Shoe Repairs And Several Other Things When I Was 7

Shoe Repairs And Several Other Things When I Was 7
My Dad repaired most of our shoes believe it or not, I can hardly believe it myself now. With 7 pairs of shoes always needing repairs I think he was quite clever to learn how to “Keep us in shoe Leather” to coin a phrase!

He bought several different sizes of cast iron cobbler’s “lasts”. Last, the old English “Laest” meaning footprint. Lasts were holding devices shaped like a human foot. I have no idea where he would have bought the shoe leather. Only that it was a beautiful creamy, shiny colour and the smell was lovely.

But I do remember our shoes turned upside down on and fitted into these lasts, my Dad cutting the leather around the shape of the shoe, and then hammering nails, into the leather shape. Sometimes we’d feel one or 2 of those nails poking through the insides of our shoes, but our dad always fixed it.

Hiking and Swimming Galas
Dad was a very outdoorsy type, unlike my mother, who was probably too busy indoors. She also enjoyed the peace and quiet when he took us off for the day!

Anyway, he often took us hiking in the mountains where we’d have a picnic of sandwiches and flasks of tea. And more often than not we went by steam train.

We loved poking our heads out of the window until our eyes hurt like mad from a blast of soot blowing back from the engine. But sore, bloodshot eyes never dampened our enthusiasm.

Dad was an avid swimmer and water polo player, and he used to take us to swimming galas, as they were called back then. He often took part in these galas. And again we always travelled by steam train.

Rowing Over To Ireland’s Eye
That’s what we did back then, we had to go by rowboat, the only way to get to Ireland’s eye, which is 15 minutes from mainland Howth. From there we could see Malahide, Lambay Island and Howth Head of course. These days you can take a Round Trip Cruise on a small cruise ship!

But we thoroughly enjoyed rowing and once there we couldn’t wait to climb the rocks, and have a swim. We picnicked and watched the friendly seals doing their thing and showing off.

Not to mention all kinds of birdlife including the Puffin.The Martello Tower was also interesting but a bit dangerous to attempt entering. I’m getting lost in the past as I write, and have to drag myself back to the present.

Fun Outings with The camera Club
Dad was also a very keen amateur photographer, and was a member of a camera Club. There were many Sunday photography outings and along with us came other kids of the members of the club.

And we always had great fun while the adults busied themselves taking photos of everything and anything, it seemed to us. Dad was so serious about his photography that he set up a dark room where he developed and printed his photographs.

All black and white at the time. He and his camera club entered many of their favourites in exhibitions throughout Europe. I’m quite proud to say that many cups and medals were won by Dad. They have been shared amongst all his grandchildren which I find quite special.

He liked taking portraits of us kids too, mostly when we were in a state of untidiness, usually during play. Dad always preferred the natural look of messy hair and clothes in the photos of his children.

Network Marketing: Legitimate Business Opportunity or Not?

