Loonshots: How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas That Win Wars, Cure Diseases, and Transform Industries
By Safi Bachall
St. Martin’s Press
In 2004, a team of engineers was gripped with a fantastic idea: They would make a handheld phone with a big color screen and give it the ability to connect to the internet. Plus they would set up a store where people could download applications for the phone.
Sound familiar? Surprise. Those engineers were not at Apple. They were at Nokia, where that crazy idea was shot down soon after birth.
Three years later, writes Safi Bachall, Nokia engineers watched Steve Jobs introduce their dumb idea on a stage in San Francisco.
Bachall’s book chronicles Loonshots, crazy ideas that change the world — or would change the world, if they weren’t buried and forgotten.
Bachall’s exceedingly readable book combines the principles of science with business to show how good teams often kill good ideas.
The structure of companies and teams means more than culture, he writes. Bachall points out that small, starving companies can produce dazzling results because the stakes are high for all members. Rank doesn’t matter. But as the teams get larger and more successful, the stakes aren’t nearly as high. Then rank matters more. At that point, good ideas can be ditched.
Small changes in structure, not culture, can transform a team, he writes.
This book will interest business leaders for its unique take on teams and culture. But anyone who wants to know about the nature of success and failure will be fascinated by the many stories Bachall tells.
Top cybersecurity threats in 2019
Data breaches, hacking, and skimming — all of it poses a threat to consumers and business during 2019.
According to the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), data breaches increased sharply in 2018 with 1,027 breaches reported and 57,667,911 records compromised.
Today’s hackers are very deft at outsmarting security measures, said Michael Bruemmer, Experian Vice President of Data Breach Resolution, adding that, “cybercriminals always seem to stay a step ahead of new security gates.”
Experian’s top five threats for 2019 are:
1) Biometric hacking and detecting flaws in touch ID sensors, passcodes, and facial recognition. Although biometric data is the most secure method of authentication, it can be stolen or altered.
2) Skimming a major financial institution’s national network with hidden devices to steal credit card information, and invading bank network computers with undetectable malware.
3) Attack on a significant wireless carrier with simultaneous effect on iPhones and Androids, stealing personal information from millions of smartphones and possibly disabling all wireless communications in the U.S.
4) A breach in the security operations of a top cloud vendor will jeopardize the sensitive information of major companies.
5) The gaming community will be faced with cybercriminals posing as gamers for access to its computers and the personal data of trusting players.
According to the ITRC, significant breaches from 2005-2017 rose from about 200 per year to more than 1,300. Billions of data pieces have been exposed, allowing cybercriminals to monetize stolen data, leading to an increased risk of identity theft.
What can consumers do against security threats?
- Do not share personal information with strangers over the phone, email or text messages.
- Sign up for free credit report monitoring to receive alerts about your credit activity.
- Get a free dark web scan to see if your Social Security number, email or phone number has been compromised. Hackers sell stolen information on the dark web.
Customer Service: What to do when the customer is lying
The customer says the pizza tastes bad, but the customer ate half of it.
The shopper asks for a refund for a shirt that has clearly been worn and worn out.
The caller says the gadget he bought was broken on arrival. It has been six months!
In small business, when you’re running close to the margin, customers who want your product for free are not only annoying but also expensive.
How should you treat this situation?
Give them the benefit of the doubt, says CXService360. Small business has a huge investment of time and money in each customer. You generally want to keep the customer, if there is any chance the customer is telling the truth. Customers return to a company where they’re treated with respect. Not only do these customers come back but they also tell their friends, comment on social media, and discuss positive experiences with family and friends.
That means treating even the unlikely complaint with respect and professionalism. Agents can thank the customer for calling or showing up and then point out the shirt looks well-worn and make an offer that is somewhat less than a refund. To make this work, the agent or sales person has to be trained.
Some customer service situations occur because the customer is angry, not about their current complaint, but about something else. Customer service representatives can make polite chat about how often they shop or use the service and whether they have had other complaints. It could be a learning situation.
If the business does make an exchange or refund on an item in which the credibility of the customer is suspect, a record should be made. You don’t have to keep a dishonest customer. All you have to do is keep your temper because losing it usually goes badly.
