very entrepreneur goes into busi-ness to make money. This is the

primary purpose of enterprise. Howev-er, companies should always aim to con-tribute to the overall development of the society, in areas such as education, health and environmental conservation.

Here at eZines Ltd., an online opera-tion, we have always embraced ‘green’ practices. Therefore, we are proud to announce the upcoming launch of the eZines Go Green Foundation,which will take place on Earth Day, April 22, 2011.The foundation raised $90,000 as part proceeds from last year’s inaugural “Your MoneyeZine Business Summit”; this year, we will donate all proceeds from the Summit to the Go Green Foundation.

Our CEO Tyrone Wilson is firmly behind this initiative, which emphasises main-taining the quality of our natural envi-ronment. The objective is to “educate the general public of the importance of having and sustaining an environmental-ly-friendly Jamaica, and how it can lead to the future development and better-ment of the Jamaican environment and its people.” Wilson believes it is vital that we emphasize the use of sustainable products and reduce our dependence on those that are not biodegradable, such as plastic and Styrofoam containers.

He also stressed the need to decrease the use of harmful chemicals and em-brace green cleaning products, many of which we can make ourselves, using safe ingredients like vinegar and baking soda.

It is important for local businesses and other organizations to contribute to the green cause by using recycled paper, emailing bills and other documents and reducing printing where possible. In the long run, this could reap economic ben-efits for the country as we would cut our paper importation as well as lower elec-tricity costs.

Wilson also focused on the rapid urban-ization of many areas in Jamaica, which has removed traditional green spaces. The process itself is inevitable, but de-velopers need to do more to retain des-ignated green areas and make sure they work in harmony with the land when drawing up their plans.

Finally, Wilson is encouraging small busi-nesses to get involved in philanthropy to create a brighter future for the genera-tions to come.There are various areas to get involved in, such as education, HIV awareness and elder care. Everyone has a role to play in making Jamaica a better place for our children to inherit.

CEO’S THInk TAnk

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PhilanthroPy and small businesses

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CEO Think Tank is a weekly discus-sion between Your Money Reporters and our CEO, Tyrone Wilson. It will focus on pertinent business issues that are discussed on a regular basis among corporate executives, entrepreneurs, small business owners, political leaders and other key leaders in our society.

ceo’sthink tankbyTracey-Ann Wisdom

Tyrone WilsonCEO of eZines Limited

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SB Credit Union is making it easier for Jamaicans to achieve the dream of home

ownership with the GSB Home Loan. The new, low-rate mortgage solution was launched along with the Credit Union’s Wealth Development Unit (WDU) at the Winchester Business Centre in kingston late last month.

According to Courtney Lodge, Chief Executive Officer, “with the GSB Home Loan, members can access up to $15 million at an interest rate of only 11.95% for up to 35 years and for up to 95% fi-nancing of their homes. This rate is the lowest available in the market, after the national Housing Trust. Additionally, with the combination of a special GSB unsecured bridging loan facility and cash back features, members can get up to 100% financing to purchase their first home.”

The loan facility has been made avail-able with funding support from the Jamaica Mortgage Bank. Mr. Lodge explained that this collaborative initia-tive was one of several that the Credit Union had embarked on, aimed at cre-ating more value for Jamaicans, thereby enabling members to access financial products and services more conve-niently and at more attractive prices. “It demonstrates our commitment to assist in driving down lending rates so that Jamaicans and Jamaica can develop financially,” he said.

Mr. Lodge explained that members – who are primarily public sector employ-ees – have been asking for more home

ownership opportunities. “Many of our members are faced with exorbitant rent payments that could easily cover a mortgage payment but cannot afford the related deposit and closing costs. Persons have cried out and we have re-sponded,” he stated. The loans will be offered through the WDU, which is led by Jacqueline Pingue-Smith.

He also assured members that “the Unit will provide personal financial ser-vices that will cater to their most exqui-site financial cravings. Other alliances currently being forged will see mem-bers having the opportunity to access a wide range of other financial services including stocks, bonds, money market instruments, insurance, real estate, re-mittance, foreign exchange services and small business loans.”

The new product comes against the backdrop of the GSB Credit Union’s 65th anniversary, celebrating its legacy of going the extra mile to cater to its members. “GSB will seek to foster even greater transformation in the lives of our members and [promote] greater growth and prosperity for Jamaica through the provision of superior ser-vices,” Mr. Lodge added.

