November 25, 2024

Jeffrey Kale Flagg Gives Straight Talk to Achievers

Jeffrey Kale Flagg is a Yale graduate who has worked on Wall Street, Los Angeles, Boston, Dallas, Salt Lake City, Orlando, Las Vegas, Honolulu and in Reno, Nevada, where he currently resides. It is through sheer ambition and skill that Jeffrey Kale Flagg has become the successful businessman he is today. Jeffrey Kale Flagg believes it’s important for people to be honest with themselves and own the role they play in their own success. Today, Jeffrey Kale Flagg talks to the staff of Interviewing Experts about what it takes to achieve one’s dreams.

Interviewing Experts: What role do we play in achieving our own dreams?

Jeffrey Kale Flagg: We are all in charge of whether or not we achieve our dreams. No one else. The moment of truth comes when someone has to face this fact and stop making excuses.

Interviewing Experts: You believe people obstruct themselves by judging their successes by what other people think, correct?

Jeffrey Kale Flagg: Yes. We tend to look for others to endorse our ideas, and this takes away our ability to control our own lives and achievements.

Interviewing Experts: How does it do that?

Jeffrey Kale Flagg: People will disagree; it’s a fact of life. When those people disagree, if we lack confidence, we may let that take us down.

Interviewing Experts: So basically, it’s all about having confidence.

Jeffrey Kale Flagg: Right! Confidence to follow your own vision no matter what others say. People who somehow find that confidence are the ones who have the most success.

Interviewing Experts: How does someone find that confidence?

Jeffrey Kale Flagg: The first step is making a commitment to be the captain of your own ship, of your own life and mind. This is crucial.

Interviewing Experts: You mean that I a choose whether or not to do that?

Jeffrey Kale Flagg: Sure. It’s a choice, just as everything in life is. Our choices determine the friends we have and the success we find in life.

Interviewing Experts: I’ve noticed a lot of people just want to complain.

Jeffrey Kale Flagg: This is one of the most frustrating things to me. People complain but never do anything about it.

Interviewing Experts: Some people try to do something but never can quite make it to the next level.

Jeffrey Kale Flagg: I’ve experienced that when I’ve tried to help people along their individual paths. The biggest problem is that some people simply aren’t willing to change. They’re listening to those outside voices too much and not trusting in themselves.

Jeffrey Kale Flagg is an entrepreneur and real estate investor who has led several companies to great success. Because his own mentors taught him how to achieve success, Jeffrey Kale Flagg recommends people find mentors and imitate their formula to find it as well. Jeffrey Kale Flagg lives in Reno with his wife and four children.

Missed Fortune: Why Insurance Companies Are Safe

Douglas Andrew

Douglas Andrew

Missed Fortune’s Douglas Andrew knows the financial uncertainties many are experiencing today. Through the Missed Fortune workshops and books, Douglas Andrew explains the importance of liquidity, safety, and rate of return in investments. Today, the Missed Fortune founder talks to Interviewing Experts about the insurance industry and how it manages to survive through every economic downturn.

Interviewing Experts: In the Missed Fortune educational materials, you talk about insurance companies having a high rate of return. Can you explain what that means?

Douglas Andrew: On many of the general account portfolios that we review, there will be a yield that turns over very slowly. Last fall, I was visiting a particular insurance company in Minnesota. They were reporting on the two trillion dollars worth of assets they manage.

Interviewing Experts: Two trillion?

Douglas Andrew: Two trillion. Do you know that’s the amount the Federal government collects in income tax a year? And this institution, which has far fewer employees, manages two trillion dollars.

Interviewing Experts: Even in this economy?

Douglas Andrew: In this low interest environment, where many business and investors are struggling, this particular company has a portfolio rate of about 6.18 percent.

Interviewing Experts: But aren’t interest rates relative?

Douglas Andrew: Yes. For example, back in the 80s, I was earning on my conservative insurance contracts amounts in the 13 percent range.

Interviewing Experts: That was a different time, though.

Douglas Andrew: At that time inflation was 10 percent and CDs and banks were paying at ten.

Interviewing Experts: The insurance company you’re describing was paying 6.18 percent in this low-interest environment, though.

Douglas Andrew: They were paying 6.18 percent and they used about one percent of that for their overhead.

