Are Commercial Banks Bankrupting Small Businesses?

Small Business Owner Alert! Your commercial bank could be putting you out of business unless you are prepared for the worst case scenario; your note is due and payable now! What are you going to do if this happen to you?Ulysses Sanchez, senior vice president of Real Estate Commercial Group, said “it’s clear that commercial lenders may have been holding off on foreclosing and might be working with business owners with a commercial loan modification but lately we are seeing business owners who are current with their commercial mortgage loan, and some even have lots of equity still in today’s real estate market are having their mortgage notes called due”. Why?Federal banking regulators may be encouraging loan extensions and a forget policy for notes that are ballooning but if you have personal credit issues for any reason, it could be reason enough for the bank to call your mortgage loan due and payable upon demand. Some commercial banks recently are calling their notes due and payable even though you may be current and cash flowing.A scenario of a commercial bank calling the note due and payable is a Jane Doe of Illinois, who has inherited and owned her three commercial building for over 70 years. Jane Doe had some medial issues but for some reason her medical insurance failed to pay her medical bills and her personal credit score was adversely affected. Now her bank is calling her mortgage due and payable. Why, if she is never been late, why, if she has so much equity even in today’s real estate climate, why if she is cash flowing great and rely on here investments for part of her income? The answer: The bank can call the note for “any adverse change” in her financial profile even if she has never been late.How about John Doe in Virginia who owns an office condo and as part of his loan program he provides quarterly financials to his bank. John Doe’s recent quarterly report is showing decline in his sales which is connected to our current US economy. John Doe is current with his mortgage and never been late and in fact, the loan payment was automatically drawn from his account on a monthly basis. Now his commercial bank is calling his note due and payable because his financials are showing decline in sales. Why? The bank call accelerate the note if “there is any adverse financial change” to his business.Arizona has about $1.3 trillion dollars in foreclosure right now and this is does not account for SBA 7a loans. “Banks could be getting pressure from regulators to get bad loans off their books” Mr. Sanchez reports but in the reality if a loan is current and performing why are commercial banks creating problems? With a tight commercial lending market it will be difficult for the John Doe’s and Jane Doe’s in America to get a new loan. Some will close their business, unemployment will continue to increase, and with a few getting some will be able to get an interim loan which could be delaying the inevitable.”Small business owners need to get prepared with a plan B, an exit strategy “says Ulysses of Real Estate Commercial Group, who specializes in SBA loans, commercial loans and commercial loan modifications. If Arizona has $1.3 trillion in foreclosure, that could be good for investors who are waiting to start buying but for the small business owner, the backbone of America, it could turn a recession into a depression unless we work together to create the solutions that work.

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What’s The “411″ On New And Used Small-Business Phone Systems?

