Business

Common Goals That Leveraging Credit Can Help You Reach

Published

3 years ago

July 24, 2020

We often think of our credit scores as just something we’ll need down the line — when applying for a loan or renting an apartment. However, leveraging credit (which can only be done with an ideal credit score) may be the answer to achieving some of our biggest life goals.

Many don’t often think of credit as a way to fulfill these goals, and instead believe they must first make the money required to achieve them. But, in the spirit of Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad Poor Dad, one of the smartest ways to build wealth is to use “other people’s money.” This includes credit.

Not only is leveraging credit fairly straightforward, but it’s simply the smart thing to do – and it comes with its many perks, which can help you achieve other life goals. Just ask Colin Yurcisin, who’s been named the “Credit King.” He teaches students of all ages and backgrounds how to leverage credit to meet these goals and desires: many of which he’s been able to achieve in his own life with credit. His course, Credit Class, gets into all of the details on how to make credit work for you.

Here are the most common goals that leveraging credit can help you reach.

Starting a business.

There’s no way around it – starting a business typically takes some upfront capital. Even if you’re “bootstrapping,” there are websites, domain names, initial contractors – and these costs can feel significantly discouraging for first time founders. However, Yurcisin believes in the power of business credit.

“Business credit is truly a wonderful thing, especially because of the higher credit limits,” said Yurcisin. “Business cards typically give three times your highest personal credit limit – so if your personal credit score allows you to spend up to $5,000, a business card would allow you to spend $15,000 upfront,” he noted.

It isn’t just access to the capital, but what the capital can do for you in the long run. “There are many business cards that offer incredible deals upfront, so you can access capital and then get money back, or points to apply towards free travel.”

One of the cards that Yurcisin recommends in his Credit Class is the Business Ink Unlimited from Chase: it offers $500 cashback if you spend $3,000 in the first three months, 1.5% cash back on ALL purchases, and most pertinently: 0% interest for twelve months. This means you don’t have to pay back your initial investment for twelve months, which is plenty of lead time to make that money back. Yurcisin shared that with the Chase Business Ink Unlimited and Business Ink Cash you get 0% for 12 months and will just have to make small minimum monthly payments.

Buying other businesses or investments.

Credit is also commonly used to buy businesses or other forms of investments, such as real estate. Rather than applying for a business or personal loan from the bank, consider using credit, since you can get up to 1.5% cash back. Here’s one way to think about it: if you buy an Amazon e-commerce business for $10,000, you get $150 back. If you’re going to spend the money anyway on buying up businesses or other investments, you might as well get cash back.

Again, a twelve to fifteen month lead time to make the money back from that investment on these credit cards is ideal, as loans from a bank typically have high interest rates and payments start immediately upon accepting the money.

Traveling the world.

Finally, many entrepreneurs prefer to be digital nomads and travel the world constantly – or, at the very least, have a great vacation from time to time. This is also something Yurcisin lives by and helps with. “By leveraging credit, you can upgrade to a hotel’s most premium and lavish suite for pennies on the dollar of what someone else is paying for it,” he explained. In fact, many credit cards – such as the Chase Sapphire – make traveling in luxury easier than ever.

“Here’s an example: You can transfer your points from your Chase Business Ink Unlimited card to your Chase Sapphire Reserve for 1.5x more redemption points, so what you spend in your business can secure points that you can spend on travel,” he explained. And, that’s not even scratching the surface on what some credit card rewards can offer you: luxury lounge access at airports, such as the Centurion Lounge through American Express Platinum, free upgrades to first class, free checked bags, and more.

The beauty of leveraging credit is that you don’t need to choose just one of these three goals – they’re all accessible and possible through credit. Yurcisin’s Credit Class teaches the ins and outs of all available credit cards, how to repair or raise your credit score, and which order to get which credit card to maximize your line of credit and the rewards that you can access.

Business

The Ultimate Guide to the Essential Social Skills in Business

Published

18 hours ago

May 30, 2023

Matthew Wiles

Effective communication and strong relationships are essential for success in the workplace. One factor that can greatly influence these qualities is emotional intelligence, often abbreviated as EQ. EQ refers to the ability to identify, understand, and manage one’s own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. Research has shown that individuals with high levels of EQ are better equipped to handle stress, communicate effectively, and work collaboratively with others (Chamorro-Premuzic & Sanger, 2016).

