Tech Guru Kevin Michael

Tip#1: Prepare Your Organization For Change

There is no amount of technological advancement that can overcome our very human and natural resistance to change. In my experience, technology projects seldom fail because the solutions fail to work as advertised, but rather because of a failure in leadership to act. Before undertaking any technology, understand that the project is fundamentally about change to the way people in your organization perform their work. Projects affect business processes, systems and people. You must be willing to champion these projects by communicating with and involving the people who are affected by the change. Ignoring this reality results in systems that never get used, or used ineffectively by people who did not ‘buy-in’ to the vision.

Tip #2: Calculate the ROI

It may sound like a fairly standard business practice to consider cost/benefit and return on investment when making a decision, but you’d be surprised by how often this analysis is overlooked. Technology has to create leverage by making life for you or your employees easier, although these benefits are often hard to measure. It is absolutely essential for you to determine what a technology solution means to your team in terms of money, time or hassle saved. Does the solution increase productivity so you can do more with less? Does the solution create time for your team to focus on more valuable initiatives? Does it help you close more business? Does it mitigate risks that could have significant tangible or intangible losses? If you can’t answer yes to these questions and attach numbers to these answers, avoid justifying a purchase solely on the promise of its bells and whistles.

Tip #3: Seek Help

Whether you’re the CIO of a large enterprise or the owner of small home-based business, its important to take an inventory of the skills, knowledge and bandwidth available within your organization that will be necessary to effectively execute on a technology project. If it turns out that you will be deficient in any of those areas, you’ll need to revise your plans or seek external help. It’s always appealing to go it alone when you consider the additional cost, but I would argue that getting it done right is better than simply getting it done. Many a project has gone up in flames due to an unwillingness to incorporate skilled consultants or by forcing a project onto an overburdened IT staff.

About the Author
Kevin V. Michael serves as co-founder and Managing Partner of Invizio, a South Florida IT services and consulting firm. Overseeing business development, strategic partnerships and client relations for the company this Antiguan-born entrepreneur and corporate alumnus of Motorola and Citigroup is one of South Florida’s brightest minds in the IT industry. Mr. Michael holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology & Software Engineering from the University of Miami College of Engineering with majors in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems and is a Microsoft Certified IT Professional. In 2011, Mr. Michael was named one of South Florida’s 40 Under 40 Professionals of Today and Tomorrow by Legacy Magazine in partnership with the Miami Herald.

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Tech Guru Kevin Michael

The year is quickly coming to an end, and 2011 is officially considered old news. While you gear up for the holidays by purchasing presents for friends and family members, stocking your refrigerator with lots to eat and making plans to run the town on New Year’s Eve, don’t forget that the technology in your business could benefit from a little TLC. Here are my 5 technology upgrade suggestions that will bring your business up to speed for 2012.

1) Tablets

This year we saw the rise (Apple iPad and Android) and in some cases the attempted rise (Blackberry Playbook, HP TouchPad) of tablet devices into the technology stratosphere. Apple’s iPad commands the market, Android tablets have really begun to shine, and expect a splash from Microsoft Windows 8 tablets next year. Tablets will most likely grow into the most ubiquitous mobile device in coming years and you should start finding ways to incorporate them into your business before you get left behind.

2) Smartphones

If making a phone call is the only thing your mobile phone does reliably, it’s time to consider a step up. If used appropriately, smartphones will give you a boost as you squeeze e-mails, note taking, calendaring and even that de-stressing game of Angry Birds in while on the go. Picking a smartphone is a lot like picking a significant other, ideally you should be attracted to them (i.e. the look and feel), you should love them for who they are (i.e the platform) and they should get along (i.e. integrate) with other things in your life. Luckily you’ll have tons of options to choose from. Between Apple’s iPhone, Blackberry and the plethora of Windows Phone 7 and Android phones you should have no problem finding a phone that you’ll enjoy spending time with.

