Growth of Security Education in the Medical Industry

I recently had an opportunity to address a group of Security Managers from several large Medical Facilities on the growth of education for security professionals in the health care industry, evaluation of resumes of prospective applicants, and the growth of education in the larger society. The result if that meeting is well worth repeating here.

The group consisted of security directors from several of the largest medical facilities in Western Washington. They ranged in age from their early thirties too well into the baby boomer retirement generation. These were all season professionals with an impressive string of credentials. Yet, they were as perplexed and confused about the future of education and their industry as the general public is about education in general. Our discussion started with a brief overview of how the security professional in the healthcare industry had evolved over the last 100 years. Starting in the 1890s we looked at medical facilities and healthcare professionals. The medical facility of the 1890 east and the early 1900s was largely a nonprofit institution, set up by local or regional political forces to serve the needs of growing population. They consisted of a group of doctors and nurses providing generalized healthcare. The buildings and surrounding structures were largely the result of donations, or tax levies from local towns and counties to create health districts and facilities. The security professional used to protect these facilities was likewise an uncomplicated individual. They were largely young to middle age people who had little more than a high school diploma and primarily used as a night watchman to watch the facilities during low usage times to prevent damage and fire. I then moved the discussion forward to the year 2011 and the modern medical facilities today. Those facilities are generally very complex and sophisticated facilities involving research from areas of nanotechnology and genetics, to the study of many different diseases. They often involved very sophisticated equipment and Computer Systems with millions of dollars being invested in the personnel that will operate these facilities. They are multibillion dollar complexes, profit driven, with huge amounts of physical resources to be protected. Looking at the security professional that is employed in that industry today, we see very little change between the modern individual and the one that existed in the 1800s. They’re still primarily young, with little more than a high school diploma for education and are used primarily to monitor facilities and to prevent fire damage. As I explained to this group of factional managers, we need to move the discussion for security professionals away from the eighteen hundreds model and into the modern age.

I then moved the discussion into the area of the modern security professional and resumes. The first thing I emphasized was that in trying to find people suited for the complex and challenging job of security professionals today, is to not look at the resume as the only item in your selection process. If we are to find the individuals to be able to handle the complexity of modern medical facilities, you need to evaluate the total person in all aspects of their lives. The security professional in the Health Care industry needs to understand not only the complex and very sophisticated computer systems, and research equipment being used, but understand the dynamic and often very challenging personalities that utilize the systems. They need to be part counselor, part psychologist, part financial analyst, part technologist, a physical security expert, and diplomat to handle the egos that they will encounter as they interface with boards of directors and important research personnel, and VIP patients within the facility. The person who will hold these jobs in the future will be the ultimate utility individual. They will have a broad range of skills, and be comfortable in almost any environment. Their background and education must likewise be as diverse as the demands of their job. But this is not the only issue. The healthcare industry must embrace the need to adjust salaries to be commensurate with the changing needs of the industry. This can only be accomplished by making the security professional an integral part of the overall structure of medical facilities. They all agreed that this is something that is vitally necessary, and that they emphasized with their Boards of Directors at every opportunity. Several directors pointed out that they go so far as to try to integrate medical personnel from various departments into the security force of their organizations. This makes security a functional part of the medical facility and not a stand- alone and isolated unit.

