While coworking has developed into more than a fad in Southeast Asia, when paired with the thriving tech scene in Singapore, it is a recipe for success. The fact that the coworking environment is fertile for businesses it only makes sense start-ups would get their start there. Coworking in Singapore brings a different dynamic to business simply because spaces in the city-state have evolved to encompass a lot.

With a coworking space in Singapore, professionals are realising that these enclaves can also provide them with bespoke solutions to meet their office needs. In fact, the coworking space is not about just saving businesses money on their overhead. They have real value in a business climate that is fuelling up to help fledgeling businesses establish themselves in the business community.

Continue reading to learn exactly why Singapore start-ups should consider the coworking space.

Downsizing For A Purpose

One of the central reasons that start-ups should consider the coworking space as an alternative to office space has to do with the fact that Singapore is rapidly becoming connected to other countries in the region, and this can make for business opportunities for all businesses. However, a lease that ties up your funds at the month can interfere with any investment opportunities. Moreover, start-ups typically have little funding in the beginning, and the coworking space can allow businesses to reduce their monthly overhead simply by sharing space.

Making Continental Connections

Working in a shared space such as the coworking office exposes you to meeting people from areas around the world and region. In one office, you can happen to be working with people from various industries, professionals who can potentially plug your business into contacts in Singapore and those within the Asia-Pacific market. Because the coworking space promotes community and start-ups are in need of making valuable connections, the coworking space is the best place for businesses to establish relationships in the business community.

Finding A Pathway Into Other Markets

While the country has always been treasured for its beauty, it is also seen as a gateway location into much of the Asia market. Professionals looking to launch a venture in the country could not have chosen a better location. Start-ups can get plugged into a community that can help them leverage their location in one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic economies. Ultimately, the country is located in one of the most strategic places in the continent and can be a platform for establishing a business in other locations.

Benefitting From Its Flexible Terms

Start-ups definitely benefit from the plan’s flexible terms. Start-ups are really vulnerable in the beginning, and so committing a business to a lengthy lease might not be the best move for your business, and not just for budget reasons either. For one, being able to get out of a conventional lease can be a nightmare unless you are knowledgeable in commercial real estate law in Singapore. For foreign interests, obtaining flexible office space can be very difficult. However, the coworking space’s short-term leases do not commit these fledgeling businesses to a protracted lease. This allows your business the freedom to move about with ease without the excessive overhead, and more importantly, without being tied to a lease that can limit your ability to move on if necessary.

Starting Small On A Big Platform

The platform for start-ups to establish themselves in Singapore has already been established. The country continues to be fertile ground for establishing a business, and in this incarnation, start-ups have so much to gain from working in shared space that provides a community. With a gateway into other parts of the Asia-Pacific market, businesses should not hesitate to use the coworking space as a tool.

When you are young and fit, thinking about your eventual demise and the financial security of your family may seem unnecessary or even morbid, but this is the best time to start considering comprehensive life insurance policies.

Delving into the world of life insurance can be a confusing and convoluted experience. The language and specifics concerning life insurance can be especially daunting if you’re unfamiliar with health insurance, which is why it’s important to do your research first before deciding on what life insurance plans will work for you and your family.

The reasons you have for deciding to purchase life insurance policies for you and your family may vary, but no matter what life event has triggered your decision to buy life insurance, you will know that you are providing financial assistance for your family in the event that anything happens to you.

When you’re choosing comprehensive life insurance plans, you’ll want to keep in mind the following three things to look for in a comprehensive life insurance policy to make sure your family’s future is secure.

Consider what your premiums give you

If you’re unfamiliar with insurance and are just looking to tick a box, you may be drawn to the cheapest, lowest premium that you can find. However, the lowest premium plan may not work best for your family. While competitive pricing is important, cheapest doesn’t always mean best. Many plans with low premiums may be restrictive in how payments are given after death, and what is actually covered. For example, plans with very cheap premiums often don’t cover you against major illnesses if there’s a family history. They also won’t give you more if the death is accidental, and the amount of payout your family receives might not be enough for them. Ideally, a life insurance plan should payout fifteen to twenty times your annual income (with accidental deaths often paying double that).

Look into the life insurance company’s financial health

When you’re buying a life insurance plan you have to consider not just the cost of the insurance plan payout or the premiums involved, but also the overall financial health of the company providing the policy. There are independent agencies that rate insurance companies based on their financial strength and their ability to meet the demands of their current purchased policies and to fulfill their contractual obligations. Each agency has their own rating system, but it will help give you a better idea of the company’s ability to fulfill their demands.

Conversion options and privileges

Before you buy any life insurance plans, learn as much as you can about the company’s conversion options and privileges. Many young families purchase term policies, which means that the plan is offered at a certain price for a set period of time. This is appealing to young people since the plans are often cheaper, but these are temporary plans. This is when a conversion plan comes into play. Conversion plans allow you to change your term plan into a permanent plan, which will give you the security needed for you and your family as you age.

