Homeland Security and Holiday Travel

Next week the Thanksgiving holiday falls upon us and many of you will be traveling. In honor of the busy travel week, I have decided to put together a few basic tips to stay safe and secure.
First, if you are flying- show up early and expect delays. If you plan your flight to close to a deadline for a party or check-in, you will be stressed out. If you allow yourself plenty of time to arrive to your destination, without the pressure of a deadline, you will be more focused and travel safer. This is a proven fact.

Second, have a backup plan should something happen- and extra cash to! I tell everyone to travel with their emergency fund divided into cash and a debit account. In the event that a terrorist attack or security issue should occur, banks could be down or frozen. People don’t like to travel with a lot of cash, but you should have at least a thousand dollars (if not two) on you in the event of an emergency. Keep the same amount in the bank as an ER fund too.

As far as that backup plan, know what you would do if you couldn’t reach your destination and were to get diverted or stuck somewhere. Explain the plan to your fellow travelers and those you are going to visit. Your friends and family should know where you are going to be at all times- even if an emergency were to happen.

The holiday season is a stressful and wonderful time wrapped up into a matter of weeks. Keep an eye out for potential issues and report them if you do catch wind of anything suspect and keep cash on hand along with a viable plan. If you follow these steps, you will have a better and more secure holiday travel season.

Until tomorrow,

Twyla N. Garrett

Loretta Lynch.... The Bombshell!

On Friday, I posted a blog stating who I thought the President would pick for Attorney General. Three hours after my post the President announced his choice, which is Loretta Lynch. I, like many other experts, was completely off the mark with my prediction.

Here's why myself and other are concerned about Loretta Lynch. First, qualifications. From a Homeland Security perspective, Ms. Lynch has some nice wins under her belt. She has no partial ties to Obama or those who dislike his initiatives. She seems to be clean and less aloof then Eric Holder. But this doesn't mean anything. Her Harvard degree, while impressive to some, doesn't come with the endorsements that other candidates had from police unions and first responder organizations.

Am I disappointment? No. She has experience in prosecuting cyber crime and financial crime. She could look at the current IRS scandal with a fresh set of eyes. I do feel there were other and better qualified candidates that should have obtained the position, but this doesn't mean all hope is lost for the country. Lynch brings a different kind of leadership to the table and maybe this is exactly what we need when it comes to sustaining certain programs and prosecuting terrorists. I guess we will have to wait and see.... In the meantime, here is the official announcement and welcome Ms. Lynch!

Video of Lorretta Lynch.



Anyway, as we head into Tuesday, November 11th- note I will not be posting a blog as it is a Federal Holiday.

Twyla N. Garrett

Goodbye W. Africa... For Now

The headline out of Detroit today reads as follows; "Congresswoman Candice Miller: Temporarily suspend visas to west African countries impacted by Ebola." Is this move too little, too late? Should this order come from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)? Well, yes on both!

I fudged the truth with Congresswoman Miller's statement. You see, she has formally noted a filing with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Secretary Jeh Johnson, and Secretary of State John Kerry to make a temporary suspension come to life. Right now, there are 13,500 visas out there from the three impacted countries plagued with Ebola right now. So, yes- with Ebola now in the USA- it is a little too late and the DHS should have jumped on this sooner rather than assuming we had everything under control.

Either way, do you know what the symptoms of Ebola are? I've listed them below. Keep coming back, however, as I cover this subject more on the day-to-day blog. I'm sure once Congresswoman Miller obtains the suspension, we will have a lot to discuss!

Nausea and vomiting.
Diarrhea (may be bloody)
Red eyes.
Raised rash.
Chest pain and cough.
Stomach pain.
Severe weight loss.
Bleeding, usually from the eyes, and bruising (people near death may bleed from other orifices, such as ears, nose and rectum)

Ebola is usually transmitted from animal meat to the host. From there, infected people typically don't become contagious until they develop symptoms. Family members are often infected as they care for sick relatives or prepare the dead for burial.

Until tomorrow,

Twyla N. Garrett

Secret Service Reform?