GSB CrEDIT UnIOn OPEnS THE DOOr FOr HOME OWnErSHIP

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through new wealth develoPment unit

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“With the GSB Home Loan, mem-bers can access up to $15 million at an interest rate of only 11.95% for up to 35 years and for up to 95% financing of their homes. This rate is the lowest available in the market, after the National Housing Trust.”

Kingston, Jamaica. March 2, 2011. Audley Shaw, Minister of Finance and the Public Service ® seems quite pleased to learn of GSB Credit Union’s new low rate 11.95% mortgage loan. Occasion was the launch of the Credit Union’s Wealth Development Unit and the loan facility at the Winchester Business Centre in Kingston on Jamaica Day, February 25. GSB CU officals in photo are are (l-r) Michael Roofe, Chairman, Dr. LeoPaul Powell, Di-rector, and Courtney Lodge, Chief Executive Officer.

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is it ideal for business?The New BlackBerry PlayBook

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esearch in Motion (rIM), mak-ers of the must-have Black-

Berry smartphone, is set to make its foray into the tablet market later this month with the PlayBook. The new tablet has been getting rave reviews from technology pundits for its web, gaming and entertainment capabili-ties. It also supports Flash, a big plus over the ubiquitous iPad. It has been deemed the next big business tool and with its stunning features and capabili-ties, it should indeed have a significant impact on the market.

The success of the iPad among top American companies (88% of For-tune 500 companies, according to Apple reports) suggests that there is a large market in the business world for tablets. rIM has already cornered this market with the BlackBerry, so it is hoped that the same can be done in the tablet world. The PlayBook seems to be designed with business travellers in mind. Its features include a 7-inch touchscreen, powered by a dual-core processor for speedy performance (think smoother multitasking), a high-resolution WSVGA display and two HD cameras: a 3 MP high-definition forward-facing camera and a 5 MP high-definition rear-facing camera, perfect for video conferencing. It also includes a micro-HDMI port to con-nect to a HD TV or projector.

Another major selling point of the PlayBook is its focus on maintaining communication security. It is designed to work well with corporate email sys-tems, offering better encryption than the iPad. This will be done through a “Bluetooth Bridge” that allows users

to access emails and other datafrom their BlackBerry. This is an obvious drawback for potential users without BlackBerrys. There will be browser-based solutions in the interim, but it would be much better if the device came with its own email application. In fact, the major drawback of the PlayBook is the lack of apps, which is one area where the iPad and Android tablets thrive. BlackBerry apps are not only fewer, they also tend to be more expensive and are harder to update.

To address this, the PlayBook is set to have its own app store, which means it won’t support BlackBerry apps the way the iPad can run many iPhone apps. rIM is currently accepting app

submissions from developers, who can compete for a chance to win a free PlayBook.

Overall, while the PlayBook has been designed for the business community, it seems to be aimed at only those who already use BlackBerrys and ini-tially appears to be a mere Wi-Fi pe-ripheral. However, rIM has promised that smartphone-independent apps will become available “as the platform evolves”, so we look forward to the roll-out of the PlayBook– with some-hesitation. It is hard for any device to compete with the iPad, but by focusing on its core market, rIM should have a winner on its hands.

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The success of the iPad among top American companies (88% of Fortune 500 companies, according to Apple reports) suggests that there is a large market in the business world for tablets. RIM has already cornered this market with the BlackBerry, so it is hoped that the same can be done in the tablet world.

byTracey-Ann Wisdom

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WOrkInG Part Two

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naked

executive coachingbyHenry Lewis

e haven’t fully made the transition from manual la-bour to knowledge-based

working in this post-plantation era. It is easy to see when a farmer, factory worker or construction worker is being productive because they are expending physical energy on visible tasks. In fact, the more energy and effort that is ex-pended is the more they sweat and by the sweat of their brow, we conclude that they are working hard.

This does not translate well to white-collar work, so we have created a com-plex system of visual cues to signify (or give the impression) that someone is working. The office has become the stage where people perform their work for others to see. Wearing a business suit, sitting behind a desk, talking on the phone, being in a meeting, operating a computer, bumping into the CEO and offering fake pleasantries, among other things, send a message that the per-former is hard at work.

