Investment wisdom

"Due diligence and streetwiseness are

the only two ways to prevent being

cheated. Regulation is to prevent

systematic failure and no amount 

of regulation can prevent fraud."

- An investment manager

Singapore got farms?

I'm surprised to know that there're indeed quite a no of farms in Singapore.. Now, we got more places to explore over weekend.. and fresh vegetables to go with some more.. ;-)

Singapore Brands

i wonder how many successful Singapore companies there are.. but some of the more recognised Singapore brands are captured here.. on this list.. do add to it if u know.. just click on 'Contribute to this'.

What i like about Christmas

3 Habits of Stephen Convey

Come to think of it.. i've been practicing three habits of Stephen Convey to the fullest.

They are:

1. Begin with the end in mind. This habit comes more often of late since i started my own businesses. But i must add that we all must have options in our strategic planning. Long gone the days when we spend great effort to come up with one strategy. Scenario planning is of utmost importance. And always have exit plan though most hate to think about that. 

2. First thing first. These days i woke up asking myself "what's the most important 3 things i must do and complete today." And i set myself to do them immediately. At nites, i think about next day, next week & even next few months ahead.. i feel satisfied whenever a task is completed and look forward to a new task..

3. Think Win-win. To succeed in this world and more importantly, to be happy, we need to think win-win all the time. It has become a habit and spiritual guidance for me. It works! If u set your mind to this habit. And u will win friends. Greed & selfish thinking is not going to bring u friends and happiness on your life journey.

A great phenomenon

It's a great phenomenon! A great discovery.. i realized it last year and reaffirm it today! When i'm resting i'm working.. and working i'm resting..  ;P

Funny but true!

When i'm lying on bed resting, my mind starts working in the background and many a times it just 'wake me up' and then i came up with solutions to problems! 

The opposite is true too.. when i'm working, i cant seem to think of a solutions and cant remember things.. i just do what i planned..  but i cant plan effectively while working.. However, when i'm resting, my mind is most efficient and effective.. 

No wonder i find meditation invaluable these days.. i meditate even when on bus or waiting for train.. 

i believe it's the workings of foreground conscious mind and background unconscious mind (or maybe known as subconscious mind otherwise).

Long time ago i wrote about the use of conscious and unconscious mind. check it out! click here

Tips on Energy Savings at Home

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Chocolate Research Facility

Was surprised to find a new store at Millenia Walk.. The shop looks like a research centre of something..  only after a cheerful store 'Moderator' explained to us did we realise that it's actually selling chocolate in very innovative packaging! 

Interesting idea on presentation.. 

Check it out! click here

Singapore Botanical Garden

just went for a stroll at Singapore Botanical Garden.. a nice place for evening walks..  ;-)

check it out. 

Your darkest secrets - i'm sure you have..

Do you have dark secrets? i'm sure everyone has at least one.. 

Share your secret too - click here to add to this list.

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thru hard times..

Funny, it's thru hard, tough times we realise what's most important in our life.. and usually it's our love ones, our friends,.. and not our wealth, our possessions,..

And thru these trying times, we see who are our true friends.. learned about ugly side of mankind..

so sometimes it's good to go thru bad times or recessions.. so we learn & grow wiser and a better person..

Opportunity Fund

Today's newspaper writes about having spare cash for investment opportunity. Below i captured key pointers & thoughts for myself..

1. Against conventional wisdom that tells us to be 100% invested, we should instead have spare cash for investment when there's an opportunity as well as selling our shares when the time is right - staying invested may not be the right thing to do.

2. During a downturn, all stocks will go down.. some to below their intrinsic value. That's when opportunity aplenty.

3. Create an Opportunity Fund or Investment Fund. Set aside 10 - 30% of your total finance for this.

4. Diversify. Never put all your eggs in one basket.

5. Learn risk management. Know your risk appetite. Spread out between high and low risk investment.

6. Be patient. Investment is not staring at the computer screen watching the stock value goes up and down. It's for mid and longer term..

7. Imagine if you are 100% invested now you wont have any spare cash to invest anymore..

Answers

Answers will come only 

if the right questions are asked.

Shenton Way

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20 more melamine tainted products fr Malaysia

Universal Law, Natural Law, Nature

I've learned thru observation and meditation that this world exist universal laws.

And everything goes thru the cycle of birth, life and death.

Matters expand and contract. This can be observed from materials - with heat it expands and contract in cold weather, and life as well..

These laws also applies to business - we see the stock markets goes up and goes down over the years. Companies centralized and then de-centralized.. and then centralized again.. in a cyclic fashion.. there's no end to this..

Since there're always changes taking place everywhere, it's better for us to understand nature in order to benefit from them.. and of course for the greater good at the end of day.

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Channel Management

Today i read a reallly good article on Channel Management. So i captured the juice here for myself..

1. Even with Internet - direct selling made easy, many companies still sell thru intermediaries such as distributors, resellers - commonly known as channels. In certain ways, channels provide an efficient route to market.

2. Channel often provide "total solutions" to the customers - thru both products and services.

3. Must look into channel synergy, channel loyalty and win-win proposition for both parties.

4. Usually channel salesman meet resellers, the focus tend to be sales target and latest products & features. These are important but it does not foster business synergy. Other factors such as strategic value to the channel will separate you from other competing products trying to sell to the channels.

5. It's not just about revenue/sales. That's a common mistake. Instead, focus on showing how to grow sales thru planning, co-marketing and various support such as marketing & advertising in their selling efforts. Help them win more new customers and get more sales from existing customers.

6. Help channels in their financial management such as cash flow, inventory mgmt,.. offering to help them in sustaining their revenue stream. Help them manage risk.

7. Focus on Return on Capital. ROC should exceed the cost of capital.

8. Hybrid approach has been adopted in many firms. They let resellers sell to most customers except their key & large customers. these need to make clear otherwise, resellers may be wasting resources chasing the same customers.

9. Know the channels' operational needs. And help them improve and be efficient. Help them lower cost. Leverage on IT & Internet.

10. Make it easy for your channels to do business with you. Leverage on IT & Internet. Focus on processes. Create web ordering, simple & easy warranty system, streamline after-sales support.

11. Know that channels is not there just to make revenue & profits. They are selling your products because it adds value to their business.