Cindy Seip, Director of Book Design
Born with a crayon in one hand and a camera in the other, Cindy Seip has never ventured far from her creative instincts. Through the years, her creative side took hairpin turns but always finished with a checkered flag.
As an “A+” student in art, it was her 12th-grade art teacher, Mr. Popovitch, that set her on a professional course in design, introducing her to the Ft. Lauderdale Art Institute. There, she would earn her degree in Advertising Design.
She began her career at the Miami Herald Tropic Magazine and later started her own design + underwater portrait photography business.
Over the years, Seip has amassed an impressive client list with some high-profile names like Sony, Nasdaq, Ericsson, Blue Cross Blue Shield, AvMed, Miami International Book Fair, Breakthrough Miami, and many more. Her accolades reflect her keen eye for design.
Seip resides in sunny Miami with her husband, Miami Herald Photojournalist, Al Diaz, two great kids, and a cute Wheaten Terrier named Amanda Bubbles.
Review by Bryan Beatty
Partner
Egan, Berger & Weiner, LLC
How Not to Be Your Own Worst Enemy
A book by James Montier
Publisher: Wiley
In this insightful book by behavioral finance expert James Montier, we learn that bias, emotion, and overconfidence are just three of the behavioral traits that can lead investors to potentially lose money, or achieve lower returns.
Instead, he encourages readers to focus on “behavioral finance,” which recognizes that there is a psychological element to all investor decision-making—and it can help you overcome obstacles.
This academic, psychological approach to investing is what drew me to this book—a gift from a friend that I read in earnest earlier this month. Montier’s “Little Book of Behavioral Investing” takes us through some of the most important behavioral challenges faced by investors.
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November 30, 2012 — Certified Financial Planner™ professional Michael Egan is an expert in traversing the Social Security system in helping his clients plan ahead for retirement.
In this episode of “Let’s Talk Live!,” Egan explains:
- Social Security is not going bankrupt. Here’s why.
- You can actually be eligible for up to three different benefits during your lifetime. What are these?
- You know that most people think Social Security checks really do not mean that much. But Egan insists that’s not true. In fact, they have two big benefits. What are they?
- Since Social Security is a complicated system, it requires a significant amount of planning before you file for benefits. What are some filing tips?
Click here to view Egan’s interview.
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Ashley Freund, summer intern 2012; editorial assistant fall 2013-spring 2014
Ashley Freund is the new editorial assistant at the Inkandescent Group, a promotion she received in September 2012 after successfully completing the company’s eight-week summer intern program.
In addition to managing and maintaining the company’s comprehensive networking website, www.InkandescentNetworking.com, she assists with writing press releases, transcribing interviews, and working on the company’s monthly business magazine, www.BeInkandescent.com.
A 2013 graduate of Virginia Tech, Freund earned a Communications degree with a focus on Public Relations. She minored in English minor, with an emphasis on Creative Writing.
Laura Gomez, summer intern 2012
In the summer of 2012, Laura Gomez successfully completed the Inkandescent Group’s eight-week summer intern program. In addition to doing extensive research on the speakers bureau that the company launched in the fall of 2012, InkandescentSpeakers.com, she learned to manage and maintain our databases, and participated in weekly planning meetings.
A fourth-year college student, Laura Gomez is pursuing a double bachelor’s degree in Administration and Business Management, and in Advertising and Public Relations, at the Rey Juan Carlos University in Spain. She also is currently participating in an online investments simulator program.
November 8, 2012, Wall Street Journal — In today’s Wall Street Journal, financial advisor Bryan Beatty talks about the Dangers of High-Yield Investments.
“The Federal Reserve is keeping short-term interest rates at near zero levels and very few foreign central banks have interest rates much above 1%,” he explains. “Finding themselves in a challenging environment in which to derive income from their stocks and bonds, many retirees think they’ve found a solution in the form of high-yield investments such as real-estate investment trusts. But they’ve actually taken on a lot more risk than they realize.”
Click here to read the entire article in the Wall Street Journal.
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For Lockheed Martin, our art director Michael Gibbs created logo for its 2013 Go Green program.
“We’ve already surpassed our goal for reducing waste sent to landfills,” executives explain. “We have also implemented a rigorous and systematic approach to improve energy efficiency and resource conservation.”
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November 21, 2012 — Certified Financial Planner™ professional Bryan Beatty, CFP®, a partner at the Northern Virginia firm Egan, Berger & Weiner, LLC, stars in this segment on News Channel 8’s “Let’s Talk Live” show.
In this episode, Bryan Beatty explains:
- If you are self-employed, is there something special you need to do to save for retirement—especially in a way that offers tax advantages?
- Whether you are self-employed or not, exactly how easy or difficult is it to set up or maintain a retirement plan?
- What is the difference between a traditional IRA and a Roth IRA? And are there any other retirement plans that self-employed people should be aware of?
- Exactly how much does the average person really need to save for retirement?
Click here to view Beatty’s interview.
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karen Hanrahan was appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor in August 2012. Hanrahan began her work under the Obama Administration working with Ambassador Richard Holbrooke as the U.S. Coordinator for International Assistance to Afghanistan and Pakistan. She went on to design and run the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (the QDDR) for Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. Ms. Hanrahan recently served as the Chief Innovation Officer for the UK Department for International Development (DFID), on detail assignment in London.
We met her back in the spring of 2008—before she had stepped into these top jobs. What has life been like in the last four years?
In this podcast, you’ll learn:
- These positions are but many high-level jobs she has held in her illustrious career, which began after graduating with a Political Science and Journalism degree at Indiana University in 1992.
- While in college, Hanrahan took the first steps along her path to work internationally when she spent a year abroad in Morocco, studying at the King Fahd Arabic Language School in Tangier, and the School of International Training in Rabat.
- Hanrahan then got her MA in International Politics at American University in 1995; and in 2000 finished her Law degree—with honors and at the top 5 percent of her class—at the University of Washington School of Law in Seattle. While there, she was the Law Review editor and a research assistant for Professor Joan Fitzpatrick, a federal public defender who has written habeas corpus petitions for indefinitely detained immigrants, and an assistant mediator at the US Court of Appeals.
- If that’s not impressive enough, Hanrahan capped her education with a degree from the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School in 2008.
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Gaithersburg MD, November 1, 2012 — “I love making something out of nothing, and I love art,” says Curry’s Auto Service co-founder and CMO Judy Curry. So when Curry’s Auto opens a new location, she is in her glory because often the site’s exterior walls are dull and drab.
