The Importance of Corporate Strategy

Let's talk about strategy. A lot of companies that we work with spend too much time focusing on tactics and execution and not enough time really determining what their overall strategy is as a business and the impact on spending enough time at the strategic level can really have an stunting impact on a company's overall ability to accelerate its sales, gain market leadership, and really power up its revenue growth. A lot of CEO's get bored when it comes to spending time on strategy and they view strategic work as being theoretical or hypothetical exercise that doesn't add a lot of value to a company. But when you look a little bit more deeply, companies that execute really well usually start by having a strong foundation in their strategic objectives and their strategic plans.

Many companies that do well in strategic planning actually formalize this process and conduct it on a periodic basis and make sure that their strategy is updated and aligned with changes in the market, changes that are going on with their competitors, changes that are going on with their customers in terms of specific needs, preferences, and overall requirements. So, a company that does good work on strategy has a much better change at being successful than a company that neglects this important area. Strategy is all about setting the foundation for understanding how to be successful in a market and how to win.

Companies that have a good go to market strategy or strategic marketing plan are in a much better position to execute, according to a company's overall vision and to leadership's overall vision, than companies that don't. It's the job of leadership to provide this vision and set the framework for building a go to market strategy that can allow the company to be successful in its target markets and achieve its revenue and profit objectives over time. Strategy is also important in terms of being able to align the different elements of a business together and make sure that all of the people in your organization clearly understand where the company is going and what's required in order to get there as well as what role they will play in executing the company's overall successful strategy.

When leaders don't spend sufficient time defining their go to market strategy, often times the company suffers and resources are wasted. Members of the team don't understand what exactly it is they are trying to accomplish. Resources are wasted as sales people hunt for opportunities that don't fit with the company's core strategic objectives. And in general, a company that doesn't have alignment on strategy, is under-optimized and wasting time and effort on needless things that don't contribute to the company's overall bottom line success and leadership in the market.

It's the responsibility of a company's leadership to set the overall strategic direction for the company and make sure that they are keepers of strategy as the company moves forward and evolves. Second of all, to set that and to develop it as a vision for the company that can be projected and communicated outwards to its market place as well as internally with its employees. Good leaders plan. Good leaders have a strong focus on what the company's strategic direction is and work to align all of the companies constituents, including internal employees, as well as clients, business partners, channel partners, etc. with the company's overall strategy.

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Drinking Distilled Water - Are There Benefits?

The topic of drinking distilled water versus tap water has raged for many years. Some claim that it is necessary to drink tap water since it contains fluoride (to combat cavities) and the necessary minerals the human body needs. On the other hand, others argue that drinking distilled water cleanses the body, is void of any contaminants, and is the purest form of water. Once popular only among health circles, distilled water has gained momentum in the general population.

Does drinking distilled water have benefits? And if so, what are they? These are the questions usually asked by someone considering drinking pure water. The process of distilling water involves bring the water to a boil so that it turns into steam. Converting the liquid into a gas removes the contaminants that exist within the water. When the liquid cools from a gas to a liquid, the result is water in its purest form. Bacteria, parasites and other harmful items are safely and efficiently removed. In areas with little to know sanitation regulations, the benefits of drinking distilled water are undeniable.

In areas that have sanitary methods of sanitizing water, distilled water can still offer benefits. For example, it has been theorized that distilled water - devoid of minerals and contaminants - will absorb excess materials not needed in the body, and send them to the kidneys to be flushed. The biggest challenge to the idea of drinking distilled water is that since it does not contain minerals, it provides no benefit to the body. However, the minerals found in regular tap water are so minuscule, that a person would have to drink hundreds of ounces a day for meet the daily requirements. With most nutritional benefits coming from food - such as meat, poultry, vegetables and fruit - water offers little mineral benefit in any case.

Distilled water can also be purchased at grocery and health stores. For some, they choose to purchase a home filtration system and make their own distilled water. On average, this is the most cost-effective way to enjoy distilled water (as compared to purchasing it at a retailer).