The final item we discussed was the overall development of educational systems in criminal justice over the last few years. At a time when the job of the criminal justice professional/ security specialist is changing very dramatically, educational institutions, because of pressure from the Federal Government are moving away from advanced degrees in many areas for these professions. We discussed the changes in Federal Education policy which are now moving for profit institutions away from educating the large sectors of the population and to becoming more selective in the students that they admit in order to meet Federal statistical needs for success rates. This change is closing one of the last doors for large segments of the population to receive an education. In the 1960s, the large research universities moved away from educating high-risk populations under the legal principle of, “educational necessity”, which allowed them to structure their student bodies with complete indifference to the needs of the communities in which they reside. This legal principle eventually trickled down two other colleges and universities a big novel research nature as they too became more dependent on federal loans for their student populations. By the time frame of the 1980s many high-risk students had been directed toward the community colleges which were growing at a rapid rate to meet the demands of baby boomers seeking higher education for job promotion. These institutions were ideally suited for this purpose since most of them had open enrollment policies. Students needed only apply to be accepted. However over the last several decades under pressure for accountability, community colleges began to put in place screening examinations that would identify entry students at been funneled them into remedial courses so that they would be eight to survive in the community college environment. Although this seems innocuous, the reason for doing this was that the students funneled into the remedial courses were not officially on the college’s books, and could not have an impact on their success statistics for Federal Accounting and success. This meant that it became beneficial for the community colleges too not only funnel high risk students into these remedial programs, but to keep them there as long as possible. The result was that many students from the lower economic groups, minorities, and other high risk students often spend years languishing in remedial courses, before they can’t even get into the mainstream courses of their chosen profession. The overall result was very high dropout rates, but rates which did not adversely impact the community colleges because the students were not officially students. The final door left open to the students was the for profit institutions which began to blossom to fill this need.

Today in the Health Care Security Industry, and many other industries, you will find most of their employee provided from for profit institutions. As the government has changed regulation requirements to put pressure of these institutions to hold them more accountable for their expenditure of federal dollars, we’re seeing the institutions shift away from an open door policy, to one of selective exclusion followed by traditional research universities, universities, and community colleges in the past. Large sectors of the American population will be excluded from education as the systems go into place. This means, that the security professionals in the future will be fewer in number, and less diverse. It will become more difficult for managers of security organizations to find those diverse personalities and populations that they need to fill the demanding and sophisticated jobs in their industry. It also means that in this country we will have a population that is divided into two large camps; those that can receive an education, and those that are forever excluded.

As this discussion with the security professionals indicated, changes in education do not occur in a vacuum. They impact all segments of American Society in life. As the changes occur imposed by the Federal Government, they must become aware of how significant the minor changes in rules and regulation impact the overall structure of many professions and the society as a whole. Just as we’re beginning to get the security industry to understand the need for higher level degrees for their security professionals, the Federal government is moving us back to the stone age of education.

Home-Based Business Opportunities – Top 5 Reasons Why They Can Work For You

More and more people are realizing the benefits of running businesses from the comfort of their homes. Recent statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that an estimated 4.12 million people are currently working out of their homes. As the aftershocks of the global economic crisis continue to take its toll, people have turned to home-based businesses to make ends meet…some even made a fortune from this trend. But what really makes such ventures advantageous and how can they work wonders for you? Here are the top five reasons why it pays to work at home.

  1. Personal Freedom. You can take control of your life and become your own boss. You can opt to work right in the comfort of your home environment and you get to work at your own pace and exactly the way you want. There are no dress codes, no tight schedules, no office politics, and no headaches from being stuck in daily traffic. All you need is to put your heart and mind into it, along with a little discipline and time-management skills. People are also choosing to combine their careers with families, so they could spend more quality time with their loved ones and take on a more proactive approach in raising their children.
  2. You Can Earn More. The principle behind this is quite simple: the harder you work the more income you generate. The amount of money you make is directly proportional to your level of performance. This means you don’t have to wait for promotions or a raise as a result of salary hike or performance appraisal. By investing extra time and effort, you can achieve the financial liberty that you have always dreamt of.
  3. Less Risk and Low Start-Up Costs. Running a home-based business requires less capital investment as compared to a freestanding business or setting up an office. With a little smart planning, you can get started and once your business is running, it’s generally less expensive and easier to maintain. In addition, you get to enjoy a number of tax benefits when you use your house as your personal office. You can deduct your operating expenses from your taxes. This is in contrast to traditional jobs wherein not everything related to your job is tax deductible.
  4. Leverage Savings for Competitive Advantages. This has something to do with the low overhead costs of starting a home-based business. Lower business operation costs can empower you to be highly competitive, not only in terms of price but also with respect to the quality of products and/or services you offer. You can pass on the money you save from rent to clients in the form of lower prices. This will certainly increase your profitability in the long run.
  5. More Room for Professional Growth. Being your own boss enables you to take on different tasks and learn new business management skills. You are free to take on different responsibilities and be the accountant, sales director, strategy setter, marketing professional, business development manager, customer service representative, bookkeeper, etc. This allows you to update your knowledge and skills as you gain more experience with the various aspects of running a business. Your life won’t be boring like it used to be with your regular work schedule in your previous job.