While some companies are terrified of bad talk on social media, remember that while happy customers talk you up, and unhappy customers can talk you down, dishonest customers pass the word around. If you are too easy, there is a slice of humanity out there who will exploit it. Some larger retailers make 100 percent lifetime quality guarantees and they have accepted routinely dishonest customers as a cost of business. But talk to the customer service reps and they’ll tell you: the word gets around. If you aren’t a giant retailer, that’s a word you may not want out there.
Why Should I Get Renter’s Insurance?
With so many bills and so many more interesting things to spend your money on, purchasing renters’ insurance is probably not high on your to do list, if it is there at all. You already pay for auto insurance because the law requires it, but you probably wonder why you should get renter’s insurance if it is not required in Cypress, TX. Is it not just adding an unnecessary bill to the already huge stack you have?
Imagine that you are renting a home that you have spent a great deal of time and money on to make it “your own”. You are sleeping soundly one night when your dog wakes you in a panic and you find yourself in the midst of a fire. You and your dog are able to escape through your window and get away from the house. Once you are safely waiting on the fire department, the gravity of the situation hits you. Everything you owned was in that house, down to your wallet with last week’s pay and your cell phone. You have nothing left but your dog and the pajamas you are wearing. And if that is not bad enough, you soon find out that your landlord’s insurance will only cover the house, not your possessions. Now you face the daunting task of starting over without the help of an insurance check.
No, renter’s insurance is not required by law in Cypress, TX. Unless your landlord requires it, you do not have to get it. Consider though how much you would regret not having it in the example above. InsureUS renter’s insurance policies cannot prevent a fire, a theft, a storm, or any other situation that could destroy your rental home possessions. They can, however, make the road to recovering your life easier. Give InsureUS a call today to discuss renter’s insurance options and to understand your coverage options.
How to fund your small business
To start a small business, most entrepreneurs tap into their funds first, even when they also plan to procure debt financing in the form of a small business loan, equity financing from angel investors, or a venture capitalist.
Otherwise, virtually every lender expects the person seeking a business loan or equity investment to make a personal financial contribution.
If you don’t have ready cash, look to your personal assets as potential sources of startup money. These sources include real estate, vehicles, retirement accounts, stocks and bonds, or any other asset that can be mortgaged, sold for cash, or used for collateral.
According to the small business website, home equity loans are among the most cost-effective methods for borrowing. Compared to other types of financing, their interest rates are meager, and financial institutions are prepared to lend up to 80 percent of the value of a home.
At the same time, credit cards are a familiar source of startup money for asset-poor entrepreneurs despite the soaring rates of interest.
The next most prevalent source of small business startup funds is family, friends, or a combination of both. This sort of small business financing often takes the form of a personal loan.
Statistics indicate that about half of the investors in businesses are family members, 30% are friends and neighbors, and the remaining 20% are colleagues or strangers.
Of course, one of the main advantages of family and/or friend financing is flexibility. Family and friends are much more likely to seek a lower rate of return on their investment and wait longer to get their money back. They are less likely to require collateral and scrutinize a business plan as would a financial institution.
Even so, borrowing money from family and friends is not without its potential pitfalls. Loans from one or more family members to another can produce jealousy or resentment. Family or friends who’ve invested in the business venture may feel they have a right to make or participate in the owner’s business decisions. Even worse, if the business fails and the owner is unable to repay the money owed, his or her relationship with the family members and/or friends may be forever impaired.
Caution lights for the 2018 tax filer
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) may not mean reduced taxes for every taxpayer, but it figures prominently for the American population as a whole.
According to TaxAct.com and other sources, the tax rates of past years are gone. Almost every tax rate and bracket for each filing status have been changed. Except for the 10% and 35% tax rates, tax changes modified most bracket rates from 1 to 4 percentage points.
The standard deduction has been increased for every filing status. Now it’s $12,000 for a single person, $24,000 for married couples filing jointly and the surviving spouse, $12,000 for married couples filing separately, and $18,000 for the head of a household.
However, the higher standard deductions mean that fewer people can itemize deductions. This change has its pros and cons, as new limits on certain itemized deductions indicate some taxpayers will lose substantial amounts they could have deducted in the past.
Depending on how many people live in the household, the increase of the standard deduction may or may not be sufficient to offset the loss of the personal exemption. Also, under the new reforms, no longer can the taxpayer claim the $4,050 personal exemption for each dependent.
