What few people consider is that elections have a tremendous impact on small businesses. While the subjects that candidates raise such as freedom of speech, military strife, police funding, immigration, and abortion are the ones most people follow, elections are just as much about how business is conducted. This is why Christopher Halajian feels there should be a greater emphasis on the impact of politics on business.

Christopher Halajian on Elections in New York

In places like Southold and Mattiuck, NY, politics are conducted largely through business channels. Lobbyists are placed in strategy places in political locations, doing what they can to influence how politicians think. Some of that is done the traditional way, over a drink at the country club, but trade associations and membership organizations lobby just as much.

You may feel that this is unfair, but the reality is that it is impossible for a single individual to understand all of the issues that matter in the town they work for. In fact, even a small geographical location such as an estate can have too many complexities. This is why politicians rely to heavily on their lobbyists and staff, who are the ones who find what matters in the constituency, be that the state of a popular route, the closure of a school, or small issues such as milk delivery on Monday.

The Obamacare document is a good example of how elected officials simply cannot know it all. The document contained 1,147,271 words, spread over 2,471 pages, and 700 directives. Nobody has time to read and digest that during their time in office! Instead, they simply go with the general consensus of their party.

So how does this link to small businesses? It is vital that a small business owner ensures they are heard. They must speak directly to their elected officials to make this possible. There are many forms of communication they can use for this, from visiting their office in person to enlisting the services of a lobbyist, but it must be done. This is because any small business that does not contact their representative to discuss their issues loses out to the small business owner that does. It is impossible to know what is on the agenda of those other businesses, and how what they are asking for will affect you.

Politics are complicated and most people don’t think they are particularly fair either. In reality, however, politicians are there to represent you, be you an individual or a business. They are not, however, magicians or fortune tellers. They will do their best for you, since that is what their job is, but you need to take the time out to tell them what you need them to do. You may feel as if that is an impossible task, since you do not have the financial backing that large lobbyists do, but anyone can make an appointment with their politicians and speak to them directly.

It would be fair to say that the marketing world has been turned on its head over recent years. While traditional forms of marketing aren’t over just yet, there’s no doubt that the online world is taking over and at least making them more obsolete.

For the new business, this is ideal. The online landscape provides a lot more flexibility when it comes to marketing, and some might argue that it’s not all about how many dollars you can throw at a campaign (although this plays a significant role still).

Joe Cianciotto knows all about how marketing can be used to such immense effect for smaller businesses. In New York in particular he has been a witness to this first hand, and today we will take a look at some of the main suggestions he has to offer to the up-and-coming startup who is looking to get their name out.

The wonders of Facebook

For years, Facebook was regarded as the biggest social network in the world. Now, it’s one of the biggest advertising platforms.

The amount of granular detail that companies can target customers with is insane with this network. Whether it’s devising a campaign based on jobs, location or even general interests, Facebook has it all.

From a cost perspective, it tends to be based on a CPC model, meaning that you will pay every time somebody interacts with your ad. This can keep costs down substantially, and at least guarantee some traffic to your business (which can’t be said with pretty much every method of traditional advertising which is out there). Technology is winning for marketing your business. 

Google My Business

We’re going to assume that most small business owners have tapped into this feature before, but probably unwittingly. If you’re looking for a pizza at 11pm, and perform a quick Google search, you’ll be presented with all the nearby establishments that are currently open. This, my friend, is Google My Business.

The best part about this is that you don’t even have to pay for the privilege of being included. It’s all based on algorithms meaning that in some industries, where competition is low, you will appear prominently just for registering your site with Google My Business. 

Coupon websites

Last on our list is a suggestion honing in on coupon websites. Again, this is probably a service that most of you have used, with Groupon being one of the big players.

The way in which this works is a company placing a product on one of these websites, but at a huge discount. This discount isn’t the typical 5-10% off, but rather something in excess of 50%. Ultimately, it’s a gigantic saving and one that can push a huge number of customers to a company.

Of course, whether or not this brings in instant profit is a different matter in its entirety. However, for the small business that it looking to open its doors to new customers, it can be a very smart way of marketing.

The world is facing a whole lot of challenges. To overcome those challenges, there is a real need for good political leaders. The world needs people like Nenadi Esther Usman, people who are ready to take on the world. What sets people like Esther Usman apart, is that they are not interested in just saying what people want to hear. They are about actually doing what they say as well.

Nenadi Esther Usman, from Nigeria, has seen the rise of the far right in many countries in the “developed world”. The United Kingdom has voted for Brexit, Poland has voted for the far right, and the United States have voted for Donald Trump. She fears that people in her own country will be inspired by this, when what is needed in Nigeria more than ever, is unity, rather than division. She has the skills, the experience, and the knowledge required to lead the country towards greatness and she hopes people will enable her to show that she embodies the 5 Ps of political leadership.

The 5 Ps of Political Leadership According to Nenadi Esther Usman

Personal agenda

First of all, voters need to be very much aware of the personal agenda of anyone wanting to earn their votes. A good political leader isn’t driven by self-interest. They are driven by sustainability and relevance. They care about the needs of their country and not about their own popularity.

