Brief Bio of Modern Coffee Table Designers From 1920s to 1960s
Modern coffee table design of the 20th century is one that at least partially shaped the future of what people place in their homes today. It always makes for good educational material to learn the history behind popular designers of furniture that is placed in a living room or other room of the home.Isamu Noguchi He was famous for a few works, such as his legendary Noguchi Tribeca Coffee Table. This piece is fabricated of a cautiously sculpted two-legged base, one which a piece of black glass sits. This is a rounded triangular piece which can be put in nearly any contemporary living room position.The creator of the item mentioned above (Isamu Noguchi) was from Japan and had worked for over 60 years producing very high quality original designs. This man worked along with other great architects of his time such as George Nelson, Paul Laszlo, and Charles Eames. These men all worked with many others at the famous Herman Miller Company.Mies Van Der Rohe This is one of the most famous designers in history. He created great works such as the Barcelona Coffee Table made in the 1930s. About a year after this famous item was initially produced, it was put in a house in Brno, Czechoslovakia.It is very popular nowadays because of its 100cm square wide clear top. The man who created this very notable piece was also responsible for the facilitation of the famous Barcelona Chair that was created in 1929, which is often matched with a stool created of similar materials.Charles and Ray Eames were also very famous designs who created their own designs of contemporary tables. One of the more well-known ones is the ETR Elliptical Surfboard Coffee Table that became a hit in the 1950s. Charles and Ray were a husband and wife team whose colleagues included George Nelson, Isamu Noguchi, and Paul Laszlo.Florence Knoll Tables first inspired by Florence Knoll now are made in a variety of shapes, sizes, and styles a great deal like the ones original created in the mid-1950s. They are produced by this notable designer who learned under Mies Van De Rohe, Eliel Saarinen, and other influential people of this period in history.Many people have fun decorating with one or more of the above-mentioned modern coffee table designs. The choice you make on one may depend upon a variety of factors such as size or layout of room and the total amount of furniture and accessories you own.
The Importance of Good Nutrition at Any Age
Nutrition is a complex and fast developing science. Nutrition is the science that deals with all the various factors of which food is composed and the way in which proper nourishment is brought about. Nutrition is part of every family’s health responsibility. Nutrition is the process by which we take in and use food and supplements for health, growth, and energy.NutritionThe national obsession with healthy eating (or at least talking about healthy eating) is translating into a booming business for the companies that restaurants and food processors turn to for performing nutritional analyses of their products.Nutritional management, in the form of a meal plan designed especially for you, will help you to maintain blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible, and maintain or lose weight. Nutritional therapists are increasingly playing a prominent role in helping individuals with their wellbeing. Nutritional therapists call on the latest developments in nutritional thinking and technology to achieve this. And optimal nutritional status is a prerequisite for optimal health. Against a poor nutritional background even exercise can be a stressor, depleting minerals, B vitamins and antioxidants that are not being replacedBody & AgeAfter age fifty there are many metabolic and physiological changes which impact on the nutritional needs of an individual. There are a wide range of reasons why older individuals might not be eating the most nutritious diet which is all the more reason why health professionals and care providers need to be constantly aware of the necessity for maintaining an optimal nutritional health status in the elderly. Nutrition advise for older adults should be designed to respond to the changing physiological, psychological, social and economic capabilities of the individual while assuring that the overall nutritional needs are met with the freedom to keep meals and eating an important aspect to the quality of life during the later years.
