The Growth of Charles Tyrwhitt

The Growth of Charles Tyrwhitt
From the posh Jermyn Street in downtown London can be found
numerous high-end and fashionable fashion houses. One of
those fashion retailers is Charles Tyrwhitt (Tyrwhitt
pronounced as 'tirit'). The company is different in that it
is specializing in designing and delivering mail order
shirts not juts locally but also to key important cities
around the world.

The company was put up in 1986 by Nicholas Charles Tyrwhitt
Wheeler. That time, Nicholas was still a student completing
his degree at the prestigious Bristol University. Despite
that, Charles Tyrwhitt has continued a rapid growth and
expansion. It has strived to become the biggest mail order
supplier and dealer if classic dress shirts across the
United Kingdom and reaching the other side as far as the
United States.

The classic dress shirts by Charles Tyrwhitt have the
design and style only the company can come up with. Aside
from that, a product expansion effort has Charles Tyrwhitt
adopt and design contemporary styles. Now, the company is
also best known for its other flagship fashion products
like shoes, silk ties and Italian and English suits. The
brand even branched out to offer men's formal and casual
wear as well as several collections for women.

From the first store in Jermyn Street, Charles Tyrwhitt's
locations grew. In 2001, another store was opened across
the street. From there, nine other stores were opened
worldwide. From the United Kingdom, Charles Tyrwhitt
managed to open locations in New York and in Paris.

The company's online presence even flourished. Because
fashion houses nowadays know the value of using online
resources and technology in reaching out to more customers,
the Charles Tyrwhitt started its Internet push and has been
successful in doing so. Now, online placement of orders is
among the most lucrative and revenue generating activities
of the firm.

Now, Charles Tyrwhitt is aiming to continue providing its
more than half a million regular patrons quality and highly
presentable dress shirts and outfits. Charles Tyrwhitt has
instantly become one of the most important ad sought-after
brands based and thriving in the high-end Jermyn Street.
Indeed, its physical address has provided the company some
sense of appropriateness.

Charles Tyrwhitt commits to continue providing the fashion
world more reasons to look around and explore the many
possibilities and potentials of fresh ideas. Such fashion
businesses are really outright in maintaining an active
business. Try out Charles Tyrwhitt and see why a rising
number of people is continually admiring it.

----------------------------------------------------
Paul Beckett is a shirt maker that specialises in bespoke
shirts. His store, KJ Beckett, is located in Bath, England.
Find out more about men's shirt at:
http://www.kjbeckettbespokeshirts.com

How to Survive Insurance Audits

How to Survive Insurance Audits
All companies covered by insurance must respond to
insurance audits annually. These audits can be good
experiences if managed correctly, or can become stressful
events resulting in wasted time, premium increases and
adjustments or even cancellation of policies. By knowing
what to prepare and maintaining organized records, you can
survive your insurance audit.

Why are insurance policies audited?

Policies are audited to ensure that the premium charged by
the insurance company reflects their actual exposure, which
was estimated at policy inception.

Insurance audits are performed by employees of the
insurance company or independent auditors hired by the
insurance company; in some cases forms will be sent to the
business for a 'self audit' process. In all cases, the
business must prepare information and utilize the time of
its employees to respond to the audit. Who is involved
depends on the type and size of the company. Personnel
required might include the Office Manager, Accounting
Manager, Controller or external CPAs. These individuals are
responsible for gathering and presenting the information to
the insurance company.

What is the auditor looking for?

Insurance companies audit certain Liability policies and
ALL Workers' Compensation policies. The audits collect
exposure information estimated when the policy was written
and compares it to the actuals. This data is then used for
determining and adjusting premium amounts. Information
typically (though not exclusively) required includes the
following:

* Liability Policies
 Gross company sales
 Independent contractor costs (insured and
uninsured)
 Payroll for certain types of exposures

* Workers' Compensation Policies
 Actual employee payroll
 Cost of independent contractors if no certificate
or proof of other coverage is provided

This information may be in the form of payroll records,
Federal Form 941, Financial Statements, Check Registers and
Certificates of Insurance from contractors/vendors. A
company's use of contractors can be determined by
information disclosed in the financials or check register.
Contractors/Vendors that do not have valid insurance
certificates proving independent coverage will be added to
the company's exposure totals. Not only do the possibly
uninsured contractors/vendors increase a company's exposure
to loss, they can also cause significant increases in their
premiums.