Interviewing Experts: So this particular insurance company provided a high rate of return…

Douglas Andrew: Even in this environment, Missed Fortune found that a consumer could have a net rate of a return of about 5.2 percent.

Interviewing Experts: And that’s tax-free?

Douglas Andrew: Yes, that would be tax-free. That money is in a liquid environment, safely and predictably earning a good rate of return, which, as anyone who is familiar with the Missed Fortune workshops and educational materials knows, is the crux of my message.

Interviewing Experts: Can you explain what you mean by “LASER?”

Douglas Andrew: LASER is liquidity, safety, and rate of return.

Interviewing Experts: You mention in your Missed Fortune workshops that the insurance business is less risky.

Douglas Andrew: Insurance companies are professionals at managing risk. Missed Fortune has found that because of this, insurance companies always maintain liquidity of principal.

Interviewing Experts: This has been great advice, Mr. Andrew. Thanks for speaking with us today.

Missed Fortune’s Douglas Andrew provides financial strategies to clients throughout the U.S. For more information on Douglas Andrew and Missed Fortune, visit www.missedfortune.com.

Texas Lending Discusses Online Reviews

Texas Lending

Texas Lending

Texas Lending (TexasLending.com) reports that at one time, an unhappy customer simply complained to a few friends about his or her experience. Perhaps those friends told a few others, who repeated the story to a few more. However, today’s dissatisfied consumer can go online to the Internet, where words remain posted long after the customer has moved on. In this brief article, TexasLending.com CEO Kevin Miller talks to Interviewing Experts about this new world of online review sites and how it is impacting the business world as a whole.

Interviewing Experts: Texas Lending has a good reputation in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The governor and the mayor of Dallas have both recognized you for your excellence.

Texas Lending: Yes, Texas Lending received a Consumer’s Choice Award from the Consumers’ Choice Institute, which led to recognition by both the governor and mayor for our accomplishment.

Interviewing Experts: Yet even Texas Lending has the occasional negative review online. Explain how a bad review can haunt a business for many years.

Texas Lending: No successful business is immune from the occasional bad review online. Our team at Texas Lending follows up with customers at each stage of the process, including a follow-up survey once the loan has closed. Still, there are times when even after a Texas Lending customer reports a satisfactory experience, he or she goes online to post a negative review.

Interviewing Experts: Why wouldn’t the customer just talk to you first?

Texas Lending: Studies have shown the majority of customers never report dissatisfaction directly to the company. Sometimes the customer wants to avoid confrontation, but Texas Lending wants each customer to be happy. Most often, Texas Lending has found that the customer isn’t unhappy with us specifically but is dissatisfied with the overall process of securing a home loan.

Interviewing Experts: Doesn’t Texas Lending work with several other parties in processing a loan?

Texas Lending: Yes, and that can be part of the issue. The biggest component in processing a loan is the borrower. Our consumers must gather all necessary paperwork and work with us to help us complete applications. A delay in this part of the process can delay the work Texas Lending has to do. Then there are appraisers and the title company, as well as working with the seller to make sure the closing is set up and runs smoothly. Any delay in this process can cause the consumer to become frustrated with Texas Lending – or any mortgage lender.

Interviewing Experts: I’ve noticed the majority of Texas Lending’s clients give extremely positive reviews.

Texas Lending: Most of our clients report they are pleasantly surprised by the personal service they received from Texas Lending. Texas Lending also frequently receives glowing comments from customers who were able to move into their first home because of the hard work of our associates. That’s the greatest reward of all.

For more information, visit Texas Lending online at www.TexasLending.com

TexasLending.com
4100 Alpha Rd. Suite 400
Dallas, TX 75244
NMLS# 137773

Why Trade with FXDD?

FXDD

FXDD

Forex trading is complex. FXDD makes it less so.  Your success is our ultimate goal, which is why FXDD goes to great lengths to improve your trading. Below, we have answered some common questions to help you understand the benefits of trading with FXDD.

Q:  What is the primary benefit of trading with FXDD?

A:  One of the biggest reasons to trade with FXDD is our education. We are a leader in investor education, with deep insights into the world’s fastest growing financial marketplace.

Q:  What is the Forex market and what is FXDD’s role within it?

