Colbert's MeReporters Underscores Absurdity of Working for Free

Steven Colbert brings his satirical comedy to bear on the notion of "free reporters" who get paid nothing, like CNN's iReport, in the wake of the layoffs of 50 CNN photojournalists and other staff.

Colbert notes CNN also launched an "Assignment Desk" where you an actually go out and report on things that CNN wants, and then goes further, saying "iReporters do not get paid, they get something even better, badges, which, I assume, are redeemable for food and rent."




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So you want to work in a start-up?

Over the past few years, I've debated one career topic more than any other: entrepreneurship versus traditional most-MBA jobs. Perhaps it's because of the types of people I surround myself with, but this question is on the forefront of many of my friends, including military veterans.

After having the exact same decision making process debated over and over again, and reaching the same conclusions over and over again, I decided to come up with a simplified decision matrix that I believe all entrepreneurs navigate in one form or another.

So for all those thinking that start-ups may be for you... get some dice out and play the following decision making game. If you make it to an end, congratulations! If you get stuck going in circles, you are one of the many who want their cake and to eat it too... you will have to compromise somewhere.

Click me...



Import Export Business News And Resources

Import Export Business Updates to help you grow your international trade business.
 
The resources cited below are definitely some you may wish to bookmark or mark as
favorites in your browser!

Trade Deficit Decreases in September

The USA's international trade deficit in goods and services decreased to $43.1
billion in September from $44.9 billion (revised) in August, as exports increased
more than imports.

Exports increased to a record $180.4 billion in September from
$177.9 billion in August (revised) and imports increased to $223.5 billion in
September from $222.8 billion.

The overall record in exports was led by record exports of industrial supplies and
materials ($44.4 billion) and consumer goods ($15.4 billion) - for more details and
graphs on the trade deficit, visit here -

http://blogs.census.gov/globalreach/2011/11/trade-deficit-decreases-in-september.html

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Agricultural Commodities Price Watch

To know the U.S. market prices of agricultural commodities, consult the Commodity

pages of the United States Department of Agriculture - here is a link to their site -

http://marketnews.usda.gov/portal/fv

Also at the International Markets page you can find prices elsewhere in the world.

http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams.fetchTemplateData.do?template=TemplateO&page=InternationalReports

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Do you need to know the latest trade news from Singapore? Mumbai? France? Beijing?

Then the  Directory of Online Magazines and Newspapers website is a resource you
need to check out today.

World-Newspapers dotcom has links to thousands of English-language online newspapers
and magazines, indexed by either topic or country....go have a look and browse their
resources.

http://www.world-newspapers.com

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Trade Show Notices and News
Learn how you can maximize your trade show success.  Find tips, manage your

schedule, receive direct notices and news through their RSS feed at:

http://www.trade-show-advisor.com

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Regional Public/Private Partnership for Export Promotion

The District Export Councils contribute leadership and international trade expertise
to complement the U.S. Commercial Service’s export promotion efforts through
counseling businesses on the exporting process and conducting trade education and
community outreach.  Worth checking out and marking as a favorite for revisits -

http://www.districtexportcouncil.com

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Doing Business In Mexico

Do not ignore the Mexican marketplace because of the main stream media's constant
bad mouthing about the bad news out of Mexico.  There are many places just as bad,
if not worse in the USA that I would tell you to steer clear of for both business
and personal travel.

Here is a link to a website that will help you better understand how BIG the Mexico
marketplace is both for finding low cost products as well as selling your products
and services into -

http://www.promexico.gob.mx/en_us/promexico/Empresario_Extranjero

and although this website has a great online trade directory, if you are going to be
doing any kind of direct marketing to businesses or business people in Mexico, then
having a targeting business list or database is your best resource.  To help you
compile the most up to date list of Mexican business owners, Presidents, CEO's and
TOP executives, check out the Mexico Business Directory

Remember, there are over 5 1/2 years of posts in this blog and you are encouraged to
use the archive date links located on the lower right side of the navigation bar
where they are listed by Month/Year to access them or you may wish to use the search
box located in the upper left side of the blog to search for specific words or
phrases.

Until next time.