Photo: Julia Pierson

A proposal came to the table this week seeking to remove Secret Service from the realm of Homeland Security(DHS). This action was proposed after a terrible week for the Secret Service, which included Secret Service Director Julia Pierson resigning amid multiple reports of breaches in White House security. So, what are my thoughts on this proposition?

Well, the Secret Service has 6,500 employees to it- all of which have suffered since it was synced up with the DHS back in 2001. Right now, under the DHS umbrella, these 6,500 employees work as a team to combat counterfeiting and to protect current and former presidents, vice presidents and visiting heads of state. My issue isn't so much with the mission statement or the team work, but the being spread too thin part. For example, why isn't the treasury department handling counterfeiting? Well, because their staff isn't trained to spot certain terrorist patterns, where the DHS is and the secret service can be helpful within this type of associated task. Basically, without one- the other can't work as efficiently.

I do think the secret service should only be focused on protecting the president, but still should remain under the umbrella of the DHS because threats to the terrorist could involve terrorists. They should work hand-in-hand on these types of concerns, but independent ff one another when applicable. To put it in everyday terms, think about a clerk at an office. His or her job is to enter data into a computer system.The data is payroll. So, she enters it in and that is all she is responsible for, right? But what if she spots an error? Should she still enter it in? Or, should she call the supervising manager who turned in the data and point out the error? The two have to work together to solve the problem. If the clerk were to only stick to her job and enter in the error, the billing would be off and someone would be over or under paid. The supervising manager obviously made a mistake. For the benefit of the company- and basically all involved- working together , but in different capacities, was beneficial in the example.

I don't understand why we have to make things so complicated when it comes to common sense security issues. I also don't understand how forcing someone to resign rectifies any errors. Now, a new person can come in and the learning curve to start the security process can be that much more behind... right? Working together without overstepping one another only makes sense.

Until tomorrow,

Twyla N. Garrett

Your Worst Money Mistake

It doesn’t matter how much money you have or don’t have it, keeping it is a challenge for most people. In business, many financial tips are given out without much thought as to why people are looking to get rid of their money! Financial guru Dave Ramsey suggests you not carry cash or credit cards because when either is available -- you’ll create a reason to use it. I agree. In fact, this is my biggest money mistake / tip for anyone and everyone.

The biggest mistake you can make in business or not, when it comes to finances, is to find excuses to use your money! To counter this behavior, place at least 25% of all cash earned (before bills are paid) into a savings account that is hard to access. No debit card, no ability to transfer cash into other accounts – make this savings account almost impossible to get to and even more expensive to withdraw from.

After your bills are paid, put another 2% of your “spending” cash into this account. This is the best thing you can do to prevent yourself from making the worst money mistake known to mankind.

Example: Let’s say you personally draw a salary of $4,000.00 a month. After taxes and healthcare, in a decent world, you are bringing in $3,600.00 a month. $972.00 (27%) of this month HAS to go into that hard to reach savings account. I know what you’re thinking, that leaves you with $2,628.00 to live on for the month. Well, people have lived on less and made. You are going to have to downsize in many areas if you think this is impossible, but you can do it!

Here’s the benefits. If you stick with the 27% rule (not including small percentages of interest earned) you will have over $11k in the bank at the end of a year. Do this starting at age 30, you’ll have $352k in cold hard cash sitting in your bank at age 62- that’s pending you don’t ever get an increase in income. Plus, while saving, you have some “safe” money incase all hell breaks loose and you have to dip into your secret saving account.

Let’s talk business profit. After employees are paid, insurance covered, bills deducted, etc.- your company makes an average of $12k in profit per month. Before putting money aside to reinvest in yourself, put 27% of that money into a business saving’s account. Over the course of a year, your company will have $38k in savings alone. That’s $380k over the course of ten years!

My point is to make adjustments to your lifestyle and prioritize your spending and saving habits. While the concept is elementary, not saving enough money continues to be today’s number one money mistake amongst workers and business owners alike!

Until next time,

Twyla N. Garrett

Simple, Great Customer Service Defined.