“I view these walls as simply canvases on which to create beautiful murals,” Curry believes, which is exactly what the creative exec has done at the company’s Gaithersburg, MD, location.
This is the second mural project we have finished in the last year, and it’s a great opportunity to connect with our neighbors through what is depicted in the mural.
“Plus, everyone who drives by can appreciate the art,” she says. “There is no reason that art needs to live inside a museum or gallery. A mural is art that can be appreciated by everyone.”
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November is always a great month to give thanks for all we have in our lives. So we’re taking this opportunity to give back to our clients with some great promotions—and most importantly, Fall Safety Tips.
Tops on the list is keeping children safe in the car: The first in a series of Car Safety articles, we answer the question: “What’s the best child safety seat I can buy?” Click here to find the answer. And be sure to buckle your own seat belt once you’ve properly secured your child.
Click here to read the entire issue.
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When it comes to defining what it means to be a Truly Amazing Woman, sometimes it’s the work a woman does—from running a multimillion-dollar business, and founding a philanthropic organization, to being a bestselling author or an internationally renowned artist.
Sometimes it’s just who she is, what she has overcome, and the fact that she is willing and able to share those life lessons with the rest of us.
When it comes to Karen Hanrahan, it’s a powerful combination of all of the above.
We met Deputy Assistant Secretary of Human Rights and Democracy Karen Hanrahan in 2008—before she had this top job in the Obama administration at the US Department of State.
At the time, she was a senior advisor to the Iraqi minister of human rights.
And soon after, she became the director and COO of the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review, where she led a comprehensive project for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to redefine how the US government practices international development and diplomacy.
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November 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — “You can’t judge a book by its cover,” is an age-old adage that lies at the heart of this first decision-making strategy that will give parents insight into how they can help their children succeed in the classroom.
In fact, the next time you browse through a bookstore, take a look at the creativity and color that goes into designing a book cover as publishers compete to capture the reader’s attention and sell their product.
We have all selected books at one time or another based on superficial reasoning. Sometimes we are lucky and it truly is a great book, and other times we are disappointed. Book selection is just one of many choices children make each school day as they practice making decisions and dealing with the outcomes.
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November 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — How we relate to others has a lot to do with behaviors we see, what we experience, and how we perceive and interpret the environment that surrounds us.
As the world is forced to open its eyes to increased violence and aggressive behavior from the youngest children to the oldest nations, two questions cry out for attention.
What is fueling this closed-minded and aggressive (both physical and psychological) behavior? How can we deactivate the anger, the hatred, and the violence and instill, develop, and build tolerance in each person that carries forth over generations?
Lack of acceptance and understanding for the lives and emotions of others, and unwillingness to accept the differences between ourselves and our neighbors, are sadly becoming commonplace, whether fueled by religious intolerance, governmental aggression, extreme poverty, or other incendiary conditions. Anyone can name a million causes, but how many can name even one solution?
Mary Gordon, shown above, is one of those rare people who can name a solution.
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November 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — Does empathy belong in the workplace? Absolutely!
Empathy is a key component of emotional intelligence and is a critical skill for any good leader or manager to possess and use. Strong leaders know that to move their organizations forward, they need to understand the people who make it happen.
A recent study on empathy by the Center for Creative Leadership showed that empathy is positively related to job performance, and what leader doesn’t want to encourage productivity?
Is empathy one of those qualities we either have or don’t have? No, empathy can be learned. While some leaders naturally exude empathy and have an advantage over their peers who don’t have it, those without it can be coached in how to increase their empathic skills.
Organizations can encourage empathy and help managers by letting them know that empathy makes a difference in the workplace. Empathy is exhibited through spending time with employees—giving them your time and attention.
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November 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — Clearly, education, expertise, and experience are important, but empathy—the ability to mutually experience the thoughts, emotions, and direct experience of others—is key because it facilitates mutual understanding.
Empathetic wealth managers can inspire their clients to adopt the positive changes necessary for them to reach their life financial goals.
According to the writings of 8th-century Buddhist scholar Shantideva, the key to cultivating more empathy is to learn to see the complexity of a situation. Even if empathy does not come naturally to us, it’s a virtue that we can develop over time.
Identify an empathetic wealth manager by considering the following.
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By Howard Pressman, CFP®
Certified Financial Planner™
Egan, Berger & Weiner
Picture this: James Bond, aided by a drop-dead-gorgeous nuclear physicist with a name that doesn’t even vaguely hide its sexual innuendo, is trying to disarm a bomb hidden under the Queen’s throne.
The bomb has a digital display, and James must enter the disarming code exactly as he read it when it was left unattended on the villain’s desk during the “I’m Gonna Blow-Up the World” masquerade ball.
If he gets the sequence wrong, he’s going to blow the Queen (and himself) to kingdom come.
If he gets it right, he hops a little dingy and spends six blissful days on the ocean with Ms. Nuclear Physicist. Drawing down your retirement savings is very similar—if the sequence doesn’t go just right, it’s possible that the whole thing could blow up in your face.
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Keeping your car in top shape with regular maintenance checks and periodic repairs is always the goal at Curry’s Auto Service.
As we support Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October, we remind you of the importance of physical check-ups, as well. In our newly designed newsletter, you’ll find tips on how you can keep your car in top shape, learn about companies that have created useful products that support breast cancer research, and get great coupons and giveaways to show our appreciation for your business.
Click here to read the entire issue.
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October 12, 2012, Entrepreneur magazine — Sharon Armstrong, author of “The Essential Performance Review Handbook,” shared her wisdom today with Entrepreneur.com reporter Gwen Moran on the topic, “How to Make a Poor Performance Review More Effective.”
Armstrong says: “Being consistent in giving performance reviews can be tough when you’re delivering a not-so-great review,” and offers four tips to make the process less painful.
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WEBSITE — The Inkandescent Radio Network
Click image for larger view Writing / Concept by Hope Katz Gibbs
Website design by Michael Gibbs
Website coding / database by Max Kukoy
The Inkandescent Radio Network: The Voice of Entrepreneurs
Bringing the wisdom of small-business owners to the radio waves is the goal of The Inkandescent Radio Network, which launched in January 2013.
Created by journalist, publicist, author, and entrepreneur Hope Katz Gibbs, the network features a series of business-focused radio shows that provide inspiration, motivation, and education about best practices in small business.
The Shows: The Inkandescent Radio Shows shine feature business and thought leaders, industry experts, futurists, authors, artists, chefs, and more.