Choosing the right new and used small-business phone system for is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for your business. The telephone is one of the easiest means of communication with your customers, partners, vendors and employees. You reach out to them; they reach out to you via the telephone. A phone system allows your business to connect to a public phone network instead of having each phone connect separately. Dealing with incorrectly routed calls, sudden interruptions, disconnections, or a plethora of bewildering automated options will only cost you time and money, cause frustration and hinder your relationship with your clients.Although small-business phone systems don’t have all the bells and whistles that larger systems have, it is still important to consider the many factors that go into choosing the right system for your business. New and used small-business phone systems are widely available which means you are sure to find something that suits your budget but choosing the best telecommunications provider means choosing a dealer that can recognize the communication needs of your workforce, support your new or used phone system by keeping it up and running the whole time, and ensure your communications needs are compatible with the ever evolving 21st century technology.Most basic phone systems these days come with certain standard features:*Voicemail- Allows callers to leave messages for specific employees at your company.*Call Hold- Enables you to put your caller on hold while transferring lines, preparing for conferencing or gathering information.*Call Forwarding- Gives you the ability to transfer calls to other employees, a voice-mail box or auto attendant.*Conferencing- Lets you hold conference calls with several customers and consultants at one time.*Speed Dial- Allows callers to press a button associated with a particular number in order to reach that contact faster.*Redial- Will redial the last number called.*Auto Attendant- taking place of a human receptionist, it directs callers to the appropriate routing option.*Paging- Employees broadcast a message though the speaker of another phone.How many employees do you have? Business phone systems typically come in three basic configurations: Private Branch Exchange (PBX) systems, key system units (KSU), and KSU-less phones. How many stations (extensions) your business needs along with what features you require will determine what type of system you choose.Should I consider A VOIP system? VOIP stands for Voice Internet Protocol and is a internet phone system. Instead of using a traditional land line, your business’ Internet connection sends and receives telephone calls. VOPI requires a router that will translate the Internet’s signal into a usable signal that can be used for a standard telephone.What factors should I consider when looking at cost? Cost is obviously an issue, especially when it comes to owning a business. Considering these factors, aside from the phone system itself, will prepare you for making a decision based on your budget as well as preventing you from having any last minute surprises when it comes time to pay for your new or used phone system.*Telephones- Prices vary depending on what brand you choose as well as if you opt for a new or used system for your business. Buying in bulk will save you money and if you are flexible, you can find phones that are as little as less than $100 each.*Installation- Most business owners are not “do-it-yourselfers” which means you will need to pay a professional to install your phone system. Complex wiring and installation is not cheap but paying for expert installation can save you money in the long run by preventing any problems in your communication system.*Cabinet- Every phone system must have the appropriate cabinet to house it. Ranging anywhere from $1,000-$10,000, this is typically included in the cost of your phone system but still needs to be considered an expense.*Optional Features- Consider the need and cost for additional features such as: on-hold music and voicemail which are not typically part of a standard phone system.Choosing a phone system for your small-business is a big decision and one that you want to feel confident about. While shopping for systems and dealers, speak to other business owners to get their opinion. Ask to see a demo before you purchase to ensure it will meet your current and long-term needs. Think about future growth. You may want to upgrade at some point and time and may need extra wiring in the future. Lastly, shop around. Don’t settle on the first price you are given. Consider new and used phone small-business systems as part of your business’ budget and communication needs.

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Pharmaceutical Education and Employment Opportunities Are on the Ascent