This list of benefits of home-based business ownership and how they can work for you is not all inclusive. There are a lot of other advantages but there are so many to discuss in this short article. However, from the top five reasons mentioned above, it’s quite evident that virtually anyone can try to reap such benefits, and it’s quite likely that we will see more of them in the near future.

A Home Based Business Can Be the Solution to Your Financial Problems – 3 Items to Consider

Perhaps you find yourself in this position or one similar: your bills are spiraling out of control; mortgage payment late with foreclosure looming. Car note is late. Insurance premium due. You find yourself playing catch up on your bills every month. Your financial woes are compounded by the fact that you cannot adequately provide for your children with some of the simple comforts of everyday life. This frustrates you. To make things worse, your relationship with your spouse is contemptuous at best. And finally, to add insult to injury, you’re working at a dead end job with no hope for advancement. The fact of the matter is that the number of days in the month outnumbers the number of dollars in your pocket book. You’ve got to do something quick. Erase the pain. Stop the bleeding. You think to yourself, “Boy, how can I get out of this mess?” You are not alone in this scenario. I’ve been there and so has many other people around the world. This is global.Starting a home based business can be the solution to your money problems. You’ve thought about it for some time and have come to the conclusion that you are going to give it a try. Will you make it is your biggest concern. Well, the truth of the matter is, with the right home based business, you can make it. However, this decision comes with some major concerns that must be addressed. The last thing you need right now is another problem. While the earning potential of a home based business is endless, you must be able to answer all of these questions:Where do I start? How do I find the right business? How much money do I want to make and how fast? Is there an initial investment? Are there marketing costs? Is there a one stop shop that can do all of the above?The solution, however, can be found in the answer to the last question – is there a one stop shop that can do it all? Well yes, there is. Here are three items to consider in your search for a home based business and that one stop shop that can do it all for you.Consideration # 1. Take a good look at yourself. What do you do really well? What are your special skills/strengths? Is there a business out there that caters to these strengths? The answers to these questions will help you find the home based business that best suits you. Keep in mind that in your present state of affairs, you’re looking for relief, not stress. You will want to partner with a team that caters to your strengths and are already achieving the kind of results you want.Consideration # 2. You will want to know how the team goes about getting customers for the product or service you’re selling. Does the team show you how to get customers or are you left on your own. Keep in mind that it does not matter how great the product or service is, you’ll make no money without customers.Consideration # 3. You will want to make sure that the company has earnings potential for long term residual income. While the recruiting of distributors is important, you’ll want to make sure that the company’s products or services generate new customers everyday over and over. You’ll want a product that can be sold online and offline. The product should speak for itself and be reflective of the highest quality.As you make your final decision on a home based business, set high expectations and demand that they are met.