Unemployed People Can Get An Unsecured Loan – Here’s the Details
A sad fact of the economic downturn is that the rate of job loss through lay-offs was enormous. Many people with good a education and ample experience found themselves in a situation they never imagined: unemployment. Not only is this a hard pill to swallow psychologically, it can very quickly lead to financial ruin. As soon as severance pay runs out (if there is any in the first place) the bills begin to pile up. No one wants to be broke and out of work, but it is a sad reality for far too many people. Finding a loan to help you through this time would be an amazing help, right?Unfortunately, the general consensus is that finding an unsecured loan when you are unemployed is impossible. With no job to support repayment and no collateral to fall back on, who would lend to an unemployed person? Well, there are in fact those who will. Unsecured loans are available for the unemployed as a means to help them get back on their feet.Loan DetailsUnsecured loans are those without collateral. Therefore, you do not risk your home or your vehicle should your loan fall into default. The downside to taking an unsecured loan is that the rates of interest are quite a bit higher than if you opt for a secured loan using your home, property or vehicle as leverage.If you do not own, or do not want to risk these possessions, the unsecured option is still viable. You can get unsecured loans for as little as $1,000 or as much as $25,000 depending upon a number of criteria which you will discuss with the lender. Generally, the repayment period for these unsecured loans can range from as little as six months to as long as ten years.Bad CreditIf, in addition to no job, you are also suffering from a poor credit score, do not automatically assume that all is lost. There are lenders who will work with you to get you the money you need to stay financially solvent. Even if you have a previous bankruptcy on your record, there are means to help you if you know where to look. Again, however, you need to be prepared to pay a higher interest rate due to your bad credit. Basically, you present a greater risk to the lender because of this past history.Use of Unemployment LoansBecause these loans are offered hassle free, as in the lender will not ask you what you mean to use the money for, you are pretty much free to do what you want with this loan. There are several ways in which an unsecured unemployment loan can help you, including consolidation of debt, payment of medical bills, purchasing a vehicle in order to facilitate the job-hunting process and much more. The key is to make sure that you use the money wisely so that you will be able to repay it in the end.Be ResponsibleIt is a real relief to know that there are options for unemployed persons in terms of personal unsecured loans. This is not to say that you should go out and get a large loan for a vacation, but if you are in a tough spot and do not currently have a job, or even if you only have a minimum wage job, these unemployed personal loans can be the lifesaver that you need.However, as with any loan, make sure that you are being responsible with how you spend the money and that you have a clear plan for repayment. These unemployed personal loans can really be the answer to your jobless crisis.
Property Managers Owe Fiduciary Duties to Their Clients at Minimum
“Fiduciary” is basically defined by Black’s Law Dictionary as a term derived from Roman law which means, as a noun, a person or legal entity, holding the character of a trustee, with respect to the trust and confidence involved as scrupulous good-faith and candor towards another’s affairs. A fiduciary also has duties which are described as involving good-faith, trust, special confidence, and candor toward another’s interests. Typical fiduciary duties are imposed on and include such relationships as executor, administrator, trustee, real estate agents, attorneys, and, of course, property managers. A person or company who manages money or property, i.e., the manager, for other people must exercise a standard of care in that the interests of the money or property owners are placed above and beyond those of the property manager. In some states, like California for example, a property manager is statutorily defined as an individual or entity which has the same duties as a trustee, i.e., a fiduciary.The way I always explain it to clients, using my hands to demonstrate, is that my interests end at the top of my head (one hand at the crown of my head), but the client’s interest rise above and beyond my head and take precedent over my own (holding both of my hands above my head in a clasped position). Most people understand the gesture and comprehend that as a property manager and a lawyer my interests are much lower than those of the clients in our relationship.Common Fiduciary Duties Owed by Property ManagersSince a property manager is a fiduciary they must act with the highest good-faith and fair dealing with respect to the owner’s asset, disclose all material information that may affect the owners decision-making with respect to that asset, and can’t in any way, shape or form act adversely to the owner’s interests. This may sound easy, but there are situations that arise that tempt even the best property managers to sometimes not act in their client’s best interests to suit their own self-interested convenience. Unfortunate as that may sound it happens regularly.The following is a short list of some common sense duties, rights, and wrongs when a fiduciary relationship exists between a manager and an owner.A manager should have a written agreement with their clients and may even be legally entitled to profit from services for which they provide to the owner, however, a manager may not secretly profit from this relationship. For example, a manager may charge an eight percent markup on materials and services provided by vendors to the owner’s property. This is legal and acceptable provided that the agreement between the parties is in concert with the markup. If this