What makes for a 'good audit' experience?

The main requirement for a 'good audit' experience is
having all the information requested readily available for
the auditor when they arrive on the premises. This includes
easy access to contractor certificates of insurance
demonstrating that the coverage is current and meets
required limit levels. The upfront preparation and
organization by the company can prevent ongoing audit
responses and adjustments later on. Another 'good audit'
experience is no surprises such as large premium
adjustments, amounts due or returns after the audit is
complete.

What makes for a 'bad audit' experience?

If the company cannot readily access the requested data, a
variety of unwanted events can occur including:

 Excessive waste of time for the auditor and
company personnel
 Company (Policy holder) gets a bill for a large
additional premium for the audit period and next period
 Company must immediately contact contractors
requesting certificates and forward to auditor for premium
adjustments, requiring significant time for both parties.

What are the potential consequences of a bad audit?

The results of a bad audit can be severe, especially if the
audit resulted in additional premiums. Policies may be
cancelled due to non-payment of the additional premium or
for non-cooperation in the audit process. Credit may be
affected negatively. Staff will need to dedicate
additional time to correct or adjust audit discrepancies,
resulting in lost productivity and a disruption of the work
routine. Some carriers may remove the company from being
able to do an easy 'self audit' using forms.

How do you avoid a 'bad audit' experience?

Two words - be prepared. Understand what is auditable and
what the audits are based on. Have the requested financial
information available for the auditor. Have readily
available copies of all of the certificates of insurance
from your vendors and contractors demonstrating current
coverage at required limit amounts. Be sure the
certificates are tracked and kept up to date. Implement
some type of automated system that allows the company to
track policy expirations and attach images of the insurance
certificate to expedite the audit process and ensure
premiums are not increased unnecessarily. Automated systems
- notably insurance and vendor tracking software - are
available on the market to help in this process.

To survive your insurance audit, make sure you know what
the auditor wants in advance, collect and organize the
information and be ready to find additional data quickly.
Avoid the pitfalls and surprises of the 'bad audit'
experience!

----------------------------------------------------
GG-One Software has been providing insurance certificate
tracking software since 1994. Their Fastrack Insurance
Certificate Tracking and Document Management product is
available in Web and Windows versions. Visit their website
to learn more.
http://www.ggonesoftware.com

When The Going Gets Tough in a Job Interview - The Tough Keep Going

When The Going Gets Tough in a Job Interview - The Tough Keep Going
If you've been in a job search for more than a few weeks
you may be experiencing the feelings of defeat and despair,
not to mention the urge to give up. It's been a tough year,
and then some, for those who have lost jobs for whatever
reason. Interviewing with no second interviews or offers
coming in begins to wear thin - very fast.

Here are some tips to keep your spirits up when you're
feeling down during this process.

1. Don't give up.

You may have heard some of these stories before but they
remain inspirational.

* Thomas Edison patented 1,093 inventions in his lifetime,
but it took him 10,000 attempts to make an electric light
bulb work.

* Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse series failed to become an
instant hit, but he kept trying and in 1928 he added sound
and made it an electrifying success.

* Milton Hershey failed several businesses before he became
the "Chocolate King" and built Hershey town. He even went
bankrupt in his first business venture.

(Source "Milana Leshinsky" - http://www.accpow.com.)

These are great "successes-after-failure stories" that
couldn't have happened if these people hadn't continued to
pursue their dreams. Anyone can give up - that's easy! The
challenge is to pick yourself up after a failure and move
forward. That is what will set you apart from "the pack."

2. Accept the ups and downs

It's not unusual to have highs and lows during your job
search. Some days you may even feel like you're on an
emotional roller coaster. Everything looks hopeful one
moment with a job prospect ahead, and then it changes to
dark and dismal in the next moment when you receive a
rejection. Accepting the fact that this is a stressful time
you are going through and that a great deal of it is out of
your control will help you put things into perspective.