Throughout 2013, the company will be spinning these industry-focused interviews off into radio shows of their own, including “The Parent Diaries,” a show focused on best practices in parenting, hosted by Be Inkandescent magazine’s Parenting columnist Kathleen McCarthy — and “From Soup to Nuts,” which will the nation’s top entrepreneurial chefs, restaurateurs, chefs, foodies, and hoteliers.
Learn more about the upcoming shows here.
The Mission: Promoting, educating, and inspiring entrepreneurs is the mission of The Inkandescent Group, LLC, a PR, marketing, publishing and website and design company that helps small businesses get the visibility they need to glow so they can grow.
Are you ready to raise your voice? If you’d like to be interviewed on The Inkandescent Radio Show, www.theinkandescentradioshow.com, or if you’d like to host your own show — send Hope Katz Gibbs an email.
And be sure to listen regularly to our new episodes for insight into best practices in small business. Grab a cup of coffee, and sit back and enjoy!
October 5, 2012, BusinessBatteryPack.com — “When you run your own business, you are a master juggler,” financial advisor Bryan Beatty told the hosts of BusinessBatteryPack.com today.
He advised listeners how proper retirement planning can enhance your business,
how to become more confident and manage the daily risks that are essential to your growth, how a sound financial plan can attract more quality employees.
“The keys to creating a retirement plan without depending on Social Security,” Beatty insisted.
For more tips from Beatty on “How to Free Yourself from the Social (in)Security Trap and Secure Your Retirement,” click here.
For more information about this video news show for entrepreneurs, visit businessbatterypack.com.
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September 28, 2012, BusinessBatteryPack.com — “The first thing you should do when you start a business is get a client,” public relations expert Hope Katz Gibbs of Inknadescent PR told the hosts of BusinessBatteryPack.com today.
“A lot of times when people want to take the leap into entreprenuership they tend to lean towards something that they do as a hobby or are really passionate about,” Gibbs added. “But if in the end you don’t have a legitimate client or person trading you money for your services then is it really a business?”
Host Frank Do noted: “This is one of my favorite quotes from the Business Battery Pack hangout session with Public Relations expert Hope Katz Gibbs,
Click here to watch the broadcast.
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October 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — Being divorced with no children, I read Anne-Marie Slaughter’s article, Why Women Still Can’t Have It All, with much compassion.
However, I come from a totally different life perspective.
Many things in her article rang true for me. It made me review my own journey down a similar, but equally frustrating path—as a single professional who often had to accommodate my schedules, workload, and a host of other things for my colleagues with children.
Earlier in my career, as a non-parent, no-spouse professional, I sometimes felt oppositely harassed when I was expected to sub-in for colleagues who had to attend to their children.
I rarely felt that they were taking advantage of me, though, to be honest, I occasionally resented it. But then I realized how much I value my colleagues, and it seemed like much less of a sacrifice.
I knew they were doing the best they could, and I respected the way they juggled their personal and professional lives. I wasn’t too sure I would have been able to do as well.
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October 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — Women have long been making an impact on the world of work. The number of women in the workplace surged during World War II, of course, when companies had signed contracts with the government to produce war equipment for the Allies—and the men were deployed overseas.
Women came to the rescue, and in the decades since have been taking the employment world by storm.
Our numbers continue to increase each year. In 1984, 44 million women were in the workforce. By 2009, there were 72 million. And with this increase have come more opportunities for women to assume managerial positions. While we still aren’t equally represented in every C-suite, or in government, our numbers are growing.
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October 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — In my August 2012 article, I defined wealth management, and offered six tips to get you started on the path toward solid financial planning for your future.
My top recommendations included:
- Take charge: Remember, it’s your money. You are in complete control of the engagement with your financial planner. You need to feel heard and understood, as opposed to being lectured to or talked down to.
- Look at the big picture: Financial planning is more than just retirement planning or tax planning, so it’s important to keep both your long- and short-term goals in mind when developing a strategy.
- Don’t confuse financial planning with investing: There is a difference, and you need to distinguish between them. The financial planning process helps you understand the impact that one decision may have on other areas of your financial life.
- Don’t expect unrealistic returns on investments: The market fluctuates daily, so take a long-term view, especially with your retirement funds. It is not uncommon for clients to adopt a 30-year time horizon for retirement.
- Don’t wait until a money crisis to begin financial planning: It is never too early to plan, nor is it ever too late to start planning. You may not be able to control stock market volatility, interest rate fluctuations, or the value of your home, but you can still be in control of your future. Planning provides direction and guidance, which can ultimately increase your financial confidence.
To assist you further, here are three tips on how to pick a financial planner.
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By Carmen Martinez
Financial Adviser
Egan, Berger & Weiner, LLC
Do men and women invest differently?
Books, research, and independent studies have concluded—yes, women do invest differently than their male counterparts. And, in many cases, it leads to greater earnings, especially in the long-term.
As a financial adviser, having observed the investment behavior on Wall Street for more than 25 years, I must say that I concur.
So, what exactly is the difference in the male and female approach?
The reasons are varied, as you’ll see below. But, studies show:
- Women tend to have conservative attitudes toward risk-taking and demonstrate a steady temperament to their investment strategy.
- Men, on the other hand, typically are overconfident and demonstrate unsteady temperament to their investment strategy.
Let’s take a look at how these differences have developed.
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Arlington VA, Today — In this press release on press releases, by PR guru Hope Katz Gibbs, you’ll learn how to structure, execute, and artfully craft a press release that gets attention.
“Grabbing the reader’s attention, encouraging them to attend an event or learn more about a product or service, and intriguing reporters so they want to learn more is the goal for any good press release,” says Gibbs, the founder of Inkandesent Public Relations, and a veteran journalist who for more than a decade has been happily writing interesting press releases that get picked up by the media.
“Whenever I’m writing a release, my purpose is to tell a story—albeit briefly—that makes readers want to learn more about the topic I’m discussing,” she says. “Of course, it’s also rewarding to write a press release so that it reads like a mini-article, since this gives it a greater chance of being picked up by newspapers, magazines, and blogs.”
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Hope Katz Gibbs was proud to speak on the “The Woman Manager” panel at Webster University’s DC Campus on September 5, 2012, 5:30 pm at Bolling Air Force Base.
The Woman Manager is a course where Webster University students examine the role of women in modern industrial society. Emphasis is placed on the particular difficulty women experience in assuming managerial roles in a predominantly male enterprise. Course content focuses on the managerial tools women managers may use to control their organizations.