markup was not in the agreement then the law requires a property manager to disgorge or relinquish any and all secret profits derived from the relationship. There are so many possible examples of this, but a common one is a manager making a percentage profit on work and services provided to their clients but not disclosed; like a new roof, bathroom remodel, repairs to interior walls, etc.A property manager is required to disclose any and all rental offers received along with documentation of those offers such that the property owner is well informed about all potential tenants. It is easy for a manager to fail to provide names of potential tenants that don’t necessarily qualify or are poor credit risks as this would involve more work for the manager.A property manager is statutorily required to act for the sole benefit of the asset owner in matters that evolve from the relationship, whether or not those matters are seemingly insignificant or they are significantly material.Information about a tenant whom falls behind on their rent must be immediately communicated to the asset owner. If your management company is using a software system that allows an “Owner Portal” then this information is readily available to see and anytime one has access to the internet.If a manager receives information that a tenant has caused damage to a property the owner should be notified as soon as feasibly possible. It is easy for the manager to not disclose this information for fear of confronting the disgruntled owner or just not wanting to deal with the conflict associated with that situation.Trust Account DutiesA trust account which holds deposits and rent monies for the benefit of the asset owner is a common ground for fiduciary duty breaches. The law precludes a manager from commingling of the client trust funds with broker or manager owned funds.Additionally, it is a breach of fiduciary duty to make mortgage payments on broker owned properties from a trust account even if the broker quickly reimburses the account for the payments. The statutory prohibition against conducting personal business from trust accounts is strictly enforced.Surprisingly another common example of commingling of funds occurs when the property management fee is not timely withdrawn from the trust account. Sometimes a delay of twenty-five (25) days could be considered commingling.Trust funds must also be deposited with expediency. Some states require that deposits must be deposited by no later than the next business day.Commingling of Trust Funds is a Serious OffenseCommingling of trust and broker funds is such a serious offense it can be grounds for revocation or suspension of a broker’s license in most states. Thus, this sole issue must be of paramount importance to a manager and property management company.ConclusionManagers owe fiduciary duties to their clients – this is the minimum standard owed. There are many ways to breach these duties which form the basis for the relationship between the manager and the client. It is important to hire a property manager who understands and abides by the statutory framework, understands fully what a fiduciary duty entails, and can both clearly communicate those duties and at the same time live up to them. It is important for owners to make sure they hire property managers who abide by these minimum standards.
Budapest City of Spas and Caves
Budapest – The Largest City In central EuropeYou must have heard about Budapest, the capital of Hungary, and one of the largest cities of Central Europe! You might even have been there. Or you definitely have thought about spending a holiday within its castles and bridges. But even so, there are things that only a local or a Budapest-enthusiast would know: interesting facts not mentioned in tourist guides, beautiful places rarely visited by foreigners, little things which got lost between so many other attractions, but which would help you have a memorable and unique experience in the city of Budapest.First of all, its history. You might not know, but Budapest has been a settlement from more than two-hundred years. Founded by the Celts, it was seized by the Romans around the first century, and built on as Aquincum: mosaics, aqueducts, sarcophagi and other remains of which are still visible in Óbuda. The next part of its past is more familiar to the city’s visitors, promoted by statues and artifacts of illustrious figures all over town.Budapest City Lesser Known FactsThe other less known but very important fact about Budapest city concerns its geography. The strange but spectacular view of plain Pest on one side and rocky Buda on the other, joined together by the majestically flowing Danube is truly a breathtaking sight, immortalized on every postcard depicting the attractions of the place. But what most people don’t know is that the hills of Buda are even more exciting from underneath. Hosting around 200 caves, the Budai hills have four extraordinary cave-systems really worth seeing: the Pálvölgyi Dripstone Cave, the SzemlÅ’hegy Cave, the Castle Cave and the Buda Castle Labyrinth. For those interested in geology or the beauty of minerals, it’s a must.Relating to the geothermic activity present underneath its pretty surface, is the vast amount of thermal and medicinal water which gained Budapest the impressive “City of Spas” title. Among many public baths, some luxury hotels also procured themselves thermal springs, giving five-star wellness treatment to their tired customers. You can relax in exotic locations of Turkish baths like the Rudas or the beautiful Gellért Baths, or have fun are Europe’s largest spa, the Széchenyi Spa.If visiting Budapest City, you can’t leave out the ultimate cultural experience bind together with one of the best things in life: eating. The local cuisine is wonderful to try out, and even the most fastidious of customers can find something of their liking. Combined with some great Hungarian wines (like the Tokaji), and an exquisite location, like a boat-restaurant on the Danube, you’ll delect not only your taste buds, but every little part of you.