3) Cloud Platform

If you find yourself stuck running an in-house email server or you feel jealous when you see friends accessing their data while on the go, you need to get with the times. Online collaboration platforms like Microsoft Office 365 and Google Apps make it easier than ever for you to get reliable (and innovative) hosted email and collaborative applications so your team can be more agile. While, the cloud is still not the best place for everything, e-mail and shared files are no-brainers.

4) Videoconferencing & Online Meetings

Face time is a very important thing in business, but with a hobbling economy, time and money are extremely precious. Instead of taking that trip across town or to the airport, let your hair down and fire up a video chat application like Skype or Google Chat. Applications like GoToMeeting, Cisco WebEx and Microsoft Lync also allow you to combine videoconferencing and screen sharing to provide a total meeting experience. It might feel a little goofy at first, but after a couple times you’ll wonder how you lived without it. Now just think of all the gas, tolls, parking and airline tickets you’ll skip the bill on.

5) Desktop & Laptop Upgrades

Microsoft Windows XP officially turned 10 years this past August. For you, that means you are either 1) using a technology that is over a decade old or 2) your computer is probably getting up there too. It’s time to start thinking about some replacements. A slow computer really kills your productivity and I would even venture to say your morale. If you’re in the Windows side of the world, Windows 7 is the best thing Microsoft has done in a long time, and Windows 8 expected out next year kicks butt and I mean it. Mac users on the other hand, usually need no prompting when it comes to upgrades. You guys get the point.

About the Author

Kevin V. Michael serves as co-founder and Managing Partner of Invizio, a South Florida IT services and consulting firm. Overseeing business development, strategic partnerships and client relations for the company this Antiguan-born entrepreneur and corporate alumnus of Motorola and Citigroup is one of South Florida’s brightest minds in the IT industry. Mr. Michael holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology & Software Engineering from the University of Miami College of Engineering with majors in Computer Science and Computer Information Systems and is a Microsoft Certified IT Professional. In 2011, Mr. Michael was named one of South Florida’s 40 Under 40 Professionals of Today and Tomorrow by Legacy Magazine in partnership with the Miami Herald.

Kevin V. Michael
Managing Partner
Invizio, LLC

What would happen to your business and your family should you become disabled or die unexpectedly?  Do you have key employees for family members who could step in and run the company in your absence?

Business Continuation Basics

It is essential to the future of your business and your family to have a succession strategy in place.  In order for your business to maintain continuity, you need to implement a succession strategy that coincides with your goals and objectives.  Your strategy should be flexible enough to handle changes within the company and its related industry(ies).  However, one of the keys to a succession strategy is determining who or whom your successor(s) will be.

Deciding on, and preparing a successor may require years to familiarize him or her with the finer points of the business.  Thus, it is important to select a replacement as soon as possible in order to maximize the possibility of a successful transition.  In smaller businesses, it is not uncommon for one or more family members to be at the top of the list of potential successors.

If you wish to pass your business on to future generations, you will need to make an honest assessment of the respective needs of your family and business, the qualifications of any interested family members, and whether the family and business would be best served by a continued relationship.  Communication with family members is extremely important in order to better ascertain overall interest or concern.

You can prepare yourself by honestly evaluating and reflecting on the necessary components of a well-thought-out succession strategy.  Here are some points that may require further elaboration:

• A thorough job description of each position, including details regarding areas of responsibility and delegation of duties;
• A management/organizational plan;Assuring the availability of cash to meet the demands of federal and/or state estate taxes;
• A list of potential successors to your ownership, taking every candidate’s job experience and academic background into consideration; and
• A mechanism to ensure extensive on-the-job training for the successor(s)

Other Considerations

A succession strategy may also include a buy-sell agreement funded by life insurance.  More than likely, your successor may not have the cash, or the ability, to borrow at the time of successorship.  Under such an agreement, the death benefit proceeds of the life insurance can be used to provide the cash necessary for a successor to purchase an owner’s share of stock in the event of his or her untimely death.

