Category: Uncategorized

Jean Danhong Chen Explains how California’s Immigration Sector is Changing

Posted on by Arturo

Jean Danhong Chen has spent much of her career dividing her time between her immigration law offices in New York and California. The lawyer has seen many challenges during her years working in this sector across the U.S., but she believes this is one of the most challenging periods of her time as an attorney. The question on the minds of millions of immigrants, tourists, and students is what will the U.S. Government do to change its immigration policy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

When we think of the immigration sector in California, we think about the Latin immigrants moving north across the Mexican border. However, a new problem is emerging for those concerned about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the wider economy of California, which is how will the Chinese immigrant sector be treated as the virus continues to spread. The closure of the borders of the U.S. has harmed many financial areas, including the cruise ship industry and the airlines that have left many Chinese nationals stranded in the U.S., according to Salem News.

Jean Danhong Chen has been looking at the way the quarantine and travel restrictions have been enforced around the world and finds some of the decisions troubling. For example, the decision by the world’s two largest cruise lines to introduce a blanket ban for Chinese nationals is something the immigration lawyer finds troubling. The loss of travel rights is a tough pill to swallow for many Chinese nationals who travel to the U.S. for travel, work, and study purposes.

The academic sector is another part of the immigration arena that has become a battleground as the problems caused by COVID-19 continue in the U.S. and beyond. The epicenter of the outbreak was in the Chinese Province of Wuhan and this has led to major restrictions being placed on all travel from the nation and China and across much of the world. Jean Danhong Chen is determined to fight for the rights of all those who are looking to arrive in the U.S. to improve their lives in the future. The issuance of student visas has become a hot topic in the U.S. with the switch to online-only classes causing major problems for students and academic institutions alike.

The immigration services are currently embroiled in a court battle led by the Attorney general of California that is pushing the for a change in a policy similar to that completed in the spring. ICE has refused to change its policies regarding strict rules not allowing international students to complete online-only studies despite most academic institutions making this switch due to the arrival of the virus on U.S. shores. The immigration lawyer has shown great concern that the rights of these students from all around the world were not being given to them.

These are just two of the problems COVID-19 has caused for the majority of individuals who are struggling to complete their immigration cases on time and in a legal way. The Global Dispatch explained the majority of immigration service offices have closed and caused major concern for the majority of those who have been awaiting the resolution of their cases with USCIS. Jean Danhong Chen believes there is a lot of concern that could be removed if the immigration service would make clear exactly where each case stands. 

The shifting policies of the Trump administration have affected the ability of immigration lawyers, including Chen to make the correct choices for their clients. One of the main problems that have been seen across the U.S. is that of the number of people crossing the border between points of entry. The success of the policy of the border agency is a difficult one to perceive with many of those who are undocumented being returned directly to Mexico and parts of Latin America. The Mexican Government is playing its part by accepting its citizens who are making their way across the border illegally and those from Honduras, El Salvador, and other nearby nations.

Immigration lawyers are having difficulties because of a change of policy that came with many of those who were stranded in Mexico trying to make their way to California for safety and medical assistance. The Mexican healthcare system has been overwhelmed by the number of COVID-19 cases and did not act speedily over the closure of the Mexican nation. The immigration sector in the U.S. was expecting an influx of new cases but these new cases are being immediately returned to Mexico from California leaving lawyers trying to determine the legality of these policies. California has seen a major surge in cases with millions of people deciding to simply shelter in place and not try to return to any nation outside the U.S. borders. There are many reasons why different communities are struggling with the rise of COVID-19 but the immigration policies of the U.S. Government have been some of the most fluid of the pandemic.

Dutchess Partners

Dutchess Partners’ Tips for Properly Managing Personal Finances

Posted on by Arturo

While it seems daunting, personal financial planning is not as difficult as it seems. Even though life can throw the unexpected at you with regularity, if you follow a pre-defined plan, you can manage to not only survive, but to get ahead. The importance of the planning element of financial planning cannot be overstated. Here are some steps to follow in order to get yourself on a sound financial path. 

Plan

You will have different financial needs at varying points in your life. The key is to be ready for various different challenges as they arise over the years. It is important to have an idea of what your financial requirements will be so that you know for what you are preparing. You are going to have different challenges if you have children than you will when the children are grown and you are saving for retirement. A plan will give you the general contours of where you need to be at each of these points. It is the overall master blueprint according to which you will make all of your financial decisions at all points in your life. 

