Balancing Your Budget and Developing Long-Term Savings

There are many things to buy and in today’s consumer culture it is more difficult than ever to say “NO”. Learning to live within your means and save for the future is a discipline you can learn over time to create financial security. Putting effort into changing habits makes a big difference in how successful you will be in creating a savings plan.

Balancing your budget is as much about habit as it is about planning. Learning where to find deals on products, understanding value, and making better choices takes time to ingrain as a way of thinking. Start small and slowly move toward higher levels of spending discipline.  You can still get what you want but should learn the best use of your money.

You will have to give up the idea of spending as a type of wealth. If you are truly wealthy you can spend on lots of things you enjoy; but they do it with cash. Wealthy people don’t normally just waste money and have a keen sense of value. Spending all your disposable income and maxing out your credit cards has nothing to do with wealth.

Make a differentiation between what you need and what you want. There are differences as paying for your needs food, shelter, clothing, car, etc. are your baseline. This is where you can live a reasonable life without extras. What you want is everything else you spend on top of your baseline.

Spending choices are an extension of how you see yourself. If your self-perception is trendy you will buy the latest and greatest products that are popular on t.v. or you may gravitate toward sports and sport products. Getting your ego under control can go a long way in helping you save money. Ask yourself if this is really something you need?

There are two hurdles to saving money that include your habits and your self-perception. Changing both can lead to better fiscal choices and higher levels of financial security. Start small and make little changes until you start creating a cushion in monthly income.  Make a habit of putting that money away for long-term savings so that market rates can help you to your goals. Over time these choices will add up to serious cash in your bank account.

Will San Diego’s Increasing Exports Lead to New Employment Opportunities?

San Diego’s economy is picking up speed in ways that may lead to greater employment opportunities. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, San Diego realized $18.6 billion worth of goods which is a substantial increase of over $700 million from 2013 (1). Should the city expect increasing employment opportunities in the near future?

The majority of exports was in computers and electronics, transportation, machinery, plastics and rubber, metal, and processed food. In these sectors greater sales often lead to greater profits and expansion of buyer networks that often leads to production expansion for companies. 

Corporations expand production to sell more items while seeking to increase their returns from economies of scale. Expanded production sometimes leads to more efficient operations which in turn impacts profit margins. Profit margins stoke the fire of expansion as firms have healthy returns and seek to maximize those returns through additional investments. 

It is those investments in capacity that eventually leads to increasing employment.  Highly skilled and educated employees are likely to find higher wages than employees that have not learned market relevant skills. 

The economic system relies on exports and sales. Only through pro-growth strategies that encourage alignment of the local hubs to international needs can long-term employment stability be found. When market adjustment doesn’t happen, or employment is artificially inflated through excessive legislation, there will be long-term economic consequences.

San Diego should expect increasing employment opportunities in those sectors that have long-term relationships/contracts with international companies and fit within current growing market trends. A boom in growth in 2014 often results in increased hiring in 2015. There are many other factors that can impact this but if the invisible free market hand takes precedence we should see new hiring.

Keeping Customers at the Center of Your Business

Customer satisfaction is the vital sign that acts like a pulse to the health of the rest of the organization. Companies that keep their customers in focus win over the long run. Ensuring that policies & procedures, training, recruitment, facilities and resources are focused on customer satisfaction is important for sustainability.

All businesses are in the business of serving customers. How many cars would sell if they didn’t serve the needs of their customer? Would it be any different for a spa or vacation? Companies that make the mistake of not running their daily operations with the customer in focus eventually start seeing the errors of their ways through poor customer retention and sales. 

Policies & Procedures: The internal mechanisms and operations should ensure every activity is focused on the customer. 

Training: Training should seek to ensure quality completion of jobs and friendly customer interactions; it should set the standard for employees. 

Recruitment: The right kind of personality should be sought after in all recruitment decisions. 

Facilities: All organizations should be designed around the needs of their customer through décor, functionality, and proper use of space. 

Resources: Reinvesting in value producing products and services. Resources should not be wasted on activities not in alignment with strategic initiatives

Get the Most Out of Your Self-Defense Class

The world can sometimes be a dangerous place. I read last week about a lady who was in a shopping mall and got into a verbal altercation that later resulted in being jumped by others. The sad story occurs over and over throughout the country. Having basic self-defense classes helps in raising your confidence levels and giving you those few moves that can protect you from serious injury.

I have been doing Kenpo for a few years, engaged in martial arts previously, and do some kickboxing but decided to attend a free self-defense class. I learned very quickly how the basics can help you. A few simple moves can go a long way when you don't have time to think and things heat up quickly.

