360 Consumer Finance Platform
Help your customers drive new sales and increase their average RO by offering an easy and secure financing integration. Consumers can apply, get approved, and pay right from their smartphones.
The New Consumer Financing Standard
Consumers demand flexibility and choice when it comes to paying for vehicle repairs. If you aren’t offering them simple, safe ways to get to yes, you’re being left in the dust. Get the jump on the competition by offering 360 CFP, featuring Text-to-Lend.
Embedded within popular DVI tools, T360 CFP allows consumers to view their estimate and quickly and discreetly apply for financing – all from their smartphone.
Everyone is too busy these days to spend hours waiting for approvals. Make it easy by ensuring consumers get their approval decision in minutes with
Focus on Technology
With Text-to-Lend, you’re showing your customers your commitment to innovative new tech that will improve the customer experience at their business.
Security and Service
Consumers need to know that their data will be handled with care. 360 CFP featuring Text-to-Lend meets and exceeds the latest data privacy and security standards, plus it’s backed by industry-leading support.
Simplified Sales Process
Make it easy for service advisors to sell consumer financing options without feeling overwhelmed. 360 CFP featuring Text-to-Lend automates this potentially challenging conversation.
See How It Works
360 CFP featuring Text-to-Lend is integrated seamlessly into the industry’s top DVI tools like AutoServe1. Consumers can view estimates, apply for financing, and get an approval decision in minutes from one beautifully designed interface.
What Our Customers Say


Should you invest in art and antiques?
The answer to this question is of course, from my ever so slightly conflicted position, yes, but not for the reasons you may be thinking. Unless you are a professional investor you should not buy paintings, objects, furniture or items for any other reason than because you like them. You should not set out to buy things with the express goal of selling them for a profit at some time in the future because this may never happen. The investment you make is an investment in your own enjoyment of life and your surroundings. There is little point in living in an environment filled with things you do not enjoy simply because you hope they will make you money. You may get lucky and spot the next big thing before the rest of the market piles in and forces up prices. Buying for enjoyment means you don't need to concern yourself with such matters. If and when you come to sell, if you get your money back or even a profit then this should be considered as a bonus rather than an expectation.
Another factor which drives demand is the usability of the item in question. A prime example of this would be the classic Georgian mahogany bureau. A handsome example in the year 2000 might have cost you £2000. With the advent of computers, tablets, mobile phones and email no one needs a bureau in which to keep their writing paper, envelopes, stamps or to store the current year's bills and paperwork. Technology has killed demand and consequently a fine example could now be bought for perhaps £300, exceptional value for money and no less attractive than when it was worth six times as much. A reduction in room sizes has reduced demand for larger items of furniture as has the desire for fitted kitchens and bedrooms.
Many of the above negatives are in fact positives for people interested in furnishing with antiques because it means they can own beautiful, interesting, robust and functional pieces at prices that make them accessible to everybody.
Supply and demand
The above examples demonstrate how changes in demand have affected the price of cheaper and mid-range items which were purchased by householders who never expected them to lose value. The reduction in demand has coincided with an increase in supply as fewer pieces inherited by younger generations are retained in the family.
Where prices are likely to take off is where demand is high and supply is limited. This will really only apply to desirable items where rarity is the key to success. Works of art which are unique and can't be replicated should always prove a better investment, we can't say for sure but by buying the best you can afford at this end of the market you will give yourself a much better chance of success.
As the world's wealthiest people force the prices of the rarest and most desirable artworks ever higher, the second tier of works is pulled upwards behind it. As investors can no longer afford the most expensive items they target the second tier of the market and some of these artists have seen their works rise in value from £10,000 to £100,000 in just a few years. This second tier, if you pick the right artist, is where significant gains could be made in the next decade. Of course when works fall out of favour prices can plummet.
In the early century the works of the most famous pre-Raphaelite artists such as Edward Burne Jones and Dante Rossetti were so unpopular they were virtually being given away. The Mander family furnished their house, Wightwick Manor, with these works and for a small outlay now have a collection, 100 years later, worth tens of millions. However the average investor looking for a medium term gain doesn't have 100 years to wait! Furthermore, as the collection is unlikely to ever be sold it has a true value of nothing!
Few of us can however afford to invest at these levels but the same rules apply to less expensive items- don't buy damaged or heavily restored items, don't buy cheap items where you can go out and find another 500 exactly the same, always buy the best example you can afford.
Investments or possessions only have a value when they are sold, the same goes for all types of investment. Shares in a company on the stock exchange might have a "value" of £50,000 one day. The next day the company declares bankruptcy and goes into administration, the shares becoming worthless. They only ever had a value of £50,000 if you had sold them the day before!
Selling into a market where demand is high and supply is small should result in a high price. Where supply is large and demand is small you might be lucky to even sell it at all. This is where the investor is at the mercy of the market and the savvy buyer will only buy items he is sure will be easy to sell.
For us, when buying at auction, it is much better to buy lots where there is a lot of competition and prices are higher than expected. If you buy it very cheaply you are either lucky because the item was overlooked or more likely because no one else wanted it - that should ring alarm bells. Maybe buying these sorts of items will yield high returns in the future when demand picks up. Shall we look into our crystal ball to find out?!
Some antiques and certain artworks have proved to be exceptional investments over the last few years but generally at a level accessible to only very few people with significant sums at their disposal. Our advice is invest in your enjoyment of life by buying things that you like, not things that might make you money. You don't have to spend a fortune to surround yourself with things you will enjoy looking at every day and who knows, when the time comes to pass these things on to a new passionate owner, you might even come away with a profit!
Article written by Stephen Cohu for Jerseylife Magazine, July 2018.


