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A few days ago, I glanced upon a newspaper article about high school students cleaning up their MySpace pages of embarrassing photos - just in case it hurts their chances for college recruitment. When you think about it, it seems obvious. How often do you look up someone or their business on the Internet to check them out? I know I do. Name or brand reputation is becoming an online issue.

Most blog experts suggest using your real name to blog so you can be unique amongst your peers. However, self-branding is a delicate issue with pf bloggers as in most cases, you are associating networth to a name and that can get dangerous. That is why a lot of pf bloggers choose to remain anonymous, myself included. Recently Canadian Dream: Free at 45 debated the pros and cons of unmasking himself as there are definite underlying business reasons involved. Afterall, two of the more successful pf bloggers are “public” and they are J.D. Roth of Get Rich Slowly and Trent Hamm of The Simple Dollar. Does that mean I should go public as well to become successful? Well, hardly. I doubt just using my real name would get more readership. Afterall, content is king. If you suck, people will just associate your name with suckage. Branding can go both ways so for all the would be business entrepreneurs, keep your cyber noses clean and take down those naughty photos!

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Ellen Roseman recently wrote an article about Investing for beginners where she’s taking suggestions for books and websites for newbies. Since I’m an investor and a beginner, I suggested Warren Buffett’s talk to MBA students at the University of Florida which was posted on YouTube earlier this year. His advice is always down to earth and easy to understand and the perfect foundation for the majority of investors.

I decided to rewatch all 10 parts of the YouTube video and I was reminded again by the concept of branding and moats. You want to invest in a company where the brand is ingrained in the consumer psyche so that it creates a barrier for competing companies. Buffett was certainly trumpeting Coca Cola as a superior brand through-out the question and answer period (his company Berkshire Hathaway owns 8% of KO). Coke sponsors the Olympics and we associate winners and festivity with them. It also has distribution dominance around the world. But the bottom line is, do you set that much store on branding when you buy consumer goods? I briefly touched on this in another post regarding my Colgate/generic name toothbrush conflict. Intellectually, we know that most products are manufactured offshore but we price target ourselves anyways by buying the brand name.

So which companies have the best brands? According to Interbrand and Business Week’s list, Coca Cola comes in at number #1 for 2007. I realize that these lists come and go; on one list Google might be #1 and on another, it might be something else. However, I really have to agree with Mr. Buffett on this one. Twenty years down the line, do you think Google will still be the king of the search engines or will something else take over? Maybe, maybe not, but I have confidence that people will still be gassy drinking Coke in good and bad times.

Of note, Coke reached its 52-week high yesterday.

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Almost three months ago, I bought 2 revenge stocks. Why do I call them revenge stocks? You can read the whole story here but basically, I gambled on something after taking beating. I gambled on Timminco (TSX: TIM) a producer of high-grade silicon that goes into solar cells and Wi-Lan (TSX: WIN), a patent licensing company.

Timminco has done quite well and I have doubled my money. This also covers my 42% loss in Wi-Lan. Right now, I’m thinking of exiting my positions to walk away with a profit - never a bad decision. But would I be selling too soon?

I waver back and forth because I have no exit strategies even though neither companies are in my buy and hold forever plans. I do not know about the businesses so I have no target expectations. I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a patent and a geek’s blueprint for the Starship Enterprise. And although I own a solar powered calculator, it hardly makes me an expert in solar grade silicon. It’s hard to invest in businesses you don’t understand and these small cap stocks don’t offer much in terms of historical data. What little there is, is bad.

Finally, what concerns me mostly is all the press Timminco is gathering. When so many people are frothing at the mouth, it’s time to get out.

Look at the chart and the run up from March and a 52-week low of 23c. This is for selling out the annual silicon production even though the refinery is not fully operational? I think the contracts have been priced in and I’ll wait for the real results of full production capacity in Q2 2008. I’m sure I can get back in on a pull-back.

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At Money Relations, I like to ask the tough questions.

Yep, today I’m questioning corporate company titles: CEO, COO, CFO. Who are these people along with the chairman, president and vice-president sidekicks?

I consider tough questions to be ones that people think are too dumb to ask, but it’s important for us to know these things to assure ourselves that management is properly handling our investment dollars. In fact, as shareholders of voting shares in a corporation, we are capable of electing members to the board of directors to oversee our best interest. So who are the players in on this board?