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Vienna, VA, September 10, 2012 — ING Financial Partners has honored longtime Financial Planner Michael Egan with the prestigious Advisory Elite distinction, earned by fewer than 1% of investment adviser representatives who work with the firm.
Egan has achieved this status for attaining notably high levels of assets under management and because of his investment planning success.
“The Advisory Elite status marks an important career milestone,” said Karl Lindberg, President of ING Financial Partners. “This is an opportunity for ING Financial Partners to acknowledge Egan’s hard work, sustained success, and dedication to client satisfaction over time.”
Designed for investment adviser representatives, The Advisory Elite honors advisers who have grown and sustained their business to an impressive level. To be recognized as an Advisory Elite member, Egan exceeded an assets-under-management milestone that sets him apart as a top performer.
Egan is co-founder and partner at Egan, Berger & Weiner, LLC. He has more than 21 years of experience in the financial services industry and holds the CFP® certification.
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By Andy Hines
Futurist
Hinesight, www.andyhinesight.com
What makes 12 to 24-year-olds happy? That’s the question that MTV Research wanted to know when they approached me and my team at the futurist research and consulting firm Social Technologies (now Innovaro).
We had some basic ideas.
We figured that friends and technology would be important to this group. But how did they feel about religion, their parents, fame, and money? We began reading everything we could on the topic, and then the real research started.
MTV also enlisted the Associated Press to add a quantitative component to our qualitative findings. Their researchers polled 1,280 youths in the 12-to-24 age-range, and published a series of press releases based on this data.
In the end, the results surprised me a bit, for ultimately we discovered that youth will continue to perplex adults in their pursuit of happiness. They will exhibit a careful mixture of idealism and aspirations, tempered with a grasp of realities and practicalities. The biggest thing we learned was never to judge a book by its cover. Scroll down to find out why.
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September 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — Ever think about how you became an entrepreneur? Where did you learn to take risks? Who taught you to think out of the box, and to solve problems on your own?
It’s a fair guess to say that creative thinking and taking calculated risks was not on the teaching priority list of your elementary school, junior, or even senior high school.
More than likely, you learned how to sit still, be quiet, color between the lines, and not be a disruptor.
Sound familiar? Well, not a whole lot has changed over the past 20 years. Teachers teach to the test, kids learn for the tests, and reading and math are still king.
But there are those who know that things can be different.
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September 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — In Chapter 23 of The Big Book of HR, my co-author Cornelia Gamlem and I quote organizational consultant and author Warren Bennis, who said: “You need people who can walk their companies into the future rather than back them into the future.”
Bennis’ comment highlights the need for organizations to make a real effort to constantly provide opportunities for employees to learn and grow—otherwise, organizations won’t be positioned for growth.
Not only that, but they will not produce the value required to succeed in today’s increasingly competitive marketplace.
Why is professional development, and employee education, so important?
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September 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — “Statistics show that the number of unmarried couples who share the same residence is on the rise,” says FPA Diversity Committee Co-Chair Rita Cheng, CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and CEO of Blue Ocean Global Wealth “Just two years ago, the number of opposite-sex couples living together jumped 13 percent, to 7.5 million, according to the US Census Bureau. The number of same-sex couples living together in 2010 also increased over the previous year—up 30 percent—from 476,000 in 2009 to about 620,000 in 2010.”
Additional research confirms that the trend is continuing to grow, which presents unique financial planning concerns to the couples, as well as challenges for their financial planners.
Members of the Financial Planning Association (FPA) have created the FPA Diversity Initiative in an effort to raise awareness and promote an environment that embraces diverse communities of consumers and professionals.
Who is included in this demographic?
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August 2012, Costco Connection — Journalist, PR specialist, and entrepreneur Hope Katz Gibbs article on Charles Best, founder of DonorsChoose.org, was featured in the August 2012 issue of the Costco Connection.
Read about how this former teacher, with a Yale education, turned an idea sparked during lunch 12 years ago into a multi-million-dollar nonprofit organization that funds classroom projects.
“The average project costs about $500 to fund,” Best shares, noting that many projects cost as little as $150, but requests for bigger ticket items—such as playground equipment or trips to study abroad—can hit $30,000.
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By Sheldon Weiner
Financial Advisor/Partner
Egan, Berger & Weiner, LLC
If you are concerned that during your retirement years your money will run out, you are not alone.
Surveys suggest that more than 67 percent of Americans are worried about not having enough money for retirement, according to seniorsite.com, and of those, 61 percent fear outliving their money more than they fear death.1
Here’s why:
1. Pensions and Social Security checks used to be the main funding for retirement. Now, people have to rely more on their personal assets to fund retirement to ensure that their income lasts as long as they do. With an average life expectancy of 78 ½ years, we now live more than a decade longer than we did in 1950, yet retirement age has increased just two years—to age 67.2
2. The US Census Bureau reports that more than 50 percent of Americans anticipate working through retirement due to financial and healthcare needs. In 2008 roughly 33 million Americans were between the ages 55 and 64, and that number is expected to reach 43 million by 2020.
3. Asked about expected sources of income in retirement, 94 percent of Baby Boomers say they expect Social Security to be a major part of their income. They also thought pension plans (46%) and 401K-type plans (43%) would also pay a major part in their retirement income.6 However, 30 percent indicated they expect some of their retirement income to come from part-time work. Respondents expected only 9 percent to come from inheritances, and 11 percent from other sources.3
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WEBSITE — Inkandescent Speakers
Click image for larger view Writing / Concept by Hope Katz Gibbs
Website design by Michael Gibbs
Website coding / database by Max Kukoy
About The Inkandescent Speakers Bureau
Inkandescent Speakers include some of the top business experts, entrepreneurs, corporate and government leaders, futurists and inspirational visionaries, who offer best practices on the hottest trends in business, and personal/organizational development.
Our experienced speakers bring decades of real-world, corporate, and entrepreneurial know-how to your workshops, seminars, keynote speeches, lunch-and-learns, and networking events.
We invite you to click around the website, Meet our Speakers, check out our Upcoming Speaking Gigs, and review all of the Topics we can talk about. For fun, check out our Speaking Tips. Perhaps you’d like to become an Inkandescent Speaker, too.
We look forward to inspiring you and your team! For more information, and to book our speakers, contact Hope Katz Gibbs, founder of the Inkandescent Speakers Bureau, at 703 346-6975, hope@inkandescentpr.com.