As society has become more aware of nutrition and the benefits of a healthy diet, distilled water has gained in popularity. However, its greatest popularity resides in areas that do not purify the water of contaminants. Distilled water can - and will - provide a healthy alternative to unhealthy water sources.

Please Visit:

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What is Pre-Foreclosure?

It's a sad fact, but many Americans lose their homes to foreclosure every year. Some lenders aren't always diligent enough in checking a person's ability to make repayments, and others don't really care anyway. And of course there are situations where a change in circumstances happens, leading to the homeowners being unable to meet their mortgage obligations.

Whatever the cause of a person getting behind on their mortgage payments, the process from that point onwards is fairly set. Initially, the lender will file a public default notice. This initiates the foreclosure process, and at this point the property officially enters the pre-foreclosure stage.

So basically, pre-foreclosure is like a grace period. The homeowner is being warned that they're in default and need to do something about it, but at this point, the lender is unable to claim back the property and sell it to recoup their costs. The length of the grace period varies, as it's determined by state laws. Some states allow the grace period to last for as long as 6 months, but many states have shorter periods.

Once the property enters pre-foreclosure, there are a number of ways the homeowner can avoid having their property foreclosed on and sold by the lender.

Pay Off The Default

If the homeowner can find the money t pay off the default amount, then the property is removed from pre-foreclosure. If the amount in default is small, and the default was caused by a temporary glitch in circumstances, then it may be worthwhile taking out a personal loan to repay the debt. If the problem is ongoing, however, this may just cause more problems for the homeowner.

Sell The House

This is a little more drastic, but is probably the best solution if meeting the repayments is likely to be an ongoing problem. By selling the house, the homeowner should be able to get a reasonable price for it. If the homeowner waits and lets the lender sell it, the sale price is almost certainly going to be much lower, because the lender just wants to offload the property as fast as possible.

This is often a good time for an investor to approach the homeowner with a fair offer to purchase the property. However, many people in pre-foreclosure go into denial, and instead of trying to make the best of a bad situation, will actually avoid taking action until it's too late. Many also don't understand the long-term detrimental effect a foreclosure listing will have on their credit score.

Nobody wants to face foreclosure on their home, but at least the pre-foreclosure period gives the homeowner the opportunity to find a solution that's a little more favorable for them. Waiting for the property to pass into foreclosure and be seized by the lender is almost never the best option.

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7 Telltale Signs of Dog Bladder Infection

Are you plain fed up with taking your dog to the vet to get treatment for dog bladder infection?  Urinary infections are commonplace, especially in female dogs, but you could save yourself a lot of trouble and your dog a lot of pain by learning to spot infections early so you can treat them quickly at home.

Here are 7 telltale signs of urinary infection in dogs that you should keep an eye out for.

   1. One of the first signs of dog bladder infections is a change in the frequency of urination.  That's why it's important to know how your dog normally acts so you can notice a change in behavior.

      If you see your dog urinating more or less frequently than usual, a bladder infection may be the cause.  A homeopathic remedy will help to restore balance at a cellular level and maintain a healthy bladder, healthy urinary tract, healthy urine flow, and strong immune system.

   2. Another one of the first signs of dog bladder infection is dehydration.  If you notice your dog drinking a lot more water than usual, it could be because of a bladder infection.

      For example, if it's the middle of winter, your dog hasn't gotten any exercise, and he is drinking water as if he was very thirsty, you can suspect a urinary problem.  Give your dog plenty of fresh, filtered water to drink to help him flush out the harmful bacteria.

   3. If there are traces of blood in your dog's urine, you can be almost sure that your dog is suffering from urinary problems.

   4. An infection may cause your dog's urine to have a foul smell.  Get rid of the bacteria that are causing the bad smell by giving your dog a homeopathic remedy.

