Author: Sandra Hayes

Is It Ethical to Make Money by Investing in Lawsuits?

by Sandra Hayes

It was an idea that came about in 2016 when investors wanted new options for better returns. Mighty Group Inc. offered a unique proposition: Investing in a lawsuit could earn up to 30% interest on assets that have zero correlation to anything else in the portfolio.

Mighty Group Inc. lends money to plaintiffs who are in the middle of a personal injury lawsuit. Many of these individuals are unable to work or generate income while in the middle of litigation. Their bills pile up quickly, evictions can happen, and the insurance company keeps stalling for months or years before paying up.

By supplying a loan that gets paid when an award or settlement gets reached, you have an early-stage chance to invest in a different lending opportunity. Each case gets carefully examined to ensure the odds are in the investor’s favor.

Is this an ethical investing decision to make?

Insurance Companies Paid $140 Billion for Lawsuits in 2014

Over half of the injury lawsuits in the United States involve automobile accidents each year. With a figure approaching $200 billion in some years, the dream of investing in lending opportunities to plaintiffs isn’t far-fetched.

You’re not financing the lawsuit. You’re betting that the plaintiff wins the case, pays off the loan with what they receive, and has enough left to live a comfortable life.

Peer-to-peer lending websites are already taking advantage of this opportunity. Prosper and Lending Club make small, unsecured personal loans to individuals in ways that were classified as high-risk opportunities not that long ago.

You’re helping people to pay rent and buy food. Then you make money through the interest that you earn.

The ethics of that decision depend on the investor. The plaintiffs need these items anyway. If you charge a lower interest rate than a credit card provider, then you could be saving them some cash.

When your return is a percentage of the award or settlement, then that might be a different story.

Higher interest rates are part of the lending process for lawsuits in many markets. Mighty Group Inc. has had 100 transactions per month since its official launch. 

Most of their rates are above 30% because of the risk involved. As long as the deal gets structured as a loan, then this investment option gets around the rules that are in place to prevent claims being sold to others. 

Books for Aspiring Business Owners

by Sandra Hayes

If you want to become a business owner one day, then information is going to be your greatest asset right now. Learning from those who have already walked the path you’re starting can help your idea launch to greater heights.

Reading is an essential tool in the entrepreneurial toolbox. These books for aspiring business owners can help you to develop a strong foundation that leads you toward the success you want to build.

List of the Best Books for New Entrepreneurs

1. The 4-Hour Workweek

Timothy Ferriss captures your attention with this unrealistic title. He shows you why every moment has value when you start creating a new business. The modern marketplace is fast-paced and unforgiving. You’ll discover how to harness your mindset and working style to maximize productivity. If you expect instant gratification, then you’re going to be sorely disappointed.

2. The $100 Startup

Author Chris Guillebeau shows you in this book that it doesn’t cost much to start a business today. If you have resources to use, a home-based company can get going for $100 or less. That means you can begin a side-hustle while maintaining full-time employment to support yourself. Then keep investing in the new company until it can replace your current career.

3. The Startup Playbook

David Kidder takes you through the stories of the most successful startups and the entrepreneurs who created those opportunities. It’s like reading an entire book of case studies that provide information you can use in practical ways to get your business off of the ground. You’ll get a glimpse of the storms that are coming your way so that you can plan for any eventuality that happens.

4. Zero to One

Author Peter Thiel has successfully worked with partners to create billion-dollar organizations. His thesis in this book is that the most challenging step in the startup process is to go from 0 to 1. When you do something new then you’re walking in unfamiliar territory. Knowing what your strengths are or why your ideas are unique will take you to incredible heights if you put in the work to do it.

If you are starting a new business now or when the economy stabilizes after COVID-19, then try to read at least one book per week. The information that you’ll find on those pages can lead to practical experiences that give your startup resiliency when it needs it the most.

Why Companies Need a Disaster Recovery Plan Template

by Sandra Hayes

Most businesses carry insurance to protect themselves against unexpected losses. What these companies didn’t realize when purchasing a policy is that the fallout from a pandemic isn’t usually a covered problem.

Thousands of businesses around the world are listed as non-essential during the COVID-19 pandemic. That means employees get furloughed or laid off, owners lose revenues, and the rent remains due.

Having a disaster recovery plan template can help an organization of any size recover quickly when an economy reopens for business.

You Can’t Rely on a Government Bailout!

Billions of dollars in government support were made available to American businesses as a response to the COVID-19 emergency. Some of those funds are 100% forgivable if the money gets used to make payroll. Low-interest loans, some at 0%, are also part of the package to keep companies operating.

The reality of today’s business climate is that this money is not a survival guarantee. You need to have a disaster recovery plan template to fill out.

It’s like having a backup business plan that you can implement if regular operations get disrupted for some reason.