Arlington, VA, August 21, 2012 — “Currently, social entrepreneurship is as much a field as it is a movement,” explains Beverly Schwartz in the introduction to her new book, Rippling: How Social Entrepreneurs Spread Innovation Throughout the World, which is the featured Book of the Month in the August issue of Be Inkandescent magazine.
“A whole new generation of ethical change agents—whether in business or academia or the media—is building a new sensibility about the way we live and interact,” Schwartz says, noting that these social entrepreneurs “begin by having a clear picture of the end in mind—the end being the creation of an emerging social phenomenon that cannot be reversed. They do what I always hoped I could do—confront difficult issues and actively pursue a more just, secure, and sustainable world.”
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Arlington, VA, August 20, 2012 — With quarterly taxes due in less than a month, on Sept. 15, conflict resolution expert and author Lisa McLeod asks Do you like paying taxes?
The issue: “I own my own business, which means I write quarterly checks to the IRS,” McLeod explains. “And I confess, in the past I didn’t enjoy paying them. We have a meeting every Friday afternoon to go over the cash flow, the receivables, and the projected revenues. At the top right corner of the report was an account labeled: Taxes.”
The old solution: “I set aside a chunk of every check for taxes so that she won’t come up short at the end of the month. After several years of business ups and downs, this has been our best year ever. I’m grateful. Yet as we made more money, the number in the Taxes account grew bigger, too, and I found myself getting more and more frustrated.”
Try this new solution.
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August 15, 2012, MoneyWatch — “Given the tight labor market, it’s tempting to immediately accept any job offer you might get,” writes CBS News reporter Amy Levin-Epstein. “But how can you tell if a prospective employer is making the best financial offer for the position in question?”
To figure out if a company is low-balling you, she interviewed Sharon Armstrong, author of The Essential HR Handbook, and owner of Sharon Armstrong & Associates, who says, “Do your due diligence.”
Click here to read the entire article.
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August 15, 2012, American Express OPEN Forum — An article on “4 Tips to an Effective Employee Review,” in today’s edition of American Express OPEN featured Sharon Armstrong, author of The Essential HR Handbook.
Her advice: Schedule frequent discussions. “Reviews can be stressful when employees don’t know what to expect and employers aren’t sure how to break news,” Armstrong says. “Take the edge off by scheduling frequent performance chats with your employee.”
Click here to read the entire article.
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Vienna VA, August 13, 2012 — “Since Social Security is a complicated system, it requires a significant amount of planning before you file for benefits,” says Michael Egan, co-founder and partner of the Northern Virginia financial planning firm Egan, Berger & Weiner, LLC. “I have spent years studying how it works so that I can best help my clients plan and prepare a proper strategy.”
He notes that savvy planners should keep in mind ways to integrate their Social Security strategy into their overall financial plan.
“Do not assume that the Social Security office will have all the answers to your questions; be sure to educate yourself,” Egan insists.
Click inside for key points to remember when you are planning your own Social Security strategy.
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Arlington, VA, August 10, 2012 — While working with multiple generations in the workforce is challenging, it isn’t impossible, says HR and hiring expert Barbara Mitchell, author of “The Big Book of HR.” The key is to take time to look for the common ground, she says.
“It’s also critical to honor and respect differences instead of letting them drive wedges between co-workers” she adds, noting that the best strategy is to realize that not everyone who is part of a certain generation behaves the same way.
Note, too, that in the coming years Millennials (born 1982-2003) will make up the largest segment of the US population, and, therefore, the workforce.
“Those of us who have been working for decades often find it hard to be patient with the younger employees on staff,” she has observed. “That’s why it is critical to understand where these folks are coming from.”
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August 9, 2012, MO.com — Entrepreneur and PR specialist Hope Katz Gibbs was featured today on MO.com, a website that interviews entrepreneurs from all walks, across all industries, and from around the world.
“We focus on their habits and methods; what makes them tick,” says founder Brian Null, noting M.O. is the abbreviation for Modus Operandi or Method of Operating and we interview entrepreneurs to learn about their methods and to share their strategies and business philosophies with our readers.
“We’re entrepreneurs ourselves and we get energized talking with others that have traveled down the same path of launching a new business or folks that are just about to embark on the adventure of starting a business,” he says.
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Washington, DC, August 9, 2012 — “Getting a good education and having success throughout school are clearly critical goals,” says Andrea Keating, founder of the international video-staffing firm Crews Control. “But to be truly successful, I believe the key to being educated is to be a lifelong learner.”
That’s why she established Crews Control University (CCU) in 2010.
“Not only do I want my entire team here at Crews Control be be up-to-date on the latest equipment and technology and production trends in our industry, I want to create an environment where all of our crews and clients have the opportunity to share in that learning opportunity as well,” Keating insists.
Click here to learn why Crews Control University has been such a hit.
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Understanding the “Me” Versus “We” Approach to Work to Prosper in the Era Ahead
Arlington, VA, August 27, 2012 — “Since at least the time of Socrates, older generations have criticized younger ones for not being as smart, hardworking, polite, selfless, or strong as they themselves were when they were young, explain generational experts Michael Hais and Morley Winograd.
“For that reason, it’s hardly surprising that a cottage industry has arisen devoted to attacking the nation’s youngest generation, Millennials (born 1982-2003), as a lazy, soft, self-centered, and narcissistic ‘me’ generation,” they note. Click inside to learn why.
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Arlington VA, August 8, 2012 — Playwright George Bernard Shaw once said, “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”
“By this definition, some of today’s leading entrepreneurs are decidedly unreasonable—and a fair few have even been dubbed crazy,” insists Pamela Hartigan, the August 2012 Entrepreneur of the Month in the monthly business magazine, BeInkandescent.com.
A frequent lecturer on social entrepreneurship and innovation at graduate schools of business in the USA, Europe, and Asia, and an adjunct professor at the Columbia Business School, Hartigan explains exactly what is social entrepreneurism, how social entrepreneurs are changing the world, and some of the new businesses that are emerging.
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August 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — In the Big Book of HR, my co-author Cornelia Gamlem and I talk about the challenges organizations face with employees from multiple generations in the workplace.
In fact, for the first time in US history, four generations may be working together in the same office: The Silent Generation (born 1925–1945), Baby Boomers (1946-1964), Generation X (1965-1981) and Millennials (1982-2003).
In May, in fact, the newest generation was named the Plurals by the market research firm, Frank N. Magid Associates. These are children born in 2004 and beyond, and their views will be very different from the views of even the generation that immediately precedes them, the Millennials, because the Plurals are the first generation in America that will be majority “minority,” as evidenced by recent statistics from the US Census Bureau. Click here for details.