Why Network Marketing Is The Best Home Based Business to Start

The network marketing industry is an interesting one in the fact that there are so many people that make an above average income and at the same time has such a broad opinion attached to it. In this article I wanted to elaborate as to why so many people feel that network marketing is the best home based business to start today.Several business concepts have been introduced in the last quarter of the 20th century, but most of them did not live to see the turn of the millennium at all. However, one concept that not only stood the test of the times but is also blossoming with each passing day is network marketing, alternatively known as multilevel marketing or fusion marketing. When any business idea becomes a success, it causes a ruffle among the analysts and quote un-quote experts to ponder over the reason of its success. So what have these analysts found out about NETWORK MARKETING? Why is this concept flourishing today and how long is it predicted to last, and why you should consider it as the best home based business to start?History has shown us that the only business ideas that last are those that have at least some strain of philanthropy weaved through them. If you evaluate multilevel marketing at length, you will begin to see that this idea is a socially benefiting idea in more ways than one. In other words, it is a concept that helps people to help other people. In these difficult times, this is definitely the need of the hour and another reason why it is the best home based business to start. It is because of this mutual benefit that NETWORK MARKETING creates that it has become such a success.Multilevel marketing works through recommendation. In this business, a person will first use a particular product and then recommend it to others. In fact, some NETWORK MARKETING companies allow potential members to first use their products and then decide whether they would like to join the network or not. Hence, it can be safely said that the products that are sold through NETWORK MARKETING are only those products that the networkers believe in. This assures quality products for buyers. Such marketing is definitely more people-oriented than the uni-dimensional advertisements canvassed by companies who put forth only their own point of view about the product.Also, the products are available at highly cheaper rates. This is because the only advertisement involved here is the word-of-mouth publicity done by the referrers.But the greatest reason why NETWORK MARKETING is a people-help-people endeavor is because it gives a highly meritorious opportunity for people looking at working from home. It improves their income drastically. As these members join the network, they will bring in more members. This will pay them commissions and set their ball rolling. On the other hand, the new members will get a business opportunity out of which they will make money too.Think about it – the NETWORK MARKETING business plan is one of the few plans in the world where everyone is benefited. This includes the referrer, the referred as well as the buyer who is not in the network. To all outward seeming, network marketing is a foolproof business opportunity that spells profits for everyone involved. It comes as no surprise that it is one of the most popular activities today.

Home Based Business – How to Earn Extra Money While Studying

Running your home based business while studying at university is a great way to make some extra money and to hone your entrepreneurial skills. You must have heard stories about some enterprising students who set up their home ventures and made decent money from them. You may be wondering how they did it.In the current grim economic times, students can ideally distinguish themselves by setting up and managing their own business. This will not only perfect their entrepreneurial skills but also make money in the same time.Distinct advantage:If you are a student and managing your home based business, it gives you a distinct advantage in the highly competitive job market. The home venture that you set up while studying at university can turn into a real business enterprise later. Let your student days be the groundwork for sharpening your business abilities.You will learn about cash flow management, marketing and managerial skills. At the same time you can later, if you wish, take up a corporate position since any employer will recognize and value the skills that you have developed. Although when people normally get the taste of business management, the normally do not tend to work for others.Developing the business idea:Many universities encourage their students to develop their entrepreneurial ideas and often there is a good support system for setting up a home based business. You might want to find out if your college has appointed anyone that can help you with this.You should consult and take guidance from other successful student-entrepreneurs. This will help you gain not only the start up experience but it will also translate your business ideas into real entrepreneurial programs.You don’t have to be a student on a business course to start and run your enterprise. By setting up your own ventures, you are also perfecting your managerial skills. People from all walks of life have shown their capacity to run successful businesses.Becoming creative:You need to pick up some creative ideas to earn extra money. With hard work and innovative ideas you can turn a home base business into a great source of income. If you have a burning interest in some hobby, think of cultivating it and converting it into a concrete business plan.Striking a balance:You may have to sacrifice a bit for running your enterprise while being a student. For example you may miss going out with your friends. Sometimes your business engagements will interfere with your studies especially during the exams. It may force you to cram for exams and work late into night to get through the course.However, a diligent student can manage it. It may be difficult initially but you will get used to it. You will be able to know how much time you have to spend on business and when you have to pay attention to your university course.Student-entrepreneur ideas: There are unlimited opportunities on the internet for students turned entrepreneurs. Your professors or staff may have some connections and ideas to help you establish your enterprise.All you need is to keep your mind open. There is no doubt that starting your own home based business needs a good amount of optimism. Students have the kind of optimism which is needed to get started. Your entrepreneurial ideas can become a great source of income while you study and even after that.