Chairman of the Board – Is Frank Sinatra the leader of the board of directors made up of company insiders and non-biased outsiders. He presides over board meetings on behalf of shareholders’ interest and makes sure that the company is well-managed. This position is elected within the board of directors but for all intents and purposes, it’s usually the founder of the company who is the majority shareholder.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Is the executive responsible for the entirety of the company’s operations. He formulates long-term business strategies and implements decisions made by the board.

President - is the executive who manages the day-to-day operations of a company and reports back to the board on the execution of board policies.

Chief Operating Officer (COO) – is much like the President who oversees the daily operations of a company, marketing strategies, and production operations.

Chief Financial Officer (CFO) – is the executive in charge of reporting of financial information and makes sure that the company is in good financial health.

Due to the fact companies differ in size, and that an executive can inhabit one or more positions, confusion about roles and responsibilities often arise.

The Chairman often doubles as CEO. Therefore, he will usually delegate the operational tasks to the President/COO. However, the Chairman can relinquish his role as CEO and a scenario of CEO/President might result. To offload daily operational tasks, a COO might be hired.

In the case of conglomerates, a singular CEO might hire multiple Presidents to oversee each business entity with Vice-Presidents helping with the responsibilities.

In any event, the structure of a company is not set in stone but it is useful for shareholders to investigate if upper management is experienced and trustworthy. The qualitative analysis of a company is one of the more obscure practices but in a world of multi-million dollar executive packages and Enron scandals, do you not owe it to yourself to know who is in charge of your money?

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I need to get something off my chest. I just realized that I’m a contest wh– . I can’t even say it; a true confession will forever haunt me in Google’s cache.

I would enter contests by commenting on other people’s blogs or write about it here but folks, this contest courtesy of David Airey is a doozy.

David Airey, an Irish designer who aims to create the best logos, is holding an anniversary prize giveaway. There’s more than $4,000 worth in free prizes! Find out how to enter by reading the details on David’s graphic design blog.

The prize list is huge as evidenced by the amount of cutting and pasting I had to do. The top prizes are all from A-list bloggers and designers. As I always stress, it’s a great learning opportunity if you win. The bonus prizes look nice too.

Gold award

• Custom logo from David Airey. Add a touch of professionalism to your business with one of my logo designs. If you’re unsure what my designs are like, check out my graphic design portfolio.
• Custom WordPress theme design from Nate Whitehill of Nate Whitehill dot Com. It’s vital to set yourself apart from the crowd, and Nate will help a great deal with your very own custom WordPress theme.
• Personal marketing / advertising plan from Maki of Dosh Dosh. Maki is an expert where blog advertising is concerned, and he is kindly donating his time to help you make the most of your new custom blog.
• One year’s hosting and blog setup from John Boardley of I Love Typography. John has kindly donated his time and will do everything you need to get your new custom blog hosted on one of Media Temple’s dedicated servers.
• Signed copy of Blogging Tips by Lorelle VanFossen of Lorelle on WordPress. I bought this book myself, and it contains excellent blogging tips for beginners to pros.

Silver award

• A second logo design from Tara Roskell of Graphic Design Blog. You only need to visit Graphic Design Blog to realise that Tara really knows a lot about great design.
• Website critique from Randa Clay of Randa Clay Design. If you want some expert advice on how to improve your website design, you won’t be disappointed by this offering.
• One hour SEO consultation with Lyndon Antcliff of Cornwall SEO. Lyndon will conduct a Skype consultation with the winner of this prize, and he comes highly recommended for search engine optimisation and linkbaiting.
• $60 of books from Amazon courtesy of Darren Rowse of ProBlogger. Is there a book you’ve been meaning to buy on Amazon? How about getting it free? A great donation from a professional blogger.

Bronze award

• Logo / blog header design from Jonathan-C. Phillips of Smart Wealthy Rich. Jonathan has donated his expert skills to help your blog stand out from the crowd.
• One hour blog optimization consultation with Daniel Scocco of Daily Blog Tips. This consultation will cover design, SEO, monetization and blogging strategy, from the author of one of blogging’s most useful resources.
• Revolution Premium WordPress theme package (personal package) from Brian Gardner, WordPress designer and consultant. Brian’s WordPress skills are second to none.
• Blog review and email interview published on Make It Great! with Phil Gerbyshak. The man to ‘make it great’ will critique your blog and feature you on his very own PR5 blog.

Bonus prizes

Podcasting kit

• Behringer Podcastudio USB Podcasting Kit, kindly donated by Fraser’s Affiliate Marketing Blog. Looking for a new way to express yourself? Ever wanted to be a famous producer? Then podcasting is the answer and the BEHRINGER PODCASTUDIO USB bundle has all you need to make high-quality podcasts and home recordings.