Take heart. Managing multiple generations isn’t impossible.
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August 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — “Currently, social entrepreneurship is as much a field as it is a movement,” explains Beverly Schwartz in the introduction to her new book, Rippling: How Social Entrepreneurs Spread Innovation Throughout the World.
“A whole new generation of ethical change agents—whether in business or academia or the media—is building a new sensibility about the way we live and interact,” she says, noting that these social entrepreneurs “begin by having a clear picture of the end in mind—the end being the creation of an emerging social phenomenon that cannot be reversed. They do what I always hoped I could do—confront difficult issues and actively pursue a more just, secure, and sustainable world.”
The movement, and Schwartz’s book, are garnering plenty of praise.
“With Rippling, Beverly Schwartz has advanced thinking and practice about entrepreneurial endeavors that strive to transform systems,” says Pamela Hartigan, our August 2012 Entrepreneur of the Month, who is the director of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at Oxford University’s Saïd Business School. “Her key contribution lies in the practical aspects of becoming a changemaker, whether or not one sets out to start one’s own venture, or join the growing ecosystem of organizations springing up around the world to support these pragmatic visionaries and their teams.”
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August 1, 2012, Financial Planning — In his article, Girding for Inflation: Weathering the Inflationary Cycle, reporter Joseph Lisanti writes:
“Anyone who’s bought gas, paid a medical bill or sent a child off to college recently knows that the Consumer Price Index doesn’t tell the whole story of inflation. Whether you think inflation is here now or is headed our way, planners should prepare for it. Even at an annual rate of 4.5% – the inflation level when President Richard Nixon imposed wage and price controls in August 1971 – prices would double in roughly 16 years.”
For the article, he interviewed Bryan Beatty, a financial planner at Egan Berger & Weiner in Vienna, Va., who said:
“Commodities are widely seen as an economic canary in a coal mine. “The very first place inflation always shows up is in commodities. But they aren’t a panacea for inflation. When prices rise so high that they choke the economy, commodity bull markets can end abruptly. They can easily collapse if that inflation causes a recession.”
Less costly alternatives are actively managed funds that come under the 1940 Act. Beatty says he has moved to such funds from static ETFs because of the market exaggerations caused by traders buying and selling gold and energy. “We don’t want the distortion caused by crowded speculative trades,” he says.
To read the entire article, click here.
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August 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — Although many people know that saving for their financial future is important, many don’t know what steps to take to accomplish their goals.
Following is a primer that I use to help my clients understand the playing field of financial planning. My hope is that it will make taking the first steps in the planning process easier for you, too. Let’s get started.
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Aug. 1, 2012, financialplanning.com — “Experts disagree about whether the economy is in an inflationary cycle, but advisors can offer clients ways to brace for it,” writes reporter Joseph Lisanti in today’s issue of Financial-Planning.com.
Financial planner Bryan Beatty of Egan, Berger & Weiner, LLC in Vienna VA, says commodities are widely seen as an economic canary in a coal mine.
“The very first place inflation always shows up is in commodities,” says Beatty. “But they aren’t a panacea for inflation, he adds. When prices rise so high that they choke the economy, commodity bull markets can end abruptly. They can easily collapse if that inflation causes a recession.
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By Michael Egan, CFP®
Certified Financial Planner™
Partner, Egan, Berger & Weiner
Since Social Security is a complicated system, it requires a significant amount of planning before you file for benefits. I have spent years studying how it works so that I can best help my clients plan and prepare a proper strategy.
Click inside for some key points to remember when you are planning your own Social Security strategy. Keep in mind that you should always integrate your Social Security strategy into your overall financial plan. Do not assume that the Social Security office will have all the answers to your questions;, be sure to educate yourself.
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Review by Bryan Beatty
Partner, Egan, Berger & Weiner, LLC
Columnist, Be Inkandescent Magazine
They say 50 is the new 40, and odds are good that if you are now in this second half of life, you feel as vital, energetic, and passionate as ever. As a result, Baby Boomers reaching their 50s and 60s are redefining what it means to retire.
That’s why I thoroughly enjoyed psychologist David Borchard’s book, “The Joy of Retirement: Finding Happiness, Freedom, and the Life You’ve Always Wanted.”
For the last three decades, Borchard has helped adults rejuvenate their careers and lives, and find fulfillment and meaning as older adults. And although the financial side of retirement and aging is different from the physiological side, it is clearly equally as important.
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July 27, NPR — In a discussion about “Political Implications Of Today’s Generation Gap,” generations expert Morley Winograd joined David Leonhardt Washington bureau chief of The New York Times, and Karlyn Bowman, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute on the Diane Rehm Show today.
“Some say the gap between younger and older Americans over economic, social and political issues is wider than at any time since the the 1960s,” said Rehm. “We explore what this could mean for federal spending priorities and the outcome of the 2012 election.”
Click here to listen to the broadcast: thedianerehmshow.org.
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Date: October 26, 2012 • Annapolis, MD
Speaker: Amy Steindler, life coach, InsightOut Life, with Rick Lesan, Frontier Advisors LLC
Topic: “How to Invest Without Losing Your Mind”
Anne Arundel County Public Library Foundation
Note: This speaking engagement is not open to the public.
Date: September 2012 • Dulles, VA
Speaker: Hope Katz Gibbs, PR coach, entrepreneur, publisher
Topic: PR Rules: The Playbook
The HeartLink Network
Date: September 2012 • New York City, NY
Speaker: Hope Katz Gibbs, PR coach, entrepreneur, publisher
Topic: How To Be Your Own Publicist
Webgrrls International
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In celebration of the 25th anniversary of Michael Gerber’s blockbuster book for entrepreneurs, “The E-Myth,” we had the pleasure of interviewing the world-renowned author, who is our July 2012 Entrepreneur of the Month.
This entrepreneur-extraordinaire has not only sold many millions of books—and made millions for himself—he has spent decades helping us figure out why most businesses don’t work—and what to do about it.
And, like many entrepreneurs, there came a point in his career when he wanted to create something new—something that leveraged the insights he had gleaned over the years, and captured his imagination. In 2008, his new big idea, called “The Dreaming Room,” was born. Scroll down to learn more.