When you don’t have good credit, trying to get a credit card is hard, and even once you do get a credit card, it’s easy to get trapped.
You will have a hard time improving your credit score if you do not have the opportunity to rebuild your credit. There are still credit cards available for people with bad credit, though you may not realize that.
If you wish to raise your credit score, you should consider getting a credit card with on-time payment options. Even though getting a new credit card can help your score, it can also bring it further down if it is not managed properly.
Most often, the best credit cards will depend on the individual’s individual situation, but secured cards tend to be the best choice for people with less than perfect credit. You have to put down a cash deposit when you get a secured credit card. Your credit is usually determined by that amount.
Once you use that card repeatedly, you’ll build credit, and ultimately, you’ll be able to get an unsecured card. The cash security deposit that you paid for your secured credit card can be refunded if you obtain another type of credit card.
Some of the best credit cards for people with bad credit can be found below.
Best Credit Cards For Bad Credit
In this article, we review credit cards for people with bad credit in an effort to help them rebuild their credit scores.
1. OpenSky Secured Visa
The Secured Visa from OpenSky does not require a credit check as it is a secured card. When a person opens an account, they opt for a credit line, and then they make a refundable deposit based on the credit line they choose. A major advantage of the card is the fact that you don’t have to worry about your credit score being affected by a hard pull since there is no credit check.
Depending on your creditworthiness, you may receive up to $3,000. Using OpenSky, users can improve their credit scores because their credit information is reported to all three major credit bureaus each month.
$35 is required for the annual fee, and the APR is approximately 19.64%. You can use it just like a regular Visa card. 99 percent of customers with no credit score who started with the company built their score within six months.
2. Indigo® Platinum Mastercard® Credit Card
People with low or bad credit often choose the Indigo® Platinum Mastercard® Credit Card. An applicant can utilize the pre-qualification option without affecting his or her credit score. Each of the major credit bureaus receives a report from the company.
Typical Mastercard fraud protection is available with the Indigo® Platinum Mastercard® Credit Card. Bankruptcy may not be an obstacle to obtaining this card.
3. Milestone Gold Mastercard®
There is no security on the Milestone Gold Mastercard®. Before submitting your application, you can see if you qualify. You will usually be approved for a credit limit of $300 upon approval. During the application process, you will need to consider a $35 to a $99 annual fee.
It costs $35 – $99* per year after the first year of free usage. Benefits of Mastercard Gold are included in the Milestone Gold Mastercard®.
4. Green Dot Platinum Visa
Secured credit cards are specifically designed to establish or rebuild credit. If a credit line is needed, a refundable security deposit of $200 is required, and no bank account is needed.
Consumers can deposit money in certain participating retail stores to report their payment and usage histories to credit bureaus.
This Green Dot Platinum Visa offers an annual percentage rate of 19.99%. Credit limits range from $200 to $1,000. Annual fees are $39 and credit limits are $200 to $1,000.
5. DCU Visa Platinum Secured Credit Card
This Visa Platinum Secured Credit Card is offered by Digital Federal Credit Union. The account allows account holders to borrow money against their savings accounts with DCU. It has no annual fee. You can make purchases with Apple Pay and Visa Checkout. With DCU Visa Platinum Secured Credit Card, you can get low-interest rates. Current interest rates are 13.75 percent.
6. Citi Secured Mastercard
Users of Citi Secured Mastercard can deposit between $200 to $2,500 as a security deposit, granting them a larger credit line than that offered by other secured cards.
Credit requirements are part of the approval process for this card, including a review of income and debt. There is a 24.74% variable APR on purchases. The account holder must not have filed for bankruptcy within the past two years to qualify for this card. Annual fees are not charged for this card.
7. USAA Secured Platinum Visa
A $35 annual fee is associated with the USAA Secured Platinum Visa, but there is no foreign transaction fee or penalty APR. It varies from 11.65% to 21.65%, which is on the lower end when compared to other cards.
Military recruits will benefit from the special features, security protection, and no liability associated with the card. All cardholders will receive a free credit score.
The credit limit is determined by the security deposit users make when applying for credit. A $250 security deposit is accepted. Interest is also earned on the security deposit, unlike many other cards.
8. Credit One Bank® Visa® Credit Card
People with no credit history or poor credit tend to apply for Credit One Bank credit cards. Among the credit cards available in the Credit One Bank® Visa® Credit Card.
One of the best things about this card is that it allows skilled applicants to earn 1 percent cash back on all purchases and that the rewards post to their accounts each month.
Credit score monitoring is free for account holders. Due to the fact that this is a Visa card, it offers all the standard benefits. The annual fee ranges from $0 to $99. Variable APR ranges between 17.99% – 23.99%.
9. Discover it Secured
There is a refundable security deposit required for the Discover it Secured Card. Cardholders do not have to pay an annual fee, and the standard variable APR is 22.99%. By using this card, users can receive free monitoring of their Social Security numbers.
Customers can view their FICO credit score for free online and on statements if they hold a Discover it Secured Card.
Account-holders of this card can earn 2 percent cash back on up to $1,000 in purchases every quarter at restaurants or gas stations, and 1 percent on everything else. Upon opening the account, the company matches your first year’s cash-back earnings.


If you would like to make a financial contribution on a one-off or a regular basis to support Clevedon Care, we would be delighted to talk to you. Our treasurer can explain the various options for giving that are open to you.
If you are a regular UK income tax payer, you might also like to consider GiftAiding your contribution. This boosts the value of the contribution you make without costing you any more. You can find out more about GiftAid here.
Clevedon Care has been fortunate over the years in benefitting from legacies left by benefactors. This has enabled us to operate independently without any central or local government financial support. If Clevedon Care has helped you in the past when you were in need, perhaps you might consider leaving a contribution to us in your will. The advantages are explained here.
Thanks for your support. To discuss your options for giving, please contact our treasurer.


