LOS ANGELES, Feb. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire-iReach/ — Like it or not, your mortgage rate is going to help determine just how affordable your dream home really is says the real estate experts at RealtyPin.com. Even if you’re not a math whiz, there are 3 things you need to know about…
PR Newswire: Financial Services
Companies that focus on their unique abilities are best-positioned for growth. But most firms, like most people, aren’t very aware of their extraordinary capabilities, not to mention their extraordinary deficiencies. To achieve growth you need to know what makes your company special. Seeing the world through your customers’ and competitors’ eyes is the best way to understand what sets you apart. Ask the following three questions to pinpoint the assets that can catalyze new growth: Why — really — do customers choose our offerings? Which of our capabilities are distinctly better than those of competitors? How difficult would it be for a garage-based startup to replicate what we have done? The answers will help you determine your most crucial asset, and how that should be the focus of your growth. Adapted from “Three Questions to Jump-Start Your Company’s Growth” by Scott Anthony. Visit Harvard Business Review’s Management Tip homepage Purchase the HBR Management Tips book
Business & Money | TIME.com
NEW YORK, Jan. 21, 2013 /PRNewswire-iReach/ — According to economic indicators, home prices are beginning to rise ever so slightly. Specifically, in 84 of 100 of the top markets, prices have increased at an annualized rate of 3.3%. It’s not much, but it’s definitely a welcome…
PR Newswire: Financial Services
The next time you go to Chipotle, you may be forced to utter three words you thought you’d never say: hold the guac.
The burrito seller announced on Thursday that it will likely raise prices later this year to combat the higher cost of ingredients, the Wall Street Journal reports. Currently, an average meal at Chipotle will set you back , according to the WSJ.
With more than 1,400 locations, Chipotle is also under the pressure of increased competition from other burrito makers like Taco Bell that offer lower prices, Bloomberg reports. On Wednesday, Chipotle stock saw its biggest decline since October after disappointing fourth-quarter profits.
In an effort to stay competitive, the restaurant chain will be testing meat alternatives on its menu. A trial run of “sofrita,” a braised and shredded organic tofu, will be introduced in the San Francisco Bay Area next month, the Chicago Tribune reports. Chipotle also started serving craft beer in 15 of its Chicago locations in November.
ShopHouse, Chipotle’s first Asian-themed restaurant, received praise after opening up shop in Washington D.C. in 2011. The company has plans to open another ShopHouse in Los Angeles, Calif. this year.
Unlike Chipotle, Wendy’s does not foresee increasing prices due to rising food costs. CEO Emil Brolick told CNBC that the rise in food prices were “manageable.”
On Friday, December 14, a gunman entered an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., and shot and killed 26 people including 20 children. Earlier that same week, an Oregon man shot three people at a shopping mall before taking his own life. A few months before that, a gunman entered a movie theater in Aurora, Colo., and left having taken 12 lives.
Tragedies such as these have raised serious questions about a firearms industry growing larger and more powerful everyday. Today, it’s easier for most Americans to access guns than it is to find mental health treatment. Such realities have set in motion a conversation about the nation’s gun control laws, and the powerful industry such rules would regulate. So how big is the gun economy really?
Here is everything you need to know about the U.S. firearms industry:
31 billion – Economic impact of the firearms industry in 2011 in dollars.
19 billion – Economic impact of the firearms industry in 2008 in dollars.
4 billion – The number of dollars spent in annual commercial gun and ammunitions sales — a 20-year high.
270 to 300 million – Estimated number of guns owned by Americans. That’s about one for every American citizen.
158 million – Number of background checks conducted since the FBI was mandated to do so by Congress in 1993.
70 to 80 million – Number of Americans who own guns.
45 million – Number of Americans estimated to own handguns.
16.8 million – Number of background checks for gun sales in 2012.
8.5 million – Number of background checks for gun sales in 2002.
154,873 – The record number of background check calls the FBI reported receiving on Black Friday this year.
700 to 2000 – Cost of a .223-caliber semi-automatic rifle, which some reports indicate was the type of firearm used in the attack in Newtown, CT.
200 – Percent profit boost for gunmakers since Obama was elected in 2008.
96 – Percent of the million that gun lobbyists donated during the 2012 election that went to Republicans.
87 – Percent of children killed in the 23 wealthiest nations who are American.
80 – Percent of gun deaths from the 23 wealthiest countries that are American deaths.
78 – Percent of Americans who favored making the sale of firearms “more strict” in 1990.
62.8 – Percent of people who own guns in Wyoming, the state with the highest rate of gun ownership in the U.S.
62 – Percent of 125 online sellers who said they “probably couldn’t pass a background check.”
47 – Percent of Americans who report owning a gun.
44 – Percent of Americans who favored making the sale of firearms “more strict” in 2010.
40 – 45 – Percent of U.S. households that own a gun.
33 – Percent increase in Winchester’s ammunition sales since 2007.
16.2 – Percent of people who own guns in Connecticut.
4.44 – Percent that gun manufacturer Sturm, Ruger & Company’s stock fell on the day of the Newtown school shooting.
People don’t fall asleep during conversations, but they often do during presentations — because many presentations don’t feel like discussions. Knowing your audience helps you take on a conversational tone. But how can you get to know a roomful of strangers? Start by doing some research online. If you have a list of attendees, look up their bios. If you only know generalities about the audience, check social media feeds about the event and read what’s on the minds of those attending. If you’re presenting to a company, read its annual report, find recent press mentions, and follow the organization on social channels.. Visit Harvard Business Review’s Management Tip homepage Purchase the HBR Management Tips book
Business & Money | TIME.com
Sandy Could Be a “Perfect Storm” So Make Sure your Home and Family Are Prepared
NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ – Hurricane Sandy, which has the potential to be one of the worst storms in recent history, may hit the East Coast early next week and the time…
PR Newswire: Financial Services