To read more on topics like this, check out the business category.

Roth and traditional IRAs are both savings accounts that are geared towards a person’s eventual retirement. They are similar to a 401K with which a company would set you up, the difference being that you’re the one who is setting up the account and you’re putting money into it according to a schedule that you set, rather than every week as is traditional with a 401K. You might set up a self directed IRA today if it’s something that interests you, but before you dive in, let’s take a few moments to talk about the difference between the traditional IRA and the Roth version that is also popular.

When and How Your Money is Taxed

The most notable differences between Roth and traditional IRAs have to do with how and when the government taxes you on the money that you are putting in. Uncle Sam is always going to have a handout. That much is unavoidable, but with a traditional IRA, your contributions are tax deductible in the year that they were made. If you get a Roth IRA, then your withdrawals are not taxed when you make it to retirement.

Think About the Tax Rate

In determining which one you should be getting, the most critical question that you should be asking yourself is whether you think that your tax rate is going to be lower or higher in the future when you want to cash out. Few people can answer that question definitively, but for the ones who can, the choice becomes easier. If your tax rate is going to be higher, then you’re going to want to get the Roth IRA because of the deferred tax benefit. If it is going to be lower, then it’s got to be the traditional IRA because with that you get the tax benefit up front.

The problem with this approach, of course, is that most people have no idea what their tax rate is going to be when they retire, as most of them start up an IRA when they are decades away from getting out of the workforce.

Flexibility

Many people decide to go with a Roth, though, and the reason is that there are much more flexible rules that go along with one, especially as it relates to early withdrawals. Ideally, you don’t want to take any money out of your IRA until you hit 59 ½, which is when most people are eligible to dip into that money without penalties. Sometimes the unexpected happens, though, and you need money for things like buying a home. The Roth also has rules in place that make it easier for you to pass money on to your heirs if that’s what you decide that you want to do with some of it.

Which Will You Choose?

Several considerations are going to have to go into your decision, and if you think that now’s the time to start up an IRA, you may wish to consult with a retirement expert at your bank. They should be able to explain any further details about the Roth and traditional IRA versions to you, and together you can pick the one that makes the most sense for your needs.

For more business advice from the Be a money blogger blog, click here.

There are ingredients that make up a successful business–determination, hard work and skill– but there is also uncertainty. Business helps to limit the uncertainty of running a business.

The following tips will show you how to invest in the right insurance to safeguard your business:

Understand what you need

There are many options for business insurance and knowing the right one to go for is the first step in safeguarding your business. For example, the insurance coverage needed to run a one-man business may be different if you have employees. Know the risks and damages you can incur in the day-to-day running of your business. Ask yourself: Is there a possibility that a member of the public can be injured by my products or in my premises? This way, you can protect your company against unforeseen occurrences.

Talk to a professional

After your research, speak to an insurance professional before getting started. An expert in your field can help choose the right insurance cover for you. The business you run will largely dictate your choice of insurance cover and the volume of your risk will be accounted for in your coverage plan. The specifics of insurance can be confusing to the average person, so having someone on hand that can explain terminology and other nuances of the industry can be worthwhile, especially when you are choosing a new form of insurance for the first time.

Keep home and business separate

Many small businesses operate from home and in most cases; resources are shared between the business and the home. It is never a good idea to merge your home with your office insurance. For instance, if your employee is involved in an accident while doing a delivery using your private car, is your car insurance going to pay for the medical bills? Can your home insurance cover for theft to your home office equipment? What happens if your small business is sued for giving advice that leads to a financial loss? This is where professional indemnity comes in and underscores the importance of keeping your business insurance separate from your home insurance.

Consider business interruption insurance

Business interruption insurance is often overlooked by business owners. In the event that something happens and you cannot run your business for some time, how do you manage the loss of income during that period? It is your responsibility to consider this scenario especially if you deal in goods and items that can perish after a period. While business interruption insurance is not a compulsory part of your business insurance, it is something you should consider.

When setting up your insurance, consider not just what you need at the moment, but what you will also need as your business grows. If you are not sure about the evolving needs of your business, you can always add more cover at a later date. No matter how you decide to go, having insurance is infinitely better than not having insurance, as you can be assured of some form of financial protection should something unexpected come along.

It is true the traders will have to use their targets to define the position sizes. Then the position sizes will have to be ensured with proper market analysis. So, the traders will have to work with their own targets for proper performance in the trading marketplace like Forex. From the beginning of your career, there will have to be properly setup from your side to the trading business. Without proper and efficient plants, the trading performance will not be good for the traders. That is why we are here with this article to teach you about the proper perspective to the trading business. It will make you a decent trader to work with and against the markets for good returns. We will be trying our best to give you the right idea about trading. Hope it will help the performance to grow in the business process.