In addition, it may be prudent to explore how your unexpected disability could affect not only your plans for successorship, but also your financial well-being.  Under a disability buyout arrangement, a disability buyout policy provides a successor with cash to purchase shares in the event of the owner’s untimely disability.

You should consult with your insurance, legal and tax professionals to devise a plan of action that provides security for your business and your family. With proper planning, your objectives for business succession and securing your family’s future can be met.

This article is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.  You should consult with your advisor, attorney or accountant with regard to your individual situation.

Pursuant to IRS Circular 230, MetLife is providing you with the following notification:

The information contained in this document is not intended to (and cannot) be used by anyone to avoid IRS penalties. This document supports the promotion and marketing of insurance products.  You should seek advice based on your particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor.

Babatunde Ogunlana
Diamond Wealth Management, an Office of Metlife
bogunlana@metlife.com

As a Financial Adviser Tunde focuses on four key areas: wealth accumulation, wealth distribution, wealth preservation, and wealth transfer.

I have heard the statement “A mother can’t be her daughter’s best friend and be her mother at the same time.” I disagree. I feel that being my daughter’s best friend deepens and broadens the bond in our relationship. I can’t imagine my daughter going to anyone asking for advice or sharing her thoughts in fear of my reactions to her thoughts. No one should know you better than your mother.

As an only child, I was very close to my mother and her to me. I can remember the wonderful times when my mother and I would lie on the bed and talk for hours. She would always start the conversation with “How was your day?” That would get me started and I would just go on and on, because I could see the interest and love in her eyes, and that would motivate me to share even more.

I understand that as a human being there are certain things we choose to keep to ourselves and that is natural. However, over the past few years of facilitating Mother and Daughter Bonding workshops I have seen many mothers and daughters all struggling with the same issue, a lack of honest communication.

As mothers and daughters began to share their intra-conversations (on-going conversation in their heads) they started having honest, loving, trusting, and open communication that was needed to strengthen their bond and create the breakthrough for a better relationship.

How can you be your daughter’s best friend? Recapture that moment when you first looked into her eyes. Start by looking in to her eyes, giving her lots of hugs and, spending at least one hour of quality time a week together. These three things start an energy force that creates a trusting relationship between a mother and her daughter(s) and help you to develop an honest mother and daughter relationship.

Bernard Lee

“One of the results of Florida’s foreclosure crisis that will affect the future of African American wealth building is that fewer families will have a home to pass from generation to generation. Amid rising inflation, crooked subprime loan sharks that targeted Blacks and an escalated unemployment rate, financial experts say it is imperative that Black household s think seriously about saving to maximize their dollars and to hold on to what they have.

“Everyone has already learned to become a homeowner is the No. 1 way to build wealth and transfer it. Now things will change, Bernard Lee, managing director of Miami’s Laurus Wealth Management, told the Florida Courier. Invest in mutual funds. “If you are a person who can spend $100 and not know where it went, you have enough money to invest. The average tax return is about $1,900.Most people just spend it. But you work hard every day, you’re 40 years old and have no IRA, contribute your refund every year to an IRA account and in 25 years you will have $165,000 at 8 percent. Belton and Lee also suggest investing in mutual funds.

“Everything is a market cycle and 80 percent of retirement is left up to you, Lee said. “If you play the numbers, $10 a day, six days a week is $3,120 a year. If the money is placed in an average run-of-the mill mutual fund at just 8 percent growth, it will be $3,359 a year. At 8 percent, compound that and in 10 years you will be closer to $45,000. Making smart choices Belton says if something is expensive for you, it is probably doing well in the stock market.

“If food is expensive for you, then you want to own some food companies. Buy shares in gold mining companies or those that are drilling for oil. I’m taking lemons and making lemonade for my investors. “The upsides are pharmaceuticals, mining, technology and the materials that are needed to do these jobs. Today railroads are doing fine. They were dying, but with oil prices it has become too costly to use planes to transport goods. These are areas that are doing well in spite of the downturn, Belton related. “Invest in mutual funds that own companies in these kinds of businesses and then you get the opportunity to own a group of stocks instead of one. For the small investor, mutual funds make a lot more.”