Selecting The Top Home Based Business

As the economy has continued to decline and more people are looking for means to make ends meet from home, there have been countless opportunities that have grown from home businesses and cash flow. The internet has provided an incredible and sound logic behind how to make a living and keep life moving in regard to financial security and longevity. As such, one must be careful and diligent in selecting the top home based business.The very best method of determining the very best home based business is to determine what skill sets are already known. Quite often, there are home based business options available for just about any skill set. From this point, the question of what one wants to do becomes vital as well.As it turns out, internet marketing has lead to one of the most incredible forms of profit in the industry today. Countless companies are turning toward the internet in order to provide internet consumer sales numbers which is actually relatively easy to begin. When attempting to build this home based business, one should seriously consider internet marketing as a strategy for success.In order to be successful, one must have a solid business plan. With internet marketing, there are countless opportunities available which all provide incredible opportunities for profit and success. This plan should involve both short and long term goals that are readily attainable and easy to follow.One of the best plans to follow in establishing an internet marketing company is by joining an already established marketing company. This allows anyone the ability to gain solid and foundational experience which is incredibly important for branching out on an independent business venture.Upon beginning this business venture, one may need to consult with a professional that has been in the business and has had great success. Gaining valuable insight into this incredible field is a very solid and foundational approach to beginning the business and making it a success. This could also provide referral business as well.Once these very basic principles are established, a key ingredient to a successful home based business in internet marketing is credibility. As one could imagine, this market has become incredible prolific and flooded with countless web sites and marketers that often provide much of the same skills and products as any other small business owner on the internet. Establishing solid credibility and incredible customer service will help set any internet marketing company apart from the others.

Home-Based Business Opportunities That Rock!

While some businesses are folding down because of the economic crisis, it is good to note that there are also numerous home-based businesses just starting up despite the crisis. Unlike traditional businesses, a home-based venture is easier to set up because you do not need much capital to start one. And since it is operated right in your home, then you do not need to pay for the overhead cost of an office or even a fulltime staff.But are home-based businesses feasible? A lot of people who have been employees for years are starting to shift to home-based businesses primarily because they have seen many successful ventures and they want to follow suit. Here are some of the possible home-based business opportunities you can start with on a part time or full time basis.BloggingMost people consider blogging as a hobby but if you are serious enough about blogging then it can be a good way to start a home-based business even without retiring from your regular job. Don’t worry about paying for a domain name or a host because it is possible to start blogging for free. There are many sites that will allow you to start blogging even if you do not know HTML. Blogger for one, provides bloggers a very convenient way of starting their own blogs with ready-made themes and easy set of Google AdSense. Don’t expect to earn huge money immediately because you need to build your blog rank and get in as many traffic as possible to get the clicks you need to earn from AdSense. Start by blogging about a niche that interests you most.Wedding ConsultancyIf you love people and parties then why not go into a wedding consultancy home-based business? Wedding planners are highly in demand today considering that up to 20 percent of the more than two million couples tying the knot every year are getting their services. This business requires professionalism and organization especially if you are planning to work from home. Just pull off one wedding successfully and you can expect many customers in the future. You will be surprised how many of the couple’s family and friends are also planning to get married soon and you might just get many clients in the future if you play your cards right. Start by joining bridal shows where you can establish contact with florists, photographers and other people who can help you start your home-based business at the right foot.While you do not need money to start blogging for as long as you already have a computer and an internet connection, you do need to register your wedding consultancy business to make it legal. But while any of the two are home-based business opportunities, it should not stop you from setting up a small corner in your home to serve as your office or work space.There are many home-based business opportunities you can start with small capital. Be prepared to lose the monthly income you have become accustomed with for years in exchange for a more flexible schedule and more income opportunities in the future.

The Real Estate Industry Needs Green Education to Revitalize Current Markets

I am not practicing real estate right now but even I see that the real estate industry and all affiliate industries need market transformation and they need it fast. I can remember the days where life was good when I was a real estate agent. Working on 4 and 6 active contracts a month. Attending 4 to 6 home inspections, helping buyers with financing options, meeting mortgage lenders and coordinating everyday 4 and 6 transactions a month. Then getting paid. Then, in the middle of all of this I had 4 and 5 buyers to work with and 3 or 4 sellers who wanted market analysis on their homes. Who ever said agents in the residential and commercial markets don’t work hard?

Try a schedule like that. Now, try to picture all of this gone. Can you imagine a world where an agent shows a buyer 20 and 30 homes, and they don’t buy or even with great credit the lender turns them down?

