Trust me when I say we made the right decision when we converted our “standard issue” business website into a “blogsite”.

We are convinced that you’ll join us and agree that it’s more interactive, a useful tool, and portal to vital information for our clients and professional people that need to take action, in one form or another. And, the new site has it’s very own and unique blog platform.

So, going-forward, that’s where brian cork Human Capital personnel will make both their stand and their blog-posts.

Thusly, and without further adieu, we’ll strongly encourage you to point your collective browsers to: www.briancorkhumancapital.com.

Let’s be part of the Solution.

brian patrick cork

Apparently Thomas Stanley and William Danko wrote a book entitled: The Millionaire Next Door … The Surprising Secrets of America’s Wealthy. You should read it in order to understand a special breed of business person you are likely not. Do it!

In researching the book and then unleashing it upon the public’s senses, they (the authors, not to be confused, necessarily with that, otherwise, insidious and collective “they”) produced a portrait of who America’s millionaires are, and show that, by and large, these are quiet, understated, self-reliant Americans who are committed to hard work, education, and family.

The portrait shows that eighty percent (80%) of our millionaires are first generation affluent. To be clear, this means that less than half received no inheritance, and only nineteen percent (19%) get any income from a trust fund or estate.

Most Americans … In this case, defined at eighty percent (80%), are not self-employed. And, of those that are, two thirds are our nations millionaires. Think “Daddy Warbucks” (to whom I can often relate – but, you don’t know as much about as you thought you did until now – which also part of my point with this blog post).

Meanwhile, Seventy five percent (75%) of these self-employed millionaires are “entrepreneurs”, and the remaining quarter are self-employed professionals like doctors and accounts.

Sure, we have high profile billionaires in America, however most of our millionaires are the nation’s bread and butter entrepreneurs and small business owners with annual incomes averaging two hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) annually.

These are overwhelmingly self-made individuals, by-and- large founders and proprietors of prosaic businesses that might include: welding contractors, auctioneers, rice farmers, owners of mobile-home parks, pest controllers, coin and stamp dealers, paving contractors, etc.

For additional points of reference consider an other post of mine: Entrepreneurs, Intrapreneurs, and them Corporate Fellas.

Let’s be part of the Solution.

Brian Patrick Cork

Think Networking in terms of faster, more secure, and less costly. This is inline with the convergence occurring around data and fiber (and other elements).

Lets be part of the Solution.

Brian Patrick Cork

Recently I was looking for a Subject Matter Expert (“SME”), and I found a good one on LinkedIN. But, my inMail went unanswered for several weeks until his wife, who was rummaging around on his laptop, and just happened to stumble upon the link herself, advised me that her husband was deceased. That all struck me as a bit creepy. So… It’s rather unsettling to realize that, over the course of time, more and more profiles will be a lingering memory of people that are deceased. So… You can really see dead people on LinkedIN.

In the cases of the lonely or unattached, who would know to remove the profile? Who will police that?

By the way… I was meeting with a gen-something (who really cares?) upon the request of a friend (it was his son). The young lad was twenty three and a recent graduate of Georgia. He confidently advised me that he was a social media expert (seriously). When I inquired about business context, he actually waved me off and told me that did not matter in business these days. I almost gagged on the irony (and, didn’t even need a spoon).

…oh… And, he told me LinkedIN is dead.

…he’s also unemployed, with few prospects.

…which reminds me… It’s amaz­ing how the only day most people use LinkedIN is the day they lose a job.

Let’s be part of the Solution.

Brian Patrick Cork

This helps make my Grandad’s point when he often said: “If you must judge a man, do it by those around him”.

The thinking around this post is not driven by statistics. And, this is some what unusual for me. I’ll typically make my point with hard data to support them – all of them.

However, here, I’m making a statement that I believe is true. This belief is driven by instinct. And, I trust my instincts. I will be investigating my theory. But, in the meantime, your own gut will follow my position.

This may not make you part of the solution. But, it’s a start. A big part of our job should be making money. It’s okay to do that. Really. I’ll write you a note.

Brian Patrick Cork

That, I suspect (well, actually know), will make you part of the solution.

Brian Patrick Cork

This means that any new employment agreements with non-compete and non-solicit provisions will be interpreted under the new law while the existing executed employment and partnership agreements will be interpreted under the old law.

This new law from his initial review is much more employer friendly and may present the opportunity to revise existing employment agreements in a fashion that is more favorable to employers.

This will also impact the founders of our Accelerator (startups) clients who leave established companies to strike out on their own who may find themselves in likely litigation under this new law.

Justin is thoroughly familiarizing himself with this law.

Let’s be part of the Solution.

Brian Patrick Cork

Below is a real exchange between one of my Accelerator Element principals and myself. We have been successful recently in closing a round of $4mm through an Exec-with-Check (amazing in this economy, I know), and the question finds us again:

QUESTION:

—–Original Message—–

From: [mail: name protected]

Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 2:21 PM

To: Brian Patrick Cork

Subject: Question

“Brian,

What do companies do about the $100K limit of FDIC for deposited funds?  Do they spread the money around to multiple banks?  We will likely have $750K by the end of the month and hopefully the balance of the $4M by the end of the year (possibly middle of 1st Quarter).

[name protected]“

ANSWER:

The money is simply always at risk.

This also applies to money in savings accounts at big banks.

All of it is relative.

But, the risk is low percentage unless the vehicle is, well, risky. Banks are low risk, while ventures like DSI are deemed high risk. NOTE: The odds are your DSI is classified as high risk on the” risk pyramid (such a measurement actually exists)”, and the money will be lost.

Any effort to spread the money across multiple accounts will be compromised by cost associated with the time to manage it, and the associated fees.

One way to assuage the fear of an investor, and in this case, a new principal, would be to implement key-man insurance. Otherwise, the FDIC measure aside, there exists no other form of insurance or protection outside of best practices, great strategy, and good luck.

Brian

“In your opinion, what do you think it takes to be world-class in something besides just raw talent and an excellent work ethic?”

That’s a fair question from a young and likely frustrated emerging executive today that faces enormous uncertainty due to a lack of mentorship. Especially in an economy that has four separate generations knife-fighting for the same jobs

My response:

“A careful development of Subject Matter Expertise (SME).

Thought Leadership is always valued. But, what drives that is a keen ability to point to a target and kill it with flair. So, identifying a passion for a subject; immersing yourself in it; and, becoming a definable expert through research, application and acknowledgment is the best path to sustained success.”

Let’s be part of the solution.

Brian Patrick Cork

A key coaching tenant of mine is that everyone (including myself) should have a minimum of a three year plan. Five years is better because it requires stretching and having a sense of emerging trends. This is more vitally important, today, than any other time in global business.

Let’s be part of the solution.

Brian Patrick Cork