Public Sector Undertakings
National Textile Corporation Limited
National Textile Corporation Limited (NTC), a Schedule “A” Central Public Sector Enterprises under the ambit of Ministry of Textile, Government of India, engaged in production of yarn and fabric. NTC was established primarily to manage the affairs of the sick textile undertakings taken over by the Govt. of India in three Nationalization Acts in the years 1974; 1986; and 1995 by nationalizing 124 mills.
NTC has existing 23 working mills. However, despite implementation of BIFR approved revival scheme (SS-02), (MS-06), (MS-08), NTC has been incurring operation losses and not earning sufficient income to meet its running expenses. There being little scope for its revival, Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) in terms of its guidelines dated 13.12.2021 regarding implementation of new PSE policy for closure or privatization of the sick CPSE, is deliberating the matter further.
Core-IV, 7, Lodi Road,
New Delhi – 110003
The Handicrafts & Handlooms Exports Corporation of India Ltd. (HHEC) was established in the year 1958, as “Indian Handicrafts Development Corporation Ltd” with the twin objective of (i) export promotion and (ii) trade development of handicraft and handloom products and it was renamed as “The Handicrafts & Handlooms Exports Corporation of India Limited” in 1962. HHEC was continuously suffering losses since 2015-16 and its business operations had come to a standstill. Being commercially unavailable, Closure of HHEC was approved by Union Cabinet in its meeting held on 16.03.2021. Post closure activities of HHEC are being carried out as per the extant DPE guidelines.
The Handicrafts & Handloom
Exports Corporation of India Ltd.
Jawahar Vyapar Bhawan, 1
New Delhi -110001
National Handloom Development Corporation (NHDC) Ltd., Lucknow was set up in February, 1983 by the Government of India as a Public Sector Undertaking under the Companies Act, 1956. The Authorized Capital of NHDC Ltd. is Rs.2000 lakh and its Paid up Capital is Rs.1900 lac. The main objectives of NHDC are: • Carry on the business of supplying all types of yarn for the benefit of the handloom sector. • Organize supply of quality dyes and related materials needed by the handloom sector. • Promote marketing of handloom fabrics. Aid, assist and implement the projects connected with the production of handloom fabrics including taking up modernization programme, technology for the handloom sector
National Handloom Development Corporation (NHDC)
Wegmans Business Park, Tower - 1
Plot No. 03, Sector Knowledge Park - III
Surajpur - Kasna Main Road
Greater Noida - 201306
The CCI was set up in 1970 by the Government of India, as an only Public Sector Organization in the field of cotton marketing. With the changing cotton scenario, the role and functions of the Corporation were reviewed and revised from time to time. As per the policy directives received from the Ministry in 1985, the CCI is the sole agency of the Government for undertaking Price Support Operations, whenever the prices of Kapas (seed cotton) touch the support price level. However, in the absence of price support operations, the Corporation undertakes commercial operations for supplying cotton to NTC Mills, Unit Mills of State Textile Corporations, Co-operative Spinning Mills and Private Mills, in addition to purchasing cotton for fulfilling export commitment. The role assigned to the Corporation, in brief, is as under:- • To undertake price support operations whenever the market prices of kapas touch the support prices announced by the Government of India without any quantitative limit; • To undertake commercial operations, only at CCI’s own risk and; • To purchase cotton to fulfill export commitments. The Corporation, with a view to serve the cotton growers and the textile industry, has developed an elaborate infrastructure. It had 19 Branch Offices in all major cotton growing States during the year under report. It helps cotton growers in marketing their Kapas through a network of over 341 purchase centers spread over the major cotton growing States. FINANCIAL RESULTS During Financial Year 2017-18, CCI achieved a turnover of Rs.1392.22 crores as against the previous year’s turnover of Rs.1962.96 crores. The highlights of the financial results during the financial year 2016-17 & 2017-18 were as follows:
Purchase(in Lakh Bales)
Domestic Sales (in Lakh Bales)
Turnover (in Rs. Crores)
Profit after tax (in Rs. Crores)
During the year, Corporation’s short term debt is rated CARE A1+(SO)[CARE A One Plus] (Structured Obligation) i.e. the highest credit rating assigned in this category for short term bank borrowings of Rs.25,000 crores which signifies strong capacity for timely payment of short term debt obligation and carry lowest credit risk.
DIVIDEND: CCI recommended a dividend of Rs. 2.80 crores, during the financial year 2017-18.
'Kapas Bhavan', Plot No. 3-A,
Sector 10, Post Box No. 60,CBD Belapur,
NAVI MUMBAI - 400 614 (Maharashtra)
Central Cottage Industries Emporium was established in the year 1952 under the management of Indian Cooperative Union and was later on taken over by Central Cottage Industries Association in 1964 and was incorporated as Central Cottage Industries Corporation of India Ltd. (CCIC) on February 4, 1976. CCIC is a Public Sector Undertaking under Ministry of Textiles. The main objective of CCIC is to develop, promote and market High Quality Indian Handicrafts and Handloom products in India and abroad procured from the artisans/ weavers/ craftsperson through their Emporia, E-commerce, Exhibitions, Institutional / Corporate Sales, Exports and Interior Decoration Projects. CCIC is foremost in the pursuit of vocal for local and Atmanirbhar Bharat at grass root level. Corporation is having showrooms at New Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kevadia (Gujarat), Craft Museum, New Delhi and Salarjung Museum, Hyderabad. CCIC is also having an online shopping website shoponline.cottageemporium.in for it's esteemed customers.
The Registered and Corporate Office of the company is situated at Jawahar Vyapar Bhawan,
Janpath, New Delhi - 110 001
The British India Corporation Limited
Incorporated in 1920 as a Public Limited Company, British India Corporation Ltd. (BIC) was taken over by the Government of India under the British India Corporation Ltd. (acquisition of shares) Act, 1981. The Company has two units namely (1) Cawnpore Woollen Mills Branch, Kanpur (2) New Egerton Woollen Mills Branch, Dhariwal with Head Office in Kanpur, manufacturing woollen fabrics.
BIFR approved revival scheme of BIC couldn’t take off as it was linked with sale of its surplus Nazul/leasehold land which requires permission of U.P. Govt. which has not been forthcoming. Due to continuous losses there has been no production activity in BIC mills since 2009. There being little scope for its revival, DPE in terms of its guidelines dated 13.12.2021 regarding implementation of new PSE policy for closure or privatization of the sick CPSE, is deliberating the matter further.
Jute Corporation of India (JCI) Ltd
JCI is a Govt. of India Enterprise set up in 1971, JCI is the official agency of the Ministry of Textiles (MoT) responsible for implementing the MSP policy for jute producers and serves as a stabilizing agency in the raw jute market. JCI also undertakes commercial operations, procuring jute at prices above the MSP on commercial consideration to generate profits. JCI’s price support operations involve procuring raw jute from small and marginal farmers at MSP without any quantitative limit as and when the prevailing market price of jute falls below the MSP. These operations help create a notional buffer in the market by siphoning off excess supply, in order to arrest inter-seasonal and intra-seasonal fluctuations in raw jute prices. JCI’s Departmental Purchase Centres (DPCs), which are situated in jute growing areas, purchases raw jute directly from the farmers. JCI has around 110 DPCs of which 69 are in West Bengal, 19 in Assam, 12 in Bihar and the rests in the three other jute growing states of Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Tripura. During the year 2020-21, 0.0398 lakhs of bales have been procured by JCI under MSP operation. The authorized and paid-up capital of the Corporation is Rs.5 Crore and the net worth is Rs.155.64 Crore as on 31.03.2021. The entire authorized capital has been subscribed by the Government of India.
15 N, 7th Floor, Nelli Sengupta Sarani,
New Market, Kolkata - 700087.
National Jute Manufactures Corporation Ltd
National Jute Manufactures Corporation Ltd (NJMC Ltd), is a schedule “B” Public Sector Undertaking under the ambit of Ministry of Textiles, Government of India incorporated on 03rd June, 1980 as per Jute Nationalization Act 1980. NJMC Ltd has the following 6(six) Jute Mills under itself which are as follows:
a) Kinnison Jute Mill, Titagarh, 24 Parganas (North), West Bengal b) Khardah Jute Mill, Khardah, 24 Parganas (North), West Bengal c) Alexandra Jute Mill, Jagaddal, 24 Parganas (North), West Bengal d) National Jute Mill, Sankrail, Howrah, West Bengal e) Union Jute Mill, Sealdah, Kolkata, West Bengal f) RBHM Jute Mill, Katihar, Bihar
The management of six sick private sector Jute manufacturing companies was taken over by the Central Government under Clause (a) of sub-section (1) of Section 18 AA of the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1956 and thereafter the ownership of these companies was vested on the Central Government through enabling legislation of these, the National Jute Mill was nationalized under the National Company Limited (Acquisition and transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1980. The remaining five companies were nationalized under the Jute Companies (Nationalization) Act, 1980. The ownership of these nationalized companies was vested on NJMC Ltd, a company newly created specifically for this purpose on 3rd June 1980, w.e.f. 10th June, 1980 in case of National Jute Mill and w.e.f. 21st December, 1980 in case of the remaining five mills. NJMC Ltd has one subsidiary, namely, Birds Jute & Exports Limited (BJEL) in which it holds 59 percent equity shares.
NJMC Ltd could not revive these sick mills and was itself referred to the Board for Industrial & Financial Reconstruction (BIFR) in 1992 and declared a sick company in 1993. A draft plan for revival of NJMC Ltd was approved by the Cabinet on 19th March 2010 at a total cost of 1417.53 crores, which was enhanced to Rs. 1562.98 crores by the Cabinet in its meeting held on 25th November, 2010. BIFR approved the revival plan on 5th January, 2011 which essentially consisted of:
(a) Closure of three mills, namely, National, Union and Alexandra; (b) Offering VRS to all the employees; and (c) Running of the remaining three mills.
During the financial year 2018-19 the closure of NJMC Ltd has been approved by The Union Cabinet on 10th October, 2018. The process of closure is being carried out in accordance with DPE guidelines No. DPE/5(1)/2014-Fin. (Part – 1) dated 14.06.2018.
MSTC has been appointed as the Auctioning Agency (AA) for disposal of Movable Assets and NBCC (I) Ltd has been appointed as Land management Agency (LMA) for disposal of immovable assets of the Corporation. The disposal of properties of NJMC is in the advanced stage of completion.
Chartered Bank Building
2nd Floor 4, Netaji Subhas Road
Birds Jute & Exports Ltd. (BJEL)
Functions &Organization Setup: The company came into being in 1870 and was then named as Arathoon Jute Mills Ltd in 1904 name changed as Lansdowne jute Mills Pvt Ltd and again the name of the Company was changed to Birds jute and Exports Limited (BJEL) in the year 1971, and it was decided to run as a processing unit for bleaching, dyeing & printing of Jute, cotton and blended fabrics. BJEL was initially a subsidiary of Bird & Co Ltd. Following nationalization of Bird & Co Ltd on October 25, 1980, Bharat Process & Mechanical Engineers Ltd ( BPMEL) under Ministry of Heavy Industry took over the Assets of Bird & Co and BPMEL became a holder of 59% of BJEL’s Equity Shares.
In 1986, GOI decided to transfer entire equity share holding of BPMEL in BJEL to National Jute Manufacturers Corporation Ltd (NJMC). Accordingly, BJEL became a subsidiary of NJMC Ltd w.e.f November 20, 1986 and came under the administrative Ministry Of Textile (MOT). Company is the owner of 52.7528 acres of land and out of this land a portion of 3.0749 acres of land acquired by Govt of West Bengal in the year 1962-63.since then the company is in possession of 49.6779 acres of land subject to the encroachment of land by outsiders, of which retation order 6240-L dated 07-04-1964 issued by Land and Land reforms Department as per provision of sec 6(1)(g) read with 6(3) of West Bengal Estate Acquisition Act 1953. Turnover and performance of the company started declining from FY 1988-89. The Company suspended its production in October 1988 because of repairs and renovation of old machine. Production was resumed in August 2001. However, the production was completely stopped from October 2002. All the workers were given VRS on 2003, Staffs in 2004 and Officers in 2011.
The closure of BJEL has been approved by The Union Cabinet on 10th October, 2018. The process of closure is being carried out in accordance with DPE guidelines No. DPE/5(1)/2014-Fin. (Part-1) dated 14.6.2018. M/s. MSTC Ltd. has been appointed as auctioning agency for disposal of all movable assets including building and NBCC Ltd. has been appointed as LMA for disposal of immovable assets as per DPE guideline dated 14.6.2018. The disposal of properties of BJEL is in advanced stage of completion.