Ron Coble

Groom Sues Photographer, Demands Re-Shoot

It should be pretty clear by now that you can be sued for anything. Enter grudge-holding groom Todd Remis, who has decided to sue his wedding photographer 8 years after the wedding, and 3 years after the couple divorced, her whereabouts unknown. The New York Times reports on the whole fiasco here, where the ex-groom wants over $50k, which includes his money back plus the cost to fly his 40 or so guests back to recreate the wedding.

This would be where, if you were a wedding photographer, you should be calling your insurance company, and telling them "deal with this distraction, I have a business to run", and thaIt should be pretty clear by now that you can be sued for anything. Enter grudge-holding groom Todd Remis, who has decided to sue his wedding photographer 8 years after the wedding, and 3 years after the couple divorced, her whereabouts unknown. The New York Times reports on the whole fiasco here, where the ex-groom wants over $50k, which includes his money back plus the cost to fly his 40 or so guests back to recreate the wedding.

This would be where, if you were a wedding photographer, you should be calling your insurance company, and telling them "deal with this distraction, I have a business to run", and that's what they would do. What policy type would cover this? According to Renee Green (email), of the Hays Group, who handles insurance for many NPPA members, this would likely have been covered by either a general liability clause, or an errors & ommissions clause, depending upon the exact nature of the claim, and, of course, provided that the claim was made while the insurance was in effect. If, however, you had a claim made against you for work done years ago, and only got insurance this year, you wouldn't be covered. All the more reason to have insurance always, and ongoing.

Further, the Professional Photographers of America has sample wedding contracts (login required, here) that include a limitation of liability clause:
If the Studio/Photographer cannot perform this Contract due to fire or other casualty, strike, act of God, or other cause beyond the control of the parties, or due to Photographer’s illness or emergency, then the Photographer shall return the deposit to the Client but shall have no further liability with respect to the Contract. This limitation on liability shall also apply in the event that photographic materials are damaged in processing, lost through camera or other media malfunction, lost in the mail, or otherwise lost or damaged without fault on the part of the Photographer. In the event the Studio/Photographer fails to perform for any other reason, the Studio/Photographer shall not be liable for any amount in excess of all monies paid.
I'm sure that some variation of that clause existed in the defendant's contract.

It's business people, and when the paperwork gets in the way of the creative stuff, you'd better make sure your paperwork is in order, and you're protected. Otherwise, you'll spend all sorts of time dealing with the unpleasantries, and it could even cost your your house.

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at's what they would do. Further, the Professional Photographers of America has sample wedding contracts (login required, here) that include a limitation of liability clause:
If the Studio/Photographer cannot perform this Contract due to fire or other casualty, strike, act of God, or other cause beyond the control of the parties, or due to Photographer’s illness or emergency, then the Photographer shall return the deposit to the Client but shall have no further liability with respect to the Contract. This limitation on liability shall also apply in the event that photographic materials are damaged in processing, lost through camera or other media malfunction, lost in the mail, or otherwise lost or damaged without fault on the part of the Photographer. In the event the Studio/Photographer fails to perform for any other reason, the Studio/Photographer shall not be liable for any amount in excess of all monies paid.
I'm sure that some variation of that clause existed in the defendant's contract.

It's business people, and when the paperwork gets in the way of the creative stuff, you'd better make sure your paperwork is in order, and you're protected. Otherwise, you'll spend all sorts of time dealing with the unpleasantries, and it could even cost your your house.

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Please post your comments by clicking the link below. If you've got questions, please pose them in our Photo Business Forum Flickr Group Discussion Threads.

Import Export International Trade Business News Updates

Import Export International Trade Business News Updates

Quick reminder - there are nearly 6 years of posts within this blog - many containing very helpful information - just scroll down and you will find the links to the archives listed on the right by their Month and Year originally posted.

This post consists solely of news and updates regarding various resources for your International Trade and Import Export Business.

First resource update - The FREE electronic trade magazines offered on our site has a NEW addition - One that used to be quite expensive if you purchased a paper copy - it is a Quarterly trade directory in electronic format of KOREA PRODUCTS.

Remember these are FULL COLOR PDF electronic trade magazines and you get DIRECT contact details of the manufacturers and suppliers.

