April 12, 2011

Markets suffer setback | Investing | Financial Post

Oil prices are going to knock the economy, economists are now predicting.

Canadian stocks fell sharply for the second consecutive day on another violent pullback in commodities as Goldman Sachs Group Inc. told investors to take profits while warning of a correction in oil prices.
Markets also suffered after Japan’s acknowledged its nuclear situation had worsened and Alcoa Inc. showed disappointing results as the U.S. earnings season kicked off.
“For the last several weeks, world stock markets have taken every disappointment and uncertainty the world could throw at them and continued to drive higher,” said Colin Cieszynski, market analyst at CMC Markets Canada.

Markets suffer setback | Investing | Financial Post

Ikea, Where's the Video Instructions? | Mark Evans Tech

IKEA is a wonderful place to visit but their product does not look the same at home - for me, their book cases need to be secured to the wall. I am glad for modern technology as my books and CDs seem to be dwindling in volume. Mark Evans made me laugh with his return to IKEA:

After swearing off buying anything from Ikea as a rite of passage in becoming a real adult, I succumbed recently in an effort to refurbish the home office without pillaging the corporate bank account. The magic about Ikea is how wonderful they make everything look. You stroll through the showroom and the world seems like your oyster…until you get everything home and suddenly realize it has to be assembled.
So, you unpack all the boxes, pull out parts, which includes lots and lots of little pieces (screws, widgets, etc.) and hunt for the instructions. What’s amazing is the instructions haven’t changed in years; they’re still black and white, no-frills, step-by-step instructions that assume everything is just so easy to follow.
Wrong.

Needless to say, the assembly process is frustrating, time-consuming and a serious threat to relationships if you do it with someone else. And you end up with extra parts, which I’m pretty sure Ikea doesn’t supply as a convenience.

It struck me there are some easy things Ikea could do to make things a lot better and easier. First, it needs to colour-code its instructions and the parts to remove a lot of guess-work that goes into assembling things.

Second, Ikea really, really needs to embrace video.

Ikea, Where's the Video Instructions? | Mark Evans Tech

Venture Law Lines: When University Commercialization Offices Turn Troll

Suzie Dingwall has a great post on patents.

Venture Law Lines: When University Commercialization Offices Turn Troll

There are other alternatives for financing than the bank

Why Use Private Equity? Do You Want to Grow Your Business? If your business is not at $20,000, private equity investors will pass you by.
As we learn in most realms of life, the low-priced products aren’t always best for you. And with a greater number of private investors creating a growing company’s market for financing, many Canadian business owners are discovering there are alternative sources of capital. Probably, the most exciting news is that private equity deals are being done for as little as $500,000 – a sign that private equity is shifting from Bay Street onto Main Street. Read more (PDF) >

How to fuel growth, technology and social media at Rotman

The Next Steps program gives you the confidence and skills you need to take your business to the next level. Interact with a senior-level advisory panel of accomplished women entrepreneurs, and gain knowledge from peer mentors who have shared your business challenges. The six-module format allows you to take what you learn and apply it immediately.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011, 6pm to 9pm

Rotman, University of Toronto

Jacoline Loewen, Author and Partner at Loewen & Partners:

Fuelling Growth: Technology & Social Media

Learn how to use new technologies and social media strategically. Maximize the impact of the X factors on your business development.

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WEALTH

The question every wealthy person asks themself is "What does wealth mean to me?" The full and rich answer can take years to come to full light. In the meantime, money needs to be managed.in order to focus on wealth preservation and risk mangement.

In particular, we understand the entrepreneur and busines owner who has gone through transition and is now managing their sudden wealth. We assist them gain insight into their values and goals. From this foundation, we look to achieve a diversified portfolio with room to please their risk appetite, but also ensuring wealth for their family.

We build and execute your wealth strategy:

- Establish meaningful objectives
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Our advice and process will intrigue you and help you:

-Work toward reaching your self-defined life goals
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-Create a system that revolves around you, your family, your community

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Invited as expert on BNN The Pitch, CBC, Dragons' Den and published by National Post, Globe & Mail, Leadership, Business Entrepreneurs, The Journal, Women's Post, as well as author of three books.

Money Magnet by J. Loewen - Book Review

The feedback we have had about using the steps in Money Magnet is that business owners are surprised by how simple it is to understand, how much more money they can invest and earn and how shockingly few of their lawyers and accountants were aware of the benefits.

- Get factual case studies about the power of succession planning with strong life style goals. Do you want to retire rich - then understand the ROI of your business compared to the ROI of an investment portfolio.

- Know why selling your business is not the first option.

- Learn the Four Brutal Questions every Business Owner needs to know to attract investors.

- Find out how to know how much you need to fit your business, your lifestyle and your goals for wealth.

Other books by J B Loewen:
The Power of Strategy
Business e-Volution

See Jacoline Loewen on BNN TV Show The Pitch

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SERVICES

For 150 years, people have been trusting UBS to manage their wealth. We provide investment advice based on critical thinking and thoughtful research once we fully understand what you want to accomplish. Together, we create an all-encompassing strategy for your investments, estate and tax planning, risk management, and borrowing.
Our Focus: We build custom investment portfolios and wealth management strategies that draw upon UBS's global knowledge.
Our Clients: We work with individuals, families, and organizations with investable assets greater than $2,000,000
Our Services: At a minimum, you can expect quarterly performance reviews, ongoing investment management, and comprehensive Estate and Tax Planning services
Our Fees: Our typical all-inclusive tax deductible annual fee ranges between 1% - 1.5% of the money you invest depending on complexity
Our Process: We apply a prudent approach.

Rick Spence, National Post, review

"A lot of business people still have trouble with the concept of strategic planning. They wonder who should do it, and what it's for. I just encountered a great explanation of strategy. It comes from a book, The Power of Strategy by Jacoline Loewen.

"I think that strategy is very similar to the search for the Holy Grail. Renowned knights traveled great distances and overcame severe hardship in the struggle to find this sacred relic, the chalice used by Jesus at the Last Supper. Finally, Sir Galahad was the one who discovered that the Holy Grail is, in fact, within us. There is no right or wrong answer -- it is the journey that provides the learning, not the Holy Grail itself.

In strategy, it is the process of people going through the questioning and thinking that ingrains the strategy into their everyday actions, not the plan itself."

You can read a much longer excerpt from Loewen's book at

post by Rick Spence, Canadian Entrepreneur