What are the usual professional responsibilities of pharmacists? Well, they dispense medicine prescribed by the physicians, in the first place. Also they are responsible to give the customers knowledgeable advice regarding the possible side effects and dosage of the medications to be administered. In case the patient should be made aware of the necessity to take certain precautions to be observed during the course of medications, a pharmacist is responsible for informing the patience about such precautions, if any are needed. Such are the most common responsibilities of pharmacists, as they are widely assumed by the general public. Still, as any licensed pharmacist can tell you, the responsibilities are not limited to those mentioned above. First of all, any licensed pharmacist is required to have a degree in pharmacology. Secondly, such specialist should be aware of the various medicines, their generic name, dosage and possible side effects. Besides the good professional understanding of the regulating legislature related to manufacture and sale of various medicines any good professional pharmacist must command sound understanding and knowledge of the composition of medicines. And that is not all, such issues as the right storage conditions for the medicines are of critical importance, since the efficiency of prescription medications during the period of their shelf life largely depends on the correctness of their storage conditions!As you see, any licensed pharmacist has a long road of learning to go before been accepted as a fully-fledged and respected member of the pharmacists community! But the natural questions are “How good are the employment opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry today? But what do the forecasts for the near future hold in stock for pharmacists? Is it really worthwhile to invest time and hard-earned money into becoming a professional pharmacist?” All these question are quite justified, since nobody would like to send time and money down the drain, investing them into professional specialization that turns out to be without future.Let us have a closer look at the present-day employment opportunities of freshly graduated pharmacists and the expectations for the near future.As has been confirmed by the various reports of analytical agencies specializing in the job-market related issues, the pharmacist’s specialization enjoys quite enviable demand. Traditionally, the most of the pharmacists still find employment with community pharmacies and drug stores, as they used to do over the decades. Well, that is no surprise, people got used to seen a pharmacists behind the counter of a drug-store or a pharmacy, handing out the prescription medicines as well as those that do not require prescription (they are justly referred to by the term of “over-the-counter” medicines). On the other hand, during the last decade the professional pharmacists have been in huge demand in public service and pharmaceutical industry. Hospitals, railways, large shopping centers and airports – they all look for good professionals in the field to fill in vacancies in their specialized their drug stores. Another interesting job opportunity for pharmacists could be found with medical drug information libraries and consulting, since the medical and nursing staffs are in need of information about new drugs – the industry of medications is constantly advancing, coming up each month and year with new generations of medications. Many specialists in pharmacology who graduated as pharmacists have developed successful and self-fulfilling careers, finding employment as tutors in colleges and universities. Others prefer to write or edit books of pharmacology, as well as reference guides – as you see, the employment and career opportunities in the pharmacology industry are in plenty!What about the forecasts and expectations for the near future? The demand for professionals in the pharmacology in general and for the pharmacists in particular is expected only to grow considerably during the period through 2016 and beyond. The reasons for such forecasts are well-grounded. The population will continue growing in numbers – and the numbers of hospitals and other health care establishments are destined to grow accordingly, to accommodate the increasing demand. That means that more and more pharmacists will be required to fill in new outlets and positions – in traditional drug-stores, in hospitals and related job settings. Secondly, the number of senior citizens is also expected to grow considerably. Senior citizens of all the aged population groups are known to be the main consumers of prescription and “over-the-counter” drugs. As the result, the demand for specialists able to handle the growing demand on the part of the patients is guaranteed to increase over the practically foreseeable future period.What are the usual education and certification requirements for those whishing to take up a career as pharmacists?The educational and certification demands for pharmacists are very definite and strict. All persons, whishing to build a career of pharmacists are required to have a degree from a college (associate’s, bachelor’s or master’s one), upon which they need to get licensed by the pertinent agency in order to start a professional career of a licensed pharmacist. Besides, the educational establishment they have gradated from should be accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education and Examinations. Such are the basic mandatory requirements for a professional licensed pharmacist, wishing to start up a successful career in the industry.Besides the specific subjects, related to pharmacist’s specialization, any accredited pharmacy degree program should usually include courses in mathematics, natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences.As you see, the academic requirements for the pharmacology students are noticeably high. In order to insure the adequate level of academic excellence among their student the majority of the pharmacy colleges have introduced admission tests for aspiring students.The students, whishing to continue education – as well as those who have already some experience in the professional field and are after the better career opportunities – are offered continuing education options, such as bachelor’s and master’s degrees, as well as doctorates in various specialized areas of pharmaceutical industries.One of the good options for busy working professionals to continue education and get a higher academic degree in pharmacology would be to make use of modern means of distance education – the online pharmacy degree training schools and programs. Those online establishments – surely, we are speaking about the reputable and properly accredited courses, nothing like some shady “diploma mill” sites – have proved to be a good competition to the traditional, campus-based ones.Another consideration to be given a serious attention and thought – as far as career advancement in pharmacology and pharmacy industry is concerned – is that your success would largely depend on the type of work you will be able to get and your business talents/skills/experience. As an illustration to this statement you could easily find online the career stories of success: for instance, people who worked for drugstore chains became top-managers. Pharmacists employed at various hospitals – general or specialized – got to be directors of pharmacy services. The government agencies and educational institutions also offer interesting and promising openings. Pharmacy degree specialist could also build excellent careers by taking up teaching or research, that all depends on your personal talents, individual inclinations, career objectives etc. Anyway, besides the required level of academic excellence, necessary for each specific position, any newly graduated pharmacist should realize that their jobs always require them to communicate and interact with people of different types. From this point of view good person-to-person communication skills would always be a great advantage, so take care to acquire them by all means!

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