Budget

Before you can save and invest a penny, you have to make sure that you can make it from month to month. This means that you must get a handle on all of your expenses. Of course, there are always unplanned financial expenses that come up such as medical care and car repairs that may require you to spend extra. However, being able to plan your expenditures to the extent that you can will help you organize your finances. There are many pieces of your financial picture that you can control, and you should make all efforts to do so. For example, you can quantify ahead of time the amount that you will spend on dining out and entertainment. The costs of your daily cup of coffee add up if you do not have them planned in advance, and setting a budget is where you decide if they are a priority. You should start with your end financial result for the month in mind and work backwards from there if you are able. 

Save

Your desired end financial result should be that you save some money every month. Of course, that is not always a reality, but if you make it an aspirational goal, you can meet it more often than not. The benefits of saving money are multifold. First, anything that you are able to save can go towards paying down some of your other debt. Second, as will be detailed below, you can invest your savings and earn even more money. Third, you have a cushion for when you have an unplanned expense that your monthly income does not cover. Saving money should become a habit and something that is instinctual. When you make it part of your mentality, you will be less likely to dig yourself financial holes because getting ahead will become a priority of yours. 

Invest

Prudent investing will help the money that you are able to save become an income stream that you can rely on in the future. You do not even need to take many chances when you are investing in order to achieve this. If your money grows at a rate higher than inflation, you are coming out ahead. Then, you will have even more money to use either later in life or if you have an extraordinary financial expense. Your money does little good if it is just sitting in a savings account earning little to nothing. While there is a temptation to speculate when investing, try to limit the amount that you put into this type of investments because you may lose your entire investment. Instead, when you try to earn a modest and steady return, your money grows faster than you know it. 

Keep Debt Manageable

It is a fact of life that most people carry some sort of debt. In some respects, owing money is unavoidable, especially if you use credit cards or have student loans to pay. However, you can take steps to keep this situation from getting out of hand. Make sure that you make your minimum monthly payments every month in order to stay in your creditors’ good graces. Also, try to pay your higher interest rate loans off first because these are the ones that can get out of hand. When you are able to make a dent in the amount of your debt, the progress that you can make builds on itself. In other words, the interest that you will save every month can be used to pay off even more debt. 

If you owe money to many different creditors, you should consider a debt consolidation loan in order to improve your situation. This type of loan can take all of your loans and roll them into one monthly payment. The end result is that your interest expenses on the money owed can be lessened through a debt consolidation loan. Dutchess Partners is an expert in this type of loans, and their products can help you get a handle on your debt situation. Dutchess Partners can work with you to find the right product that fits your particular financial needs and plan. 

Review and Reassess

Your financial needs do not stay the same at every period in your life. It could be that you are saving for a big expense such as a wedding. Or, you might have children and they are now grown. Periodically, you should review your financial plan and update it as necessary. If you are nearing retirement, you will want to consider putting away more money in savings. The need to review your plan grows even more pronounced as your working days are drawing to a close. As your needs change, your financial goals should change. For example, while saving money should be a goal, you may have to adjust your expectation if you have children living at home. Once those children are grown, you can then adjust your financial plan. 

Get Help

While a DIY financial plan is ideal, it may not always be possible. Sometimes, you just need the help of an expert in order to get you moving in the right direction. It could be that you are not able to do this on your own. Alternatively, you may just need someone to help you get started. There are experts that can help you build a financial plan and keep it on track. There are also various financial planning software packages that you can use to accomplish this goal. The important thing is to recognize the need for help and act on it. Financial planning is one area where it is acceptable to ask for help and spend money on it if necessary. This will be a worthwhile investment that will be rewarded with an improved financial situation. 

Keep an Eye on Taxes

Anything that you do will have ramifications on your tax situation. If you are investing and earning money on that investing, you may have a tax bill to pay at the end of the year. Alternatively, you may be in line to receive a large tax refund that could affect your financial situation. You should attempt to figure out during the tax year what your potential refund or liability may be so you can plan your finances accordingly. This will keep you from being hit with a nasty surprise come April. 

Always Have Insurance

Catastrophe can hit any time. Whether it is the loss of a loved one, a medical emergency or a fire, catastrophes can wreck even the soundest families financially. To the extent that you can, always make sure to have insurance. At the very minimum, this should include life, auto, homeowner’s and medical insurance. You should also consider other types of insurance such as flood insurance and personal liability insurance. 

Financial planning is not something that is beyond your ability. No matter how much you make, you can always invest the time and effort to gain control of your financial house. By doing so, you will ensure that you are not building the proverbial castle on the sand and make sure that your financial stability can last over the course of your lifetime.

Grapes in a vineyard

The Basics of Building a Successful Winery

Posted on by Arturo

How to Start Your Winery on the Right Foot

Winery

One of the lucrative businesses that you can start is a winery. However, you may find the industry tough and quite competitive. Moreover, winemaking is a year-long activity that includes tending to the vines, making wine and marketing. Nevertheless, if you get everything right, winemaking can become profitable in the long run. Here are a few basic things that you should keep in mind to ensure success in your winery business.