   5. If your dog is acting lethargic, he could be suffering from a bladder infection.  Dog bladder infections suck all of the energy out of dogs and make them act tired and lazy.  Your dog may also have a fever.

   6. Dog bladder infection may cause incontinence so don't get mad at your dog if you realize that he has urinated all over the house.

      Dogs urinate in inappropriate areas when they are unable to control their urination.  Give your dog a homeopathic remedy to help your dog heal from the infection and to help him regain control of his urination. 

   7. Bladder infections can be very painful for your dog so if your dog is straining to urinate and he looks like he is in pain, you can be sure that he has a urinary infection. 

      Your dog may also lick his genitals attempting to ease the pain.  Alleviate your dog's pain by giving him a homeopathic remedy.

Your next step?  Take this information and use it as a guide to help you spot changes in your dog's behavior.  If you spot a dog bladder infection early, you can avoid a visit to the vet altogether and treat the problem with natural remedies like homeopathy.

Believe me.  You will save yourself and your pup a lot of unnecessary trouble and suffering if you do so.

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What Is the Coggins' Test?

The Coggins' test is for a serious equine virus called equine infectious anemia (EIA). There is no vaccine or cure for EIA, which is also known as "swamp fever" because of the warm, wet regions of the United States in which it is more common.

There are three stages to EIA. The acute stage is when the horse shows the symptoms of the disease, which include fever; listlessness; swelling in the chest, belly or legs; and no appetite. Although, while the infection progresses, he may not show any symptoms at all, and it may take over a month for the horse to test positive on the Coggins' test.

According to the Indiana State Board of Animal Health, between 30 and 50 percent of horses infected with EIA die within two to four weeks of showing initial symptoms.

Horses that survive the acute phase enter the chronic phase where they will have recurring symptoms of the disease including weight loss, fever and anemia. Such horses can survive up to a year or more in this stage before finally succumbing to the disease. While appearing healthy at some times, horses can experience acute episodes again when under stress such as when faced with hot weather, hard work or other disease, according to the Indiana State Board of Animal Health.

EIA is transmitted to horses by insects such as deerflies and horseflies. It can also be transmitted to horses through instruments contaminated with infected blood such as needles or tattoo equipment.

Some horses can also be in the asymptomatic carrier stage where they do not show any signs of disease but will test positive on the Coggins' test. But these horses can also experience acute episodes when stressed. The Indiana State Board of Animal Health notes that these horses in the asymptomatic carrier stage present the greatest danger to healthy horses in public gatherings like horse shows or clinics because they appear healthy.

Surviving horses are unable to completely clear themselves of the virus and will remain infected for the rest of their lives, according to the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at Purdue University. Affective control of the disease depends on isolation of new, sick, untested or positively testing horses; hygiene with regard to needles and like equipment such as dental tools, fly control and identification of positive animals.

Horse owners are often required to submit a negative Coggins' test in order to show, move to a new stable, sell their horse or transport their horse across state lines. A negative Coggins' test proves that your horse is safe to have around other healthy horses.

According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) fact sheet on the EIA virus, it is the "first persistent virus for which antigenic drift was defined. (Antigenic drift is the virus's ability to change its form sufficiently so that it is no longer vulnerable to existing antibodies.)"

To determine if a horse is negative on a Coggins' test, a blood sample from the horse is tested for the presence of EIA antibodies. Antibodies are proteins produced by the immune system that recognizes and helps fight infections and other foreign substances in the body. The antibody is specific to the EIA antigen (a foreign substance causing an immune response).

The Coggins' test was developed by Dr. Leroy Coggins, a veterinary virologist, in the 1970s. According to the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at Purdue University, the test has a 95% accuracy rate and is the most used test for EIA though other tests can be used when the results are questionable or to confirm diagnosis.