3. Give yourself permission to fail.

It is very disappointing when you feel like you "aced" the
interview and then wait for the promised call that never
comes. Be realistic - you aren't going to get a job offer
after every interview. Think of it this way, you didn't
marry every date you ever dated (at least most of us
didn't), and you aren't going to get a job offer after
every interview. And maybe that's a good thing, at least
some of the time. Remember, you are interviewing "them" as
much as they are interviewing you.

4. Work on controlling stress

Stress becomes a problem when it begins to affect your
lifestyle and health. Are you waking up in the middle of
the night or skipping meals because you are feeling really
down or upset? You may need to talk to someone who is a
professional to get some advice about relaxation
techniques. Park and Recreation departments in most cities
offer relaxation courses of some kind - yoga, pilates,
aerobics, or stress control exercises - for a nominal fee,
that could assist you in getting back on balance.

5. Continue to get "out there"

Study after study published continues to indicate that
"networking" is still the number one way to land a job.
Take advantage of every opportunity to be with groups of
people. This encompasses everything from your child's
soccer game to a Chamber of Commerce event. Informal
networking can happen at any moment and when you least
expect it. An example is of a man waiting for a bus. He
struck up a conversation with another man also waiting for
the bus and ended up getting a job lead and an eventual
offer. No one can predict when an opportunity might come
your way.

6. Prepare yourself

Preparing ahead of the interview will give you a definite
advantage. What this means is getting focused about what
you want the interviewer to know about you. You are
presenting a picture of you with words. It is important to
identify what makes you unique and what added value you can
bring to the position. Reading through the job posting you
are applying for and getting a sense of what it will take
to do this job will help you look at the process from
interviewer's point of view. You want to let the
interviewer know that you are the "solution to the
problem," and the best person for the job.

7. Keep in mind - you are not alone

Remember, it is an extremely tight job market and that for
every job opening there are four or five equally qualified
candidates standing in line behind you. It is essential
that you are prepared, focused, and able to tell the
interviewer what makes you unique and why you are the best
person for the job.

Keeping upbeat is a part of your job right now. When you
begin to give into the dark side you will project that to
others. You want to stay as upbeat as possible,
particularly while interviewing. Bringing confidence and
energy to the interview are the two most important
ingredients to connecting with the interviewer.

----------------------------------------------------
Carole Martin, America's #1 Interview Coach, is a
celebrated author, trainer, and mentor. Carole can give you
interviewing tips like no one else can. Get a copy of her
FREE 9-part "Interview Success Tips" report by visiting
Carole on the web at The Interview Coach
http://www.interviewcoach.com

Home Business Success: 5 Tips to Increase Your Objectivity

Home Business Success: 5 Tips to Increase Your Objectivity
Working from home, being your own boss requires a certain
amount of objectivity. In other words, you must be open to
change especially when your current strategies are
ineffective. Many people get "comfortable" with ways of
doing things even though these ways are old and outdated or
aren't producing desired outcomes. The principle way of
staying out of this rut is to always ask yourself, "What's
next ?"

(1) As an entrepreneur, you should be in a constant mode
of improvement, even when things are going perfectly well.

Many of us get content during times of plenty and will tend
to just let the day-to-day operations be simply business as
usual. But that's exactly the time to turn it up a notch!
This is the time to build upon momentum. Complacency kills
motivation. So when things are going really well, listen
to that little faint voice in your head ring, "Ok. So,
what's next?"

(2) Always think in terms of not only being effective, but
being better at what you do.

Never be afraid to step outside your limits and challenge
your current understanding of things. This process should
not be lived inside of a vacuum. Network with others in
your field of expertise. Find out what others are doing;
you will learn from them. Always learn and keep abreast on
the relevant elements of your business.

(3) Understand that you are always realizing results--what
works and what doesn't.