Gone too are miscellaneous itemized deductions that exceed 2% of adjusted gross income (AGI). Among these deductions are unreimbursed employee expenses, safe deposit fees, investment management fees, and union dues.
Also, when previously there was no cap on state and local income taxes, now those expenses are limited to $10,000.
Meanwhile, the Child Tax Credit increases from $1,000 to $2,000, plus a new $500 credit applies for non-child dependents.
With the repeal of the Affordable Care Act’s mandate, no longer does a person choosing to forego health care coverage in 2019 pay tax penalties.
As for the mortgage interest deduction, filers who purchased a home in 2018 can deduct interest up to $750,000 in mortgage debt instead of the previous $1 million.
Also, no longer is the interest on a home-equity loan deductible.
For Americans, it’s still saving versus spending
American economic growth is high and appears to be reliable, but a warning light is flashing: Personal savings are falling.
Consumers comprise roughly 70 percent of the economy — a crucial force in economic growth.
Overall, economic growth climbed by 2.6 percent on a quarterly basis at the end of 2018. Personal consumption increased substantially in the fourth quarter of 2018 just as the savings rate slumped to 2.6 percent as a share of disposable income, its third-lowest on record.
A new study finds the median American household has $4,830 in a savings account, and almost 30 percent have less than $1,000 saved.
As of June 2018, millennials had saved less than baby boomers. Of course, older Americans have had more than three decades longer and larger salaries from which to save.
By age, these figures show millennials (born 1981-1998) saving $2,430; Gen X (1965-1980), $15,780; and baby boomers and older (born before 1964), $24,280.
MagnifyMoney, a company that provides consumers with comparison-shopping information for financial products, uses data from the Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
According to the company, its results indicate that while half of all U.S. households have more than $4,830 in savings, half have less. Among households having at least some money set aside, the median savings is about $73,000.
But, Americans may still owe more in debt than they save.
According to Northwestern Mutual’s 2018 Planning & Progress Study, Americans now have an average of $38,000 in personal debt excluding home mortgages — a $1,000 increase from a year ago.
Meanwhile, the study reported fewer people said they carry no debt this year compared to 2017–23 percent versus 27 percent.
According to Emily Holbrook, Northwestern Mutual’s director of planning, the typical American’s purse strings are in “a mini tug” between enjoying the present while saving for the future.
Legal issues crucial when forming small business
Entrepreneurs are busy people. They’ve got a ton of things on their mind from marketing and advertising to customer service and phones forever ringing to business appointments — and more.
Unfortunately, legal and technical issues have to be attended to at the same time.
According to Entrepreneur magazine, small businesses need to take some basic steps as they grow.
- Set up the proper business structure. There are sole proprietorships, LLCs, S corporations, C corps, and partnerships. Choosing the correct one means learning the advantages and disadvantages of each. For example, as a sole proprietor, the business owner and the business are considered as one in the legal system. If your company is sued, all your personal assets are at risk. Corporate structures and LLCs offer protection of personal assets, although this protection isn’t a guarantee. Talk to a lawyer and accountant about the structure you need.
- Set up and follow customer service policies. When you access company websites, especially those that provide services of some sort, you’ll usually see a Terms and Conditions agreement. Included in this agreement are all the specifics for the use of your products or services and the customer’s obligations in that use. If you do not have this policy in writing and a box for a customer to check before a purchase, you are wide open to inclusion in a lawsuit should that customer become a defendant.
- Set up accounting and tax systems. Is your business subject to sales/VAT taxes? When must you file your business income tax returns? Do you need to make quarterly payments? Business tax laws are complex. You need a good business accountant–or at the very least, proven accounting software–to keep accurate records and file your taxes on time.
- Obtain appropriate and complete contracts with outside vendors. When you use the services of or purchase raw materials from someone outside of your business, demand iron-clad contracts. Never agree to anything with a contractor without a legally-binding agreement with the terms and language set out clearly and properly.
- Get the proper documentation on employees. At minimum, before hiring, document and verify past employment. After hiring, document work hours, complaints, responsibilities and attendance issues such as sick days, personal days off, and vacation.
Be sure to specify, in writing, work expectations – including whether work can be done remotely.