The Power of Personal Data: How it Shapes the Future of Business and Society
In today’s digital age, personal data has become a valuable commodity, fueling the growth of many businesses and shaping the society we live in. The widespread use of the Internet and mobile devices has given rise to new business models that cater to our every need and convenience online. As a result, there is a race for data supremacy through the collection and exploitation of personal data which feeds artificial intelligence (AI) tools and solutions such as ChatGPT, BingAI, and others.
Here are a few highlights of what you will learn:
- Companies collect and analyze personal data to market to consumers based on their searches, behavioral habits, and purchasing patterns.
- Some of these companies provide habit-changing services that can result in irreversible social change.
- Personal data has become a currency that people are willing to trade for convenience, entertainment, and instant gratification.
- The book delves into the potential impact of personal data on the future of business and society.
- It explores the new surveillance capitalism business model, privacy concerns, the impact of social media, and how the future is shaping up given AI, Metaverse, and other online data-hungry solutions and applications.
- It also offers practical steps (Digital Gold Nuggets) that individuals can take to reclaim and reposition their data power.
- Some readers may be skeptical about the impact of personal data on society and may question the practicality of the suggested steps to reclaim data power.
By understanding the power of personal data, readers can take control of their digital footprint and make informed decisions about their online activities.
This book is a must-read for anyone concerned about the future of privacy and the impact of personal data on society.
Get your copy of the book today to discover the power of personal data and take control of your digital life.
You can get the book for FREE on Amazon Kindle today.
You can also learn more at ReclaimYourDigitalGold.com.


Making dollars make sense
Hi. We are Ratehub.ca. Financial decisions can be challenging and profoundly impact our lives. That’s why we are here. To make it easier to choose better personal finance.
Canada’s leading financial comparison platform
Over the past decade we have helped millions of Canadians make smarter financial decisions by providing the best tools, advice, and rates in the market. With roots as an early innovator in the online mortgage world, Ratehub.ca became the first comparison service to integrate an inhouse mortgage brokerage (the award winning CanWise Financial). Since then, we’ve continued to grow with the addition of auto & home insurance quoting, credit card comparison, GIC & chequing account applications and much more. See what we have to offer here.


The Board, like many families, has essentially three financial accounts. It has a 'checking account' to hold a small amount of money used for current expenses (e.g., office supplies, printing costs). It has a 'savings account' which holds money not needed in the short-term but set aside for reasonably predicted future expenses (e.g., the scholarships to be paid out at the end of the next school year). And it has the 'endowment' - money that the Board believes can safely be set aside and tied up to ensure the long-term viability of the Foundation.
The Foundation has created the endowment over the years of its operation. The endowment is a fund created by the transfer of contributions received through routine unrestricted contributions or through contributions specifically designated for the endowment. The endowment is intended to be "protected" - that is, the Foundation can use the earnings from the endowment to fund its activities, but it does not intend to dip into the endowment itself.
For example, suppose that the endowment fund contains $500,000. Suppose that it is invested wisely and earns 5% annually in dividends and interest. That would be $25,000 which the Foundation could add to its general funds and allocate according to current needs and priorities. The $500,000 would remain untouched and hopefully 'donate' $25,000 again next year.
Money can move into the endowment in two ways:
- a funding shift made by the Board, or
- a restricted donation.
As of the end the end of fiscal year 2014, the endowment stood at $503,000 providing for a more secure future the the Friends of South High Foundation.
To make a donation now, click on the GiveMN button to the right. To mail in a donation, click here to get a form you can print, complete, and mail in.
For more information about making a donation to the endowment, you can send an email to the Foundation office or send a letter to
South High Foundation
3131 19th Ave S
Minneapolis MN 55407
The Mission of the Friends of South High Foundation: provide financial assistance and support for programs at South High School that directly enhance the students’ overall high school experience by enriching their academic, cultural and extracurricular experience; and to support and enhance their ability to further their education.


