on during the whole night when you sleep. Or when you should sleep. Or when the other stock exchanges are closed. It also means, that you can make money whenever it suits you, not just when the market is open. If the graveyard shift is the time when you would like to work and make money, you can because the Forex system currency trading is open all the time.

This way you can also use some websites next to your regular work, because you can still go to your job and work there, then after you get home and take care of your family, you can work on the site, while you have your own peace and time to work. So getting some extra money next to your job does not have to obstruct your regular life, and can be easy for you.

So try the Forex system currency trading websites, and try to get as much money from the currency exchange market as you can.

For more information about Forex System Currency Trading, feel free to visit us at: http://www.currency-trading-zone.com/Forex-System-Currency-Trading.html

Capital is the foundation of every business. The business owner needs to have enough funds to run his business smoothly. And, as we know, business does not always mean earning profits – you may have losses as well. In a not always predictable market, doing business necessitates the requirement of immediate cash. Commercial secured business loans have been designed to help you out in these circumstances.

Commercial secured business loans are tailored specifically for entrepreneurs who require funds for starting/acquiring a business or expanding an existing one. The amount drawn from commercial secured business loans can be used for a variety of purposes, such as purchasing machinery, renovating buildings and offices, purchasing commercial buildings and much more.

One important feature of secured commercial business loans is that these business loans can be collateralized by commercial property, equipment, accounts receivables, purchase orders, contracts, company shares, other unrelated properties, etc.

Commercial real estate lenders wish to see a business plan which shows a strong source of repayment for the loan. The lender wants to make sure that his business loan is going to get repaid.

There are a number of questions that the lender will have in order to see if you qualify for a business/construction loan or financing:

- Will the finished project be worth more than it costs to construct/finance?

- After the project is finished, will the loan to value be, for example, 75% or less?

- How much will the borrower be willing to invest in the construction/business loan?

- How does the borrower’s net worth compare to the size of the construction/business loan?

- Will the lender be able to get out of the deal at some point by the borrower qualifying for a new loan to pay out his construction/business loan (takeout loan)?

As far as business start up loans, lenders are concerned with such things as: the borrower’s experience in the line of business (increases the borrower’s chances of success), the amount the borrower is willing to invest himself (how much the borrower will have at stake in the deal), collateral sufficient for the loan portion of the deal. Business start up loans can be used for: construction financing, renovations to existing premises, machinery and equipment, marketing, and working capital, or acquisition of a business.

Call us today to find out how we can put a solution together for your specific needs.

Visit http://www.donnasmortgages.com/ for more information on our services or to contact me.

Donna Lewczuk

Negotiation differs from power struggles in a crucial way. Negotiation is a request for cooperation, i.e., willingly doing something that promotes relationship harmony or accomplishes mutual goals. Power struggles, on the other hand, require one person to submit to something against his or her better judgment. Requests for cooperation may require persuasion, e.g., “This is why I would like you to do this or why I think it would be best for us.” In stark contrast, power struggles feature entitlement or coercion. “I have the right to insist that you do this,” or, “You better to do this for me or else.”

We have a built-in reward for cooperation. It comes from a genetically transmitted trait that remains as important to our survival in a complex social structure as it was in the daily life-and-death struggles of early human history. We also have a built-in distaste for submission, which also comes from a genetically transmitted trait that makes us competitive and achievement-oriented. In general, we like to cooperate and hate to submit.

Because the goal of negotiation is to gain cooperation, not submission, negotiation is not possible without fundamental rights guaranteed. Regardless of how “right” you are or how valid your points may be, you cannot successfully negotiate in an intimate relationship if the following non-negotiable rights are not respected:

• Unconditional safety – there can be no attempts to harm and no threats to harm, whether implied or explicit
• Freedom from boundary violations – unwanted touching, name-calling, attacks on self-value (trying to make the other person feel bad about the self if he/she doesn’t do what you want)
• Freedom from coercion – forcing the other to do something against his or her will. (Coercion can be subtle, like withdrawal of affection as punishment if your partner or child does not do what you want.)

Only with guarantees of safety and freedom from coercion can negotiation begin.

The Art of Negotiation: Requesting Cooperative Behavior

Cooperative behavior is intended to achieve a mutual goal. The goal can be:

• Specific (clean the room, pay the bill)
• Relational (share enriching experience like watching a sunset together)
• General (achieve closer connection or family harmony).