A:  Forex is the largest market in the world, in which the worldwide exchange of currencies between governments, organizations, and individuals occurs. In fact, it’s much larger than the stock market, with more than $4 trillion in foreign exchange traded each day. FXDD provides retail traders with direct access to the Forex market – the same market that facilitates foreign trade and investment by enabling currency conversion.

Q:  What services or tools does FXDD provide to traders?

A:  FXDD provides traders with the technology, services, and education needed to navigate the ever-evolving foreign exchange marketplace, including FXDD’s unparalleled customer service.

Q:  Is Forex really that much more complex than other asset classes?

A:  Similar to other asset classes, the Forex market allows traders to buy or sell an investment product. The difference is that in Forex, you are trading a specific currency pair. With FXDD, you may trade the Euro versus the U.S. Dollar, the Japanese Yen versus the British Pound, or more than 30 other currency combinations offered by FXDD. These various currency combinations simply illustrate the value of one currency compared to the other, denoted with a single price. FXDD warns first-time traders that the price of these pairs constantly fluctuates based on the present and projected state of the two country’s economies and political climates.

Q:  Beyond trading pairs of currencies, what separates Forex trading from other asset classes?

A:  Unlike stocks, the Forex market cannot be manipulated by “insider” information. It’s simply too big for any one party to gain an unfair advantage. In trading Forex with FXDD, trade positions are not vulnerable to accounting fraud or the risk of corporate scandals present in other markets. According to FXDD, the sheer size of the Forex market, along with the many other factors that impact pricing, make the Forex market unique.

Q:  What are some of the benefits that FXDD sees in trading Forex?

A:  Forex is the most liquid market in the world due to its volume and importance within the global marketplace. FXDD works with the leading broker dealers worldwide that buy and sell currencies, providing retail traders real-time access that was once only available to large banks and financial institutions. Liquidity provides stability and low spreads. FXDD ensures that traders get the best possible market price when opening or closing a position. In contrast to the stock market, which has a much lower trade volume, trading Forex with FXDD reduces a traders’ vulnerability to liquidity risk.

Q:  Okay, beyond liquidity, what other benefits does FXDD see in Forex trading?

A:  There are three other areas within the Forex markets that FXDD views as beneficial, including more leverage (although leverage can work for you as well as against you), lower trading fees, and continuous operation. Because the price of currencies remain relatively stable from one day to the next, FXDD, like many other Forex firms, offers up to 50:1 leverage on all Forex trades in the U.S. This allows traders to amplify their positions while utilizing less capital. FXDD points out that the high leverage offered by Forex is considerably more favorable than the 2:1 leverage available in the stock market. FXDD cautions traders that using high leverage simply allows traders to initiate a larger position with less capital, which can have either a positive or negative impact on trades, depending upon the position.

It is typically less expensive to trade Forex with FXDD versus trading other financial products with different brokers. Regardless of trade size, FXDD’s spreads are typically 4 pips or lower for most major currency pairs. FXDD profits from the spread between the bid/ask price. As part of FXDD’s service, the firm offers free research, market information, trading education and state-of-the-art trading platforms.

According to FXDD, another important benefit of trading Forex is the ability to trade virtually anywhere and anytime. The Forex market is one of the most accessible market in the world, and with FXDD, you can trade five days a week, 24 hours a day. At FXDD, and most other Forex brokers, currency market trading hours begin Monday morning in Sydney and continue through Friday evening in New York. FXDD advises first-time Forex traders to familiarize themselves with the time zones of the various countries they are focused on trading.

At FXDD, our goal is to provide you with the tools you need to successfully trade in Forex markets. You can go to http://www.FXDD.com/en/forex-trading-tools.html for additional information and tools.

Harry Potter Books Now Available in Digital Book Format

In news that’s nearly as exciting as playing Quidditch for the first time, Amazon.com recently announced that all seven of the Harry Potter series are available in the Kindle lending library.

The Interviewing Experts staff explains why this news is so welcome to fans of J.K. Rowling’s #1 bestseller series.

Last month the online retail mega store first obliquely hinted that the Harry Potter series might be hitting its virtual shelves, but with this announcement Potter fans can expect to find the series by the end of June. And those who have the Amazon Prime Membership can access the books as soon as they are available. The library now counts the adventures of the boy-wizard among its 145,000 books and not just in English – it’s in French, Italian, German and Spanish as well.

