I have a confession to make...

Over the years, the longest job I've ever held is for approximately 2 years. When I stumbled upon an industry called timeshare, my background it hotel management, it gave me the mindset due to the types of environments I've had the opportunity to work within.

Timeshare is an industry that I would recommend to anyone and everyone should be exposed to in their younger working lives. Why? You learn how to handle rejection early. 

In life, one of the biggest stumbling blocks is rejection. The word NO cripples many who are on their path to success. It can come from the market place where you are trying to gain a foothold, and if it's something that's really big; the rejections/objections can come from within your own household. 

Timeshare taught me how to cope with the reality that you will face stumbling blocks in all aspects of your life. It is an industry that puts you on trial every day since you cannot rest on the laurels of yesterday's successes. Everyday you get up you start at zero. Everyday you must make progress towards your goals. 

Is it hard? You bet. However even though it can be described as words that the word challenging don't aptly describe, it can be also quite rewarding. 

Fast track to running a practice for as many years as I have. Seeing clients experience satisfaction even though they may not have all had the money to pay. Improving their lives and the ability for them to support their families and livelihoods. I'd do it again. 

Sometimes, not everyone can pay for your services directly. They can however open doors through referrals that you ordinarily wouldn't have been able to open. In time, you'll learn that more important than money is grace and favor. 

My grandfather, told my father, who told me and I shared with my son; "Where manners and respect will get you, money won't get you. If you have manners and respect, you'll go places that people with money will never reach. You can walk in the company of very successful people as an equal." 

I love business development. I love solving problems that others can't. I love my career so much that it doesn't seem like work. Am I where I'm supposed to be? Not yet. 

It's a journey that keeps challenging me. As the reputation continues to spread, people call from all walks of life from various places and countries. Keep hungry, keep learning, keep serving; life can be interesting and provides many opportunities for you to make a positive contribution. Yes, I also serve NFPs, not for profits. It's my way of giving back. 

Though I may not have loads of money, I am a philanthropist with my time. I always maintain, if I lose money, I may get it back. However if I lose time, it's gone forever. Use your time wisely. 

My confession? I love helping people experience a better life. 

"Taxdiculous" Barbados....There has to be an alternative

By now, seventy cents of every dollar must be attributed to taxes. If it isn't it sure feels that way. Ever so often, it feels like we're either hearing of a new tax or having the tax rate increased. Yet the truth of the matter is that there is a smaller workforce to pay the taxes with all the retrenchment. The constant taxing of fewer people must have diminishing returns at some point.

We have the constant bantering of entrepreneurship which if you look through the fluff at the main target, it is only a ploy to say that the employment has increased or put differently unemployment has declined.

The use of micro economic approaches by taxing at the individual level rather than using macro economic strategies and initiatives to arrive at plausible solutions to address our economic situation seems non short of taxdiculous. Yes I coined the word.

Taxation, cannot be the only solution out of our economic situation. The seemingly selfish approach to take without any giving, not handouts, but a fair opportunity at making and being able to thrive from one's efforts at financial upkeep, the financial bullying of "we document and implement" without accountability is stressful.

Can we research and examine creative opportunities for economic empowerment? Surely those versed in economics can offer some solutions, or perhaps it is time to find alchemists to help us identify the plenty of which is said to be in abundance.

The systems of collection seem inefficient, punitive, and in no way user-friendly.  Why hasn't anyone sought to create a user-friendly way of collecting taxes where hospitality is exhibited? There are lots of people who were displaced from the workforce and the learning curve of running your own business is steep.

You no longer deal with just the requirements of your "job", but you are now faced with handling all elements associated with running a business. Elements that you were previously sheltered from within the organizational structure you functioned within. Many of you never even wanted to run a business, now you are here due to necessity of survival. Your comfort levels have shifted, leaving your equilibrium upset.

Government, create avenues where people can learn and earn . If taxes are reduced and the blanket widened, more taxes can be collected and everyone realizes their objectives without the overburdening of a few, dwindling, often middle classed people.

It is time for us to stop being taxdiculous and create a new model of economic thriving and dominance for small economies that are functional and not burdensome. With the level of human resources we have available at our disposal, I believe it is possible to realize the rebuilding of our economy through leveraging our talents, skills, and abilities.

Financial Institutions and SMEs

Many SMEs are noted for taking short cuts and often get seemingly reluctant help from institutions which are supposed to cater to them. Many SMEs do not have proper systems in place resulting in poorly kept financial records, poorly documented operations, zero succession planning, market definition is non-existent in that their client is someone who spent money with them rather than them being clear about who they are serving.

Despite these aforementioned characteristics, I still work with them to give them a fighting chance for success. This exposure has given me some measure of a perspective of their frustrations as SMEs trying to do the right thing in the realm of business.

Have you noticed the following as well:

1. When SMEs have to seek aid made available to them, they have to wade through tons of bureaucratic documentation to access the said aid, and after the frustrating process find that there is often one or two areas which exempt them from ever realizing the aid. 
2. So they need funding, instead of doing their own plans, they hire the services of a professional/series of professionals to help them obtain the financial assistance; often using funds they can ill afford. These institutions then tell them that they will issue them less funds that they have sought, though they have the supporting collateral, and they can always reapply later for any additional amounts which will require additional fees on the part of the SME. Makes one wonder why it was necessary to get the assistance of the professionals in the first place. 
3. Lots of entities are set up to provide technical assistance for SMEs but few are set up to offer the money needed and determined by the technical assistance paid for to help them realize their goals and objectives. 

I'm sure that I can go on with a longer list but will stop here on this occasion. The question is:

• Are we really willing and able to do all that we can to assist SMEs or is it really just rhetoric? 

Your views and feedback are welcomed.