You can sign up for just the Korean Products emagazine or any of the other product specific trade directories you will find on the following website - the Korea Products magazine is quarterly but the others are monthly and they will be automatically sent to you once you sign up AT NO COST - Please Note: The Emagazines are a FREE service and any specific one may be withdrawn at any time so if you are interested I would suggest you sign up now.

Korean Products

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As you read the other posts within this blog you will learn how much emphasis is placed on using the Internet to help you promote your products internationally.

You are doing yourself and your business a GREAT disservice if you do not utilize the greatest marketing equalizer in human history.  So when I recommend something, I do not take it lightly.

The following Ebook was just updated on 11/3/2011 and is one you should download and save to your PC today.

Written by the owner of a business who has built a multi-million dollar empire and a business that is one of the FEW that eBay has certified as a solutions provider - it is FREE so put your wallet away but just because it is FREE does not mean it should be taken lightly.

Titled - Starting Your Internet Business Right - this valuable 78 page ebook will show you how to start your own Internet Business the right way, without falling into the traps that are out there waiting for you EVERYWHERE.

The Internet has become a Fantasyland of get-rich-quick schemes, scam artists and is laced with other pitfalls that are just waiting to take your money and leave you with nothing to show for it.

I am not going to repeat everything that is stated on the download page, go read the download page then download the ebook and save it to your PC - this is a GREAT resource and YES it is helpful to international traders -

FREE 78 Page Ebook - Start Your Internet Business Right

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Last, but certainly not least, GlobalSources has extended the dates on their Hong Kong Sourcing Fairs - the new expire dates are listed below:

China Sourcing Fair: Hong Kong phase 1 - End Feb 10, 2012

· Electronics & Components

·
Security Products

·
Solar & Energy Saving Products

·
Korea Sourcing Fair: Electronics & Components


China Sourcing Fair: Hong Kong phase 2 - End Feb 15, 2012

· Baby & Children's Products

·
Home Products

·
Gifts & Premiums

·
Medical & Health Products

·
Christmas & Seasonal Products

·
India Sourcing Fair: Home Products


China Sourcing Fair: Hong Kong phase 3 - End Feb 23, 2012

· Fashion Accessories

·
Underwear & Swimwear

·
Garments & Textiles

·
India Sourcing Fair: Garments & Accessories


That is it for this post. Hope you find value and if you are aware of other resources that may be of value our visitors, please feel free to use the contact link located on the right side of this blog.

Wishing you the best of health and success!

Ron Coble

Top 8 Military MBA Applicant Mistakes

Here are the top 8 most common mistakes I have seen military applicants make this season. The good news is that just about all of these can be addressed...


8. Not coaching theirrecommenders sufficiently

It’s the applicant’s responsibility to coach and educate hisrecommender, but often this is a senior officer, and doing so is contrary tothe military chain of command and protocol. This awkwardness often leads tomiscommunication and a “hope for the best” approach that won’t cut it.

Recommenders should ideally show new perspectives on theapplicant, reinforce key applicant value propositions, and shore up perceivedweaknesses. Often none of these happen in a military letter of recommendation.Some senior military leaders have written many letters, and are familiar withthe process. Others however may not have a clue for what makes a good LOR, andmay revert to language found on an applicant’s military performance report, whichis often vague and full of not very useful hyperbole.
Applicants should coach their recommenders by making surethey understand what it is business schools look for, and educate them on theirown applications and aspirations so that the recommender can do his part. 

Lastly, applicants should follow up regularly with therecommender to make sure the LOR is turned in on time, as late recommendationsare unfortunately more common than they should be. If a recommender is waitinguntil the last minute to write your letter, that is also a bad sign he is notinvesting the time and thought necessary to write a compelling recommendation.

7. Thinking that theyshouldn’t try to communicate specific career goals because they don’t knowbusiness well enough

“I don’t know anything about business, so I can’t write aspecific career goals essay.” This is an initial approach taken by manymilitary applicants. Showing that you have sufficient introspection to knowwhat kind of career you want topursue, and the ability to follow through with research as to what thatactually means, is part of the point of a career goals essay. Not havingbusiness experience is not an excuse.

