Seven To Ten

Frauds, from embezzlement, identity theft, patent infringement, and product counterfeiting - is increasing. The median loss from embezzlement cost small companies $190,000 in 2006, up from $98,000 in 2004, according to the latest numbers from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

The number of patent-infringement lawsuits rose 6% last year. New research has found that counterfeit goods account for an estimated 15% to 20% of all products manufactured in China. The advance of technology has made it easier than ever for the unscrupulous to victimize your business. Consider that hundreds of pages of sensitive financial information can be stored on a USB drive the size of a thumb - or that millions of dollars can disappear with the flick of a computer key.

In March the regional supermarket chain Hannaford Bros., headquartered in Portland, Maine, discovered that hackers had broken into its database and rerouted customers’ credit card information to accounts overseas.

In another case, an accountant who had electronic access to the books of 15 small companies diverted $1 million meant to pay taxes to his own account. In another case, a thief set up a phony website that mirrored that of a small business, ordered thousands of dollars of supplies from Office Depot, and then had the bills sent to the real business owner.

Given all the day-to-day challenges small-business owners face, most feel they don’t have the time, patience, or money to protect themselves. This helps explain why small businesses are nearly twice as likely to be victims of fraud as are big corporations.

Like many of the places on our list, Bellevue is a city in transition: no longer a bedroom community, but not yet a crowded, expensive metropolitan hub. Bellevue has grown with unusual grace in recent years.

Huge corporations exist symbiotically with startups, a booming downtown abuts healthy residential neighborhoods, and the rising skyline is tempered by an abundance of parks, as well as lakeside and mountain views. Flash retailers such as Neiman Marcus draw regional shoppers, but Bellevue’s excellent healthcare and schools are key attractions for relocating families.

While local businesses must pay the statewide Business and Occupations tax on their gross receipts, there’s no corporate income tax. Businesses with less than $135,000 in taxable revenues (the highest threshold in the area) don’t have to pay the B&O tax.

Easy airport access and a highly skilled workforce make Bellevue an attractive option for startups looking to break big.

Austin’s entrepreneurial community may be among the strongest in the country, but its heavy traffic and urbanization have driven some experienced business folks to look elsewhere. Enter Georgetown. This suburb of Austin has transformed from a sleepy bedroom community into a city with its own identity and a rapidly growing business climate.

Located 26 miles north of the state’s capital, Georgetown has welcomed 270 new businesses over the past two years. The state’s lack of individual and corporate income taxes is just one reason Texas is considered business-friendly. On a local level, Georgetown charges relatively low water and electricity rates, and its property taxes are among the lowest in the region.

As part of the Greater Austin area, Georgetown entrepreneurs in the city’s growth industries - healthcare, life sciences, and technology - can seek out additional support from the region’s business-development efforts. A convention center slated to open next year should help further build Georgetown’s up-and-coming business scene.

Georgetown is considered one of the prettiest cities in Williamson County, especially during the spring and summer months when poppies and wild flowers are in full bloom. Housing costs tend to be higher than in many of Austin’s other suburbs, but residents who settle into one of the city’s restored Victorian homes or new Tuscan villas can enjoy a walk along the bank of the San Gabriel River or play a round of golf on one of the five local courses.

Mountain biking trails around Lake Georgetown lead riders to the edge of Texas Hill Country. As the self-proclaimed “Live Music Capital of the World,” Austin still offers the best selection of performing arts in the region. However, Georgetown’s annual food and arts festivals, independently-owned restaurants, rodeo, and nearby wineries are enough to keep residents close to home most of the time.

Do you understand what it means to have an online presence? Everybody dreams of being their own boss and indeed, starting a business is effortless. The challenge is to survive and push the company to the next level of prosperity.

To expand, a businessman need not have the prerequisite knowledge, he can always seek advice from consultants or other compatriots who have been there, done that.

I know of one site, dTelepathy.com, which helps to design online business for budding entrepreneurs. They lend their expertise in Custom Web Application Development, user-interface design and branding, as well as business research, planning and executing to convert your great idea into the “Next Big Thing.”

They have a team of web designers and marketers who understand the industry well and are confident in propelling your website to the top based on ethical and sound principles. Treat the customers right and reap the rewards.

You can look forward to a different website which can stand out in the crowd. Choose the 15 day pathfinder services for relevant business strategies, or 45 day Boot camp for a blueprint design, or 90 day web app services for a comprehensive package.

For those who are interested, visit their website to find out more.

The most common complaints for people who want to start a new business is that they do not have enough money. If this is your dream and you need a small initial capital to fulfil it (and the banks are not willing to help because of your credit or business plan), AfsLoansOnline.com is ready to help. Over here, it is possible to get unsecured Business Loans.

The site specializes as a loan consulting company which finds the perfect business loans for you. Regardless of credit history, you just need to go through a 5-minute, 4-step application for your Business Loans. Consider their other advantages: no application fee, no hidden charges, free credit pull, and a 1-2 days approval.

If you are interested in Business Loans, visit the site to find out more.

What is Warren Buffett thinking about Europe? The billionaire investor and Berkshire Hathaway chief will visit the Continent next month to scout out possible acquisitions of family-owned companies.