For example a chicken wing block whereby your put your elbow up by the side of your head is simple and easy to remember and protects your head from injury. Soft spots such as the neck, eyes, groin, and nose are very helpful for striking which puts an opponent down quickly. It doesn't take much to give yourself the few moments you need to escape.

Everyone should learn the basics. Kids might need a basic self-defense class that protects them while others could use a few counter strikes to stun or injure their opponent. Students should be able to understand the difference between self-defense, playing around, and being an aggressor.

8 Standards of International Corporate Ethics

Ethics goes a long way in building trust in an international business system. As information spreads faster along quickening fiber optic cables the world will continue to integrate in terms of interrelated laws, regulations, cultures, and business standards. Having an international standard of ethics is important in ensuring that companies are encouraging  better business environment. 

 When companies move into international locations they will need to understand and respect the cultures of those nations. There is a difference between respecting local culture and becoming involved in unethical practices. When few options are left, organizations can seek to remove themselves from such countries. Each company will decide what they stand for.

Today’s world needs a new way of looking at business and how that business interacts with other countries. Developing strong international ethical systems means that both companies and countries come to an understanding of what a “good international citizen” is. Below you will find 8 ethical standards (Be George, 1997):

1.      Do not intentional direct harm.

2.      Produce more good than harm for host countries.

3.      Contribute to the host countries development.

4.      Respect human rights.

5.      Respect local culture.

6.      Pay a fair share of taxes.

7.      Cooperate with local government when beneficial.

8.      Withdraw from a country if it becomes impossible to act with integrity.

De George, R. (1997). Human rights and the multinational enterprise. Dilemma, 6, 6–14.

The Politics of Language-Personality and Expression

Language impacts just about everything our lives that range from our perspective on life all the way to how we react to new information. The book Symbol, Status and Personality by S.I. Hyakawan provides insight into the nature of language and how it influences our personality and our effectiveness in getting the things we want out of life. 

No one exists in isolation. We are cultural creatures that are part of a long line of ancestors, cultures, symbols, values, and people. In childhood we engrain people’s values and beliefs into our own. A few adults learn that these values and opinions are not always correct and can master them.  

Words also have emotions and images attached to them. In politics we use words to stir people to action on certain events. Creating the image, using certain types of words, and giving people an outlet for their concerns is a primary political activity. 

Within any conversation there are lots of needs, goals, objectives, and perceptions being shared.  Language is goal directed. It determines how we relate to others and create influence others. Politicians and entertainers have learned a higher skill of language used to gain influence and prestige.

As we develop as a person language becomes more subjective as our own grounded personality takes precedence. We are able to use that personality to step away from language and culture to see the similarities and differences between people’s communication patterns.  

It is important to understand that language is subjective and based upon the symbols a person uses and how they construct the view of their world. This view is deeply anchored to their early development as a person and is difficult to stand over and in judgement of one’s own language. As one masters this skill, they are better able of “controlling their tongue” and critically think about political rhetoric around them.  

Hayakawa, S.I. (1953). Symbol, Status and Personality. U.S: Wittenboar, Shultz Inc.,  

Life is a Beach-Let's Live Like It!

Life is full of stressors includes family, work, finance, health, or any other sphere of our existence. We know that life is a “beach” but we can learn to roll with the punches and work our way through challenges in ways that are easy and less stressful. Living like you're on a coast beach will help you maintain focus and let the stress melt away.

Stress is part mental and part physiological. Sometimes you can conquer both by changing your perspective. One party may be psychological but the other part has  more to do with how you eat, sleep and take care of yourself. We can go through life like people who are on some tropical beach eating kale, jogging down the pier, and drinking freshly squeezed pineapple juice.

The first skill we should learn is to live in the moment by focusing on what is front of you now. Even though you make plans to obtain your goals and get the things you need out of life you should focus each day on that day. Living in the present will help reduce any worries or considerations that might eat at you.

Eating right will help your body stay at its peak performance which helps reduce long-term stress and raise energy levels. Foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and the like are helpful in giving you energy and increasing your outlook on life. You won’t get that “heavy” feeling after eating a bowl of macaroni & cheese.

Exercise and enjoy the outdoors. Physical fitness and outdoor activities have a natural way of getting you relaxed. Find some hobbies and sports that get you in shape while getting you connected with nature. The more you take care of your physical needs the better off you will feel. You will also look better as well.

Stress management is a habit that integrates into your daily life. It is the way we think about life, how we live our life, and what we spend our time on. A few good habits practiced in one area can lead to many higher levels of habits in other areas. As you begin to reap the rewards of a happy beach mentality you will also come to put the rest of life in proper perspective. Our way of viewing the world is one important predictor of success.