According to the USDA APHIS, the percentage of positives for the Coggins' test has declined from "nearly 4 percent in 1972 to less than 0.01 percent in 2005." The agency states that historically the disease was present particularly in "hot zones" such as Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Missouri, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, North and South Caroline, Virginia, Kentucky, among others. Recent figures show that the prevalence of EIA in the United States is roughly less than 8 in 100,000, according to the USDA APHIS.

Many states have different requirements with regard to handling horses positive for EIA. Because there is no cure for the disease, and a horse positive for it is a threat to healthy horses, many states require euthanasia. Others allow for very strict quarantine measures, where horses are removed from the herd and kept in a 200-yard buffer zone away from all other horses. Some require confinement to a screened stall. Isolated horses are to never have contact with with the rest of the herd again.

Though EIA is low in incidence in the United States, to reduce risk of horses being infected with EIA, the USDA APHIS recommends horseowners:

Never share needles among horses. Dispose of needles after each use.
Sterilize instruments thoroughly after each use.
Keep stables and area clean and drained to avoid attracting insects that spread the disease.
Use insect control such as insecticides.
Quarantine unhealthy, infected animals. Do not breed horses that have tested positive to EIA.
Quarantine all horse species that are new to your facility until you have a Coggins' test.
Have the Coggins' test result done and available for horse shows, fairs, and other places where animals co-mingle.
Follow state laws concerning EIA.

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How to Find Free Police Records Online

The fact is that you live in a big world. And it is quite impossible for you to get to know all the people you are dealing and working with. Just the same, it is very important to try your best in finding out all that you can about these people, especially if they work for you, or if you are establishing close personal relationships with them.

Perhaps one of the best ways to get to know someone is by running a check on his criminal history. Of course, you would want it clean, but you would be surprised to know that a lot of people keep a lot of deep, dark secrets. You just have to be on your guard every time.

You need not go to a police station to wade through their voluminous records. This could be a hassle for you, and could be time-consuming as well. Your remedy lies in the form of the Internet. At present, there are a lot of websites that offer access to police records.

Be wary of sex offenders
Family Watchdog is a site that offers access to a national database of registered sex offenders. Pay particular attention to this since there have been a lot of incidences when sex offenders and pedophiles stalk their victims while in the guise of holding small-town jobs. Not only will you be protecting yourself and your children, you will be helping protect your community as well.

Do not snub online court records
Courts nowadays are employing technology to serve more people. In fact, you can check if your local district and circuit courts have uploaded court decisions in their websites for your free perusal. Use the search function in the court website, and chances are you will be directed to the case decision involving the person you are checking on, if any court decision has been decided against him or in his favor.

Research on other search engines
Since people started paying more attention to the importance of conducting background checks on people, specifically if they hold police records, more and more companies have put up websites where you can find them. Make sure to check on the reputation of these companies before you engage their services, especially if they require a fee.

Find the most practical solution
Also, it would be good for you to know that some of these websites, while offering free access to police records, have dubious reputation. The information they offer you might not have been obtained in a legitimate manner. Some websites are also difficult to navigate, owing to the lengthy information they contain. Some website are simply fake -- they charge your credit card but do not provide access to any records in return.

A more practical, convenient and safe method to search for police records would be to get access to a nationwide registry of police records. Sure, you would have to pay a small fee. But the peace of mind that you will be getting in return is certainly worth the minimal number of pennies you will pay.

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How Long Do I Need to Keep This? - A Guide to Receipts, Statements and Financial Clutter at Home

In most homes, paper causes clutter. And it seems to mysteriously multiply by itself. But just how long do you need to keep all those receipts, bank and credit card statements and other financial papers? Below is a handy In most homes, paper causes clutter. And it seems to mysteriously multiply by itself. But just how long do you need to keep all those receipts, bank and credit card statements and other financial papers? Below is a handy reference that you can use for dealing with your home paper trail.