With its exclusive license from J.K. Rowling’s official Pottermore website, Amazon and Pottermore are the only two sites that legally offer the e-books. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed to the media.

The Kindle Owners’ Lending Library is a service that Amazon.com offers their Prime Membership customers for $79.99 and members can “check out” books as often as once a month.

Consumers who don’t have the Prime membership subscription can purchase Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone; Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban online for $7.99 each. Other books in the series are $9.99 each, and the whole series can be purchased as a collection for $57.54.

The Harry Potter series sold 450 million copies worldwide, and the books have been translated into 70 languages. For the nearly 20% of technology-savvy people that have some sort of an e-reader, having the tales of Harry and his friends available in this new format can only be good news.

Doug Battista: The Impact of HR on Business Operations

Doug Battista

Doug Battista

Doug Battista knows that often, a human resources department is taken for granted. Most people realize the impact the financial team and information systems team has on a business’s operations, but what about human resources, asks Battista?

HR is about far more than processing timesheets and firing unruly employees, Doug Battista explains. As President of North America Field Operations, a division of Nestlé, Doug Battista oversees the recruitment, training, and retention for more than 4000 employees. The former head of Talent Acquisition for Nestlé USA knows the importance of recruiting great talent. Everything hinges on this, Doug Battista explains. Today, Doug Battista speaks with the staff of Interviewing Experts about the value of HR in a successful organization.

Interviewing Experts: You’ve been in HR for a while. Many people think of HR as the group they turn to when they need advice on retirement or dealing with a difficult person.

Doug Battista: Yes, we often act as counselor, but we’re so much more. We’re business analysts, mediators, and recruiters, just to name a few of our many responsibilities.

Interviewing Experts: Each of these items contributes to a business’s success.

Doug Battista: Absolutely. The way I explain it is that if employees are a business’ best assets, HR is working hard to protect that asset.

Interviewing Experts: Sounds similar to the work the budget team does.

Doug Battista: In that sense, it is. In recruiting, we ensure the business attracts the best workers and once we have them, we do what it takes to support and maintain that workforce.

Interviewing Experts: During these tough economic times, HR has faced an all-new set of challenges. Layoffs and cutbacks, as opposed to recruiting. How has that changed the field of HR?

Doug Battista: No matter what the economic situation, HR is most often “change management.” Whether that is dealing with a merger, layoffs, or an influx of new employees. Change can be very stressful, and HR is tasked with smoothing the transition.

Doug Battista has helped Nestlé Corporation save thousands of dollars by streamlining processes in his time with the company. Additionally, Doug Battista improved analytics and recruiting. Doug Battista lives in Southern California.

Markus Lattner | Lean Manufacturing in Agriculture

Markus Lattner

Markus Lattner

Markus Lattner has learned quite a bit about improving processes in agriculture in his position as an improvement manager for a Schuykill County, Pennsylvania community supported agriculture farm. The farm is proudly chemical-free, Markus Lattner says, embracing his dedication to the environment.

Today, Markus Lattner talks to Interviewing Experts about how he thinks lean manufacturing concepts can help vegetable growers streamline operations.

Interviewing Experts: Markus Lattner, welcome. Now, to clarify, the term ‘lean manufacturing’ originated in the auto industry, right?

Markus Lattner: Right. Toyota put the process in motion, back when the car manufacturer was called Toyoda. They looked at Ford’s system of flow and saw the value of variety, as opposed to producing one model in one color. They developed what is now called the Toyota Production System (TPM).

Interviewing Experts: For those of us who have never heard of it before, what does “lean manufacturing” mean?

Markus Lattner: That’s a good question, but let me expand on it a bit. Lean thinking, since it is not only used in manufacturing environments, looks at maximizing value for the customer.

Interviewing Experts: Like what, for instance?

Markus Lattner: In many businesses, waste can be as much as 100%. Lean manufacturing encourages a company to find this waste and work to eliminate it.

Interviewing Experts: What kind of waste does an agricultural farmer have?

Markus Lattner: One problem we’ve worked to eliminate at the farm is the overproduction of crops.  We have found that much of a crop just goes to waste.