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Purchasing Foundations: For their firms, purchasing departments maximise savings and generate value. This course describes the purchasing process and offers suggestions for assessing, choosing, and managing suppliers. It is taught by supply chain specialist and professor Steven Brown. He also discusses the functions of cost control and strategic sourcing, as well as the related moral and legal issues. Learn more about specialised subjects including supply chain performance management, resourcing, and indirect cost on services (including transportation and utilities).
The primary learning objective of the “Purchasing Foundations” online course is to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental concepts, principles, and practices of purchasing. By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Understand the Procurement Process: Participants will gain a thorough understanding of the procurement process, including its purpose, different stages, and key players involved. They will also learn about the importance of procurement ethics and the role of purchasing within an organization.
- Develop Sourcing Strategies: Participants will be able to identify and evaluate potential suppliers, and understand the different types of sourcing methods such as direct procurement, reverse auctions, and e-procurement, and when to use each method. They will also learn how to conduct supplier assessments and select the best suppliers for their needs.
- Manage Supplier Relationships: Participants will learn how to build and maintain strong supplier relationships, including developing supplier performance metrics, managing supplier risk, and collaborating with suppliers to drive innovation.
- Negotiate and Manage Contracts: Participants will be able to apply negotiation strategies and tactics, and understand contract law and the key elements of a contract. They will also learn how to prepare for and conduct successful negotiations and manage contracts effectively.
- Apply Best Practices in Purchasing: Participants will be able to apply best practices in purchasing to their own organizations, improving their procurement processes, supplier management, and negotiation skills. They will understand how to develop and implement effective procurement policies and procedures and will be able to identify and assess the risks associated with procurement.
- Evaluate Performance: Participants will be able to evaluate the performance of their purchasing function, identify areas for improvement, and make recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of the procurement process.
In summary, the “Purchasing Foundations” online course aims to equip participants with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to develop and implement effective purchasing strategies, manage supplier relationships, negotiate and manage contracts, and apply best practices in purchasing. Through a combination of theoretical concepts, practical examples, and case studies, participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the purchasing function and how it can contribute to the success of an organization.


Become the most respected merchant of the London markets.
London, 19th century: Under Queen Victoria’s reign, trade of exotic goods in the United Kingdom has blossomed, with china, soap, silk and coffee being traded for top prices at London’s markets. Be sure to get your share of the profits to become the most renowned merchandiser in London.
To make more profits than anyone else at London’s markets and secure their position as the city’s most renowned merchandiser, players need to organize their goods cleverly in order to control their goods replenishment and their personal income.
Through clever use of the merchants and assistants at the different markets, in addition to smart acquisition of goods at the daily auctions, you’ll earn the profits you need to win the game!


Understanding the language of credit repair is crucial for anyone looking to improve their credit score and take control of their finances. Familiarizing yourself with these ten key credit repair terms and their definitions will equip you to navigate the credit repair process better, communicate effectively with creditors and credit bureaus, and ultimately achieve your financial goals.
- Credit Report: A document that contains information about your credit history, including your current and past credit accounts, payment history, and other financial data.
- Credit Score: A numerical representation of your creditworthiness, based on your credit history, that lenders use to evaluate your credit risk.
- Credit Bureau: A company that collects and maintains consumer credit information and provides credit reports to lenders and other authorized parties.
- Dispute: A formal request to a credit bureau to investigate and correct errors or inaccuracies in your credit report.
- Credit Repair Organization: A company that offers services to help consumers improve their credit scores and repair their credit histories.
- Charge-Off: When a creditor writes off a debt as uncollectible and reports it as a loss to the credit bureaus, which can significantly damage your credit score.
- Collection Agency: A company that specializes in collecting unpaid debts on behalf of creditors and can report negative information to the credit bureaus.
- Debt Consolidation: Combining multiple debts into a single loan with a lower interest rate or more manageable payment terms.
- Secured Credit Card: A credit card that requires a security deposit, which serves as collateral and can help consumers build or rebuild credit.
- Credit Counseling: A service that helps consumers manage their debts and develop a plan to improve their credit score over time, typically through education and financial coaching.
Understanding these ten credit repair terms is crucial for anyone who wants to take control of their credit and financial future. You can now better navigate the credit repair process and make informed decisions about your credit. Remember, your credit score is a vital component of your financial health, and by staying knowledgeable and proactive, you can take steps to improve it and achieve your financial goals.