Imagine if you wanted to support better health and wellness at home, but you didn’t have products from brands like Argentyn 23, Heritage Store, or Sovereign Silver. If you don’t know what resources are available, then you must wait for outside help.

Having access to resources that you can use immediately enables you to be one of the first businesses that open its doors when the pandemic is over.

What Resources Are Available Right Now?

The Small Business Administration provides access to numerous loans and grants that can keep a business operational during an emergency. Planning for this bureaucracy must be part of your disaster recovery plan template.

Business grants of up to $10,000 are available through Hello Alice through funding from partners like Salesforce.

Most cities are launching recovery programs that can offer solutions that can keep small businesses operating. You’ll want to speak with your Chamber of Commerce to discuss what is available.

Online lending programs provide up to $1 million to affected companies. Many providers are waiving payment requirements until the emergency is over.

If you don’t have a disaster recovery plan template available, then your business is at a higher risk of failing. Although no one expects something as massive as COVID-19 to impact the global economy, planning for the worst-case scenario can help you to get back on your feet faster.

Why You Must Create Networking Success Stories

by Sandra Hayes

Networking success stories shouldn’t be a process that you dread. Forming relationships isn’t always at the top of your to-do list because it can be an awkward and time-consuming process. Some personalities struggle to put themselves into these situations because it feels uncomfortable.

If your calendar is already crowded with family commitments and work appointments, then putting off a meeting with a few strangers is a decision that seems to make sense.

There’s also no way to deny the power that a strong professional network provides. When it is done well, then you can land jobs faster. These relationships can give you a competitive edge at every stage of your career, especially in your early twenties.

Creating Networking Success Stories

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to follow if you want to create new networking success stories. Each person uses different tactics to build relationships because the focus is on personal comfort first.

If you don’t like networking with people, then consider meeting someone for coffee to have a one-on-one conversation. When you thrive in an environment where you can be the center of attention, then a Chamber of Commerce meet-and-greet could be an incredible opportunity.

Then create a game plan that you can execute. It’s essential to head into each networking opportunity with at least one clear goal to achieve. It doesn’t need to be a complex outcome that you hope to achieve. Bringing back one new insight or connecting with two new people in your industry can be the beginning of a networking success story.

It would be best if you make a plan to follow up after meeting people. It’s the one crucial step that most professionals neglect. The time that you invest in connecting with someone new goes away if you fail to maintain that new relationship.

You don’t need to send someone a lengthy love letter that encompasses every emotion you’ve ever experienced. A simple, thoughtful message that speaks of the appreciation that you have for the connection will work.

Create a Fairy Tale Ending

As a final step, it helps to pay it forward. Start looking for ways to provide more value to the people in your current network before asking them for help. When you invest in these relationships, then it will be more comfortable for you to offer assistance – and get some in return.

How are you going to start creating more networking success stories?

5 Career Choices for a Business Management Degree

by Sandra Hayes

If you want a career for a business management degree, then there is a diverse range of potential jobs that you could pursue. Here are some of the best-paying options that may be available in your community.

1. Account Manager

An account manager is a company’s personal representative to a customer. This job is responsible for managing client relationships, coordinating with sales teams, and preparing presentations that communicate the value of products or services.

2. Financial Analyst

This job is responsible for conducting qualitative analyses with regard to the investments or finances of an organization. You would compose spreadsheets, graphs, and charts that forecast the financial health of the company for a variety of time periods. This position is also responsible for determining the price of products or services when they reach the market.

3. Marketing Manager

You are responsible for estimating the demand for the products or services sold by your employer in this position. You’d analyze what your competitors are doing in the marketplace to determine what niche would be profitable for your agency. Then you’d oversee a team that develops a strategy to maximize profits based on that information.

4. Sales Manager

This position is responsible for creating the strategy behind each sales goal and initiative. It’s a job that works to resolve consumer complaints, monitor customer needs, and prepare budgets that work toward revenue growth. It is your role to determine what the focus of each outreach effort should be based on the analytics your team creates. 

Many sales managers are also responsible for the direct distribution of products or services by assigning territories and establishing training programs. You may need to be involved in the recruitment and hiring of new staff. 

5. Business Analyst

If you pursue this job, then your employer will expect you to spend your day working to gather information related to the issues or policies in the organization. Then you’re responsible for analyzing the collected data to determine if alterations or another possible solution is available to pursue. Any new procedures or policies that get created would come from employee interviews, personal observation, and internal reviews of agency documents.

You can choose to pursue a 2-year or a 4-year degree in business management in the United States. When you successfully complete your education, then jobs like these will be waiting for you in the employment sector.

How Do You Determine a Good Cash Return on Investments?

by Sandra Hayes

A cash-on-cash return is a rate that gets used in real estate investments most often. It calculates the cash income earned from the amount of money invested in the property. You’re receiving a figure that’s based on the annual return the investor makes in relation to the amount paid in monthly mortgage obligations.