Life – Take Full Responsibility – Body, Mind and Spirit
Taking care of your body is a wonderful way to nurture your mind and spirit. Even though you may think that the basic necessities in life are less important as your mind and spiritual development, you cannot truly succeed in one area without taking care of the others.Physical practices such as working out, yoga, chi-gong, tai-chi, martial arts, etc. are all means by which you can cultivate a healthy physical self while at the same time developing your inner life. When you care for your body you will nourish all the aspects of your life that are essential for your greatest sense of well-being.When you take responsibility for your entire life, you need to be more conscientious of what you need to do in order to take care of your needs at home and at work. The awareness to take responsibility for every aspect of your being arises from the understanding that without tending to yourself first, it is difficult to accomplish other things effectively and with ease.Right now – this moment, focus your attention on doing things that are healthy and satisfying – first for your body and then your mind. Consider the following tips:• Commit to physical practices each day for at least 30 minutes – walking, bicycling, hiking, working out, jumping jacks, jump rope, yoga, chi-gong, tai-chi, martial arts, etc.• Revise your food plan to meet your body’s needs. Eat Right For Your Blood Type.• Meditate to connect with your inner being and spiritual self. Practicing yoga, chi-gong, and tai-chi are also excellent ways to connect with you inner being and spiritual self.Establishing a regular physical practice tine and attending to your inner and spiritual self is mandatory. Set the intention to do one thing each day that supports your entire being. You will notice a greater sense of overall health and happiness within 30 to 45 days.
Why Marketing Automation Boosts Sales by 220% for Start-Ups & Smbs?
The Marketing Automation market is swelling at an incredible pace. Thanks to its affordability and key features of being an enabler and accelerator, now more and more start-ups and small businesses are signing up to its benefits.Need more reasons?Run through these quick FAQs to know just why Marketing Automation is the undisputed armour in a start-up’s kitty.Q. As a start-up founder, I am willing to go for the free-trial, but why would I want to use it thereafter?A. More than two-thirds of the companies that sign up for a free trial of Marketing Automation, end up realizing they should continue using it.Q. How long does it take to see the initial ROI after automating my marketing system?A. Of all the businesses that use marketing automation, nearly 3.75% witness a progressive ROI within the first year. For a start-up, this is insane!Moreover, start-ups can boost their ROI by using marketing automation and stand to gain from prominent features like zigihub’s micro-segmentation which can enhance campaign efficacy by 40-50%.Q. What is the biggest benefit of using marketing automation for my start-up?A. The biggest benefit is “saved time” as reported by most marketers. Marketers have expressed their delight for the amount of time they have been able to save with marketing automation. It is tremendous time… time that can be efficiently utilized in performing other equally important tasks.Q. What would my lead management be like after using it?A. Marketing Automation (MA) automatically captures twice as many leads as companies generate with a basic email system.Q. How does marketing automation help scale up my small business?A. Small businesses using MA outgrow their competitors by 63%, according to a finding by Lenskold Group.And what’s more?A whopping 451% surge in qualified leads have been reported by companies using MA system, as per a Wishpond study.To top it all, start-ups have seen their sales increase by 220% after using Marketing Automation.That for one, is quite a number!In a nutshell, your start-up or business journey can be best viewed through this flowchart… which points out the role and significance of marketing automation and what it can do for the success of your business.Voila! That is some challenging job!