Politicians often speak glibly about ownership as if it's a definitive term, but the sense of ownership depends on a whole range of features. In the long term we are all only stewards of what we own, as we can't take it with us when we die. But the reality of ownership still relies on some influential characteristics including the extent to which it offers us participation and the ability to control our assets, and the degree to which it carries with it a sense of responsibility.
There are various styles of ownership, and how that ownership is enabled, and the nature of the asset, can weaken or strengthen the sense of connection which is so essential to a sense of ownership.
A sense of ownership starts with where you live, and in the United Kingdom that’s almost out of reach now for young people, with generations born after 1970 having significantly lower levels of home ownership. The average first time buyer age was 24 in 1970, 28 in 2000 and 37 in 2013. Rock-bottom interest rates have inflated asset values massively, and have given a further massive twist to the polarisation of wealth.
Property ownership - real estate - is also severely challenged by debt, and almost two decades of easy borrowing at such low interest rates really hasn't helped. Bankers and finance companies have strained to maximise loan availability, to the extent of exceeding 100% through ‘shared ownership’: but when you're in hock to the bank to such a colossal extent, do you really get a sense of ownership, or does it just pile on anxiety?
Leverage is a key problem which we must solve in order to relieve the stress that can accompany super-size mortgages; and, although some property professionals might try and portray the alternative of leaseholds as ‘ownership’, they are, of course, no such thing — particularly if they’re short duration.
Likewise the concept of ‘shared ownership’ frequently results in the occupier carrying all the obligations while the institutional ‘sharer’ takes the benefit of price movements without bearing any of those burdens: as a result, ‘shared ownership can feel more like a trap than bringing a sense of economic freedom.
Over thirty years ago, The Share Centre launched the Mail on Sunday Share Service, with the following encouragement to get involved:
‘SHARE (STOCK) OWNERSHIP - The essence of investment
Shares - at times they may delight you, at times confuse you, but very rarely will they fail to fire your imagination.
PEOPLE own shares for all sorts of reasons: almost always capital gain, either looking for the quick turn or the long-term, often for the interest in owning a share of British business, often because the charges are lower than other forms of investment. A share portfolio is indeed the essence of investment.
COMPANIES want people to own their shares too: personal investors take a wider interest in the company than investment institutions, and shareholder customers and employees build that interest into all areas of the company’s business.
It's good for our COUNTRY too that people should own their share of British business: share ownership knits a free enterprise economy together by bringing the power of ownership, the surge of the market, and the ingenuity of the workforce together under the same head’.
It was the start of a radical new approach to provide stock ownership for all, and The Share Centre went on to provide unprecedented access to participation through new issue distribution, providing free shares in its own business to its customers, being the first mover in a new all-employee share ownership plan, getting Company Law changed to enfranchise nominee shareowners, and providing a huge range of investment and financial education services for young people.
The link between ownership and responsibility is a vital component in this. When someone owns something, be it a house or a car, they generally care for it. If it's a house, the walls are painted, the garden brims with flowers; if it's a car, it's generally clean and well maintained.
And so it is with owning shares in a company. Every time an M&S share owner walks into Marks and Spencer, they feel a buzz of responsibility for the way it's run. Meanwhile, if customer stock owners are recognised with special offers or discounts, that sense of connection is strengthened further.
The need for dis-intermediation
But then there's excess intermediation. Of course, many people choose to pass control of their investments over to others, often because they don't have the time, the confidence or the knowledge to manage them directly. But stepping away from control should be a conscious decision by the owner, not an imposed decision which obscures access and transparency so that others can wield power. In financial services there are far too many examples of excess intermediation — fund management, pensions, life insurance, etc.. — and the absence of proper financial education simply exacerbates the process of keeping people in the dark about their own investments.
A few years ago, there was a wave of protest movements brought together by the word ‘Occupy’: a major camp took place just outside St Paul's Cathedral in London. Many saw it as simply a reaction to the 2008 financial crash, but it had still deeper roots. An hour or so spent in conversation with one protester in the camp just outside the financial district in Boston. Massachusetts helped in working through the issues behind their concerns, and that discussion concluded that ‘Occupy’ was really a call for disintermediation.
The financial sector has grown fat on the takings of the middleman, and people don't like it. Politicians respond by introducing layers of regulation, which impose still more complexity and cost. Regulators have made some progress in reducing the more opaque forms of self-enrichment, but centres of the financial world remain vibrant symbols of parasitic intermediation for all to see.
You can only empower people by democratising expertise, not by wrapping it up in ivory towers.
The free market embodies many perspectives: open competition, prices responding to supply and demand, enterprise and creativity - but also excess and self-interest. At its heart is the free ownership of capital - or is it so free? Because, to the extent that it is owned by individuals it is excessively concentrated and, to the extent that it is owned by institutions, it carries no meaning to the general public, no sense of ownership - and therefore no reason why people should feel responsible for its well-being.
Excess intermediation kills off that vital link between ownership and responsibility, whether it’s by financial institutions or the state. By concentrating the power to steer these great engines of economic growth away from the people that they serve and employ, we must expect that those people will eventually bite the hand of those who expropriate the power - whether they are financial institutions or socialist governments.
Over the past couple of decades, we’ve seen just such a concentration of power in financial markets, both in the US and the United Kingdom. In New York, there were 8,000 listed companies at the peak. Now there are fewer than 6,400 on NYSE and NASDAQ. London has seen a similar trend. Ten years ago there were more than 3,000 companies quoted on the main and junior markets. By 2022, the number had dropped to less than 2,000. The traditional public market for equities is now in global decline.
There are of course far-reaching consequences for markets and investors, but there is a deeper concern here too. The real casualty is popular support for the free market itself: because, if individuals are denied access to investing directly in stock, they can have no sense of ownership in, nor responsibility for, the great engines of industry which create wealth in such abundance.
This may help explain why this scale of intermediation drove the ‘Occupy’ protests, but the concentration of power has happened notwithstanding the generally healthy state of the world economy and the businesses that support it.
One of the main challenges is the success of private equity in providing an alternative to public markets. The rise of the buy-out industry means there are lots of alternatives for company owners who wish to sell. At the same time, a massive rise in regulation, and layer upon layer of governance codes, has made public listing a burden that many directors can no longer be bothered with.
Most investment institutions have benefitted from the rising proportion of asset allocation dedicated to private equity, and the strong performance it has achieved. These include pension funds - so individuals do share in their performance, if not in any sense of ownership. The great Family Offices, Sovereign Wealth funds, hedge funds and insurance companies are all investing in Private Equity. This is because they all share the benefits of size: they can invest in the large amounts that Private Equity managers are prepared to accept, whereas personal investors cannot.
Stock owner engagement
These examples of excess intermediation should not be confused with custodial administration using ‘bare trustees’. Advocates of registered share ownership often try to present this as intermediation, but it's nothing of the sort: rather, it enables the service organisation to be the owner’s agent rather than the agent of the stock-issuing corporate, and it helps to develop investment awareness, as a share portfolio builds and diversifies. It must, of course, be accompanied by full opportunity to exercise stockholder engagement: this process started in the UK with the Companies Act 2006 Part 9, but it needs further strengthening. We need to make the supply of company communications and voting access mandatory for all such regulated custodians.
Another key feature of participation is the right, together with other stock owners, to circularise others who own the stock, and to bring forward resolutions for consideration at a General Meeting. In the UK, company law still sets the threshold for this participation by reference to the nominal value of the shares, which bears no relevance whatsoever to their market value. So, whereas in one company the threshold may be measured in £millions, in others it could be a few pounds.
If ‘Stock for Data’, discussed in one of our other research areas, is introduced, it may well be on a custodial administration basis in order to provide a straightforward route to global coverage. Widespread stock ownership is a key objective for moving to a more egalitarian form of capitalism, but it needs to include the provision of financial awareness life skills to help build capability for looking after the asset and the income and its potential capital gain, and the risks associated with asset ownership — in other words, democratising expertise.
All this helps to foster active involvement in company governance, so that the sense of responsibility which comes with ownership breaks down the ‘us and them’ divisions in society.
.. and a word on the concept of ‘mutuals’ with respect to sense of ownership and distributed governance
True ownership involves control and possession of the asset, whether it be property or stock: that means retaining the ability to crystallise its value. There are many examples of participation which don't do this: in particular, co-operatives and mutuals speak of participation, but only while the individual remains an employee or a member. Businesses such as the John Lewis Partnership, building societies and friendly societies are typical examples of this: they present themselves as inclusive, but there is no monetary value in the participation of a capital nature.
It's for these reasons that ‘Stock for Data’ refers to stock issuance in return for data storage and harvesting, and the (disposable) stockholding should increase as the relationship moves forward from year to year.
Legal recognition of ownership rights
Ownership in any society is only as good as its recognition in law. Western democracies have centuries of experience in building property rights into their constitutions, and no doubt this is one of the key reasons why London has attracted so much investment over the years. But there are so many examples of property rights being trampled on, whether by political systems, by government dictact or unfair taxation, or by outright theft and destruction, as in the war in Ukraine.
If people are to have confidence in a sense of ownership and to build the responsibility that it engenders, they must know that acceptance of their property rights is sacrosant — and this confidence must extend globally. There is a lot to do in this respect.
Reversing systemic dilution of stock ownership
Further structural changes are needed to embed personal share ownership more effectively. There are some key improvements where change is required in order to recognise the major contribution that ownership, rather than trading, can bring in delivering participation in wealth creation for all. The media focuses so often on share-dealing and short-term price movements, but most investors are long-term holders. They are not day-traders or gamblers: they’ve invested for long-term growth accompanied by, where available, a regular flow of dividends.
For example, a major handicap for the personal stock ownership segment in a listed company is that every time there is a rights issue, raising more capital from existing stock owners, the proportion of personal investors holding the stock reduces sharply. Institutional investors strengthen their position, and financial intermediation turns the screw a little harder.
This is because, for institutions the ‘old’ and the ‘new’ money are held by the same entity — so pre-emption rights work in their favour. But for personal investors, the ‘old’ money currently belongs primarily to those who are disinvesting in old age: they often have no ‘new’ money to take up the nil-paid rights. However personal investors who do have that ‘new’ money but don't hold the ‘old’ stock are excluded from taking part by those same pre-emption rights.
In order to address this, it should be mandatory for the rump sell-off of nil-paid rights at the end of the ‘Call’ period to be offered to all personal investors (via their retail investment service), alongside the institutions. At least this would help reduce the dilution in personal investor holdings in listed companies every time they carry out a secondary capital raising via a rights issue.
This change would significantly raise the profile of personal stock ownership. It would be a significant step forward in moving to a more egalitarian form of capitalism, in which stock owner engagement, and protection against systemic dilution, are key features.
Many people think financial activity is more of a science; but when it comes to investment there’s no doubt that it is definitely an art, where there are no right or wrong answers and it's all down to subjective judgement.
The old saying about death and taxes could read ‘Risk, like tax, is always with us’. A few key points are as follows:
- Risk is a subjective judgement.
- Risk is relative, depending on, for example, how you approach that risk, the nature of the risk and even your age.
- Risk does not remain constant, but can change when external events change.
- What is considered more risky by some may be considered less risky by others.
- And lastly, there are some risks that only a professional should take.
Earning money by working is very different from trying to build value from capital gains on investment, and the key difference is real risk of loss of capital value. This needs to be taken into account in the tax system to encourage people to invest in risky assets like equity stocks as opposed to other alternative uses to which their money can be employed.
Risk is also significantly increased by leverage: the financing of asset purchase with debt. With the exception of derivatives (options and futures), this is not commonplace when buying stock investments: however, it is the norm when making a property purchase. Buying a flat or house is often seen as comparatively risk-free: the servicing costs may be heavy, but people don’t usually expect to lose capital value. However, an 80% loan-to-value mortgage magnifies the impact of price movements fourfold, so a significant fall in property prices can result in the risk of losing more than your initial investment: in other words, property purchase can be potentially more risky than buying stocks.
A couple of final notes on ..
It's also worth bearing in mind the compounding effect of interest costs and stock market dividend yields when looking at these long-term issues - the chart below shows the substantial compounding effect of dividends for FTSE-100 investments over the past twenty years, during which actual index values have hardly moved:
.. and Investment Clubs
A good way to help build awareness of stock investment is through membership of an investment club. This is a very simple concept: it’s just a group of people finding company and enjoyment in researching, discussing, selecting and investing in a portfolio of shares and funds. In the UK, it’s not a regulated activity, and it doesn’t have to be an incorporated company or any other formal body. It helps to have a simple written agreement between the members to ensure everyone shares fairly in any gains and losses, and they need to choose one of their number to control the account, although all members should be able to login and view what’s there, the valuations in the account and its underlying investments.
A typical investment club will have 5-10 members, but they come in all shapes and sizes. Some meet regularly in a local tavern, others communicate internationally by teleconferencing, some have particular expertise in different fields or businesses, some are just a group of close friends having fun: it’s also a great way for older folk to keep in touch. Whereas individuals on their own are often anxious about getting started with investing, the Investment helps to build each member’s confidence through teamwork and good companionship.