6. Not having enoughnon-military people review their application

A military applicant can write an essay that he is in lovewith, and all his military peers may also love it, but it might be confusing,offensive, or just completely incomprehensible to a civilian reader who has nevermet anybody from the military. If you have ever returned to your hometown afterlosing a member of your unit on a deployment, and heard for example,“Afghanistan? Oh, do we still have troops there?” – Then you already know whatI am talking about. There is a large part of America that is largely insulatedfrom the military. While we should give the admissions committee the benefit ofthe doubt, it is still to your benefit to get people who you would neverotherwise engage with to provide feedback on your essays. I mean people wholive far away from military bases, who don’t know anything about the military,and are a different gender and generation from you. Getting their perspectivemay point to serious holes in your assumptions about what some people actually know.

5. Writing a resumewithout a civilian perspective

This one is pretty straightforward. Translating yourmilitary accomplishments into civilian friendly language, getting rid of alljargon, and emphasizing what is important to a civilian reader necessitateshelp from a civilian who knows how to write proper resumes. Make sure you havea trusted advisor for this step.

4. Underestimatingthe GMAT

Never count on a GMAT score until you have taken theofficial test. I’ve seen applicants who sometimes consistently score 700 onpractice CAT exams end up walking out of the testing center with something inthe high 500s. That may be an extreme case, but it’s not uncommon for applicantto score 50-100 points less than they hoped for on the day of the actual exam.The reasons for this are outside the scope of this article, but the point isthat don’t count on a score until you have an official one in hand. This meansthat you shouldn’t go forward with your application with a plan to just takethe GMAT late in the ballgame and assume a top score. Taking such a strategyhas caused many to delay for a later round, or force an application with a poorscore.

The best thing to do is to take the GMAT well in advance….Well before even starting applications. Having a score in hand will free you upto completely focus on the application itself, and give you a better idea onwhich schools you should apply to as well. If it’s too late to take it well inadvance (at least 6 months prior to the application), then at least leave timeto retake the exam a second time after 4-6 weeks if needed. One’s first shot atthe GMAT really ought to therefore be an absolute minimum of 10 weeks prior tothe application deadline. I also advice applicants not to work on their GMATprep and essays at the same time if possible. Either is difficult enough on itsown and takes a full commitment.

3. Underpreparing forthe interview

Most military applicants have never had a b-school styleinterview in their lives. Knowing how to properly handle insightful questions,awareness of how to read and communicate body language, engaging theinterviewer in conversation (not just monologue), feeling confident speakingabout your history, your future plans, your familiarity with the school, andcurrent market events, all take some serious time and effort.
Between the GMAT and essays, some applicants may spendhundreds of hours towards their application. With the interview weighing in asmuch as a third of your overall application, spending an hour or two inpreparation shows a complete asymmetry in one’s planning. It would be likespending 200 hours preparing for ingress and egress on a mission, and spending2 hours for actions on objdctive. Make sure you get the support you need toprepare if you are unfamiliar with these styles of interviews.

2. Assuming theirmilitary experience is unique

Military applicants sometimes think that theirinternational, Pentagon, or MOS experience, by themselves, makes them unique enoughto stand out from the crowd. Similarly, some applicants with weak GPAs from aservice academy think/hope they will be cut a break from schools because lifeat a service academy is more demanding than non-service academies. All of theabove are poor assumptions to make.

Of all the military applicants at a school like HBS, it isunlikely any MOS or deployment experience is the first they have seen. It islikely there is at least one, if not a half dozen or more other applicants witha similar enough profile. Furthermore, there are plenty of applicants with topGPAs from military academies, so the thought that attendance at a serviceacademy, by itself, will mitigate a low GPA, is also a poor assumption. Inother words, one should not over-assume strengths or underplay weaknesses incomparison to his competition.

None of the above implies that one’s military orundergraduate experience cannot be leveraged to deliver a great application.Certainly some experiences can be very compelling; they just can’t be assumedto be enough. It will still take a lot of effort to find your voice.

1. Self-selecting outof top schools

“I don’t have the stats for my dream school, so I’m notgoing to apply.” – More often than not, this is wrongly assumed. GPA and GMATare not the only criteria… and why would you ever self-select yourself outanyway? At worst case, you lose the application fee and spent some timeadjusting/improving your portfolio of application essays. Why not let theschool make the final decision? The only way to guarantee you won’t get in is notto try.