INSIGHT: 16 Insights Taken From Dragons Den

Ask anyone you know what the best way to secure a stable financial future is and they will tell you that owning a business is your best bet. Here is the problem...what business should you start. You could opt to join a direct selling company like QNET that offers you the opportunity to market their products for a commission. Or you could opt to start your very own business venture selling your own products and services. There are several elements to consider if you choose to start from scratch and for this post am going to concentrate on one major element...CAPITAL.

Capital fuels business growth. Without a substantial amount of capital your business is doomed to fail. Where can you get the capital necessary to start your business? You have bank loans, family loans, charity funds and investors. I prefer going to an investor because coupled with their investment in your business, you get the added advantage of tapping into their extensive business expertise. But opting to use investors means that you have to share your overall business equity, which raises the argument; Are you willing to own 100% of nothing or 50% of something.

"Dragons" of the UK's hit series Dragons Den

I was introduced to a television show called "Dragon's Den" back in 2008 and I have learnt a lot from watching it since then. It is a show in which budding entrepreneurs present their business ideas to prospective investors, who own multi-million businesses of their own. It is a great show for anyone interested in starting their own business and today I would like to share some of the insights, that I have taken away from the television show, with anyone who wishes to start their own business and hopes to get substantial capital investments from investors.

Umayal Collection: Celebrating Nature

The beauty of nature is evident everywhere and enamoured by the beauty of nature that she has seen on her travels around the world, Datin Umayal Eswaran was inspired to put together a collection that would reflect nature in all its splendour. Inspired by the rustic beauty of tree branches and the intricate lace designs of corals from the sea, the pieces in the Umayal Collection are artfully fashioned from silver and ornamented with delicate gemstones. Each piece is handmade with the utmost care by skilled craftsmen, ensuring its uniqueness and quality. Created to emulate nature at its best, the Umayal Collection is one that will appeal to those with a passion for nature. (all products incur an added Shipping & Handling cost of US$ 50)

The Misty Pendant marries the elegance of the sea fan with the mystique of smoky quartz, producing a captivating piece that will catch the eye of the beholder. The crowning glory of the pendant is a faceted, pear-shaped gem, whose muted hues evoke images of morning mist blanketing the forest. Its versatility allows you to wear it as a pendant by night and a brooch by day. Price: US$ 380

INSIGHT: Bitter Truth Of Life After Graduation

It wasn't long ago that earning a bachelor's degree virtually guaranteed solid job opportunities for graduates to launch careers in their chosen professions. It's a different era now, and college graduates no longer can expect to transition quickly from campus to the working world. Half of college graduates in the class of 2012 around the globe are either jobless or underemployed. Nowadays graduates are told to consider applying their education to different jobs and not think that there is a guaranteed straight line to their dream job after graduation.

Like they say; Graduate is a fancy word for unemployed.

The graduates of 2012, all half a million of them just in the UK alone, will leave university and move into arguably the most competitive jobs market ever. Saddled with debt, many of their qualifications undervalued and in a time of austerity, it really is a bleak reality. The last half-decade has not been good to graduates. Only a half of those who graduated since 2006 are now employed full time, according to a Rutgers University survey.

INSIGHT: Open Your Eyes To The State Of Global Economy

I was recently in a discussion with a friend who did not see the merits behind joining the direct selling industry even in these economic times. I was left wondering if there were people out there oblivious to the fact that times are tough. Countries, businesses, people...we are all still feeling the effects of the recession that started back in December of 2007. Though some claim that the recession is over the reality is that it set in motion a great domino effect that shows no signs of slowing down. Even people with jobs are affected. Nearly a fifth of employed Canadians are working poor, earning less than $17,000 a year, reflecting a shift in the economy towards lower-paying services jobs.

Inflation, for instance, has been on a steady rise in several countries while the average earnings of most people around the world remain depressed and has seen prices going up for even the most basic of needs. When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services which also reflects an erosion in the purchasing power of money, a loss of real value in the internal medium of exchange and unit of account in the economy.

A service station displays its gasoline price
in Washington, D.C., March 1, 2012

Another gas station sign, under the same company,
 is seen in Washington, D.C. on March 30, 2012 (29 days later)

In an article written last October in the NY Times, it was reported that global prices for meats, dairy products and cereals had resumed rising. Food prices are rising in 2012 because of high gas prices, which themselves are caused by high oil prices. Like I said in the introduction, a great domino effect. DEFRA, the UK government department responsible for policy and regulations on the environment, food and rural affairs, said that in the last five years food prices in the UK have increased “considerably more” than in the rest of the European Union. To read more about that, click HERE.

INSIGHT: My Favourite QNET Products

I am often asked by my prospects which product I would recommend them to buy to join QNET. The two products that come first in my mind are the Bio Disc and Chi Pendant combo. Maybe am biased, but my first recommendations to all my prospects who are interested in owning their own business but don't know what product they would like to own from QNET are the same products I first bought from QNET! This is mainly because I have first hand knowledge of the power of these two fantastic products. There are a myriad of other reasons and today I would like to take the time to share a couple of them with you.

The Amezcua Bio Disc 2 and Chi Pendant Combo

The Bio Disc and Chi Pendant combo, for all those that don't yet know, are energy products from Amezcua. They are created by fusing specific groups of minerals into glass, a process which allows the minerals to resonate at a frequency similar to that created by our own bodies. The frequency produced by these two products helps, in the case of the Chi Pendant, protect the body from e-smog and for the Bio Disc, helps boost the energy levels of the individual (Trust me, that's just the summarized version!). For more information on the Bio Disc, click HERE and for the Chi Pendant, click HERE.