EIT Digital seeks a Fundraising & Venture Capital relationship manager covering Central Eastern Europe
EIT Digital is a leading European open innovation organization. Our mission is to foster digital technology innovation and entrepreneurial talent for economic growth and quality of life in Europe. We bring together entrepreneurs from a partnership of over 130 top European corporations, SMEs, start-ups, universities and research institutes. EIT Digital invests in strategic areas to accelerate the market uptake of research-based digital technologies and to bring entrepreneurial talent and leadership to Europe. EIT Digital is consistently mobilizing talents, ideas, technologies, investments and business across Europe and beyond to stimulate disruptive digital innovation. The headquarter is in Brussels with co-location centers in Berlin, Eindhoven, London, Helsinki, Paris, Stockholm, Trento, as well as in Budapest and Madrid. EIT Digital’s mission is to turn these already excellent regional clusters into world-class innovation hotspots. Find out more about EIT Digital from http://www.eitdigital.eu
Within its Business Development Accelerator (BDA), EIT Digital is coaching more than 80 startups and scale-ups located across Europe and is supporting them in their fundraisings (Access to Finance). The purpose of this job is to develop this activity that supports the BDA startups, and consequently help them in their European expansion.
The Fundraising Manager will coordinate within the Access to Finance team (A2F) fundraisings for Eastern European (in Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia) startups looking for international expansion, as well as EU startups seeking financing from these regions. These start-ups are in general seeking to raise between 1 and 10m€. The Fundraising Manager will collaborate closely with the European A2F team, the European Business Developers, and especially with the head of the Business Development Accelerator (BDA). He/she will report to the Head of Access to Finance. This is a full-time position.
1. Engage with European startups coached within EIT Digital’s Business Accelerator in order to understand and fine-tune their financing needs (amount, timing, use of proceeds).
2. Work with the CEOs of startups to prepare and rehearse their pitch (to investors).
3. Review and comment the fundraising Pitches and Business Plans prepared by the start-ups.
4. Connect with Venture Capital firms and selected investors in the region.
5. Build up strong relationships within the Eastern-Europe Venture Capital ecosystem.
6. Organize and co-ordinate fundraisings in a variety of formats (e.g. face to face meetings, events, introductions) for the selected startups.
7. Negotiate fundraising term-sheets and financial agreements.
8. Collaborate with BDA team of EIT Digital to organize joint events.
Place of employment
EIT Digital Co-Location Center in Budapest: Hungary-1117, Budapest, Bogdánfy u. 10/a.
Regular travels are expected for this position.
- 4 to 10 years of experience in fundraising for startups or similar experience within Venture Capital firms
- University degree in Business, Engineering or Science
- Engineering degree with solid experience in finance are welcome
- Strong financial skills, especially on business plan preparation and fine-tuning
- Experience in financial analysis and start-up valuation
- Experience using tools used in the venture capital industry (databases, etc.)
- Prior experience in negotiating financial term-sheets
- Mastery of MS Office (Excel and Powerpoint are a must)
Competencies, Skills and Abilities
- Knowledge of the Eastern-European Venture Capital industry
- Superior presentation skills in English (verbal, written)
- Excellent ability to convey simple and effective value propositions and messages
- Strong team player in a pan-European context
Bilingual in either Hungarian, German, Slovak, Czech or Polish. Bilingual in English.
Knowledge of any of the following languages: German, Hungarian, German, Slovak, Czech, Polish Slovenian or Italian is an advantage.
If interested, please submit your application in English – motivation letter, detailed CV, photocopy of university degree(s), proof of relevant language skills, and a declaration by the applicant that she/he consents to the use of her/his personal data in the course of the selection process – before March 15th 2016 either electronically to email@example.com or by mail to ELTE Informatikai Kar Dékáni Hivatal, 1117 Budapest, Pázmány P. sétány 1/C.


We are committed to providing unbiased advice and prudent strategies for investing, tax and accounting services. Our accounting services are always tailored to your unique needs. We provide accounting services, tax preparation for both individuals and businesses, and financial planning and investing services.
Whether you’re a business or an individual, our staff is educated and qualified to help you with financial needs. We're located near Eau Claire, WI, but we serve clients throughout Wisconsin and Minnesota.
From payroll and accounting, to investment management and retirement planning, call us for your free consult on how our professionals can make a difference in your finances.
With unparalleled accounting services and investment management, we’re a complete, one stop financial services center.