Try picturing the fact that agents are doing this for 4-6 buyers? Can you imagine writing contracts and having back and forth communication on situations that you know will not work? Sellers painting on the agents recommendation just to have a home sit and sit. Builders who have land that is not developed? Paying taxes while you can’t pay your contractors and your support staff is dwindling. Agents advertising with their own money and houses just don’t sell? Did I mention you, as an agent, pay $2000 a year to stay in the business, for incidentals such as license renewals, ads, association and MLS dues and continuing education credits? How about the loan officer who keeps trying to refinance people and can’t get them a loan? Think of the home inspector who waits for the agents to write business. Everyone is hurting.

Is there any end in sight? Is there anything that can turn this around? YES!

Now I have another scenario for you. You are a buyer or seller of real estate. You want an agent who is green certified to help you understand green attributes in homes. You want to put your home on the market or buy and want your agent who is also your friend or relative to help you. They tell you they have a certification 6,000 have and been green certified by Green Real Estate Education. They like the fact that they only had to pay $99 to learn of what energy efficiency and green these issues have to do with the home you may want to buy or sell. In the current economy, they didn’t choose to spend hundreds or thousands (and neither do you) to learn about energy efficiency so you respect their budget conscience mindset. Can you already see the value in working with this agent? This Certified Real Estate Professional has been trained to assist you to understand how you can keep your utility bills low and have a healthier indoor air quality. That agent works with 2 or 3 ( GCHI’s ) Green Certified Home Inspectors. They have 2 Green Certified Mortgage Professionals (GCMP) who know of ways to finance energy efficient upgrades or special loans for newer energy efficient homes.

This agent likes working with buyers who also want a utility bill that is only $500-$1000 a year. Sparking interest already? You hear that green building ideals offer healthier indoor air quality. Interesting. You find a home that has an Energy Star, Environments for Living, Green Build or LEED green certification. Priced the same as other homes, that home has a low utility bill and energy efficient systems and utilizes solar and is in the perfect area too. What will you choose?

You call a Green Certified Real Estate Agent, a GCREP and say, what can I do to help my home sell in a year or so? They come by, recommend you replace all light bulbs with compact fluorescent or LED products that are much more efficient and paint with non toxic paint, add healthy and efficient insulation. Aren’t these suggestions a bit different than the normal advice. They also have that certification 6,000 have across the country.

In the years to come, you may not want to sell now but that Green Certified agent, inspector or mortgage professional has taken his or her level two certification to learn even more and offer advice that you get an energy audit, and from the results they suggest you upgrade the widows, insulation, the roof and you don’t want to get a second mortgage. They begin to tell you about the state offering a program with PACE concepts. What is PACE you ask? Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs are designed to allow property owners to install energy efficiency, renewable energy, and water efficiency projects and repay those costs as a line item on their property tax bill or utility bill (depending on state law and local options). Wow, half of my family members are in the construction industry and out of work, what a great way for them to have work. Are we thinking job creation? You didn’t even know about this. Thank you for green real estate education.

Stimulating the real estate industry is possible. I do not feel this has anything to do with democrats or republicans. A clean energy economy reduces our dependence on foreign oil. Energy efficiency concepts will create jobs. This is not new to other countries, and we need an economic stimulation NOW. So I will ask again, can green education transform the real estate industry? What do you think?

Finding the Best Investment Opportunities Now

I once read that NOW is always the toughest time to find the best investment opportunities, and that sometimes it is anything but easy to make money investing. Now is 2015, and once again investment opportunities are out there if we can only find them. Where might we make money investing in 2015, 2016 and beyond?

People tend to throw the words “opportunity” and “opportunities” around a lot, especially when they are trying to sell you something (like swamp land or desert properties). For example, “the opportunity of a lifetime” or “one of the best investment opportunities I’ve ever seen”. We all learn sooner or later that real opportunities are the exception; and not the normal occurrence. Let us keep this in mind as we try to find ways to make money investing in 2015, 2016 and beyond.

If you have a brokerage account with a discount broker the world of investment opportunities is available to you at a cost of about $10 a trade. In one account you can make money investing by making a bet on stocks, bonds, interest rates, commodities; and in a wide array of markets, both domestic and abroad. Your broker’s website should offer lots of information to sift through, but it won’t tell you where the best investment opportunities will be in 2015, 2016 and beyond.