Free money

• $25 via PayPal courtesy of Gayla McCord of Mom Gadget. Free money! Who doesn’t want free money? Very kind of you Gayla.

USB storage keys

• 2GB USB storage key x 3 courtesy of Jamie Clague at Terinea Weblog. Three USB sticks will make up three separate prizes, with free worldwide postage. Jamie, Edinburgh Computer Services, has also kindly donated his valuable time to helping with the prize draw administration.

Blog reviews and design help

• Full blog review with deep links and images published on Blog-Op with Chris Lodge. Chris knows how to piece together an excellent blog review, giving you an added insight into the impression your website is giving.
• Blog review from Aaron Russell of miLienzo. Aaron has been coding WordPress themes for a while now and certainly knows his stuff where blog design is concerned.
• Expert WordPress blog help from Lakshmi Mareddy of Chilligavva. Have you ever had any ideas for your blog that you haven’t been able to incorporate? Lakshmi has kindly agreed to offer her WordPress skills, helping you out with either code or graphics.
• Blog review from Hock Ng of Marketing Tools Review. Hock will focus his review on your blog content, design, SEO and usability.
• Blog makeover from Charles Jordan of The Queer Chef. Charles is proficient with design for the Blogger platform, and can also design WordPress. He’ll tantalise your taste buds with one of his blog makeovers.

Telephone and Skype consultations

• Blog writing consultation with Ben Yoskovitz of Instigator Blog. Ben has offered his expertise to review 3–5 of your articles, providing tips and giving suggestions on writing, plus a quick guide to social media and how you can benefit from it.
• Two 45 minute coaching consultations with Mark McGuinness of Wishful Thinking. Mark specialises in coaching creative professionals, and is a real expert in his field. The first session will involve goal setting, with the second session reporting on progress and making adjustments.
• 4 hour business growth consultation with Rebecca Caroe, via telephone / Skype, or face-to-face in London / Cambridge. Rebecca is a business growth consultant for creative agencies, so if you’re looking to expand your company then this is the prize for you. If you want Rebecca to visit your offices simply pay her travel expenses.
• Tele-Coaching with Tammy Lenski. A one-hour, private telephone consult with professional mediator and conflict coach Tammy Lenski. Figure out how to deal with a challenging client, strengthen your contract negotiations, or confront difficult conversations with more confidence and success. Free call within the U.S., via Skype outside the U.S.
• One hour product launch consultation with Design Translator (DT) of Design Sojourn. Whether you’re launching a line of t-shirts, custom furniture, electronics, or any other product, DT will lend you his product launch expertise.
• Blog improvement or monetization advice with Easton Ellsworth of Business Blogwire. You choose, do you want to generally improve your blog or do you want help making money from it? Easton has kindly offered his help.

Art and literature

• Two premium quality books designed and produced by David Hyde of david the designer. John Hinchcliffe, internationally acclaimed designer-maker, is the subject of the richly illustrated first of two quality books. Crafts in the 20th Century is the second book kindly donated by David.
• Copy of Brand Aid by Brad VanAuken of The Blake Project. Brand Aid is a practical how-to guide on building winning brands. Derrick Daye was kind enough to offer this great prize.
• Watercolour print from Ed Roach Watercolours. Ed has quite a talent, and will graciously ship your favourite print from his watercolour studio.

Online advertising

• 728px by 90px banner ad for 30 days above the fold on The Blog Experiment, courtesy of Sara. This is quite a new forum for bloggers, but already there are approximately 5,000 posts! You must supply your own artwork.
• 125px by 125px image ad for 30 days on Smart Wealthy Rich. An excellent donation from top blogger, Jonathan.
• Ad icon located site-wide in the top left of Blog-Op, courtesy of Chris Lodge. Another kind gift from a fellow blogger in Scotland.
• 30 day text link ad shown site-wide on Contest Blogger. This is a great way to advertise your very own blog contest. Blogging is about giving something back, so get your contest featured.
• 125px by 125px image ad for 30 days on Freelance Folder. Another superb offering from Jonathan a.k.a Smart Wealthy Rich.

Forum membership

• Lifetime membership to the paid membership site that Andy Beard, WordPress SEO and Niche Marketer, will launch on Andybeard.eu (eta and value yet to be determined). If the prize winner already qualifies for membership (some people will), then Andy will kindly come up with an alternative prize.

THE END

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