The markets will not work with yourself

You will be surprised to know about the uncertainty of the trading marketplace. Most of the cases of trading, the new Aussie traders find their position sizes getting ruined. That happens because of the sudden change of the trends in the trading markets. Thus, you will end up losing a good amount of money from your own trading business. But with some simple trick, the traders can manage their own trading performance to the most efficient level. We are talking about making plans for a decent profit target. It will help you to make the trades properly without experiencing any kind of unfortunate spikes or change in the trends. And try to work with higher timeframes in the markets for profound key swings.

Dealing with your emotions

Dealing with human emotions is a very complex process. Even after knowing all the details of the market you might not be able to make money in the Forex market. Trading CFD requires stable mindset and complete control over your emotions. You might be relatively new to the trading profession, but this doesn’t mean you will have to lose real money. Start to trade the market in the demo accounts and develop your skills. Work hard to develop a strong basic so that you find great trades in favor of the market trend.

Risks are going to have proper protection

Risking too much in the trades is a mistake made by the traders from their own plans. Most of us know about a legit fact about normal business which tells you to invest more for earning more, right? But the trading profession is completely different than you think in this region. Most of the traders will end up losing a lot from the trades with high risks. They think about getting more profits with a little change in pips. But the actual result comes in a negative form for the traders. Because a small change of the pips in the opposite direction of your trade can cost you a lot of money from the account. For that, you will have to work with very less investment into the trades and try to maintain good income with the proper timeframe of trading.

You may not expect a certain result from a trade

There will be a lot of problems in the process of trading for most of the traders. If you are failing a lot of times, hear that the pro traders also fail once in a while. But they stick with their own trading edge all the time and do not look to the losses. Even winning trades do not ruin their performance with an overflow of dopamine inside of their head. To be a proper trader in the Forex marketplace, you will also have to be like that for a good performance. When it will be possible, the position sizing will be fixed for your trades and the returns will also be pleasing for your ego.

James Dondero is the co-founder and president of Highland Capital Management. Mr. Dondero has provided the perfect example for individuals wishing to use their business acumen for the benefit of philanthropic work.

It is the philosophy of Dondero that the most fortunate individuals in society bear a greater responsibility to affect positive change intended to benefit all individuals. He believes that through philanthropic efforts, the bulk of this responsibility is satisfied.

Charitable pursuits have been a major focus of Highland Captial since its inception. Highland demonstrates this fact by supporting a number of charities and non-profits in their hometown of Dallas, Texas. The following is a look at two of the programs supported by Highland Capital.

The Family Place

Highland Capital took advantage of the guidance it received from Linda Owens to support The Family Place. Ms. Owens is the former chief executive officer for Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation. She now works in an advisory role with Highland Capital and instructs them on charitable endeavors.

Highland supported the non-profit with a challenge grant worth $1 million. The grant assured The Family Place reached their fundraising goals faster than scheduled.

The Family Place provides services to people affected by family violence in the state of Texas. The agency provides shelter, counseling, and education to victims of violence. The organization also provides education and training to teens regarding bullying and the prevention of teen dating violence.

The Family Place is responsible for the first shelter in the state of Texas for the benefit of men victimized by family violence. Men are also allowed at the shelter who have custody of their children. The educational programs are also offered in Spanish.

The challenge grant provided by Highland was an agreement by the company to match all donations given to the non-profit up to $1 million. The funds were used to pay for a new counseling center located in the Central Dallas area.

Paige Flink, the executive director of The Family Place encouraged donations by explaining to parties interested in supporting the organization that the impact of their gift would be increased by the pledge from Highland. Dondero also uses relationships he and his company has with other businesses and non-profits to secure support for The Family Place.

SMU Towers Program

 

Highland Capital Management worked with Southern Methodist University to create the Towers Scholar Program. Highland Capital gifted $2 million to fund the endowment that will be named in the company’s honor.

The Tower Scholars Program supports undergraduate students studying international affairs and politics who have demonstrated exceptional achievement. The program hopes to stimulate an interest in these and other students for ethical public service. Students selected for the program are provided with the opportunity to study abroad, experience with policymaking for public issues, involvement with global leaders, and internships.

Admission to the program is a competitive progress that takes into account academic achievement, participation in extracurricular activities, the student’s future involvement with public policy, and other factors.

One class has graduated from the Tower Scholars Program since the initial donation from James Dondero and Highland Capital. The students have gone on to achieve great things already in their young lives.

Conclusion

James Dondero founded Highland Capital Management, along with Mark Okada, in 1993. Mr. Dondero graduated from the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia and worked at numerous endeavors before settling at Highland. Mr. Dondero believed from the beginning that philanthropy is an important part of Highland Capital operations. The company’s involvement with the two non-profits above, as well as others, show that the belief in philanthropy is as strong within company ranks as ever.