Research has consistently shown that emotional intelligence (EQ) is an important predictor of job performance and success in the workplace. EQ is comprised of a set of skills that allow individuals to recognize, understand, and regulate their own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. In addition, individuals with high EQ are better able to communicate effectively, build relationships, and navigate complex social situations. As a result, they are often viewed as effective leaders and collaborators, and are more likely to achieve their personal and professional goals.

In fact, a number of studies have demonstrated the significant impact that EQ has on job performance and success. For example, one study of 85 upper-level managers found that those with higher EQ scores were rated as more effective leaders by their subordinates (Law, Wong, & Song, 2004). Another study of 151 employees found that those with higher EQ were more likely to be promoted within their organization over a five-year period (Carmeli, Brueller, & Dutton, 2009). These findings highlight the importance of EQ in the workplace and suggest that developing these skills can lead to significant benefits for both individuals and organizations.

According to a study conducted by TalentSmart, a leading provider of EQ assessments, EQ is responsible for 58% of success in all job types (Bradberry & Greaves, 2009). In contrast, IQ only accounts for about 4% of success in the workplace. This suggests that EQ is a crucial skill set for individuals in any professional field. Fortunately, EQ is a skill that can be developed and honed over time with practice and awareness.

There are several key components of EQ that are particularly important for success in the workplace. These include:

Self-Regulation: This refers to your capacity to recognize and control your emotions. Sometimes treating them when they arise may be necessary. Understanding how to manage your anger is essential. However, it can also cover how to control the feelings you’ll experience.

Self-Awareness: This implies recognizing and understanding your own feelings. Do noisy places make you nervous? Do other people talking over you make you angry? Knowing these truths about yourself shows that you are working on your self-awareness. Being conscious of yourself is necessary for this phase, which can be more complex than it sounds.

Socialization: This category focuses on your capacity to manage social interactions and direct relationships. It doesn’t entail dominating others but knowing how to work with others to achieve your goals. This could entail presenting your ideas to coworkers, leading a team, or resolving a personal disagreement.

Motivation: Strong motivators include external forces like money, status, or suffering. Internal motivation, however, plays a significant role in Goleman’s concept. By doing so, you demonstrate your ability to control your cause and initiate or continue initiatives of your own volition rather than in response to external demands.

Empathy: It’s equally critical to be sensitive to others’ feelings. This may entail learning to identify different emotional states in individuals — for example, can you tell the difference between someone at ease and someone anxious? — but it also requires comprehension of how other people may react to their current situation. Empathy is one of the essential traits in business and business leadership.

A thought leader in this space, Michael Ventura has built a career advising organizations on the importance of emotional intelligence in the workplace. In his book, Applied Empathy, Ventura highlights the value of empathy in business and provides strategies for developing and applying this skill set. With two decades of experience as a leader, facilitator, and educator, Ventura’s work has made impact in with prestigious institutions such as Princeton University and the United Nations as well as corporate clients such as Google and Nike.

Through his work, Ventura advises leaders to focus on the development of EQ in order to help individuals improve their communication, collaboration, and leadership skills, ultimately leading to greater success in the workplace. Experts like Ventura continue to support the growing body of research on the value of EQ in business, and the evidence that organizations who invest in the EQ of their teams help to create a more empathetic and successful professional environment.

And it’s worth noting that EQ isn’t just important for individual success in the workplace, but also for overall organizational success. A study by the Center for Creative Leadership found that EQ was a better predictor of success than IQ or technical skills in the workplace, and that teams with higher levels of EQ tend to be more effective and productive (Boyatzis, Goleman, & Rhee, 1999). By cultivating a culture of empathy and emotional intelligence, organizations can improve their overall performance and create a more positive work environment for their employees.

In conclusion, emotional intelligence is a crucial component of success in the workplace, and individuals and organizations alike should prioritize the development of these skills. The ones that do not only develop a leading edge in their category, but also become a meaningful place to work for their teams. And in today’s rapidly changing talent landscape, the retention of highly capable, emotionally intelligent leaders is one of the greatest keys to unlocking success.

References:

Boyatzis, R. E., Goleman, D., & Rhee, K. S. (1999). Clustering competence in emotional intelligence: Insights from the emotional competence inventory (ECI). In R. Bar-On & J. D. A. Parker (Eds.), Handbook of emotional intelligence (pp. 343-362). Jossey-Bass.

Bradberry, T., & Greaves, J. (2009). Emotional intelligence 2.0. TalentSmart.

Chamorro-Premuzic, T., & Sanger, M. N. (2016). Does employee happiness matter? Journal of Organizational Effectiveness: People and Performance, 3(2), 168-191.