When things are not working, many people view this as
failure. This point of view is not only inaccurate, but
limiting and very disempowering. Instead, realize that
this is very useful information. This is the place where
many would-be entrepreneurs give up and close up shop.
However, this is exactly the point where you must ask
yourself, "Okay, what's next?" This is the time to push
forward because you've learned something. Take this
information and put it to work.

(4) One way to alleviate frustration and uncertainty is
connections with other people.

Being your own boss can be frustrating, because you'll
often find yourself in a state of flux, making various
changes, learning new technologies, replacing one strategy
with another. For some, this can be frightening--but it
doesn't have to be. Delegate some of the responsibility.
Many home business owners find this difficult to do because
they want to do it all. However, this simply isn't
practical. You can't realistically be all things: web
designer, payroll manager, writer, general manager, etc,
etc. This takes valuable time from what you do best--your
business.

(5) Remember your bottom line.

On big reason that entrepreneurs never realize success in
business is simply because they will not delegate. Don't
let this be you. Just because you are an expert in your
field, doesn't make you an expert in all fields. You'll
want all facets of your business running well and
competently. It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever to
sell blankets if you can't answer the phones to take the
orders because you're tied up sewing them.

Developing the skill of objectivity in the daily running
and operation of your business is just as essential for
you, the small business owner, as it is to a mega
corporation. So don't be afraid to periodically ask
yourself, "Okay, what's next?"

----------------------------------------------------
Aunice Reed is a Professional Success Coach and NLP
Specialist, specializing in Women's Personal Achievement
and Self-Discovery Work.
Visit:http://www.myunlimitedsuccess.com to learn more.

7 Client Attraction Questions You Must Ask Your Target Audience

7 Client Attraction Questions You Must Ask Your Target Audience
If you are currently in a corporate job, you won't know the
first thing about starting and running a business.
Therefore, you may be initially pinched for both time and
money. Yet, once you've defined your idea and defined who
your best and favorite client is, you need to do some
Client Attraction Marketing and sales. How to do this with
limited time and money is the question many people have all
over the world. My advice is always the same - put yourself
in your ideal client's well-worn shoes and ask yourself
these questions:

1. What is it that keeps them up at night worrying?

2. What is the biggest struggle they encounter on a daily
basis?

3. What is the biggest improvement they could make in their
lives, if they used your product or service?

4. What would they buy before and after your product or
service?

5. Where do they shop? Where do they hang out?

6. What do they read?

7. What would they pay anything and do anything to solve or
achieve?

Sometimes, my clients have a difficult time getting answers
to these questions. This is when I recommend asking your
ideal client directly. Make a list of the 5 clients you
currently have that you would like to attract in large
numbers. These are your favorite clients, the ones who got
the best results from you and you LOVE working with.
Contact them, and let them know that you are working on new
marketing material and need their help (most will be
honored that you asked them and will jump at this
opportunity to help you) and that you'd like to ask them a
few questions over the phone. Tell them it will take 30
minutes to 1 hour to answer the questions above, and then
setup a time to talk. Consider doing this over lunch so you
can really spend some time with them on this.

If you don't currently work with your ideal client, then
become a client detective. Find another adult that fits
your client profile, preferably someone connected to lots
of others who have the same need. Remember, birds of a
feather flock together. Does your ideal client live on the
other side of the globe? If so, you don't need to jump on
an airplane to do your detective work. Just locate a
Foreign National business association in your area and
attend one of their monthly meetings. Or, just write the
president of the association with your questions. You'll
get the information you need on how to approach this
client, what their struggles are, and how to position
yourself in the future to attract that type of client
effortlessly.

Skipping this research is the biggest mistake new
entrepreneurs make. They assume they know their target
market, and focus on building a product or service that
they "think" people will want. They write little slogans
that their friends love, but aren't worth a hill of beans
when it comes to attracting clients consistently. The
marketing effort then becomes laborious and costly because
you don't have a clear message.

----------------------------------------------------
Kim Schott, created the Keys to Client Communication System
to help struggling self-employed professionals master
Client Attraction Marketing while increasing their revenue,
and taking more time off. Signup for our FREE eZine ($107
value) by visiting

http://www.SchottCulturalConsulting.com