Standing Out

Standing out from your coworkers can seem like a daunting task. It is, however, very simple if you put your mind to working hard.

Hard work never goes unrewarded. When you make an effort, others will notice. And when others notice, that will make you stand out.

Here are some tips on standing out of the crowd:

• Be that person you wish everyone else was – It may sound strange, but consider this: If you spend time wishing someone else would do some task, you yourself would not be doing that task. If you take the initiative to do what you wish others would do, you will be putting yourself in the position of making a good impression in your employer’s eyes.
• Do the work no one else wants to do – This will make you stand out tremendously.
• Do your work cheerfully – When you take on the extra tasks, don’t complain. You took on the work; do it cheerfully. This will make you an even more valuable employee.
• Don't get overwhelmed with bad news – I love it when workers are not overwhelmed with small problems. Those that answer, "That's not a problem - we can work around this" are most likely going to make a good, if not great, impression.

Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.

Top 10 Effective PowerPoint Tips

PowerPoint can be an effective business tool. It can also give everybody in the conference room a headache. How you affect the people viewing your slideshow is up to you.

Here are our top 10 tips on building an effective, memorable PowerPoint presentation:

1. Make an emergency PDF version – This is just in case the presentation computer does not have the same version as the computer you were working on. Nothing is more embarrassing than getting up in front of a hundred people and not getting your PowerPoint to work. Expect for the worse, and you will be prepared. Call ahead to learn what version the host computer has installed. If you can, test your PowerPoint presentation beforehand.
2. Have all your files in one folder – This is to prevent breaking movie links.
3. Stay with a simple theme – Don’t go overboard on an extravagant layout. Remember, less is more.
4. Give a sense of place for the viewer – Make sure that titles – both the Presentation’s title and the page’s title – are easily read. A person coming in in the middle of the meeting should be able to immediately know what the presentation is about.
5. No more than 8 lines of text per slide – PowerPoint is a visual tool. If it has too much text, your viewers are more likely to not read any of it.
6. Don’t use too much animation – As cool as the sound effects and slide-changing animations may be, try to restrict the overuse of them. Having too much animation in your presentation distracts from content. On top of that, it borders on becoming unprofessional.
7. Be consistent with graphs – All of your graphs should have a similar look and feel. Keep the titles clear and the content simple.
8. Use consistent fonts and font sizes – Make sure fonts are big enough and easy to read. If you are using a unique font, make sure your host computer also has that font. If it doesn’t, the spacing could change, ruining the slide.
9. Use simple, professional colors – Stay with neutral tones, like browns, tans, grays, and faded blues, to maintain a professional look. You can also try using your company’s colors.
10. Use photos and clip art wisely – Again, PowerPoint is a visual tool. People like pictures. Photos and clip art can add a lot to your presentation. Just be sure not to take away from the overall message or to make it too distracting.

Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.

Construction in California

California has had some tight times. But the news is good for the construction industry. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has given about hundreds of millions to construction projects in California alone. This will create about 11,000 construction jobs.

CalTrans reported that they will spend the first wave of funds, $625 million, on 57 highway projects. Merced County will spend $46.7 million to replace bridges, which will create over 800 jobs.

For more information on what industries, including the construction industry, will receive, visit www.EconomicStimulusInfo.com/about.html.

Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.

Having a Positive Attitude in a Negative Environment

It is amazing at how an attitude can change everything. Being in a negative environment can really make people be angry, short-tempered, or sad. The bad vibe rubs off on everyone that comes in contact with it. It can make the even cheery person upset.

Consider the results if there was a positive environment. Those in a bad mood would be affected by the positive surroundings. It would build a good workplace for those working or visiting.

Now consider how one person can affect the environment they are in. Being the positive person in the negative workplace can really help change the mood. Your joyfulness can spread to others. You can change the environment for unhappy to happy if you don’t let the negative feelings affect you.

Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.

Can You Receive Work for the Stimulus Package?

Since the signing of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, there have been great opportunities to expand your business. The government infusing the market will affect many types of businesses – from construction firms to green equipment manufacturers to software companies. Whatever touches the sectors targeted by the ARRA, namely, hospitals, software companies, manufacturers, construction companies, green energy, education centers, local/state governments, and more, will have a new unique way to grow.

Re-evaluate your business to see how you can key in on some of the promoted industries. Can you play a part in green technologies? Can you help to install electronic medical record software?

For more information on the topic, visit www.EconomicStimulusInfo.com. In the About section, there is even more information about what industries will be affected by the new economic stimulus package.

Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.

PR: New Website Helps Small Business Utilize the Economic Stimulus Package

On February 17, 2009 the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 was signed into law which should lead to stabilization and economic improvement. There are numerous pronounced benefits for businesses – specifically geared toward the small to medium sized companies- that have the ability to jumpstart the economy both locally as well as nationally. First Star Capital, a commercial equipment lender, has responded by launching a new website www.economicstimulusinfo.com in an effort to keep these businesses updated on how the stimulus package can benefit them.

This comprehensive site contains details of the Section 179 tax deduction as well as news and links to other informational web sites. While the ARRA has a particular focus on creating jobs in the green energy, highway, and school building sectors, there are several other industries that stand to benefit significantly from the economic stimulus act. Industries such as electronic medical records, utilities and all types of professional services such as engineers, attorneys, accountants, consultants, regulators and administrators will experience heightened demand and be positioned for job growth and greater economic prosperity.

Although nearly two-thirds of the $787 billion economic recovery plan is geared toward government based initiatives to create jobs and spark activity in stalled sectors of the economy, about one-third provides tax relief and investment incentives for small to medium sized businesses. Small and medium sized businesses have always been catalysts of economic growth and employment.

“We wanted to develop a site where our customers can obtain current and accurate information on how they can use the stimulus package to help their own business. You don’t have to be a huge corporation like GM or AIG to reap some of the benefits. Our goal is to do our part in generating confidence and turning the economy around for the better”, says First Star Capital president Brad Harmon. “The answer lies in helping small businesses move forward, retain their employees, and stay competitive. Small and medium sized businesses (those with less than 500 employees) make up roughly 99% of US companies. These are the folks that are most likely to be drivers of economic improvement”.

For more information on First Star Capital, please visit www.firststarcapital.com

About First Star Capital:
First Star Capital is an established national firm that has financed thousands of different businesses across the country and has funded hundreds of millions of dollars worth of capital equipment. They are an independent commercial lender with a specialty focus in equipment financing and leasing. First Star Capital is a direct lender with the ability to quickly and efficiently fund new financing requests between ten-thousand and ten-million dollars. Since they are a direct lender with their own funding and servicing capabilities they are able to deliver tangible value added financing solutions with the utmost flexibility.