Angelo Moratti of Italian oil refiner Saras and Eitan Wertheimer of Israeli metalworker Iscar - a company Berkshire purchased in 2006 in its first overseas buyout - are arranging the trip, which comes as Buffet decides what to do with $40 billion in cash on Berkshire’s balance sheet.

Buffett said in Berkshire’s 2007 annual report that big acquisitions are necessary to keep returns up to par. “Though our managers may be the best,” he wrote, “we will need large and sensible acquisitions to get the growth in operating earnings we wish.”

Buffett has shown he prefers to buy into companies in which the owners are fully involved in operating the business, a preference that will no doubt help determine his itinerary next month.

Oil hit another record high but has since pulled back. The dollar showed some strength and corporate earnings were pretty good.

Boeing blew away earnings estimates. Ford posted a surprise profit. And even though investors were disappointed by Microsoft’s quarterly forecast, they issued a healthy outlook for its next fiscal year. The worst of the credit crunch may finally be behind us. No more major bombshells from financial institutions, a sign that the Fed’s six rate cuts since last September and massive injections of liquidity into the banking system may be working.

In fact, Merrill Lynch indicated yesterday that it would pay its dividend this quarter, relieving investors who were anticipating a cut. There seems to be cause for optimism about the markets. The Dow is active again and the bond market is not acting as if it is in recession anymore.

Bonds have fallen in recent weeks, raising the yields. Bond prices and yields move in opposite directions and lower yields are usually associated as a sign of economic weakness. And for consumers, even though it’s still a painful time because of rising food and gas prices, the first of the government’s tax rebate has hit mailboxes.

Of course, it still is a rough economic environment. The surging price of food threatens to disrupt U.S. consumer spending patterns and the global economy. That’s where the Federal Reserve will hopefully step in. Many fear that more rate cuts could lead to a further weakening of the dollar, which in turn, could fuel more speculation in the commodities markets and drive food and gas prices even higher.

So higher interest rates, not more cuts, might be exactly what this market and economy needs. Hopefully, the Fed will send a strong signal to investors Wednesday that it is getting ready to sit tight.

I hate our formal education. I mean, we spend close to a quarter of our lives in school but they never teach us how to handle money. We are told to work hard and be good employees. This is something which is not healthy for us or our children because we always have to struggle to make ends meet.

There are many books and online resources which teach you how to create and manage money. This website, Money.co.uk, is a new financial portal with over thousands of high quality articles about Credit Cards, Mortgages, Insurance, and anything related to money. Your financial knowledge will increase by leaps and bounds once you have absorbed all their content.

To get out of debt, I always believe in putting a limit on credit cards spending. But don’t ban or abhor credit cards, as the emergency funds can come in handy. Also you can get petrol, dining or shopping discounts from credit cards. Fitting in the right credit cards into your lifestyle may be a boon than a bane.

There are many credit card providers with a wide range of products, what to choose and how to choose remains the most frequently asked questions. In addition to credit cards, you can also get free quotes for insurance and mortgage by visiting the site.

Besides harnessing Credit Cards debts, you also need to expanding your knowledge in business and investment. Grasping the basics of accounting is necessary to trace and manage your money. List down all your assets and liabilities and you realize your current net worth.

With the right investments, you can look forward to a comfortable retirement. Don’t think you need a large salary for this to happen, some people have amazing earning powers but still manage to save little, if at all. Putting aside a portion of your salary to generate more income is important. 10% is a good start. After a few years while adding 10% each month, you will be surprised that your earned salary is insignificant compared to the lucrative business or investment income.

Leverage your time and money to your advantage once you sense a good opportunity. There are many types of investing like real estate, merchandising, stock market, commodities, etc, or maybe you can create your own business and brand it. Branding is very important in business in order for potential costumers to buy your products.

After you established your income stream or portfolio, it is time to resign from your regular job and concentrate on expanding your business. You will be busy enough looking for new market trends and opportunities that abound. Money is easy to achieve if you are serious in gaining them. Subscribe to their financial email newsletter and RSS feeds of financial blogs today.

There are niche businesses you can get into like candy machines which can earn you a passive income. It may seem like a lowly job, acting like a delivery and service man. But if you do it right, considering the right locations, you should have no problem producing a regular income from the machines.

The work involved are basically to tend to the machines a few times a month, stock them, repair them when necessary and purchase supplies. Patience and perseverance are needed to succeed. I have conducted some research and will talk more about this money-making business later.

With businesses in a multitude of sectors, such as health care, finance, energy, consumer electronics, industry and media, many consider General Electric to be a barometer for the health of the U.S. economy.

GE has typically been a model of consistency, rarely missing - or beating - estimates. Only once since 2006 has GE failed to deliver earnings that exactly met First Call’s forecast. That was in second quarter of 2007, when it beat the earnings per share forecast by a penny.

Thus, investors were surprised when they missed first-quarter earnings, deflating hopes that the conglomerate could rise above a continued economic slowdown.

Even with strong presence in overseas overseas and a 22% year-over-year gain in global revenue, they were not immune to the U.S. credit crisis.

GE lowered their full-year earnings guidance, and its second-quarter forecast fell short of expectations. GE reported lower net income compared to the first quarter of 2007. Earnings are at 44 cents per share, down from 48 cents per share a year earlier and well below 51-cent-a-share as projected by analysts.