Step one
Focus on your core values before you make a request. Ask yourself:

• Am I being the partner I want to be?
• Am I being as loving and compassionate as I want to be in my relationship?
• Am I showing appreciation for the cooperative behavior I’m requesting?

Step two
Consider your partner’s perspective – what your request means to him or her

Step three
Respectfully make the request.

Example: A couple is applying for a home equity loan. He usually handles finances, but she is worried about the amount of the loan he wants to make. She asks for more information.

How not to do it: He feels insulted, like she doesn’t trust him to handle the business with the bank. He gives her a patronizing answer about “basic finances.” He claims that he can get the loan without her signature, so it doesn’t matter what she thinks. Accusing him of trying to hide something, she goes the phone to call the bank loan officer, which causes a review of their previously approved loan.

How he could have negotiated: “I can tell from your questions that I’m not expressing this well. Let me be sure that you have all the facts so you can feel comfortable signing the loan papers. I want you to sign only if you think it’s the best thing for us.”

Step One: In this response he behaves like the partner he wanted to be, loving, compassionate, and appreciative of the cooperation he was seeking.

Step Two: He understood that she was anxious about the amount. Reassurance and more facts lower anxiety; anger and defensiveness raise it.

Step Three: He made the request respectfully.

How she could have negotiated: “Honey, it’s not that I don’t trust your judgment. I trust your judgment, I’m just a little nervous about the amount. I know it probably seems like a pain in the neck, and I hate being nervous, I just need some help with the figures.”

Step One: In this response she behaves like the partner she wanted to be, loving, compassionate, and appreciative of the cooperation she was seeking.

Step Two: She understood that he was insulted because he felt she doubted his judgment. Reassurance lowers shame, anger and defensiveness increase it.

Step Three: She made the request respectfully.

Following these simple steps will get you much more of what you really want: a close, connected relationship, where cooperation flows freely.

Dr. Steven Stosny’s most recent books is, How to Improve Your Marriage without Talking about It: Finding Love beyond Words. The author of six books, he has appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” “CBS Sunday Morning,” “The Today Show,” and CNN’s “Talkback Live” and “Anderson Cooper 360″ and has been the subject of articles in, The New York Times, The Washington Post, U.S. News & World Report, The Wall Street Journal, Esquire, Cosmopolitan, O, Psychology Today, AP, Reuters, and USA Today.

http://compassionpower.com

It time again to revisit alternative financing strategies for business owners needing money. Whether your business needs capital to grow, meet payroll, or to just simply survive, there are numerous alternatives for your company when banks so ‘NO’.

Personal loans are no longer viable options for business owners. Banks have tightened their purse strings on personal credit just as they have with business credit. This tightening typically does not have anything to do with the state of your credit or the value of your collateral. But more reflects their past indiscretions with their depositors’ money. Further, most business owners, over the last two or three years, have already encumbered all of their personal assets, leaving nothing of value to collateralize.

The following lists many alternatives that may still be available to your business. These alternatives allow business owners to capitalize on their previous hard work; be it from building relationships with suppliers and other business partners to closing sales and building a strong customer base:

Using Your Business Relationships!

Trade Credit: It never hurts to work with your suppliers. Ask for better terms; either more discounts or longer time for payment. Here you can reduce your overall costs or allow more time to collect money from your customer before payment is due to these suppliers. Now, your suppliers may baulk at this discussion as they are probably feeling the same pinch as you are. However, impress upon them that it does their business no good (short term or long-term) if you go out of business, have to cut back your standard orders, or are forced to find other suppliers who offer better terms.

In conjunction with trade credit, do all that you can to collect your receivables from your customers, as soon as possible. If your suppliers offer you discounts for early payment, offer the same to your customers (just maybe not at the same magnitude) or offer discounts for cash. This allows you to collect payments faster as well as reduce you costs by paying less for the goods you need to run your business. Just remember, in this type of economy, cash is king.

Using The Strength of Your Customers!

Receivables and/or Purchase Orders: If your business has accounts receivables sitting on its book just waiting to be collected, you maybe able to get cash for those assets NOW. There are cash advance companies (not banks) that specialize in purchasing your receivables. Companies like Bridgeport Capital Service, RTS Financial Services, or Paragon Financial Group. These companies will purchase your invoices for up to 90% of their amount. They will then work with your customers to collect these receivables (saving you both time and money on collection). When the invoices are paid, these companies will refund to you the remaining 10% of the invoice amount. This type of funding is great for struggling companies as these cash advance businesses will focus more on your customers’ credit and business strengths than your.