Interviewing Experts: What are some of the obstacles vegetable growers face in incorporating lean thinking?

Markus Lattner: One of the biggest problems I’ve seen is a failure to follow through. Many of us have great ideas but if we don’t know how to implement them and follow through, we never see the rewards.

Interviewing Experts: What do you recommend vegetable growers do to make sure they can see the rewards with lean thinking once they implement improvements?

Markus Lattner: First, I’ve found that writing up procedures really helps. Having it in black and white really makes a difference. Create daily checklists and hold yourself and your workers accountable.

Interviewing Experts: Do you find farmers tend to think of lean manufacturing as a separate program from their normal work?

Markus Lattner: Yes, and it’s important that they come to incorporate it into their daily work. Eliminating waste isn’t a standalone initiative. It’s a way of doing business, day after day.

Interviewing Experts: I agree. What benefits have you found from incorporating lean manufacturing?

Markus Lattner: Less waste, but also more productivity. Farms are able to focus their attention on productive work, which brings in more money and makes employees feel as though they are contributing.

Interviewing Experts: Thank you for speaking with us today, Mr. Lattner. Markus Lattner is an experienced manufacturing manager and lean improvement specialist.

Talent Acquisition Is Vital to Business, Says Douglas Battista

Douglas Battista

Douglas Battista

Douglas Battista, President of North America Field Operations, had the opportunity to participate in an open dialogue at the 2011 Talent Acquisition Conference. During the conversation, this former Head of Talent Acquisition for Nestlé USA spoke about the benefits of teaming with a recruiting agency that has an established presence at home and abroad. Here, Douglas Battista answers questions about the conference and its purpose.

Q. – What was the main topic of discussion at the conference?

Douglas Battista – RPO, or Recruitment Process Outsource. This is a business practice where a firm’s HR department relinquishes some portion of the company’s recruitment activities to a service provider outside of its own payroll.

Q. – Can you explain what benefit RPO brings to a business?

Douglas Battista – There are many, under the right circumstances. If corporation management is seeking to hire high-level talent in a foreign market, this process can give them access to the area’s most talented individuals. One of the main benefits is scalability.  Recruiting needs rise and fall, and RPOs allow for scalability and cost control.

Q. –What do conferences like this do for the business community?

Douglas Battista – I believe that they bring awareness to the benefit of the services.

Q. – What other companies were represented at the conference roundtable?

Douglas Battista – The Cummins Corp., specifically John Havenaar, who is the Executive Director, Global Recruiting, of the firm.

Q. – What was discussed?

Douglas Battista – We talked about how FutureStep has helped both Nestlé USA and Cummins Corporation improve hiring practices on a global scale.

Q. – What are the main principles of strategic workforce planning, and how can FutureStep assist a company in these principles?

Douglas Battista – They can help a firm understand what skill sets management needs to look for in order to enhance the future of the business. Additionally, they can assist in the identification and rectification gaps in their current talent.

Q. – How assessable is FutureStep?

Douglas Battista – The company employs over 800 recruitment professionals in 20 separate countries with nearly 40 offices.

Q. – Does an RPO strategy involve only permanent employees?

Douglas Battista – No, the firm also specializes in project recruitment.

Q. – Does RPO make a material difference in a company’s level of quality?

Douglas Battista – Yes, it can. When a company has a talent pool of individuals who’ve been prescreened for their skills, they tend to require less time training the employee. The RPO process can save a company money by helping to reduce turnover ratio and ensuring the longevity of their business by allowing them to hire only the best candidates for their open positions.

Steven Delarge: Tips for a Great Job Interview

Steven Delarge

Steven Delarge

Steven Delarge has years of experience, both as a CEO and CFO. Most recently, he served as president of Silicones & Quartz for Momentive Performance Materials. One of the most important duties of an executive is interviewing potential job candidates. Steven Delarge gives job interview tips to job seekers to help land that dream job.