I can define customer service in three words. What are they? Above the curve. That’s right, now ahead of the curve but above it. Keeping clients happy is as simple of anticipating their needs so much that you are not only ahead of them with the anticipation, but you are flying so far above them that you start to meet their needs without being asked. You aren’t there to simply respond immediately to a request, you provide the service / product before the request can be made.

Being above the curve is easier said than done. You have to first gain the client’s trust, get to know him or her to develop and then predict their needs, then you have to have the resources to perform the magic of implementation without being asked. Time, effort, and attention to detail are all required to perform not only in anticipation of your client’s needs, but as answer to your client’s needs before the need even occurs.

If you can master this art, you will become in disposable to your clients. What else is better for your own company’s growth and job security? Nothing! So, it is worth putting the time, effort, and attention to detail into your client relationships. I hope this inspires you to reconsider your customer service tactics this weekend.

Until Monday,

Twyla N. Garrett

PRLog (Press Release) - Jan. 2, 2013 - Twyla Garrett is the owner of Investment Management Enterprise and was recently invited to speak at The White House on issues related to business and the country’s economic growth. Now, Garrett is announcing her “2013 Business Awareness Campaign.” The Campaign is designed to help aspiring business owners launch their ideas into actual business ownership during the 2013 year.

“The word “economy” strikes fear right now in many people. I don’t want potential business owners to miss out on great opportunities because of a misperception right now,” said Twyla Garrett. “I was just at The White House. I own several businesses and I know what it takes to make a good go at starting a business. Thus, I am launching this Campaign to help others feel empowered, not fearful, when starting their businesses in the New Year!”

The “2013 Business Awareness Campaign” will allow potential business owners (world-wide) to reach out to Twyla Garrett, via her blog http://twylangarrett.blogspot.com/, and submit questions. In turn, Garrett will offer free advice as a response to the questions. “I normally charge for a full business consultation. I know start-up owners often don’t have spare cash laying around. So, I thought why not launch this campaign and have my blog be a free spot for potential business owners to network, ask questions, and maybe even find investors,” continued Garrett. The Campaign will start on January 3rd of 2013.

About: Twyla Garrett is an extraordinary entrepreneur, corporate speaker, and compelling author who has been personally invited to speak at The White House on the issues of creating jobs, economic growth and the controversial fiscal cliff of 2012. Garrett is known for her notable (sometimes 100% self-funded) business deals as much as she is known for providing excellent opportunities to individuals facing immense challenges. Twyla’s memoir will be published in 2013 and it will be followed by a series of “how-to” business books, starting with one based on Homeland Security. Currently, Twyla’s business blog and social media accounts furnish motivational quotes and an over-the-shoulder view of her unique perspective on profiting in business while helping others.

MEDIA CONTACT
https://twitter.com/TwylaGarrett
Helene Vece of JumpStart Ink (Media Manager)
702-749-5925 Ext 210

The balance sheet doesn't drive business....

Many people think the balance sheet of a company should dictate decisions and opportunities. Not true!
People are now making more and more of a difference with companies small and large.

 If you have a great customer service rep or account manager, you may have clients for as long as those employees are with your company. Brand loyalty is built through relationships and not sales prices. The data shows this too.

Are you in need of an employee make-over? Have you been letting your balance sheet control your destiny? I can help. Send me a message and let's talk!

Venture Capital - Do you believe in your dream?

So often I hear people say they can't find capital for their business concepts. Why is this? Why are so many other businesses able to find funding yet some people never obtain it? Is it because their business ideas are bad? Probably not. Is it because they are not great at making a solid presentation? Possibly. But, most often people don't obtain funding because they think they can't obtain it. It is true.  If you don't believe in your business idea then no one else will.

When approaching a venture capitalist make sure you are flexible. Even though he or she (or they) may not like your entire concept, they may like one part of it. That one part could turn into your funding. Don't be a all or nothing type of person. Be flexible and have faith in your entire concept and also have faith in your ability to adapt that concept to obtain funding. You can always grown your business and change course later!

Twyla