Week of October 3, 2016

 

Stacking Your (Sales) Deck

The only thing worse than sitting through a boring sales presentation is the realization that you’re presenting it. 

If you don’t want the big question in your listener’s minds to be how many slides are left in your power point deck, consider a few simple but profound changes that could improve your next sales presentation by an order of magnitude. 

Check out this quick guide to what one entrepreneur says the greatest sales deck I’ve ever seen”

Are YOU The Next Wells Fargo CEO? 

The recent revelations of misdoings at Wells Fargo, resulting in the dismissal of  5,300 employees for practices clearly not in the customers’ best interest, has more than a few CEOs wondering what kind of shenanigans might be occurring at their own companies and whether they might be the next Wells Fargo CEO. 

One former CEO worth listening to on the topic is “Harvin C. Moore an international speaker, author and consultant. Decades ago, while co-owning a sales and loan association in Texas, Moore says he committed fraud to cope with intense financial pressures at his company — and then spent two years in federal prison as a result.”   After his release he began sharing his story to CEOs around the world including many Vistage groups. 

 This one page interview with Mr. Moore should be required reading for all executives who do not wish to have his story become their own.

Econ Recon

Your Next Nightmare:  In the heady days of 2006, few voices were being raised about the alarming growth in the number of questionable mortgages.  One person, however, did raise her voice: Sheila Blair, who was then head of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation that insures our bank accounts.   Ten years later she is sounding the alarm on a different type of borrowing: Student Debt.  

A recent Bloomberg article about Ms Blair warns that “Some 43 million Americans, …..collectively carry nearly $1.4 trillion in student debt, making it the second-largest source of household debt after home mortgages, according to the Federal Reserve. The federal government owns or backs more than 90 percent of it. More than 42 percent of federally owned student loans aren’t being repaid as expected or on time.”   Unlike mortgages, there’s no underlying collateral.   

This might be the next bubble. This article explains why Ms. Blair thinks student debt is the new nightmare.  Forewarned is forearmed. 

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It’s Not Magic:  For many, the Federal Reserve is the focus of most news about the economy.  In particular, recent concerns revolve around when the Fed will raise rates. Economist Brian Wesbury thinks this is the wrong thing to worry about.  In a one page article, he shares why you should be concerned about money, not its price; and for all its power, the Fed is Not Magic.

For Your Child:  Where the Money Is 

…and speaking of student debt, before you let your child incur it, take a look at this list of the highest paying jobs in American.   It might influence who much debt your child should take on…or their choice of career.

Make it a GREAT week!