It is inevitable that you will have disagreements in your relationship. Relationships are comprised of two different people, from different backgrounds, with different opinions and multi-faceted ways of looking at the world. In fact, it’s almost amazing that we can agree on any one issue in our relationships at all. But disagreeing with your loved one doesn’t mean you have to declare war and leave the battle wounded and broken. When you disagree you must enter the disagreement with the sole purpose of resolving an issue and not getting even, hurting someone’s feelings, or giving them a piece of your mind. It is true that you can win the battle and lose the war. In other words, you may win the fight but ultimately it could cause irreparable damage to the relationship. So here are the rules for fighting fair. Stick to the Facts. Place restrictive boundaries around the subject matter that’s up for debate. Don’t bring up old grudges, past hurts, or unrelated incidences to strengthen your argument. Keep it Confidential. Never argue around friends, family, innocent by-standers or co-workers. Fighting in front of your children is tantamount to child abuse. Remember others may continue to hold grudges long after you’ve forgiven your loved one. Tell the Truth. The truth is not always pleasant to hear but it will set you free. Don’t dance around the problem, be frank about how you really feel. Give the truth in love, keeping in mind that the end result is resolution, and not continued conflict.

Naming-Calling is a “No, No.” Never stoop to character assassination when fighting. It’s unfair, childish and many times unforgivable to call someone out of their name. Leave the house before you resort to slanderous name-calling. Profanity is Prohibited. As Christians we should never have cause to resort to profanity. It is very difficult to respect someone’s faith walk when they’ve just finished cursing you out. Try as hard as you can to keep it holy. Decide on your Battles. Every time you’ve been wronged or disagree with your loved one is not the appropriate time to argue. Pick your battles carefully and cautiously. Avoid Cyber-Arguing. Have enough respect and decency when resolving conflict to argue in person. Never argue via e-mails, cell phones, or text messages. The main reason for this is because the other person can and will re-read your comments over and over again until the resentment and anger boils over. End the Argument with Dignity. How an argument ends is crucial. Even if the person doesn’t apologize or come around to your way of thinking you need to simply agree to disagree. Avoid slamming doors, not talking for a week, or threatening your partner. Leave in love.

Dr. Lisa Tait

I have conducted marital counseling for more couples in the last month than I care to mention. The weight of a depressed economy is seriously beginning to take its toll on marital relationships. It seems as if people expect the pastoral counselor to wave a magic wand and make things all better in seriously damaged and sometimes totaled relationships.

I’ve discovered through my continued studies that the real problem begins and ends with the absence of “Authentic” or unconditional love. When we possess this type of love we care about the happiness of our spouse without any thought for what we might get for ourselves. This type of love keeps you from becoming disappointed or angry when the other person makes foolish mistakes, when they don’t do what you want, or even when they inconvenience you personally. Authentic love is really the only thing that matters in life.

When we experience this kind of love from another we are completely fulfilled and the longing and searching ends. The problem is that most of us have never experienced this type of love. Instead we date and marry our spouse based on “Imitation Love.”  This love is a substitute for Authentic Love and it comes in the form of praise, power, pleasure and safety. When we dated we were drawn and attracted to the praise (the approval, compliments, acceptance) we received from the other person. Or perhaps it was the power that initially drew you. You were with someone that you could control, even if only in a small way. The pleasure you received in the relationship drew you even closer and it consisted of food, sex, hanging out, and other forms of entertainment. But for many the safety was a key factor. That other person protected you from feelings of loneliness, abandonment, emptiness, and disapproval. These four components when combined in varying degrees of intensity gave you the feeling of falling or being in love.