Be prepared to wait for the profits

In a traditional winery set up, you buy land, plant your vines, harvest and make wine. Several things might go wrong in the process. For example, the crop may not do well due to climatic changes. You will also take some time before getting your products to the target audience. The distribution of wine is controlled by tightly controlled distribution channels thereby making the business a little tricky. Therefore, when joining the industry, have your eyes focused on the long-term profits rather than short-term profitability.

Find a niche

Where you plan to start the business, there is a likelihood that there are tens of similar wine-making companies. Even if this is not the case, you will still have to fight numerous established international brands in the local market. Given the intense competition in the wine-making industry, you need to develop a niche. Coming up with something unique will get the attention of the target market and help you avoid direct competition from established brands.

When developing a niche product, do adequate market research to determine the needs and preferences of your target clientele. You must get everything right, the taste, price, and type of liqueur. It is the only way you can get them to enjoy your product.

Select your grape type

The soil in your selected location may limit you regarding the types of grapes you can grow. The best approach is picking your grape type then look for a location that supports the vine. There are three types of grapes namely: Vitis Vinifera, Vitis Labrusca and Vitis Rotundifolia.

The first type is used to make over 98 percent of all wines including cabernet sauvignon and Pinot Noir. The second grows mostly in Canada and Northern America while the third is a sweet variety used to make dessert wines. Your preferred niche should determine the choice of grapes.

Get adequate capital

According to Denis Mackenzie, winemaking is a capital-intensive business venture. It also takes a great deal of time before you start making anything in return unless you purchase an existing winery. If you start from scratch, it will take two to three years before you can have a commercial crop ready. At the start, the winemaking process may take a year or two. Ensure that you have the cash you need for all this period that you will not be making any returns.

Loan financing may give you a bit of problem as you will have to make payments with nothing in return. Consider other forms of long-term financing such as angel financing, joining hands with a renowned investor and of course your savings.

Get the product into the market

As said earlier, the wine distribution process is a little complex and tightly controlled by the major players. Therefore, the best approach is to get the interest of a major wholesaler who sells to restaurants and retailers. Unfortunately, the wine industry does not just follow the demand and supply principles; they sometimes like to mix things up to give variety to their customers. You are likely to find that your wine is off the list even if the sales volumes have been doing great as retailers seek to diversify their wine list.

You will have to do more legwork. In addition to promoting the products through the media, you need to get to the major players in distribution and get them to like your product. You need to get the attention of as many as possible to protect yourself from a likely change of mind at any point.

Navigate the red tape

Production of alcoholic beverages the world over is somewhat complicated as it is entangled in lots of red tape. Be ready for the paperwork. In addition to your operating license, there will be many other agencies which you have to get their nod before the product reaches the market. For example, in the USA, you have to get licensed by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. The watchdog has to approve everything including the final product and the label of your wine bottle.

Denis Mackenzie advises that you should start the license application process early into your wine-making business. Get an experienced attorney to help you navigate through the complex licensing. You could also cut the cost by getting production contracts from established brands in the market. However, going this route denies you the chance of getting products in the market under your name. For the small business, it may be worthwhile at the start.

Conclusion

Winemaking business is both capital intensive and requires lots of commitment. However, you can earn good profits in the long-term if you are patient and play your cards right. Take your time, plan, get the right licenses and find a way to work around the distribution market to ensure success.

 

What Small Businesses Should Know About Master Data Management

Posted on by Arturo

As business becomes more global, small businesses need to adapt their data strategy to compete.

Master data management is one of many tools that have sprung to life in today’s digital marketplace. Unfortunately, the name sounds too sophisticated that most small business owners simply avoid it altogether. Doing so might save you the hassle of learning about it, but you might also be missing out on an exciting and beneficial new tool that can give you the competitive edge against competitors. Get your feet wet with these five facts about what is Master Data Management software and why you need it for your business.

Provides Centralized Referencing

MDM pertains to a technique used to structure and manage the critical data sets of a business to offer a single centralized location for future access and referencing. Reference data may be added to the master data to establish a set of allowed values. Moreover, the mastered data also includes any analytical information that can aid in the decision-making process. As a business grows, it collects more information, whether it’s financial transactions and receipts or customer account details and preferences. With such a large and specific data set maintained by every team or department, it’s not long before your business runs into redundancies. By using Master Data Management software, you can maintain data in one centralized repository with complete coherence.

Simplifies Development

Master data management software removes the necessity to connect to various data sources as well as the need to filter and modify data. This also results in lowering the strain on your source systems that would transpire if applications and systems were created directly against them. In addition, introducing new applications and processes against your MDM separates downstream programs from the source systems that ultimately minimize efforts and resources consumed from future development, adoption, and implementation of new systems.