Yes, but there are trusted experts like zigihub who can do this job for you effortlessly with its in-built intelligent algorithms.zigihub is a marketing automation platform for businesses and sales and marketing professionals to integrate all their marketing efforts under one umbrella. Using data science and machine learning algorithms, this CRM platform eases the job of marketers and makes the entire process of marketing a cakewalk. For small businesses, MA is full of advantages, as it literally sweeps away a large chunk of time-consuming efforts allowing businesses to scale up faster.The Enablers of Marketing AutomationCampaign ManagementCreate, run and evaluate campaigns across various channels; micro-segmentation of customers based on behaviour, buying patterns, demographics, etc. for executing targeted campaigns.Event Driven MarketingTriggered responses are generated based on customer-specific personal events like birthday or after payments, subscriptions, signing up for free trials, website visits, etc.Website MonitoringIntegrated website monitoring system uses intelligent analytics to increase website traffic and lead conversion rate.Social Media IntegrationIntegrates various social media channels into your marketing strategy by engaging customers in the digital world, thereby identifying and obtaining a holistic view of your existing customers.zigihub’s social media integration efficiently works towards 360? understanding of customer’s social behaviour. It uses fuzzy logic algorithms to match active social media users in the customer base.Email MarketingOn-the-fly segmentation of customers and leads to send personalized marketing messages through templates for increasing open rates.The Accelerators of Marketing AutomationPersonalized CommunicationFor engaging customers, segmented lists are created on the basis of their behaviour, interests and activities for sending personalized messages.Customer ProfilingSummarizing your customers and creating individual profiles from their specific purchasing patterns, demographics, etc. is known as customer profiling.Reference EngineThe Marketing Automation and CRM platform zigihub uses more than 60 algorithms through predictive analytics and machine learning to identify most promising deals and leads.Customers are increasingly looking forward to receiving product recommendations that match their preferences, buying history and likes.Campaign EffectivenessMonitoring and evaluating campaigns closely to improve its effectiveness is crucial to the success of any campaign. It includes detailed insights into analytics like opened, read, deleted, etc.MA platforms are retaining existing customer base with strategic development of their tools in line with the customer’s tastes and preferences. This helps in offering novelty, safeguarding the interests of customers and making them feel valued.These attributes of MA work in perfect harmony to drive a start-up engine and help small businesses scale up.So, if you are planning to start your own business or already have a start-up or SMB, you will find all your marketing related synergies being taken care of by Marketing Automation.As most marketers using it say, it is a silver bullet for start-ups and SMBs.
Building a Sellable Business: 10 Things Often Overlooked
Eventually, every entrepreneur realizes they cannot work in their business forever. For most entrepreneurs, this is the time they begin thinking of exit. Here are ten things you should think about before that faithful day.StandardizationThe first thing I will like to mention is standardizing services or products. In the onset of a business, an entrepreneur figures things out as he/she develops. As time elapses, the entrepreneur figures out what works and settles into a way of doing business. This usually happens at the $100,000 mark. The problem with this is the knowledge is embedded in the head of the owner. The owner often fails to communicate this knowledge to new hires. There is kind of an “unspoken standard” or “way of doing things”. People learn “the unspoken way” haphazardly. By not standardizing, the owner’s loses 50% of the value of the business when it is time to sell. Nobody wants to buy a business when all the knowledge is in the owners’ head and if they do there are usually lots of contingencies tied to the deal.DelegationMost entrepreneurs have this false belief that they are the best: No one can do anything as well as they do and without them the business will fail. This false belief enslaves them into believing they have to work harder than anyone to achieve success. They have a hard time even getting away from their work for one hour. The biggest problem with this, is you limit your business growth. They are people smarter than you and people who can do the job better than you if you just let them. If you have standardized your systems, delegation becomes easier: All the new person has to do is follow the systems you have created.Knowledge ManagementKnowledge management is not an issue that can be ignored in the information age. How we share information with staff, customers and vendors should be very well defined and preserved for consistency. Whether you use an intranet for communication with your staff and external stake holders or simply a cloud database, is irrelevant. What is relevant is that the method you use is efficient in capturing and transferring relevant information.InnovationInnovation is the development of a new idea or developing a more effective design or process. Innovation could be in the form of redesigning your workforce, upgrading your