Priorities

Everybody has priorities and there are no absolute wrongs or rights in that. Rather, it is vital that a political leader is open and honest about their priorities, so that people actually know what they vote for. Not just that, however, those priorities should not just be words. Rather, the politician should also put forward real, actionable, solutions.

Planning

Good politicians know that Rome wasn’t built in a day. They need to be clear about the changes they want to make and what their ultimate goal is, but they should also have a clear plan to actually achieve those goals. Again, this is about not making any empty promises.

Process

In order to take on a role in public service, a politician must understand the different challenges, alternatives, options, and nuances that are out there. They must make sure that they focus on processes that are sustainable and relevant. They also have to be consistent, because the electorate has expectations and those expectations have to be met.

Policies

Last but not least, a politician has to be able to go beyond populist promises and empty rhetoric and actually deliver on what they say by implementing policies. It is about clarity, and standing up for what they believe in.

Esther Nenadi Usman hopes that anyone who will be voting in Nigeria will review her own 5 Ps and determine, based on that, that she truly is the best representative for the country. She wants to make sure that people know what she stands for, so that she can truly deliver as well.

For as long as there have been housing, there has been individuals and companies such as the highly successful Terra Group, who have bought, created and sold real estate in the interest of business. For many people, real estate is one of the smartest investments that can be made and if you ask any professional in the investment business where they think that you should put your cash, bricks and mortar will usually be one of the first things that they tell you.

It is easy to talk about buying up property and making money through rentals or sales, but if you or your company is looking to really make some profit, here are the keys which you’ll need.

Knowledge

Knowledge really is power in this industry and if you want to turn your investment or investments into real profit, maybe even an 8 figure income, you must put the work in when it comes to understanding the industry. Buying, selling or even developing real estate is not just about understanding how much properties are going for and where, although this of course is a huge part of it. The real knowledge that you ought to be looking for is what kind of people are buying, what kind of people are renting, what they are looking for in a property and why. With the knowledge of your clients, and the industry on the whole, you will have a far better chance of turning your investment into profit.

Decisions

Most of those who have made big money from real estate are those who made the right decisions at the right time. For example, knowing when to sell is key, especially if you are an individual as it will be likely that the majority of your capital will be tied up in the property. For example if you chose not to sell when you could make a $5k profit, and instead hold out for more, you may miss the chance to buy other properties at low prices. Equally, if you sell too early and the property goes on to appreciate even more, you will be kicking yourself that you don’t hold out longer. The key is making smart decisions and learning from bad decisions.

Spreading Investment

Putting all of you eggs in one basket when it comes to real estate investing doesn’t make much sense and it can prevent you from making money in other areas. The smartest thing that you can do with your investment when it comes to real estate, is to spread it around a few different types of properties, in different locations. If you don;t have the spending power to do this alone, consider going into it with another individual or business, so that you can spread your investment over a wider portfolio of properties. Only a fool puts all their money in one place because if things take a downturn, all of your investment is ties up in a loser.

They say that money isn’t everything, but when your finances but not in good shape nothing else seems to matter. With this in mind, we enter 2018 wondering how we can improve our financial Outlook and better our chances and having an 8 figure lifestyle.

One important thing to do in order to have a financially successful 2018 is to realize that it is possible. In order to reach your financial goals you need to have it a winning attitude and the belief that you can be a winner. No, it’s not easy, but if it was, you would probably be doing it already.

So let’s take a look add some of the key Things that you can do to make 2018 a winning financial year for yourself.

Don’t Worry About the Past

You’re probably really upset with some of the financial decisions you made last year. As you look back on many of them you were saying to yourself, “How could I have been so stupid?” The answer to that is simple period at the time that financial decision looked like a great idea. Maybe you didn’t have enough information at the time to make a better decision, maybe you weren’t thinking clearly, or maybe the circumstances only allow you to make that particular decision. In any case what is most important to understand is that you made it and it is done, and there is no way that you can go back and change it.

If that financial decision continues to affect you today, meaning that you were still paying for it, then the best thing to do is to figure out how you can minimize those payments. Did you spend too much money on a new car and the payments are now causing you financial harm? Perhaps you can sell the car or trade it in for something less expensive. Even if you take a loss and doing so, it is still better than carrying that bad decision into the new year. Even if you can’t change what you have done what is most important is to realize that you are a different person now with a different set of priorities, we will make different and better decisions going forward.

Plan out 2018

The reason that some sports teams do well year in and year out is because of planning. They look at the current status, where they want to be in 3 to 5 years and even where they want to end up in 10 years and start building toward that future today. This approach affects every decision that they make from hiring coaches, do the players they put under contract, and even to the type of stadium that they built. The result is a clear understanding of why important decisions are made, and why some decisions that seem logical are never even considered. As you look at the new year, with all of its amazing possibilities, plan out what you would like to have happen for yourself financially. Then look at this plan and work your way into it. What do you need to do in order to make it a reality? Do you need to work more? Do you need to spend less? Do you need to do both? Put everything on the table and be prepared to make changes that cause real change. In the end 2018 will be planned out with a roadmap that will take you towards financial success.

Doing well financially in 2018 is a step-by-step process. Be prepared to make changes and to grow, and in the end you will be more than happy with your progress by the end of the year.