The issue arises when one or both persons in the relationship stops giving the praise, power, pleasure and safety. That’s when we really get to see just how absolutely shallow “Imitation Love” is. Listen, the only magic wand I can offer to married couples or anyone in a troubled relationship is “Authentic Love.” You must begin to love that person with no conditions. Decide that there is absolutely no way for your love for them to cease. You will find that you react differently to them because you have made a conscious choice to embrace Authentic Love. This is the kind of love God gives to us. And perhaps that’s the other problem in our relationships – we haven’t fully accepted the Authentic Love that God gives and therefore this concept is foreign and unfamiliar to us. Do yourself a favor, learn to love unconditionally and you will discover that all your relationships (spouse, children, co-workers, church members, neighbors, and relatives) will begin to dramatically improve.

About Dr. Lisa Tait: CEO/Founder, Women of Destiny (Atlanta, GA)

Divorce and Retirement Plan Proceeds

Tunde Ogunlana, Managing Partner, Diamond Wealth Management

Unfortunately, divorce is increasingly common in our society. Because divorce entails the dividing of assets, some of which have tax implications, it is important to be aware of potential tax traps when you begin planning. One such trap in the area of retirement plan assets is the existence of vested account balances.
In the past, with traditional defined benefit plans, the plan participant was promised a retirement benefit, but he or she had no vested retirement account balance. However, with the shift toward defined contribution plans, vesting for employee contributions is immediate, and vesting for employer contributions builds quickly. Consequently, as more Americans participate in 401(k) plans and other defined contribution retirement plans, dividing vested retirement plan assets in divorce situations has created complex financial issues.

Protect Yourself with a QDRO.  A qualified domestic relations order (QDRO) is a judgment or order that involves child support, alimony, or property rights pertaining to a spouse, former spouse, child, or other dependent. A QDRO can be used to establish one spouse’s right to part or all of the other spouse’s retirement plan(s) and to ensure that the recipient spouse pays the tax.
To be protected through a QDRO, it must specify the following:
1. The name and address of the plan participant and the alternate payee (typically, the participant’spouse).
2. The name and account number of each retirement account involved.
3. The percentage (or dollar amount) of each plan that is to be paid to the alternate payee.
4. The period of time or the number of payments covered by the QDRO.

The QDRO must be a part of the divorce decree or a court-approved property settlement document. The decree should also specify that a QDRO is being established under Section 414(p) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) and the particular state’s domestic relations laws. Intent to establish a QDRO is insufficient; it must be spelled out in the divorce papers.

Getting divorced can be taxing enough, but it need not be made more difficult by mishandling the division of assets in a retirement plan. And, although this particular decision does appear to provide room for straying from the precise wording of the statute, applying the proper language in a divorce decree may help ease some of the inevitable complications that can arise, facilitating a smoother transition for all involved. Qualified legal advice should be obtained to help ensure that any desired planning actions are worded and structured properly.

By Tunde Ogunlana

Copyright © 2009 Liberty Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Each one of us has a mission or purpose that we are to fulfill while here on this terra firma we call earth. This mission was woven into the very fabric of your being prior to your birth. We were equipped with gifts and talents to complete this mission. Our job is to develop those gifts and utilize them for the fulfilling of our mission and not for its destruction. While many of us recognize that we are called according to God’s purpose for a divine assignment we labor endlessly, unable to birth our destiny because we don’t know how to set our mission in motion. Here are some practical steps you can follow to move to the next level. First, you must clearly and succinctly clarify who you are, what you do, who you plan to serve, and what makes you unique. This is your personal mission statement and it will guide your continuing efforts.

Secondly, you must spell out your purpose or what you believe God wants you to accomplish. This is your raison d’etre or your “reason for being.” Your purpose will always be associated with your passion. How can you use what you love to do for God’s divine purpose in your life?

Thirdly, you must create goals or detailed steps to accomplish your mission. This may include goals such as create a business plan, finish a degree, develop a talent or gift, save money, deepen your spiritual life, read more, network, learn a computer program, etc. Your mission is too important to ignore, therefore you must do the work required to step into your destiny.