technology, restructuring your offerings to match customers taste, etc.Every product has a life circle. A product goes from growth, to mature phase and finally hits a decline. Innovation is required to stay competitive, if not your product life cycle becomes your business life cycle. Keeping tap of the external environment lets the entrepreneur see what processes, products or services need to be developed. As an entrepreneur, you should be a member of a trade association in your industry, read their magazines, and keep track of new developments. Keeping track of industry trends is important to your future existence. The external environment is consistently changing and the only way to build a sustainable business is to innovate.Financial SystemsThe financial plan of most business owners goes as far as purchasing QuickBooks and once a year completing their tax return. If they are more prudent they might look at the financial reports developed in QuickBooks monthly. While this is better than nothing, business owners can do a lot more in improving their financial position by investing in better financial systems. For instance what controls do you have in place to ensure the information in QuickBooks is accurate? Just like anything else, if you put garbage in, you get garbage out. Moreover what about the structure of your financial accounts, are they capturing the information you need. When you look at your financial reports, do you have answers to the most critical factors affecting your business? All of these questions are addressed in the way your financial system is designed. Investing in having a professional design the system is worth the headache you will save down the road. Moreover, be careful not to commingle funds and keep your financial records as clean as possible. Good financial records are worth a lot when selling your business.Planning and BudgetingPlanning and budgeting is the process of telling your business where you want it to go rather than it telling you where to go. Small business owner fall into the trap of thinking that they cannot control what direction their business will take so they do not plan. Planning and budgeting go hand in hand. A budget is simply the numbers behind the plan. Having a plan and delegating the responsibilities of certain aspects of the plan is crucial. With a plan and a budget you can plan and execute on your business goal. Also business buyers like to see a history of business planning and budgeting. This increases the amount they are willing to pay as they are less anxious about being handed down a sham.Developing key metricsOnce you have a plan and budget in place, you need a way to determine if you are on track. Metrics are used to measure how things are going. Usually metrics are measured against a budget developed using a strategic plan. Monitoring metrics on a regular basis can point you to where your business is failing before it actually happens. Some metrics you may want to track are: productivity rate, net margins, customer retention rate, customer acquisition rate, etc.Tax PlanningTaxes have a big impact on what percentage of your net profits you keep. Tax Planning should be done before you sell. By structuring transactions differently you might be able to save more money on taxes. Do not wait until after selling to decide what you will do for taxes: When you get your cash after sale, you will be rest assured you have taken the best possible steps to minimize your taxes.Exit PlanningMost business owners do not plan for the day they will leave their business. They work until the day they determine they are burnt out. The problem with this is the business owner does not leave the business with the best value possible. Working with a consultant should be done couple of years before you plan to sell. If you wait too long your business may become unsellable. The top two factors that affect business value are:
what is going on in the economy and,
how it particularly affects the industry you compete in.
If you hit a time of decline, no one will want to buy your business. Selling in a timely manner, will help you take your time to identify the best buyer who might be able to take your business to a level you were not capable of doing on your own.Another mistake I see is because business sales rule of thumb are usually based on a multiple of industry revenue, entrepreneurs think they will hold on to the business till they reach a revenue mark and then sell. This is a false thought because you never know what bad fortune may befall your business before you sell. Moreover, if you try to manipulate sales to increase revenue, a smart buyer will discover this during the due diligence process which will kill the sale.Lifestyle PlanningBusiness owners have the propensity to work without giving much attention to their personal lives. Lifestyle design should be integrated into the lives of business owners if not burn out is certain. This includes what kind of lifestyle you want after you exit your business. Do not neglect to take care of you or you will burn out and be no good to anyone. You should have a system of rewarding yourself at specific timelines in your business. For instance, I take frequent vacations and this helps me renew the love for what I do.Do not make the mistake of thinking you will retire from your business and spend the whole day on the beach or playing golf. If you have spent your life working hard to build a business, you will get bored with just sitting on the beach doing nothing. Moreover, people die faster after retirement if they choose to do nothing.