Improve Efficiency of Storing and Using Data

Master data management was designed to usher in a more systematic means of integrating data that guarantees consistent use and reuse. Information, specifically customer-related data, is a major concern that is addressed by MDM. As big data architecture finds broader applications, the data sets in business settings expand carelessly in structure. Attached to them are the classic signs of subpar data management including duplications and redundancies, missing data fields, etc. By developing a reliable data dictionary, Master Data Management software can address these common areas of data storage inefficiency.

Handles Cleaning and Combining of Business Data

A common query when talking about what is Master Data Management is “Can the data warehouses that the software interacts with handle the cleaning and combining of data?” The short and simple answer is that it can. An MDM software can respond to queries from data warehouses and customers, but also interact with other tools simultaneously.

How Master Data is Transferred

There are various means in which master data may be collated and issued to other networks that require it, one of which is data consolidation. This pertains to the process of catching master data from various sources and consolidating them into a single location to be copied to other destination networks. There is also data federation, which is a popular programming technique that allows businesses to glue together data from more than one source in a remote database. Last but not least, you have data propagation, which refers to the process of replicating master data from one repository to another, usually through legacy platforms.

Final Thoughts

In the real world, data is changing every second of the day. Mergers and acquisitions are happening, recalls and corrections are being made to flawed records, and marketing departments are changing product names or launching new services. With so much information to digest, small businesses are seemingly on the losing side in the fight for harmonious and efficient data storage and management. Level the playing field by using Master Data Management to maintain and manipulate your data sets in one easy-to-use, flexible, and cost-efficient platform.

 

How To Choose A Winning Legal Team

Posted on by Arturo

Finding and picking a legal team isn’t the same rudimentary process as picking a toilet paper brand or a hair salon. Pick the wrong one to represent you in a case and you could end up losing not only assets and savings, but also suffer the indignity of not getting the justice you seek. Fortunately, it’s not rocket science either. Given enough time to research and vet candidates, you can assemble the best team to handle your case. Here are five tips on how to do just that:

Determine What You Need 

There are different practices that lawyers specialize in, from personal injury to commercial law. It makes sense to hire a Tampa personal injury attorney if you are currently dealing with a personal injury dispute at work.

Narrow Down to Prestigious Firms 

Prestigious law firms are the safe option, given that all other factors are equal. For a law firm to reach such a high level of prestige, they would need to win a large number of cases for their clients, which is a good first indicator that they know what they’re doing. Furthermore, keep in mind that the law firm you pick today will likely be the same team you’ll be using for future cases. Thus, it’s best to find one who you have rapport with. Avoid going after the first option with the cheapest rate.

Do a Background Check 

Your state’s lawyer disciplinary agency keeps tabs on lawyers whose licenses are currently suspended, and which ones are in good standing with the bar. Do a quick search on the directory of lawyer disciplinary agencies online and select the agency of your state. Always look at references, especially if you found the candidate through the web. You can also review the lawyer’s peer review ratings by visiting Martindale.com. These ratings serve as an unbiased indicator of a lawyer’s competence and moral standards. The rating is computed from the evaluations left by fellow lawyers and members of the bar. In addition, ask your candidates for references. A good and confident lawyer will provide contact information of their references outright.

Do In-Person Interviews 

Perhaps the simplest way to measure a lawyer’s competence is to meet with him/her face to face. Most lawyers will offer a free initial consultation that takes an hour or less. This is enough time for him/her to learn your case and for you to ask the questions you want to ask. A few important inquiries to make during the consultation include how many years of experience they have in that specific legal subject, how long they’ve been practicing for, their track record of cases won/lost, and how much they charge per hour. Another important question to ask is whether or not someone else, such as a paralegal, will be working on the case. Some lawyers, especially those who have their own firm, will be too busy to focus on any one specific case, so they hire and assign a paralegal to do a majority of the legwork; something you should avoid if you are paying top prices.

Look For Rapport 

Ask yourself “do I feel comfortable working with this lawyer?”. The answer has to be a definite “Yes” otherwise you should keep looking. Are you comfortable asking questions and do you feel like he/she genuinely cares about your case and your well-being? You want a Tampa personal injury attorney who actually wants to win you the case and get you the appropriate settlement amount you’re asking for or better. Are they well-groomed? Do they arrive on time when you have a meeting set up? Are your phone calls answered or does it go straight to voicemail?

Final Thoughts 

The best legal services cost money, but they pay for themselves by winning you the case and getting you the best possible settlement. Use the tips above to easily filter through the dozens of legal teams out there.