Many of these same companies will also finance your purchase orders. If you place an order with your suppliers and agree to pay for their goods over time, these cash advance companies will finance these agreements. This could allow your business the opportunity to take advantage of trade discounts (percentages off the purchase amount) as your company will have immediate cash to satisfy your supplier. This is very similar to having a line of credit with your bank but as an individual credit facility for each purchase.

Credit Cards: I not saying go out and get more credit cards. If your business accepts credit cards, there are companies (again, not banks) that may advance cash to your company based on your FUTURE credit card receipts. These facilities are only paid back when your business generates credit card sales. Thus, if you have a slow month, you are not stuck with a huge monthly loan payment. As your credit card sales ebb and flow, your repayment of these advances will ebb and flow in tandem.

Using Your Character!

Need just a small amount of cash to get you by? Try social lending sites like All World Private Funding!, Zopa, Prosper, or Lending Club. These sites create peer-to-peer lending in which ordinary people, who have additional cash, can review your request and contribute to the funding of your loan. The benefits of these programs include getting the money you need, possible lower rates and better terms than most banks offer, and you get to tell your story directly to the lenders.

Similarly, there is Micro-Credit companies. The largest in the US and around the world is ACCION USA. Micro-finance companies limit their total out lay to a maximum of $25,000 per loan. However, most micro-credit funders like to build relationships first with their borrowers. Thus, they may only approve smaller amounts in the beginning and increase your loan amount as you pay back each facility. These companies will also work with startup firms or those that have been turned down by traditional banks and other financial institutions.

Never forget your friends and family. These are the people who know you best and may better understand what you are trying to do with your business. There are many cons with borrowing money from those closest to you but new companies like Virgin Money will help you manage this new relationship. Companies like Virgin will help you keep everything in a business like manner.

Now, while there is a lot of focus these days on traditional banks, most communities also have Credit Unions. Credit Unions are not-for-profit organizations. Thus, they do not have to worry about Wall Street or shareholders. While the majority of Credit Unions have yet to fully adopt commercial lending departments, they should have lending programs in place that will meet your business needs.

Some of these alternative options maybe a little more expensive, overall, then having a single credit facility with a bank. But, they are a sure fire way of leading your company through our current credit drought. The key to success is to do your homework. Find the program that best fits your needs and that will provide the greatest benefit at the lowest cost to your business. Some business owners tend to panic a bit when they begin to feel the credit pinch. It is only natural as raising money for your business is time consuming, time that can hardly be spared in these trying times. But, remember to think about the long term. Don’t just settle on the first source that gets approved, find the best fore you. Be diligent!

Joseph Lizio holds A MBA in Finance and is founder and owner of http://www.businessmoneytoday.com

As if seniors were not already aware, aging can be expensive. The June 9th, 2008 edition of BusinessWeek, page 11 presents some interesting data on just how much more seniors are spending than the “young” (25 – 34 year olds).

On average:

• Seniors spend more than 4x what the young do on Health Insurance
• Seniors spend almost 3x on Housing Upkeep
• Seniors spend more than 4x on Prescriptions

While seniors spend much less than the young on items such as Mortgages, rent and alcohol – the article also cites assisted-living facility costs have risen 25% since 2004, and the annual costs of nursing homes has reached almost $80,000 annually!

Consequently, it is absolutely critical that seniors are aware of all of their financial options including reverse mortgages, long-term care insurance and selling unwanted life insurance policies in senior life settlement transactions.

While “borrowing” against a home in a reverse mortgage has provided many seniors additional funds for necessities, donations or fun; a lesser known and often better financial option is the selling of unwanted life insurance. Eligible seniors can sell their un-needed or un-wanted life insurance policies for up to 4 times the cash surrender value or more. Unfortunately, many seniors are unaware of this option and surrender their policies for the cash value or even let them lapse!

As a senior citizen, you can sell your policy to a bank or to any financial institution. These institutions will then provide you a cash settlement that could exceed the surrender value of the policy. Senior settlements are also called life settlements and can prove to be a favorable option to letting the policy lapse.

Contact your attorney, certified financial planner or CPA, or go online and see what your policy might be worth using our free calculator.

Know your financial options – and offset the rising costs of a comfortable life.

To learn more about your financial options, to subscribe to the “Senior Financial Week in Review” and receive a free and instant Life Insurance Settlement estimate – contact chrisc@thelifesettlementnetwork.com or visit http://www.thelifesettlementnetwork.com