The no-spend challenge
A financial writer set out to spend no extra money for a year.
Michelle McGagh and her husband vowed to pay bills, but not to buy coffee, clothes, or a beer at a pub. They didn’t eat out or even buy gas. Instead she rode her bike everywhere all the time. She spent only $35 on food every week, so she had to plan cheap meals.
What happened? At the end of one year she saved $23,000.
She admits the effort was not easy. She missed having face cream and fresh flowers. She missed socializing with friends at a pub. And they missed her.
On the other hand, she also found new ways to have fun for free and she realized how much money she frittered away. McGagh wrote about her extreme challenge in her book, “The No Spend Year: How you can spend less and live more.”
McGagh’s challenge was extreme–but what if you could spend nothing extra for just one month. Could you save money? Definitely.
According to Bankrate.com, the first thing to do is decide why. It could be to pay off a big bill that is coming or pad your savings account, but the goal should mean something to you.
Next steps:
- Eliminate any optional expense that comes out of your checking account such as subscriptions. They will take your money next month.
- Eliminate luxuries and start thinking of some things as luxuries. For example, cable TV. You could get rid of Netflix for $10 a month or cable for $120, or both.
- Make a barebones food plan and stick to it. No prepared foods. Make your own cookies. This is nearly its own challenge. Can you spend $100 a week or less on food?
- Cellphone: No extra overages or get rid of the plan, if you can.
- No restaurants or pubs. Plan some things to do that are free.
Then count your cash at the end of the month!
Is debt consolidation wise?
According to ConsumerCredit.com, people thinking about consolidating debts often have one question: Is debt consolidation wise or not?
The answer is maybe. As one might expect, the wisdom of debt consolidation depends on several factors:
- The interest rate on the new loan.
- The consumer’s goal in taking out the new loan.
- The consumer’s resolve not to take on any more debt.
With a debt consolidation, you move your debt to a new loan serviced by one lender instead of many.
In theory, with a new loan at a lower interest rate, the money saved on interest each month may enable you to pay off your debts faster. Or, if the new loan has a longer term, you may be able to lower your monthly payment. Either way, debt consolidation might be useful in some situations.
But debt consolidation isn’t always effective.
Debt consolidation is useful for people who are disciplined enough to make the payments without taking on new debt. That’s the key. If you consolidate, but don’t change spending habits, you’ll be in deeper debt in a few years.
With debt consolidation, good credit can make a big difference.
Trying to consolidate debt with bad credit is usually not wise. With a bad credit rating, it is unlikely that you can get a loan with low enough interest to make a difference in paying down debt. While having only one monthly payment may be a temporary source of comfort, consolidating debt to a high-interest loan hurts finances rather than improving them.
What Gear is Appropriate for New Motorcycle Riders?
If you’re new to riding, you’re at greater risk of having an accident due to your lack of experience on the road. For this reason, you should do what you can to maximize your protection.
Motorcycle insurance from InsureUS in Cypress, TX, can protect you and your bike against injuries and property damage. Motorcycle safety gear can minimize injuries that an accident can cause. What gear is appropriate for new motorcycle riders?
Motorcycle Helmet
Even if it’s not mandatory in your state, a motorcycle helmet is a must. A DOT (Department of Transportation) approved helmet can save your life in a serious accident. A helmet that covers your head and face offers the most protection.
If your helmet doesn’t come with a shield, a quality set of goggles will protect your eyes against rain, wind, bugs, and gravel kicked up from the wheels of surrounding traffic.
Jacket
A durable leather or synthetic jacket will protect you against the elements and bugs as you ride. It can also protect your chest, back and arms in the event of an accident. Choose a jacket that fits comfortably, has accessories you need (pockets, zippers, snaps, etc.) and coincides with your riding lifestyle.
Riding Boots
A sturdy pair of riding boots will protect your ankles and feet in a crash. If your foot gets trapped beneath your bike in an accident, a sturdy pair of motorcycle boots will help absorb the impact to keep your ankle bone from snapping.
Gloves
When you take a spill, the first thing you do is put out your hands to protect yourself. Motorcycle gloves offer protection against the risk of road burns and lacerations in an accident.
For quality motorcycle insurance coverage at an affordable cost, contact InsureUS in Cypress, TX.