Here’s a good way to look at things: now is always a good time to look for the best investment opportunities, but it may not be an easy time to make money investing. For example, natural gas might look cheap, but it has been going down in price for several years. Interest rates are near all-time lows, but this has also been the case for years. On the other hand, stock market volatility has fallen as stock prices continued to rise. Stocks in general are now quite expensive, and super-low interest rates have made bonds expensive by historical standards.

No matter what happens in the markets in the next couple of years, many of the best investment opportunities are available to average investors in the form of ETFs (exchange traded funds) which trade as stocks. If you don’t have a brokerage account go to a financial website like Yahoo Finance and sift through the ETF performance section… looking for the best and worst performers for various time periods. You’ll be surprised by the wide array of opportunities available. Now, you must decide how you want to try to make money investing in them.

Let’s look at a couple of extreme examples you could find in early 2015. The best performer over the past 3 years (up 94%) was a Leveraged Equity fund that invests in healthcare stocks with 3x leverage. It was also up 20% in the last 3-month period. The worst performer was a 2x leveraged volatility fund, which was down 90% over the past 3 years and also down 15% over the last 3-month period. Other big losers included: gold stock funds and leveraged inverse equity (stock) funds. The real question is: do you jump on the big winners to make money investing? Or, will the big losers be the best investment opportunities for 2015, 2016 and beyond?

Here’s a real extreme example from early 2015. The best investment over the last 3-month period was a 3x LEVERAGED INVERSE CRUDE OIL ETF. It went up 285% (in 3 months). What’s that? INVERSE means that as the price of oil FALLS, the share price of this fund goes UP; and 3x LEVERAGED means it is designed to go up 3 times as much (on a percentage basis) as the drop in oil price. This was one of the very best investment opportunities in the months leading up to 2015, because oil prices then started to fall like a rock. But after a gain like that, it’s probably no longer the best investment if you want to make money in 2015 and beyond. This was yesterday’s opportunity.

On the other hand, there’s always the possibility that oil prices will rebound strongly in 2015, 2016, or later. If and when this happens, some of the best investment opportunities will likely be found in oil and other energy stocks (or ETFs) that fell in line with the previous drop in oil prices. Timing and anticipation are the keys to finding the best investment opportunities. You can make money investing by jumping on current winners, but the best investment opportunities are often found when a change in price trend begins.

How To Succeed At Online Product Creation The Easy Way

Product creation could be a frightening subject for a lot of Internet marketers to face. Some folks who get in the game with the intention of making a full time income are completely ignorant as to how an online business operates. One of the most profitable ways to create online cash is by creating a product that others are happy to pay for.

Product creation is legitimate method of generating money through internet marketing but many entrepreneurs get it wrong. They start by imitating their Internet marketing gurus by creating information products on Internet marketing in hopes of getting rich the way their heroes did. The problem is that they usually don’t know what they are doing and enter a highly competitive niche with very little marketing experience or connections.

Here are a few tips for effective product creation that may help you get on the right track:
Start by finding a profitable niche with low to moderate competition. If you conduct some rudimentary market research and keyword research, you’ll find many opportunities in areas that will surprise you. Amazon and eBay are two great places to brainstorm for product ideas.

Developing Your Product does not have to be a difficult project. You can find experts in the right field for your niche and pay them to write the material while an artist designs the packaging and website or blog. You can outsource the entire product creation part of the project after you conduct the research and testing to ensure profitability.

Sales and marketing strategies should be created while developing the product and learning about the market. Some experienced marketers use pay per click to drive traffic to their offer page; some folks outsource the entire marketing campaign to affiliates through ClickBank or other affiliate programs.

Product creation does not need to be hard, particularly when the merchandise is electronic. E-books, videos, audio and multi-media products sell very well. They are distributed immediately to customers electronically. Once you have a good feel for a niche market, try to service your customers with associated products and upgrades. If you want to earn money online through product creation, you must understand supply and demand. The majority of new online marketers fail miserably because they go after highly competitive markets or forget to research their chosen niche properly. You have to create your products according to the needs, wants and desires of the prospective customers.