Don’t get me wrong – all these activities may result in high-quality work. Howev-er, there are those who don’t want the suit and tie; they don’t want the 9 to 5; they don’t want all the corporate poli-tics; they don’t want the four walls; they want to work naked, that is, they want to work from home, under a tree and

anywhere they are most creative and innovative, while remaining accountable and still contributing to the profit margin of the company.

I believe there is an untapped potential within the workforce that can be trust-ed and supported to work where and when they are most effective. However, to take full advantage of that freedom to choose where and when to work, employees need to be unencumbered by outdated corporate rules and appar-ent trappings of the plantation era.

Here are some ways in which managers constrain individual and organizational potential in today’s working environ-ment:

• By wasting time commuting at peak traffic hours and making work-ers conform to a 9 to 5 routine,

• By thinking they can manage work-ers most effectively by seeing them in office every day,

• By embroiling employees in bu-reaucracy and office politics,

• By spending too much time in lengthy corporate meetings,

• By housing employees in one-size-fits-all cubicles that are not tailored to their unique work styles,

• By creating an environment where it is difficult to concentrate and easy to be interrupted,

• By not using technology tools to their best advantage,

• By not trusting employees to make smart choices about the best place and time to work.

Do I think that everyone should be of-fered the option to work naked? Ab-solutely not. However, as companies seek to downsize, right-size, flatten, de-centralize and re-engineer for growth, CEOs can begin to explore the merits of allowing some of their trusted and loyal employees in key positions to work naked.

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“The office has become the stage where people perform their work for others to see. Wearing a business suit, sitting behind a desk, talking on the phone, being in a meeting, operating a computer, bumping into the CEO and offering fake pleas-antries, among other things, send a message that the performer is hard at work.”

Henry Lewis

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Small Business Banking

Excerpts from Defining the Sales 2.0-Enabled Business by Gerhard Gschwandtner

ow that the sales representa-tive understands his redefined

role in the web-enabled marketplace, he must move to acquire mastery of the technology to enhance his business. According to Gschwandtner, the fol-lowing technologies significantly impact sales success:

Social NetworkiNg: There is a lot ofbuzz in business circles about using social networks to drive sales, most of which isfocused on Fa-cebook and Twitter. However, sales-persons should focus more on using their LinkedIn network and other sites geared towards businesspeople to find the right contacts to pitch to.

SaleS leadS: Sales reps can use sites like Generate.com or InsideView.com to collect data about prospective customers then set specific triggers that will alert when the prospect has a need. This tool will allow salespeople to time their prospecting calls to when the window of opportu-nity is open.

webiNarS: Sales personnel can make significant sav-ings in both money and time by hosting

online seminars and conferences, where they present their products/services in the same way they would at a trade fair. Platforms such as Cisco WebEx enable them to determine the strongest leads by tracking attendees’ interest and par-ticipation.

live collaboratioN: Using online platforms to make pre-sentations and generate sales allows sales reps to boost their productivity and lower selling costs as well as more effectively manage and strengthen on-going customer relationships through live collaboration, which is the hallmark of the web-enabled marketplace.

PerSoNalized coNtactaNd trackiNg: Instead of sending out email blasts and then calling everyone on the list, sales reps can use Sales 2.0 tools such as Ge-nius.com to personalize direct-contact e-mails and find out how individual prospects responded – whether they opened the e-mail, clicked to the web-site or visited certain web pages – and focus on only those who have interact-ed with the information.

More iNtelligeNt cuStoMerrelatioNShiP MaNageMeNt(cMr): Gschwandtner recommends that orga-nizationsincorporate Sales 2.0 tools and applications with on-demand CrM sys-tems such as Salesforce.com:“Marketing and prospect data can be smoothly im-ported, making CrM more powerful and indispensable than ever. Manage-ment analytic tools such as Cloud9-Analytics.com allow sales managers to create meaningful dashboards in Sales-force.com that help them diagnose sales performance issues before they turn into real problems.”

The Internet has empowered custom-ers, allowing them to research prod-ucts and services before deciding to purchase. Collaboration is the key, so sales executives must take advantage of thegreater opportunities to con-nect with prospective customers faster, meet them at the point of their need and work with them to devise the solu-tion that is best for them.

workiNg SMarter, Not hardersales 2.0

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“The Internet has empowered customers, allowing them to research products and services before deciding to purchase.”

byTracey-Ann Wisdom

© 2011 eZines Limited. All rights reserved