I don’t think there is any one person that doesn’t aim to be successful. However, it is often misconstrued as a huge feat, that people shed their blood, sweat, and tears to attain. Shoot, I consider it a success if I wake up on time each morning or make it through the day without tripping or running into something (those dang invisible walls).

Let’s face it, each person has countless chances to be successful in life, but it takes a special person to be significant. What are you going to do to make that happen? Just as there is with success, there are many different ways to define significance. What it all comes down to, however, is making a difference in your life or the lives of others.  Make a lasting impression on those around you; it’s not as hard as one might think. But how?! Well, of course, you can follow these steps:

• Continue to set goals in your life, but make sure at least one of them is for something BIG. A lot of people I have talked to are opposed to setting “unattainable” goals, as they call them. Well I’m here to tell you to take the “un” out of “unattainable.” If you live your life thinking you can’t, then you’re not really living at all.
• Go above and beyond what’s expected of you. Make yourself irreplaceable in whatever it is you are doing.
• Strive for excellence. If you believe there are greater things out there for you, then there are. Don’t ever settle, but also realize that success won’t fall in your lap. You’ve got to work for it.
• Don’t be a big sissy la-la (refer to my last blog for an explanation)

If your goal is to be successful in life, have fun hanging out in that boat (population: the whole world). Instead, make it your goal to be different, be significant, and your legacy will live on.

“Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value” – Albert Einstein

Follow me on twitter and let me know what you would like to hear about on my next blog! @NelsonKati

Article By:
Kati Nelson

Follow her personal blog @:

http://toughmotivation.wordpress.com

It wasn’t until I began classes in a social media course with Dr. Bret Simons at the University of Nevada-Reno, that I fully understood the potential of the internet. It is a very powerful tool, but we need to think of the internet as a tool box, not a measly hammer or screwdriver. Within this toolbox are the very effective and useful social media platforms that we aren’t taking advantage of.

LinkedIn, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, the list goes on and on. The idea is to use all of the major networks, and use them well. Most people fall into one of three categories (we will take Facebook as an example, even though it is the least important social media platform out there):
“I have a Facebook, but it’s, like, private and stuff so no one can see what I’m doing.”- Online privacy is non-existent, and so is your brain if you continue to think this way.

“I don’t have a Facebook because it’s stupid and I don’t want my business online.” –If you’re not online in some way shape or form, you’re not on the radar for future employers, customers, etc. No one is asking you to put your home address, phone number, social security number, or copies of your credit card statements online (there probably are people asking this, but if you oblige, please refer back to the previous statement of your brain being non-existent).

“I have a Facebook that is professionally personal (thank you to Bret Simmons for the phrase), as well as a LinkedIn, Google+, Twitter, and WordPress.” –Awesome! Your brain is in good shape.
Get out on the internet and explore, the information is unlimited! Google yourself and see what comes up. If it’s nothing, it’s important to work on expanding your platform. Being off the radar is not a good thing. If you do come up in a Google search, make sure it’s something you would want a future business associate to see. Your old MySpace? Get rid of it! Nobody, especially business professionals, wants to see photos of when you were 15 and thought you were really super cool because you took pictures with your camera in the bathroom mirror.

Learning about social media is fascinating. With the ever-growing increase in technology, there are always new outlets to use. So gear up, plug in all your power tools, and take advantage of the huge (and free) opportunity that the internet is giving you.

Article By:
Kati Nelson

There are two main types of risk you should know about. They are unsystematic and systematic risk. Unsystematic, also known as firm-specific or diversifiable, risk is the volatility in your portfolio returns due to factors that are unique to a specific sector or company. Daily return computations capture firm-specific volatility. This is because there is greater variation in daily returns as opposed to monthly or annual returns. You can essentially eliminate this risk with a portfolio of around 40 different stocks (in different asset classes). Systematic risk is the variation in returns due to market risk. These risks include things like unemployment, inflation, economic shocks, and other macro-level occurrences. You cannot get rid of market risk.

Effective diversification lowers your portfolio’s standard deviation (we will ignore tail risk and assume a normal distribution). Why so? This is because the correlation coefficient varies with each individual stock. If two stocks have a correlation equal to one, they have perfect positive correlation and will move together. A correlation equal to zero means there is no relationship at all in the gains and losses. A correlation of negative one means when one stock goes up one percent the other goes down one percent (correlation is between -1 and 1). Since no stock is perfectly correlated with another stock (if you diversify correctly), your portfolio’s standard deviation will consequently decrease. However, over the past decade, the stock market as a whole has become increasingly correlated. This is because of the high demand for ETFs (exchange-traded funds). ETFs are an inexpensive way to minimize unsystematic risk. Unfortunately, this leads to stocks within an ETF being bought and sold not on the fundamentals and performance of a certain stock, but because an investor wants to get rid of his firm-specific risk.

Systematic risk should not be confused with systemic risk. Systemic risk is too-big-to-fail risk. Basically an entity is intertwined with others and the failure of one will lead to a domino effect of failures. The financial crisis of 2008 is a perfect example. When Lehman went under, Goldman Sachs and other investment banks had large holdings in the insolvent firm. If it wasn’t for a government bailout these banks, and the economy, would have collapsed due to an illiquidity trap. The total risk of a financial instrument is the sum of the systematic and unsystematic risk.

Article By:
David Howard

So how does one set him/herself apart from the competing hordes of bright-eyed and bushy-tailed graduates who are chasing the same jobs with, in most cases, only minor differences in qualifications? How does one gain a competitive edge in their efforts to find a fulfilling, high-paying career with room for advancement? The old cliche, of “thinking outside of the box,” – while both motivational and valid in theory – is not so helpful when it comes to the job hunt.