Reality Check! Financing Your Restaurant Business Via a Franchise Business Loan Is Possible
Congratulations! We think. So you actually really do want to open or purchase a restaurant? We always admire clients who have decided on this business decision given the amount or risk and work that is often involved. Our comments and info on financing your restaurant business pertain specifically to a franchise business loan, but to be honest being think they are 100% applicable to financing any non franchise restaurant.First the key good news, there are a number of options available to finance a restaurant. Although it’s a non financial reason, the reality is that you will be more successful in your financing if you can demonstrate previous experience in owning, managing, or working in the industry – that’s only common sense. The type of passion and your enthusiasm about your business usually transcends into one of the key positives in your lender or lenders assessing your application.You will noticed we used the term lender or lenders… that is because in the current economic environment of 2010, where we have just come through a global recession that affected every industry it has been necessary in many cases to cobble together your financing through a number of sources.The next question always comes very quickly from our clients – What are those sources, who is financing restaurants. Well the goods news is that the government is! What do we mean by that? Simply that one of the most popular programs out there is the federal government BIL/CSBF program which finances the majority of franchise restaurants in Canada. Who knew! The program is very attractive, and in our opinion quite frankly is the best program for financing a restaurant, franchise or non franchise, in Canada. Basic terms of the program are a lending cap of $ 350,000.00 and rates and terms in the 5-6% range currently with 5 to 7 year amortizations.What most prospective restaurant entrepreneurs don’t realize is that the government sponsors and guarantees the program, but your friendly banker runs it. In our experience many bankers are ill equipped to process this loan, so the golden jewel in restaurant financing in Canada, in our humble opinion, is the ability to source a business financing advisor who can successfully, ( and quickly ) get you approved. Naturally as with any business financing there are some basic criteria that need to be met, but it you have got the fundamentals you are well on your way to financing your restaurant business.The fundamentals we referred to include a responsible down payment by yourself – we call this your owner equity. You know the next question our clients ask already – ‘how much down? The reality is that it depends, but we can say safely that your down payment should be commensurate with your financing loan total amount request.Many restaurants in Canada are financed by the seller, i.e. the franchisor, or the current franchisee who is selling. What do we mean by that? Simply that if a creative structure is required the franchisor or the current owner can offer to hold a vendor take back, allowing you to replay that amount later at some agreed upon interest rate. This simply minimizes the amount you have to borrow and qualify for.Other methods of financing your restaurant include lease equipment financing for all or a portion of the hard assets. This type of financing is easier to get approved, as it primarily focuses on the hard assets being financing. Again, this also has the ability to lower the amount you need to finance from bank perspective.Restaurant owners love the ‘ bottom line’ which hopefully is profit. Our bottom line in our information is simply that franchise business loans and financing your restaurant business are achievable, and you do have options. Search out an expert and get ready to open those doors to your customers after you have successfully completing the financing of your restaurant venture.
Software Asset Management (SAM) Tool Comparisons and Reviews
How to find the right product for your companyCorporate software managers face a dynamic and unpredictable market for the tools they need to help them manage their company’s software purchases, licenses and operations. Considering the rate of new players in this industry and new products brought to market, it’s no wonder finding the right software asset management (SAM) tool can be a challenge.Companies evaluating tools today have a lot of option and features to consider including on-premises versus SAM software-as-a-service, plus specialized tools versus full-function tool suites. This is why independent and comprehensive tool assessments and comparisons are an invaluable instrument that saves time and money. But all tool reviews are not created equal.Tool Manager, a publication that rates software asset management and IT asset management tools, digs deep into the latest product offerings, from companies such as Aspera, IBM, CA, HP, and Flexera Software. “We work with product management at the software tool companies to provide a full view of each product’s features and functions, but we also collect data from end users, plus our own assessors give the tools a thorough test drive,” says Steven Russman, editor of Tools Manager.Russman’s reviews, issued several times a year, use a rating system that assesses each tool’s attributes, such as ease-of-use, inventory management, wizards and menus, compliance to standards, depth of the software reconciliation library and a dozen more points designed to provide an extensive measure of the product’s functions. Each Tools Manager edition focuses on a single vendor, typically one with a new product or version about to launch.In a recent review of IBM’s License Metric Tool (ILMT), Tools Manager affirmed, “IBM delivers what it promises with ILMT, a well-designed tool to capture and report usage for license compliance.” Tools Manager says that “IBM customers looking for more will need to upgrade to the full version of Tivoli Asset Discovery and Tivoli Asset Management for IT or another product for repository functions.”Tools Manager strives to provide readers with not only a nuts-and-bolts product assessment but also an experienced interpretation of a company’s direction. “We always ask the software company about its roadmap for the future, and the next version of its tool,” says Russman. “Many are open to telling us their plans but others are not and require confidentiality agreements, so we’re not permitted to share all the materials with our readers, however, we can share our opinions and where we see specific companies headed.”Russman, a 13-year veteran of the software asset management field, is the executive director of the International Business Software Managers Association, the world’s largest nonprofit association of business-focused software management professionals, which hosts an annual conference for software asset managers along with continuing education and certifications.”As the software asset management product landscape continues to shift and new tools are brought to market more rapidly,” says Russman, “Tools Manager is ready to provide SAM professionals with the insights and objective information they need to succeed.”For more about Tools Manager, visit the International Business Software Managers Association at IBSMA.com.