Network marketing is the chiropractic of the business world. I say this with authority and confidence because I am a chiropractor. For many years we were looked at as the charlatans of health care. In recent decades, though, the profession has made great strides in proving its value and validity, both through anecdotal evidence as well as solid research. However, in spite of this, I still hear prejudiced comments that we are not “real doctors.” We have come a long way, but we still have a long way to go.To anyone in the network marketing world, this story must sound very familiar. Just do an internet search on “Network marketing scams” and see the plethora of information that comes up. Even when you are doing a legitimate search on the topic, the search results are peppered with naysayers.I’m going to tell you something that not many people realize. It will immediately open your eyes up to the legitimacy of the network marketing industry. In current times, most well known (we’re talking Fortune 500 companies) traditional companies are involved in, or at least considering, how to sell their products through network and/or affiliate marketing. As an example, Discovery Toys markets their products exclusively through network marketing with sales figures that exceed $100 million. Sprint’ MCI and AT&T make their long distance phone service available through network marketing companies. Major chains like Best Buy and Target use affiliate marketers to market their stores and products.So, as the dark veil of scam has been lifted from network marketing just a little bit with that juicy tidbit of information, let’s put this negative image to rest once and for all, shall we?Here are the facts:1. MLM, or what is more commonly referred to as network marketing these days, has been around since the 1940s, with the vitamin company Nutrilite.2. In 1959, Amway was born. They eventually took over Nutrilite, and MLM never looked back.3. The success of Amway drew attention; hence multiple network marketing companies were born.4. The people who ruin it for everyone came along. They saw the potential for lucrative rewards, created a counterfeit version of MLM, and Ponzi and pyramid schemes were developed. This caused the network marketing business to become associated with the word “scam”.5. At the urging through petition by ethical MLM companies, the government established ethical practices for a reputable MLM company and clearly defined what MLM is.6. MLM companies that are really just pyramid schemes get closed up relatively quickly as a result of the laws that have been put into place.7. Since MLM came into existence, the industry has evolved into a wide array of companies with a diverse range of products to sell, good compensation plans, and tools to help their marketers build their own business. Despite all the bumps in the road, MLM is a thriving industry and a very good way to build a business for yourself.If the above is true, why does the negative image persist?Issues that enhance the “Network Marketing Scam” image are as follows:1. There is greater than a 90 percent failure rate in the industry because the people who sign up don’t take action. They then blame the business model and perpetuate the “scam” image.2. Just like any other start-up business, it takes time and effort to build this type of business. If people don’t start getting a 4 figure monthly residual income check after signing up a few people, they think it’s a “scam.”3. Relating to point number 2, the marketing tactics by people already in the business are not sound. Proper marketing must be done in order to create and duplicate success. Otherwise, the network marketing scam image is perpetuated when promises are made of riches and free time within weeks of joining, but in reality those promises cannot be kept.4. The laws that were meant to protect MLM also hurt the MLM image, unfortunately. The idea of pyramid selling is also a mentality, not necessarily just a business structure. So, with any MLM compensation plan, the attitude of pyramid scheme gets easily applied to it, and people immediately think “network marketing scam.”5. Most people you speak to about your network marketing business will never join you because it’s not for them. It takes persistence, perseverance, and maximum exposure of your business through solid marketing techniques to find the people who are cut out for network marketing.6. Network marketing gives people the impression it is easy to make money; the REAL truth is, network marketing is HARD.So, with everything I just told you, where is the good news in all of this? We have a reputable business model that has a somewhat tarnished reputation. It’s not as easy as it was once made out to be. You must ask yourself this question, then: Are you truly cut out for this business?Consider the following as you try to answer that question.· Do you want to continue working in a corporate job most of your life with the realization that you may never retire early and spend time with your family? For some people this is the easier route because at your J-O-B you just show up, put your time in, get your check, and leave. Not much effort besides what your job requires, and there is a guaranteed income, even if it’s not the amount you would like to have.OR… · Do you have an entrepreneurial spirit? Being an entrepreneur doesn’t mean you have to come up with an idea from scratch. You are just as entrepreneurial if you see an opportunity and create your own destiny based on how you present that opportunity to the world.My full and final assessment of network marketing is this: if you have ever wanted to own your own business, be your own boss, work from home, set your own hours, and not have a salary cap on how much you can earn, then you should consider network marketing. You must not enter this business, though, if you think it’s going to be easy, and you aren’t willing to put in the work.Do your due diligence; study the company (or companies) you are going to get involved in – in addition to the material they provide you, there are also websites that list the top network marketing companies. Learn about their products. Understand how you will get paid. Ask questions. Talk to other distributors. Assess whether or not you yourself can duplicate a successful business model within that company.Take your time with this decision. You are going into business for yourself. Once you figure out if you are ready to take your career into your own hands, move forward with confidence and a solid business and marketing plan.

Alternative Financing Vs. Venture Capital: Which Option Is Best for Boosting Working Capital?

There are several potential financing options available to cash-strapped businesses that need a healthy dose of working capital. A bank loan or line of credit is often the first option that owners think of – and for businesses that qualify, this may be the best option.

In today’s uncertain business, economic and regulatory environment, qualifying for a bank loan can be difficult – especially for start-up companies and those that have experienced any type of financial difficulty. Sometimes, owners of businesses that don’t qualify for a bank loan decide that seeking venture capital or bringing on equity investors are other viable options.