  • Do your research. Steven Delarge was surprised at how rarely a candidate looked into a company before the interview. Today’s interviewee can find a fair amount of information on any company with just a basic web search. Because of this, Steven Delarge recommends a job candidate set him or herself apart from the crowd by going beyond the basic web search. Ask around and visit the library or local chamber of commerce to get as much information as possible about a company before you show up for the interview, according to Steven Delarge.
  • Cite specific examples. Many of today’s successful interview questions pose questions such as, “Describe a time when you took a difficult situation and turned it around.” Steven Delarge explains the reasoning behind that. Quite a bit can be learned by hearing real-life experiences from a candidate. Answer even basic questions with examples from your past work experience.
  • Be direct. Answer each question with a straightforward, honest response, Steven Delarge advises. An interviewer knows when an interviewee is being evasive. Steven Delarge finds it far more impressive when an interviewee simply looks him in the eye and states, “I don’t have any experience in that.” Sometimes an interviewee who shows ambition and a strong work ethic will be hired even though he or she doesn’t have the desired experience.
  • Dress appropriately. This seems like it should be a given, but Steven Delarge has found today’s job candidates don’t always follow the tried and true. No matter what the job, Steven Delarge advises playing it safe by dressing conservatively from head to toe. This includes toned-down nail polish and covered-up tattoos. Any odd body piercings should be removed as well. A suit is always a safe bet, but be sure your suit doesn’t look dated. Too many candidates save the same suit for decades, pulling it out only when it’s time to look for a job. A good, modern suit will be an investment that pays back when you land that great-paying job, Steven Delarge adds.

These tough economic times have made the job market more competitive than ever, but by following the basic rules of professionalism, Steven Delarge believes anyone can find the perfect job.

Interview with Steven P. Delarge | Tour de Cure for Diabetes

Steven P. Delarge

Steven P. Delarge

Steven P. Delarge, business executive, believes in giving back to the community. Each year, he participates in the Tour de Cure for Diabetes that, according to Delarge, is a bicycling event that benefits the effort to find a cure for diabetes. Today, Steven P. Delarge talks to Interviewing Experts about the event.

Interviewing Experts: How did you first learn about Tour de Cure?

Steven P. Delarge: I was actually looking for a great project to help engage my employees in charitable work in the community. We were searching for something that would incorporate fitness with helping the community.

Interviewing Experts: So that led you to Tour de Cure?

Steven P. Delarge: Yes, and after learning about this great bike ride to benefit diabetes in Saratoga Springs, I knew I’d found the perfect event. Bicycling is both great exercise and accessible to everyone. My employees wouldn’t have to be triathletes to participate.

Interviewing Experts: How far do the cyclists ride in the Tour de Cure?

Steven P. Delarge: The great thing about the Tour de Cure is that participants can choose the distance. Newbies can try out a five-mile fun ride, while more experienced cyclists can go for the 100-mile ride through the countryside.

Interviewing Experts: Was the event an immediate success with your employees?

Steven P. Delarge: Well, not exactly. In fact, the first year I was the only participant. The only other person who signed up backed out because it was storming the day of the race.



Interviewing Experts: But you rode anyway?

Steven P. Delarge: Yes–for five miles in the pouring rain.

Interviewing Experts: That’s dedication. Did others ride in the rain that year, too?

Steven P. Delarge: Yes, and it was so inspiring to see so many people pushing through despite the bad weather.

Interviewing Experts: Not just the cyclists, but the workers, too?

Steven P. Delarge: The volunteers manning the signup tables worked in the rain, and even diabetes sufferers were out there, riding alongside us in their red jerseys.

Interviewing Experts: Your company began taking a bigger role in the event after that. How did that come about?

Steven P. Delarge: As I stood there, cheering on the others finishing the race, I found the enthusiasm contagious.

Interviewing Experts: You made a big jump the next year, right?

Steven P. Delarge: The next year we had one of the largest teams, raising more than $15,000 for the American Diabetes Association.

Interviewing Experts: What would you say to other businesses interested in engaging employees in this type of activity?

Steven P. Delarge: I can’t express how proud I am of my former employees for their enthusiastic participation in this event. I highly recommend it. Not only is it a great way to support a good cause and become a part of the community, it’s also fun.

Steven P. Delarge has served as CEO and CFO for some of the most innovative chemical, energy, and aerospace businesses in the country. Currently, Steven P. Delarge serves as president of Silicones and Quartz for Momentive Performance Materials, where he leads operations and finance for more than 5,000 employees worldwide.