Financial Consultants

Archive for the ‘Five Star Finance’ Category

There are messages everywhere in society telling us how we should live. It often seems like the media becomes the scapegoat for many of society’s bad habits, but the fact is many people imitate what they see on television or in the movies, whether they are consciously aware of it or not. If your favorite television personality is wearing the latest pair of Manolo Blahniks or driving BMW’s newest model, it can make you want these same luxuries.

The problem with imitating what we see on television and in magazines is that most consumers simply can’t afford to live the same lifestyle as a television or movie star. Rather than realizing this lifestyle is currently beyond their means and working harder to afford it, the “must have it immediately” way of thinking that many people have causes them to use credit cards and personal loans to live the lifestyle they desire. This is where the trouble begins.

If you have to use credit to obtain a way of life, it follows that you will also have to use credit to maintain that lifestyle. Unless you dramatically increase your income, it is impossible to catch up on your bills while continuing to live the life of luxury. Many people build up a large amount of debt simply to buy consumable goods like clothes, food, shoes, and transportation.

Most of these things begin to depreciate immediately after they’ve been purchased. You wouldn’t even be able to sell them to pay off the debt incurred to buy them. Worse yet, in a few years, you might not even use these items, yet you will continue to receive a monthly bill for them. Taking into consideration the interest charges, you could end up paying over a thousand dollars for an item that may have only cost a hundred dollars.

Debt keeps you from building up a personal savings. Chances are, if you’re using credit to pay for your lifestyle, you aren’t saving any money. What’s going to happen in the case of an emergency, if you suddenly find yourself unemployed? Would you be able to continue to pay your bills as well as pay for your daily needs such as food and housing? You can’t rely on your credit cards, especially if they’ve been maxed out on consumable items like clothes and shoes. Depending on your how much you owe, you may not be able to apply for a personal loan to help get yourself back on your feet again.

A lifestyle supported by credit and loans is not a responsible one. You can only live beyond your means for a short amount of time. Living a life that’s debt-free doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be free of all worries, but at least you will be free of money worries.

SPOKANE, Washington — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded Advantage IQ, Inc., a subsidiary of Avista Corp. (NYSE:AVA), with a 2009 ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award. The award recognizes Advantage IQ’s continued commitment to partnering with multi-site companies nationwide to manage energy cost and consumption. This is the third consecutive year that Advantage IQ has received the Sustained Excellence Award.

“It’s an honor to be recognized by the EPA for our efforts,” says Stu Stiles, President and CEO of Advantage IQ. “We are proud to assist our clients in their energy efficiency efforts, and recognize the impact of automating the ENERGY STAR building rating process for our clients. Companies can do more, when armed with the right data.”

The 2009 Sustained Excellence Awards are given to a select group of organizations that have exhibited outstanding leadership year after year. These winners have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by setting and achieving aggressive goals, employing innovative approaches, and showing others what can be achieved through energy efficiency. These awards recognize ongoing leadership across the ENERGY STAR program including energy-efficient products; services; and new homes and buildings in the commercial, industrial, and public sectors. Award winners are selected from more than 12,000 organizations that participate in the ENERGY STAR program.

Advantage IQ provides sustainable utility expense management solutions, partnering with over 500 multi-site companies nationwide to assess energy cost and consumption. Clients are able to track, measure, and manage their energy performance through the company’s patented reporting system.

In 2008, Advantage IQ played a significant role in the energy efficiency efforts of American businesses. The company processed energy performance ratings for 31,566 buildings, provided energy management solutions to seven clients who were recognized as ENERGY STAR Leaders, and supported several others that were named ENERGY STAR Partners of the Year.

“EPA is delighted to recognize Advantage IQ with the 2009 ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence award,” said Kathleen Hogan, Director of the Climate Protection Partnerships Division at the U.S. EPA. “Advantage IQ’s leadership on energy efficiency has yielded impressive results for their bottom line and our global environment, showing us all what can be accomplished through sustained commitment and action.”

About Advantage IQ, Inc.: Advantage IQ is a leading provider of comprehensive cost management services for utility, telecom, waste and lease expenses, including strategic energy management services. Their patented technology and services provide multi-site companies with critical, yet easy-to-access information that enables companies to proactively manage and reduce expenses. Advantage IQ’s patented system provides online access to consolidated cost and consumption data, partnered with powerful analytical reporting tools. For more information about Advantage IQ, visit www.advantageiq.com or call toll-free 1-800-791-7564.

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Since 2005, Stu Stiles has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Advantage IQ, bringing more than 20 years experience in sales, operations, finance and executive leadership, and strategic energy management.

A quiet trend has been emerging as billionaires and other high net worth Angel Investors and Family Offices from Wall Street To Silicon Valley To the Middle East have been parking their money into Hollywood.

Larry Ellison Of Oracle, Paul Allen Of Microsoft, Steven Rales, Fred Smith of Federal Express, Norman Waitt, the Co-Founder of Gateway Computers, Jeff Skoll Of Ebay, Marc Turtletaub of The Money Store, Roger Marino Of EMC Corp, Sidney Kimmel Of Jones Apparel Group, Minnesota Twins owner Bill Pohlad; Real Estate Developers Tom Rosenberg and Bob Yari, and, financiers Sheikh Waleed Al Ibrahim and Philip Anschutz are all behind the finance of a lot of films that range from box office hits to Academy Award winners.

And the question remains “why?”

While the glamour of the movie business may be appealing to most, at the end of the day, it is still an unknown business that many try to gamble on, and only a handful come out as winners. The real key is to minimize risk, maximize profits, and offer a steadier stream of revenues than what other alternative investments may offer such as real estate, oil & gas, commodities, as well as risky hedge funds.

Well one Chicago/L.A. based media finance Company is taking a different approach in presenting its entertainment opportunities to the super rich as well as private equity groups. Instead of dazzling investors with smoke and mirror Monte Carlo simulation models that offer various IRR’s and scenarios based on unpredictable film revenues streams, it is offering an absolute return on investment using public tax incentives that in certain instances can guarantee 100% or more of invested capital prior to revenues.

Noci Pictures Entertainment is putting together a slate of films using an innovative hybrid public-private finance strategy aimed at investors who want to take a 100% Federal deduction against their ordinary income, get an additional 20-40% in state tax credits or cash rebates, have a hedge of revenues from 20-30 films, a possible exit IPO on the London AIM., as well as stimulating local economic development, and creating jobs, including for women and minorities. Oh, and the company’s team includes the former Vice Chairman Of A Major Film Studio.

Sound too good to be true?

“I don’t know of any other alternative investment that can offer tax incentives, multiple exit strategies, as well as giving back to the local economy, while being involved with the moviemaking process”, states Yuri Rutman, the head of Noci Pictures. “That would also add to the long line of recent film funds that have been structured with numerous hedge funds, private equity investors, corporate tax credit buyers, and institutions. Heck I don’t even know of any business that someone can start where they know they will receive an exact ROI before they see any profits”.

”I am also surprised how many investors, hedge funds, VC, tax planners, CPA’s, tax attorneys, public and private companies have no clue about these benefits”, Rutman adds. “Federal Preservation, New Markets Tax Credits, etc was the usual route for tax credit planning or alternative investments , but film production incentives offer a more liquid premium, equity, as well as little Hollywood adventure and schmoozing with movie stars.”

Rutman adds “Plus, I am reinventing ‘conscious’ film finance. A lot of competitor deals won’t be around in a few years because they didn’t do their homework. I want to be making movies when I am 90”.