But are they really? While there are some potential benefits to bringing venture capital and so-called “angel” investors into your business, there are drawbacks as well. Unfortunately, owners sometimes don’t think about these drawbacks until the ink has dried on a contract with a venture capitalist or angel investor – and it’s too late to back out of the deal.

Different Types of Financing

One problem with bringing in equity investors to help provide a working capital boost is that working capital and equity are really two different types of financing.

Working capital – or the money that is used to pay business expenses incurred during the time lag until cash from sales (or accounts receivable) is collected – is short-term in nature, so it should be financed via a short-term financing tool. Equity, however, should generally be used to finance rapid growth, business expansion, acquisitions or the purchase of long-term assets, which are defined as assets that are repaid over more than one 12-month business cycle.

But the biggest drawback to bringing equity investors into your business is a potential loss of control. When you sell equity (or shares) in your business to venture capitalists or angels, you are giving up a percentage of ownership in your business, and you may be doing so at an inopportune time. With this dilution of ownership most often comes a loss of control over some or all of the most important business decisions that must be made.

Sometimes, owners are enticed to sell equity by the fact that there is little (if any) out-of-pocket expense. Unlike debt financing, you don’t usually pay interest with equity financing. The equity investor gains its return via the ownership stake gained in your business. But the long-term “cost” of selling equity is always much higher than the short-term cost of debt, in terms of both actual cash cost as well as soft costs like the loss of control and stewardship of your company and the potential future value of the ownership shares that are sold.

Alternative Financing Solutions

But what if your business needs working capital and you don’t qualify for a bank loan or line of credit? Alternative financing solutions are often appropriate for injecting working capital into businesses in this situation. Three of the most common types of alternative financing used by such businesses are:

1. Full-Service Factoring – Businesses sell outstanding accounts receivable on an ongoing basis to a commercial finance (or factoring) company at a discount. The factoring company then manages the receivable until it is paid. Factoring is a well-established and accepted method of temporary alternative finance that is especially well-suited for rapidly growing companies and those with customer concentrations.

2. Accounts Receivable (A/R) Financing – A/R financing is an ideal solution for companies that are not yet bankable but have a stable financial condition and a more diverse customer base. Here, the business provides details on all accounts receivable and pledges those assets as collateral. The proceeds of those receivables are sent to a lockbox while the finance company calculates a borrowing base to determine the amount the company can borrow. When the borrower needs money, it makes an advance request and the finance company advances money using a percentage of the accounts receivable.

3. Asset-Based Lending (ABL) – This is a credit facility secured by all of a company’s assets, which may include A/R, equipment and inventory. Unlike with factoring, the business continues to manage and collect its own receivables and submits collateral reports on an ongoing basis to the finance company, which will review and periodically audit the reports.

In addition to providing working capital and enabling owners to maintain business control, alternative financing may provide other benefits as well:

It’s easy to determine the exact cost of financing and obtain an increase.
Professional collateral management can be included depending on the facility type and the lender.
Real-time, online interactive reporting is often available.
It may provide the business with access to more capital.
It’s flexible – financing ebbs and flows with the business’ needs.
It’s important to note that there are some circumstances in which equity is a viable and attractive financing solution. This is especially true in cases of business expansion and acquisition and new product launches – these are capital needs that are not generally well suited to debt financing. However, equity is not usually the appropriate financing solution to solve a working capital problem or help plug a cash-flow gap.

A Precious Commodity

Remember that business equity is a precious commodity that should only be considered under the right circumstances and at the right time. When equity financing is sought, ideally this should be done at a time when the company has good growth prospects and a significant cash need for this growth. Ideally, majority ownership (and thus, absolute control) should remain with the company founder(s).

Alternative financing solutions like factoring, A/R financing and ABL can provide the working capital boost many cash-strapped businesses that don’t qualify for bank financing need – without diluting ownership and possibly giving up business control at an inopportune time for the owner. If and when these companies become bankable later, it’s often an easy transition to a traditional bank line of credit. Your banker may be able to refer you to a commercial finance company that can offer the right type of alternative financing solution for your particular situation.

Taking the time to understand all the different financing options available to your business, and the pros and cons of each, is the best way to make sure you choose the best option for your business. The use of alternative financing can help your company grow without diluting your ownership. After all, it’s your business – shouldn’t you keep as much of it as possible?