Given the unlimited amount of information that can be found online regarding interviewing, resume building, networking and so, we all have access to the same resources for the most part. Granted, the caliber of your school and the programs it offers can be a huge advantage but it seems more and more that people truly believe that getting a good job hinges on who you know and how lucky you are when it comes to encountering opportunity. However, in my mind thinking outside of U.S. borders and considering opportunity abroad can be a great way to eliminate competition and get involved in business on a global scale.

Globalization is continuing to influence the way business is done across the world. Trade relationships today exist between more countries than ever before, and many prominent firms in the U.S. conduct the majority of their business activity abroad. Singling out and researching specific industries and companies that take part in business overseas can not only narrow your choices as to potential employers, it can also offer you the opportunity to become involved with the world of global trade – which seems unlikely to slow down anytime soon.

According to an article from The Daily Beast, students who go abroad in their studies can distinguish themselves from other students with valuable experience and cultural exposure. The article suggests: “…college administrators say, if the experience is in a culture crucial to the way many businesses are now organized, it can give them a leg up in the job market. Especially when paired with an internship, even a few months’ time out of the United States can help them enter companies that have, say, suppliers in China, customers in Brazil, and colleagues in India. “Just getting them abroad makes such a difference, regardless of the program,” says Stone, who plays down the partying angle. “…” What’s more numerous ESL programs in other countries offer students the opportunity to gain this experience and learn a foreign language at little to no cost. Personally, I find major encouragement in the fact that no matter whether you choose to think about entrepreneurial opportunities abroad, seeking employment in a foreign country, or finding an American company that is involved in the global marketplace, there is plenty of opportunity. In short, it seems clear to me that International Business major or not – looking to international opportunity is one surefire way to increase your probability of finding a great career.

Article Written By:
Eben Webber
Check out his blog on Latin American Business

CEO Zuckerberg currently pulls in a base salary of $500,000; however, his total compensation for 2011 was closer to $1.48 million. Beginning January of 2013, Zuckerberg will be receiving $1 per year (interesting decision- inspired by Steve Jobs perhaps?). Facebook’s COO Sheryl Sandberg and CFO David Ebersman make Zuckerberg’s compensation look miniscule, however. While their base is $300,000 each, their total benefits are a cool $30.8 million and $18.7 million, respectively. The majority of this money comes from stock options. For those of you who are keeping track, this means that Sandberg makes more than twice of Lebron James’ $14.5 million salary in 2011, according to BusinessInsider.com.

Facebook has 845 million active users globally and claims to have “mapped out” 100 billion connections between its members. In 2011, the company had sales of $3.7 billion, compared to its 2010 sales of $2 billion, indicating extreme growth. Roughly 85% of this revenue stems from advertising. Total profit in 2011 was $1 billion, and the company, especially Zuckerberg and his high ranking execs, stand to make a lot more following the IPO. Valuation of the company is still incomplete, and we can expect an updated filing with more detailed information in the near future. For now, estimates range from $85-100 billion, however based on the historic volatility of web companies, the true valuation may be dramatically different.

Looking forward to future filings with more detailed information!

The full text of Facebook’s S-1 form can be found on the Wall Street Journal’s Website:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204740904577197473960814072.html?mod=e2tw

Article Written By:
Meredith McBride

Saturday February 4

Where:

La Posada Real Mexican Restaurant
5270 Longley Ln
Reno NV, 89511
(775)852-1227

February 2 in AB 635 @ 6:00pm. Professional dress required!

The truth is that growth through a mentoring relationship is not only dependent on a great mentor. It also depends on a great mentee. In reality, it is probably more dependent on the mentee actively engaging and taking steps necessary to make the mentoring relationship a vehicle for their successful growth and development.

So…What’s a Mentee? A mentee is person who wants to learn and grow and who desires to take charge of their own career. They understand that their efforts can benefit from the help of a trusted guide…a Mentor.

A great quote from Kenneth Blanchard sums it up well, “There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When you’re interested in doing something, you do it only when it’s convenient. When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses; only results.”

With that in mind, here are some basic principles that will help in our efforts to be great mentees.
 

• Be the driver of your mentoring experience – It’s your career! You need to understand the goals that you really want to accomplish and be willing to work hard to achieve them. A mentor can merely guide you in your pursuit, so it is up to you to stay focused on your objectives.
• Manage how and what you learn – As a mentee you need to consistently find situations and opportunities that can help you grow. A mentor can give you their advice regarding what to pursue, but you have to understand how each opportunity connects with your aspirations for the future.
• Build your strengths – Do you understand your strengths? It’s not uncommon for people to be so focused on the areas they may need improvement in that they totally miss what they do well. When you understand your strengths you can then understand how to push yourself to meet the challenges ahead.
• Go beyond your comfort limits – Yes, I know … it can be an over-used cliché but it doesn’t make it any less true. As a mentee you will be asked by your mentor to challenge yourself and move outside of your perceived comfort zone. If you struggle with this aspect of your development it will most certainly hinder you in meeting your goals.
• Make your mentoring relationship the foundation – Every successful mentoring relationship is a partnership and you need to take advantage of all the expertise and wisdom of your mentor.
• Being a great mentee is a lot of work, but that work will bring huge benefits as you progress in your career.

Note: These concepts are based on “The Mentee’s Navigator” by Perrone and Ambrose.