Toss after One Month

ATM and bank deposit/withdrawal slips

keep in a file folder until monthly statement received

reconcile with your statement to ensure that charges and payments have been properly processed

if for major purchase with warranty, staple receipt to the owner's manual and file for the term of the warranty

if for major purchase without warranty, keep receipt if item replacement cost is higher than the deductible on your homeowner's insurance policy

if for minor purchase without warranty, shred

Cash purchase receipts

enter into your chequebook or computer software to ensure that you are accounting for all your purchases

if for major purchase with warranty, staple to the owner's manual and file for the term of the warranty

if for major purchase without warranty, keep receipt if item replacement cost is higher than the deductible on your homeowner's insurance policy

if for minor purchase without warranty, shred

Credit card receipts

keep in file until monthly statement received

reconcile with your statement to ensure charges and payments have been properly processed

if for major purchase with warranty, staple to the owner's manual and file for the term of the warranty

if for major purchase without warranty, keep receipt if item replacement cost is higher than the deductible on your homeowner's insurance policy

if for minor purchase without warranty, shred

Toss after One Calendar Year

Bank/Financial Institution monthly statements (unless needed for home business)
Brokerage/Mutual Fund Statements (Monthly/Quarterly)

reconcile with your annual statement

Credit card monthly statements
Credit reports

you should request your credit report annually to ensure that all information is accurate and up-to-date, especially with regard to accounts you have closed in the course of the year

requesting this file annually helps to prevent identity theft, so you can see who has requested the report and for what purpose

Monthly Mortgage Statements

reconcile with your annual statement

Pay stubs

shred after reconciling with your W-2 or 1099 (US) or T4 (Canada)

Telephone/Utility bills

Keep for 7-10 Years

Any T4 Forms - including T4E, etc. (Canada)
Annual Mortgage Statements
Supporting documentation (cancelled cheques/receipts/statements) for tax returns including but not limited to:

donations
retirement account contributions
child care receipts
alimony/child support paid or received
medical expenses
mortgage interest
property tax payments

W-2 or 1099 Forms (US)
Year End statements from Credit cards (if provided)
Year End statements from utility companies (if provided)

Keep Indefinitely

Adoption Records
Auto/Home/Life Insurance policy information

keep purchase records for as long as policy is in force

Automobile Records (ownership certificate/registration)

keep for as long as you own your vehicle
if annual registration required, keep only current registration paper

Birth Certificates
Business Income Tax returns, and supporting documentation, if self-employed
Death Certificate
Divorce Agreement/Child Custody Court Orders
Investment records clearly showing beneficiary information

purchase records
sales records

Marriage Certificate
Medical records
Immunization records to children
Military service records
Pension Plan records
Receipts for major home improvements/renovations
Receipts for major purchases that have long life expectancy (refrigerator, stove, freezer, vehicles)
Religious records
School/Education records
Tax Returns

In the US, the IRS has 3 years to from the date you file your tax return to examine your return for errors and up to 6 years to audit your return if they suspect that you have underreported your gross income by 25% or more. There is no statute of limitations on an audit when deliberate fraud is suspected.

In Canada, CRA advises you to keep your tax returns, Notices of Assessment, and all supporting documentation for 6 years from the date of filing your personal income tax return.

NOTE~I recommend keeping these indefinitely because they take up little space and can often be a valuable resource if there is any dispute over such things as income tax paid, child support/alimony paid or received and pension plan benefits.

Will and/or Power of Attorney

should be kept securely in a fire-proof home safe or safety deposit box at your financial institution

Year End Investment account summaries

Now what?

Now that you know what to keep, where are you supposed to put it all?

Set up a simple home filing system to cover the basics, and invest in a couple of sturdy cardboard or plastic filing boxes for the information you should keep log-term or indefinitely.

And a final caution - when you decide that you no longer need to keep certain documents, make sure you shred them and DO NOT put them in the general trash or recycling. Sensitive financial information or personal information should always be DESTROYED to avoid any chance of identity theft that could lead to headaches greater than you can imagine.

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