Also in this issue, our columnists offer a plethora of ideas to awaken the entrepreneur within you:
And remember: “It is only when the mind is free from the old that it meets everything anew, and in that there is joy.” — from The First and Last Freedom by Jiddu Krishnamurti
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Hope Katz Gibbs
Inkandescent Public Relations
703 346-6975 / hope@inkandescentpr.com
CREWS CONTROL FORECASTS THE FUTURE OF THE VIDEO INDUSTRY
When it comes to tracking trends in the corporate video world, it’s time to go beyond what’s new, bigger, and better, says Andrea Keating, founder of the international video-staffing firm Crews Control. Following are some of the industry trends that her company is tracking.
Washington, DC, July 2, 2012 — The video production world, like most other industries, is moving forward at lightning speed thanks to new technologies, realizes Andrea Keating, founder of the international video-staffing firm Crews Control.
“But think back—it wasn’t always this way,” she insists. “Just a few years ago, for instance, our clients were using tape, and standard definition at that.”
What started the flurry of innovation? In the June issue of her monthly publication, Crews Control News, Keating’s trend analyst Rebekah Toth provides interesting statistics (such as those listed below), as well as a thoughtful analysis of the trends in video production that may interest your readers.
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July 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — Not so very long ago, employees worked for an organization for a long time, and were taken care of. Employers provided training, and development opportunities were available for the asking. WOW—times have changed.
Now, each of us is responsible for our own career development and, while this may be frightening to some, it is actually a very positive trend. Having more control is a good thing as long as you take your responsibility seriously and manage your own career development. You’d better, because no one else is going to do it for you!
In today’s highly competitive work environment, most organizations want people to fill positions who are fully trained and ready to contribute. While some very smart organizations have seen the value of providing mentors for new hires, many are working in what we call the “plug and play” world where new hires are expected to be fully functional immediately.
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July 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — Even if you already have a 529 plan, you may want to consider establishing a Coverdell Education Savings Account.
It is one of the best-kept secrets and often overlooked when establishing a college savings plan. Investors have more flexibility and control of the investments—they can select any qualifying investment, including certificates of deposit, mutual funds, and tech stocks.
To invest in a Coverdell though, you have to meet the income guidelines: a maximum of $110,000 in modified adjusted gross income for single filers, and $220,000 for married filers.
Parents can make annual after-tax contributions of up to $2,000 per year per child, and the money can be devoted not only to college costs, but also to primary and secondary education. Earnings are tax-free, provided that the money is used for qualified education-related expenses. Prior to establishing a Coverdell ESA, there are important considerations to address.
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By Bryan Beatty, CFP®
Certified Financial Planner™
Partner, Egan, Berger & Weiner LLC
When you run your own business, you are a master juggler—someone who as business guru Michael Gerber says succeeds most quickly when he or she works on their business, not in their business.
Too often, however, business owners get so overwhelmed with growing their organization that they neglect personal financial-planning issues.
Why would you want to move the goal of saving for retirement up higher on your priority list?
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The Inkandescent Group, LLC is a PR, marketing, publishing, and design firm that helps business owners polish their image so they can increase their presence in the marketplace.
To help our clients accomplish that goal, we offer a series of services—including website development, PR, marketing, monthly newsletters, media outreach, event planning, strategic social media, networking opportunities, an online magazine, and access to Internet TV. Additional services in the works include a Speakers Bureau and a book publishing imprint.
Our team includes experienced journalists, illustrators/designers, photographers, and videographers — who, like many of our clients, are also entrepreneurs. We have worked in the publishing world for decades and know what it takes to get the visibility needed to help a company grow.
Click inside to find information about the seven services of The Inkandescent Group. Please contact company founder and president Hope Gibbs with questions: hope@inkandescentpr.com, or 703-346-6975.
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We are regularly asked by experts and business owners how they can become a columnist for Be Inkandescent Magazine, an online monthly business publication for entrepreneurs, which gets more than 300,000 hits each month.
Established in January 2010, the magazine is a publication of Inkandescent Public Relations, www.inkandescentpr.com, a full-service PR, marketing, design, and website development firm that helps entrepreneurs get more visibility so that their businesses can grow and prosper.
Click “Read More” for a list of the benefits of joining our team as a Columnist. And for more information, contact publisher Hope Katz Gibbs at hope@inkandescentpr.com or 703 346-6975.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Hope Katz Gibbs
Inkandescent Public Relations
hope@inkandescentpr.com / 703 346-6975
5 TIPS FOR RETIRMENT SUCCESS
Everyone knows they should plan for retirement-but too many people never get around to doing it. Following are five simple ways to make the process easier, courtesy of the financial planning firm Egan, Berger & Weiner, LLC
Washington, DC, July 2, 2012 – Although many people are concerned about the economy, planning ahead for a secure financial future isn’t something that most people have mastered. And that can be a big mistake, especially during turbulent financial times.
“Planning for retirement is the equivalent of deciding to go on a trip to a place that’s far away and unfamiliar,” says Bryan Beatty, a partner at Egan, Berger & Weiner, LLC, who has been a financial planner for more than two decades. “You need to figure out how much gas and food you’ll need, and which transportation methods you will use. Then you have to chart a route or series of paths you must take to get to your destination without getting stuck at an impassable bridge or diving into a ravine or missing your target entirely and getting lost in a desert. You get the picture.” Following are some of the tips that Beatty shares with his clients.
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June 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — In Chapter 29 of my latest book, The Big Book of HR, we talk about risk management. What better way to avoid risk than to incorporate wellness programs in today’s workplace?
Indeed, many organizations already provide employee wellness programs, including nutrition and weight control, smoking cessation, stress reduction, and fitness. These programs yield healthier and more productive employees, which translates into savings on health insurance for the employer and the employee.
What else pays off? Motivating employees, and their family members, through information and incentives that encourage them to participate in wellness programs.
Consider the ROI on the program initiated at Johnson & Johnson.
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http://www.beinkandescent.com/articles/1015/wellness+programs+work
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By Andrea Keating
Founder and CEO, Crews Control
June 2012
When it comes to having a healthy business, I know the key to success is to surrounded myself with creative people. Not only do I have more fun, but the more creative they are, the more I learn from them.
I then find ways to take their best ideas and incorporate them into my business, so that my employees and clients all benefit from the creativity that is generated. Click here to learn more about Crews Control’s Four Creativity Secrets.
In my quest to understand even more about the power of creativity, I picked up a copy of “Imagine,” by Jonah Lehrer. In it, he points to research that shows entrepreneurs with expansive social networks are three times more innovative than people with only small networks of close friends.
“Instead of getting stuck in the rut of conformity—thinking the same tired thoughts as everyone else—they are able to invent profitable new concepts, thanks to their wide social circles and collections of acquaintances who inspire novel thoughts,” he writes in Chapter 7.