Are you a “one-person show” or do you have 50 employees? Do your employees all work in Colorado, or are they in several states? Do you do your own payroll, or do you pay sub-contractors, and just need year end reporting? Whatever the case, our payroll service is designed to help make paying your employees easier.
- Payroll processing: Each pay period we give you the freedom to choose the method of submitting payroll data that works best for you (E-mail, Telephone, or Fax) and we will accurately calculate net pay. You then have a choice of how to make payments to your employees – ACH, direct deposit, printed check, or you can write a manual check.
- File reports and schedule payroll tax payments: Precisely calculate and schedule payments of all applicable payroll tax reports and taxes with the proper local, state, and federal agencies.
- Calculation of payroll garnishments: Correctly calculate and prioritizes garnishments and guide you on how to send the payment to the appropriate agency.
- New hire reporting: Report all new hires to the government on your behalf.
- Paid-time-off management: We will track how many vacation and sick hours employees have earned and how much they’ve used.
- Payroll compliance: We also stay on top of legislation affecting payroll compliance, so you don’t need to.
- Year end reporting: We process and file W2s, W3s (for payroll), 1096 forms, and 1099s (for sub-contractors or contract labor) at the end of the year with all the required federal government agencies.


Dedicating his career to informing, supporting, and advancing the effective exercise of tribal sovereignty and self-determination, Ian Record has worked with more than 100 Tribal Nations and First Nations in the United States and Canada over the past two decades, helping them to strengthen their governance systems and design and implement strategic initiatives that advance their long-term economic and community development priorities. He also has worked with a number of Native organizations and Indian Country partners to develop and implement projects designed to enhance tribal self-governance, capacity building, small business development, and asset building in tribal communities. The services that Ian provides include:
strategic plan development and implementation;
tribal governance and policy analysis (notably governance/constitutional reform, and citizenship/enrollment policy and criteria);
"477" workforce development plan and program development;
executive education on governance, economic development, and workforce development for tribal/organizational leaders;
cutting-edge research documenting and sharing trends and best practices in tribal governance and development;
federal and state policy analysis and advocacy; and
designing, writing, and editing speeches, research publications, policy briefs, and other materials.
Dr. Ian Record is a consultant with extensive expertise in tribal governance, economic and workforce development, constitutional reform, federal Indian policy, and related areas.
From 2014 to 2021, he served as Vice President of Tribal Governance and Special Projects at the National Congress of American Indians. In this capacity, he led NCAI’s efforts to develop, coordinate, and share the knowledge, tools, and resources that Tribal Nations and leaders need to strengthen their governance systems and more effectively exercise their sovereignty. He also served as a policy lead on tribal workforce and economic development, and oversaw several NCAI projects, including its Ending “Indian” Mascots Initiative, Tribal Climate Action Initiative, Tribal Food Sovereignty Advancement Initiative, and Building Tribal Economies Initiative.
From 2004 to 2014, Record served as Manager of Educational Resources for the Native Nations Institute for Leadership, Management, and Policy (NNI) at the University of Arizona. Dr. Record obtained his Ph.D. in American Indian Studies from the University of Arizona. Among his many publications is his award-winning book Big Sycamore Stands Alone: The Western Apaches, Aravaipa, and the Struggle for Place.
Sample Lectures and Executive Education Highlights (videos):
Clients served include:
Bois Forte Band of Chippewa
Forest County Potawatomi
Funders Together to End Homelessness
Inter Tribal Council of Arizona
National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development
National Indian and Native American Employment and Training Conference
National Indian Health Board
Native CDFI Network
Sioux Valley Dakota Nation
Squaxin Island Tribe
Ysleta del Sur Pueblo
Below are selected publications by Ian Record. For a full list, please click here.
The Biden Administration righted a tribal workforce development wrong (Indian Country Today)
Big Sycamore Stands Alone: The Western Apaches, Aravaipa, and the Struggle for Place (Winner, Southwest Book Award, 2009)
Toolkits and Case Studies:
Papers and Policy Briefs:


A new type of sensor could soon be installed on the blades of subsea tidal turbines to monitor the interaction between marine life and renewable energy installations, as a result of a new collaborative project involving the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult and CENSIS. The initiative is the first time the government-backed Catapults and Innovation Centres have worked together and the collaborative project explores how to cut costs and boost confidence in tidal energy projects.
The organisations’ research will aim to improve the monitoring of activity around subsea tidal installations and provide a warning when there is a risk of a collision with a tidal device. The project partners will assess whether sensor technology from other industries can be employed to detect, monitor and forewarn of potential collisions with tidal energy devices, or if a new sensor technology is needed.
Current monitoring processes can be very expensive, involving teams of watchers on the seashore and a mixture of subsea listening devices. Subsequently, the cost of subsea environmental monitoring can be substantial and inconclusive when it is difficult to confirm surface sightings with events beneath the waves.
Regulations stipulate that developers must analyse the environment around a proposed site for two years prior to installation, as well as during the construction phase and throughout the plant’s operation. This is likely to be at least 20-25 years.
Vicky Coy, Project Manager at ORE Catapukt, said: “Tidal energy is an emerging market with great export potential, which the UK has the potential to lead. We have some of the best tidal resources around the UK and are already at the forefront of industry research, leading in the design and demonstration of this technology. Scotland, in particular, has a number of rich tidal energy sites with the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters among the greatest in the UK.
“Our primary concern is safety: the safety of both the natural environment in which we want to operate and of the equipment we want to install and use to generate energy. To achieve that, we must design reliable monitoring systems that confirm these systems can be comfortably integrated into the subsea environment. But, we also need to make the technology cost effective. Another aspect of this project is to simplify and reduce the costs from what is, in effect, the subsea equivalent of the planning process.
“Tidal energy developers tend to be small and medium-sized companies with limited resources, so any costs which can be removed at the same time as improving safety will be welcomed by the industry. We’ve had a lot of positive engagement from both the business and academic communities, and we’re looking to harness this support further when we move to the next stages of this initiative.”
There are a number of developments at various stages of the planning process in the tidal energy market. The first and most high profile of these is the MeyGen project located in the North of Scotland. It aims to deploy up to 398MW of offshore tidal stream turbines by the early 2020s.
Gavin Burrows, Project Manager at CENSIS, said: “We’re working with a number of organisations to articulate the needs for a sensor system with the appropriate sensitivities – one that can provide evidence of how marine mammals behave near tidal turbines and also determine what exactly has impacted on a particular asset, should a collision occur. It’s most likely that sensors, whether these are brought in from another industry or developed specifically for this purpose, will be built into the blades of subsea turbines. This could have applications in a range of other offshore devices, not just in the tidal energy market.
“There is significant potential for us to export the skills and expertise we’ll be developing as part of this project – particularly as we move into the demonstration and commercialisation phases. Likewise, researchers will have access to new and hitherto untapped data, giving them the opportunity to accelerate the industry. The potential is there for our academic and business communities to take further leaps forward in the tidal energy market – our aim is to make this happen and create economic value out of the research for Scotland.”