It’s one of the most uncomplicated calculations to understand and serves as an essential real estate ROI consideration. This will be especially relevant to you if you are younger and looking to spend some of your free cash.

What Does This Information Tell You?

The cash-on-cash return is a metric for commercial real estate investment performance. It shows the cash yield on property investments, with the return rate providing an analysis of the business plan for it with potential distributions over the lifetime of the investment.

This option is often used for investment properties that require long-term borrowing. If debt gets included in the transaction, which is the case for most commercial properties, then the actual cash return differs from the standard ROI. That’s when these calculations make sense since it takes all profits and debt into account.

It only measures the return on the actual cash investment. That’s why it provides a more accurate analysis of the overall performance of the investment. 

Example of How to Use the Cash-on-Cash Calculation

Let’s say that the total purchase price for a property is $2 million. The investor pays $200,000 as a down payment, with the rest borrowed from a bank. Insurance premiums, maintenance costs, and closing fees reach $20,000, and this figure is what the investor pays out of pocket.

After one year, the investor has paid $50,000 in loan payments, of which 20% is principal repayment. Now the decision gets made to sell the property for $2.2 million after 12 months.

The investor’s cash-on-cash return for the property equals 51.9% after the deal closes. 

It is essential to remember that the cash-on-cash formula is not a promised return. It is a forecast that investors can use to take a look at future cash distributions, making it an estimate of what one can expect to receive over the life of the investment.

This principle applies to other investments that involve cash transactions. As long as you remove the initial payment to acquire items from the figures to focus on what you put into it only, then you’ll have a better idea of what to expect when it is time to implement your exit strategy.

How to Have Financial Success While in Your Twenties

by Sandra Hayes

When you reach your twenties, life seems to open up for you. Whether you choose to go to college or pursue a career right away, the freedom and opportunities that come with it can be exhilarating. But you need to know how to have financial success.

That’s why you need to take care of yourself physically during this time. You need to have the energy necessary to go on all of those adventures! The products from Irwin Naturals, Jarrow Labs, and Vital Nutrients can help you to redefine success in personal wellness.

This attitude must also apply to your finances.

Best Things You Can Do to Take Control of Your Finances

When you can make a financial plan for yourself early, then your future can be brighter. The habits that you build now will help you to achieve long-term success. 

1. Establish a Budget

Knowing how to slice up your income into manageable chunks can reduce impulse spending. It is essential to create definitions for your wants, needs, and dreams. Make sure that you have enough available to manage your daily and monthly recurring expenses.

2. Get Insurance

If something unexpected happens, it can be a devastating experience for your finances in your twenties. Having a policy, whether you rent or own, can help you recover quickly so that life can move on without as much difficulty.

3. Follow a Debt Repayment Plan

Student loans are a reality for many young people in their twenties. Make sure that you have a repayment plan in place that your finances can follow. Then avoid credit card debt whenever possible, even if that means you rein in your spending.

4. Create an Emergency Fund

Having insurance will cover most of your financial needs in an emergency. Having money stashed into a savings account that can supply a month’s worth of your basic needs is also essential to have. If you own a home, having your water heater go out can be a $1,500 expense. If you need a new furnace, that could be $5,000.

5. Save for Your Retirement

Retirement might seem like a long way away, but it will eventually catch up to you. Saving early for it allows you to compound interest, dividends, and earnings to amass enough cash so that you can retire comfortably. Follow these investment newsletters to learn more about investing the right way.

Keep all of your financial information secured in a safe place. Then be proactive about following these ideas so that you can have how to have financial success in your twenties.

How to Pick the Right Accounting Software for Your Business

by Sandra Hayes

Accounting and bookkeeping services can require a lot of time to complete. When you own a small business, those precious minutes translate into real currency.


Time investments are money. That’s why you must create efficiencies whenever possible to keep your small business profitable.

Accounting software is an easy way to simplify your bookkeeping needs. If you are ready to make your bookkeeping life more straightforward, then these tips can help you to choose the best tool for your needs.

Tips to Follow When Choosing Accounting Software

1. Consider Your Needs and Overall Skill Level

The needs of a company that earns over $1 million annually are very different from one that generates less than $50,000 in activities. Your skill level in this area will also dictate some of the selection processes. If you have a high level of financial literacy, then you can choose more complicated tools that can automate processes for you.

2. Look at Cloud-Based Applications.

Accounting software on the cloud will come with a variety of unique benefits. You can access your data at any location with an internet connection, avoid the cost of licenses, and always use up-to-date products. Because all of your records are kept at a data center at a different physical location, there is a lower overall risk of a catastrophic loss.