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June 2012, Be Inkandescent magazine — Discussing financial matters can be stressful for couples.* It pulls up a lot of emotional baggage and fear, and may shine a light on fundamental differences that the couple isn’t aware of.
Hard as this conversation is, the key is to a happy marriage is to address money issues long before a conflict, or financial crisis, emerges.
Here are three things you should know the money habits of your partner—before you marry:
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August 9, 2012, MO.com — Entrepreneur and PR specialist Hope Katz Gibbs was featured today on MO.com, a website that interviews entrepreneurs from all walks, across all industries, and from around the world.
“We focus on their habits and methods; what makes them tick,” says founder Brian Null, noting M.O. is the abbreviation for Modus Operandi or Method of Operating and we interview entrepreneurs to learn about their methods and to share their strategies and business philosophies with our readers.
“We’re entrepreneurs ourselves and we get energized talking with others that have traveled down the same path of launching a new business or folks that are just about to embark on the adventure of starting a business,” he says.
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By Bryan Beatty, CFP®
Certified Financial Planner™
Partner, Egan, Berger & Weiner LLC
5 Tips for Retirement Success
1. Understand the risks of longevity and aging.
Part of any retirement plan should be to live a healthy and enjoyable life. However, living a long life presents a challenge you may not be fully aware of—longevity risk.
The fear of outliving ones assets is one of the highest fears expressed by today’s Baby Boomers. Today the average 64-year-old couple retiring has about than 20 percent chance of one of them living to be older than 95, according to the Single Life Expectancies Based on Annuity 2000 Mortality Table.
If we are going to live that long, we need to plan for our own long-term care, sometimes referred to eldercare. This is in addition to maintaining a nest egg for as long as 30 years while providing adequate income that increases with inflation.
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By Morley Winograd and Michael D. Hais
Authors, Millennial Momentum
One of the distinctive traits of Millennials (born roughly 1982-2003) is a constant feeling of being pressured. Thanks to their parents setting high expectations for them, Millennials consider life a series of hoops to be jumped through.
At each stage of their young lives, from kindergarten to college, the pressure to succeed has made them a risk averse, anxious generation, even as they remain optimistic about their ultimate success.
As a result, almost half of Millennials (45%) report feeling nervous due to stress at least monthly, and more than half (52%) say that their stress levels have increased over the last five years. But Millennials are also demonstrating a much healthier approach to dealing with this problem than older generations, reinforcing their reputation as the best-behaved American generation in decades.
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May 30, 2012, The Network Journal — In today’s edition of The Network Journal, reporter Ann Brown explained how entrepreneurs can develop their creative minds.
“Some of the most successful businesspeople are those who think outside of the box,” she writes, and quotes Inkandescent PR’s founder Hope Gibbs about some of the steps needed to accomplish that goal.
“Creativity is the key to making any dream come true. Innovation in business is obviously driven by imagination,” Gibbs says. “But do keep in mind that all of the creative thinking in the world won’t make a business successful. A strategic plan, with goals and a timeline, is the key to turning the best ideas into reality.”
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Writing / Concept by Hope Katz Gibbs
Design / Illustration by by Michael Gibbs
Photos by TaranZ
CLIENT: Hope Katz Gibbs, president and founder
Great Handmade Gifts, Inc.
Clifton, VA
ASSIGNMENT: Create sophisticated corporate look for e-commerce gift company that mostly functions online.
TARGET AUDIENCE: Shoppers, with focus on women (busy ones — and moms, in particular); and male / female artists and artisans to join the network
CHALLENGE: Although she launched in September 2001, Hope took several years to perfect the image and goals of her company. When she launched her website in December 2003, she wanted to have marketing materials ready get the word out in a bigger way. But she needed them to reflect the high-end gifts she sells on her website, www.greathandmadegifts.comBecause part of her business plan is to attract artists and artisans who make handmade gifts, it needed to be inviting for that arts audience, as well.
SOLUTION: Mike and Hope came up with a cover image for the brochure (three stalks of lucky bamboo, signifying happiness) that suggest the company is holistic and creative, but grounded. Inside the three-panel brochure are images of the assortment of gifts offered on the website’s nine “shops:” art gallery, books & music, home & garden, jewelry, clothes, babies & kids, brides & grooms, chocolates & treats, and wine & dine.
The colors of the brochure, and accompanying letterhead, thank you notes, and business card are warm olives and greens, which reflects the colors of the website.
CLIENT FEEDBACK: “I felt the entire package worked and the hit the mark I was going for: sophisticated, elegant and practical promotional materials,” says Hope. “These reflect the image I was trying to project for the company as a whole. I have only gotten positive feedback from the clients who shop with us and the artists / artisans who have joined the network.”
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Writing / Concept by Hope Katz Gibbs
Design / Illustration by by Michael Gibbs
Photos by Steve Barrett
CLIENT: Tony Simon, owner
The Fun Company for Kids
Fairfax, VA
ASSIGNMENT: Create brochure, letterhead, business cards, prize tickets for children’s party / play place in Alexandria, VA
TARGET AUDIENCE: Kids, teens, parents
CHALLENGE: Tony bought the Fun Company in the summer of 2003, and spent months upgrading the play place. He wanted the look of his marketing / promotional materials to reflect the new energy and offerings.
SOLUTION: Mike and Hope came up with a large format three-panel brochure full of color, photos by Steve Barrett. The theme of balls, balloons, and birthday party fun dominated.
CLIENT FEEDBACK: “I loved the way it came out because you really get the feeling that the Fun Company is a great place to have a birthday party or bring a play group,” Tony said. “But you also can tell that we have a cool snack bar and arcade, which makes it a good place for teenagers to come and hang out. I felt these promo materials really hit the mark.”
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Writing / Concept by Hope Katz Gibbs
Design / Illustration by by Michael Gibbs
CLIENT: Bobbi Katz, interior designer
Philadelphia, PA
ASSIGNMENT: Create brochure, letterhead for new interior design business for children’s rooms.
TARGET AUDIENCE: Parents, grandparents
SOLUTION: Fun and colorful, but sophisticated design dominates the look of this package.
CLIENT FEEDBACK: “I felt Hope and Mike accomplished the goal of illustrating the fact that I’m running a kid-focused company — but one that offers elegant, high-end interior design,” Bobbi said. “I am very proud to hand out these brochures. I have gotten several clients since I the materials printed, and the feedback from customers — and my vendors — has been incredibly positive.”
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