3. Stick to Your Budget

Business accounting software is available for any budget – including companies that need a free solution. You’ll discover that a lower cost typically creates a more generalized application. If you need a specialized product, then your investment will need to be a little more.

4. Pay Attention to Add-ons

Accounting software that offers add-on features can bring extra functionality without a significant expense. You can use this option to have remote access, accept payments, or fuse your e-commerce platform with this setup. Some providers offer packages that are compatible with tax software so that you can automate many of your financial and reporting processes.

5. Work With an Accountant 

If you have an accountant, then this person might prefer a specific application that’s already compatible with what is currently being used. Every business is a little different, so the individual or contractor in charge of your books can offer an educated opinion that you’ll find to be helpful.
Finding the right accounting software is not a decision to take likely. It is a costly experience to choose one, only to discover that you must switch to a new product within a few months. By making the right choice, you can start working towards bigger goals, such as building credit, hiring staff, buying tools, and finding ways to save big at tax time.

Apply Financial Business Intelligence Offers with These Growth Opportunities

by Sandra Hayes

Financial business intelligence involves various methods of data collection, processing, and analyzing. It takes information from databases in real-time situations to help executives make better business decisions.

Most companies apply financial business intelligence opportunities through SaaS (software as a service) products that run in the background automatically. New technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, and process higher data loads faster than ever before.

Today’s business leaders understand that time is also money. Data analytics bring everything together for an organization so that financial datasets can create unique insights that encourage growth.

Best Tools to Use for Financial Business Intelligence

Sisense

This tool allows companies to view, analyze, and collate financial data in meaningful ways. It uses a single dashboard with drag-and-drop functionality to offer granular views to users. The software crunches the information for beginners so that everyone can look for scalability or flexibility.

Looker

A web-based interface works with an organization’s analytics team to glean insights from collected data. It uses an intuitive approach that lets leaders build and share reports instantly, using a single code to design visualizations and analytic modules. It accommodates over 25 different variations.

Wyn Enterprise

Teams can use this browser-based report designer to make more sense out of the data they already have. It provides several functionalities right out of the box, including online document designing. You can integrate this tool into some existing software products to take advantage of several different formats. It also provides an interface that’s easy enough to understand for non-technical users.

Zoho Analytics

This software provides an entire productivity suite with several configurable tools that can maximize production. It offers REST API capabilities to integrate data from several third-party systems so that automatic information collection can happen. The interface is also scalable so that virtually any company can process information at any level of datasets. It even has collaborative spaces for teams to stay productive with their analytics reports.

Qualtrics Research Core

If an organization needs a cloud-based tool, then this research software offers a powerful solution for most SMBs. It empowers brands and marketers to look across all of their verticals, supporting virtually every industry. You can use real-time analysis features, project management opportunities, and smooth tracking.


Financial business intelligence starts when companies work smarter instead of harder. These tools can make that outcome become a reality.  Other steps are important, too. Make sure to follow these investment newsletters to help you to gain a broader understanding of how to grow and invest money.

How to Determine Your Home Buying Budget

by Sandra Hayes

How much house do you think your family can afford?

Houses are typically the most significant purchases that a family makes. Figuring out how much you can afford is one of the first steps toward a home buying budget.

If you follow these steps, then you can get an approximation of how much house you can afford right now.

Step #1: Know Your Monthly Income

Start your budget by determining how much you, your partner, or another co-buyer earns each month. Unless there are specific reasons why you shouldn’t include them, all revenue streams like investment profits and alimony should go into this figure.

Step #2: List Your Costs

Now you will want to make a list of your total housing costs. This figure should include property taxes, insurance policies, and the estimated mortgage interest rate that you will pay. Most families pursue a 30-year mortgage, but there are different lending products available. A shorter loan will result in a larger monthly payment, but smaller interest payments and better rates.


You’ll want to make sure that your total down payment gets figured into this rate.

Step #3: Tally Your Expenses

This part of your budget is the money that goes out to other creditors each month. You must be accurate about how much you’re spending because this will dictate the amount of house that you can reasonably afford.

Additional Steps to Take for Your Home Buying Budget

Maximizing your income to buy your dream house is the worst decision you can make. There must be enough room in your budget to manage unexpected expenses, emergencies, and still save something for your retirement.

That means most families should not be spending more than 28% of their gross monthly income on housing expenses. You should also not have more than 36% of your income already claimed by debt of some type. That means student loans and car payments can impact the amount of house you can afford.

Depending on where you live, your income levels might cover a mortgage or cause you to fall short. Even if a lender is willing to write a loan that takes up a significant portion of your wages, it may not be in your best interest to pursue a house. Work on raising your credit score, improve your debt-to-income ratio, and save up for a down payment of 20% if possible.


When you can follow these steps, then your home buying budget will be easier to implement.