Tesla to Announce Battery Systems This Week

Tesla Motors is expected to announce a new product later this week: Residential and Commercial Battery Systems. It's clear Tesla is expanding its close partnership with Panasonic, the world's largest manufacturer of Lithium Ion Batteries, through the upcoming Gigafactory plant in Sparks, Nevada. Investors and Tesla advocates immediately speculated that the new product line would be a battery system.

The new product and business model were originally alluded to by founder Elon Musk on his twitter account.

Major new Tesla product line -- not a car -- will be unveiled at our Hawthorne Design Studio on Thurs 8pm, April 30

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 30, 2015

SolarCity just hit a new daily energy record of 5GWh two weeks after reaching 4GWh

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 31, 2015

With all that solar power being generated, it almost feels like something is needed to complete the picture ...

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 31, 2015

While formally being announced on April 30th, Tesla seems to have confirmed this reasoning through a letter to investors. The letter confirmed a "home battery" and a "very large utility scale battery."

There is intriguing business genius with this move. The company is planning on scaling up battery production with the aim to achieve massive economies of scale. Designing a high potential battery product for homes and businesses could help create demand and expand its market position into the electric utility world.

For the customers, it makes economic sense to buy and store electricity at night when the price is low. The system could even sell unneeded electricity back to the grid when prices are high.

Widely implemented, systems like these could help the expansion of renewable energy sources that provide power intermittently when the sun shines or the wind blows.

Around 300 customers have already installed Tesla's batteries in their homes, reports The Guardian. "It’s clean, it’s quiet and it looks good in the garage," investment analyst Trip Chowdhry told the newspaper, adding that the system appeals to customers who want a constant connection to the internet. "If you are a gadget person living a digital life — you have iPhones and computers and you always want to be connected — the storage battery is a dream come true."

Connect & Collaborate - Social Media and More

Helping businesses to do business better. That's the goal of almost any chamber of commerce. The Parker Area Chamber of Commerce does this better than most, by scheduling great events and speakers to inspire and encourage their members. Dennis Houston, President and CEO of the Parker Area Chamber joins us to discuss their efforts to serve northern Douglas county, by monitoring and influencing relevant legislation, while also building a calendar of fun events.

One such event is slated for May 5th, as PACC invites Marketing Strategist, Kyle Sexton to speak talk about Social Media for Business. Kyle is an expert on incorporating social media with business market, and is the author of soon to be three books. The latest title will release this summer, Social Media Mullet. Kyle joins us for a preview of the event, his thoughts on strategy and a sense of humor about the whole thing.

You can still register for the event on May 5th, 8:00 to 11:00 at the PACE Center. Click here for registration details.

Later in the program, we continue our series of interviews with our state legislators, featuring Representative Rhonda Fields of District 42 in Aurora.

Rhonda tells us what led her to her work at the capitol, and which bills she working to pass, including: Advanced Practice Nurse Prescriptive Authority (SB 197) which would allow nurses in under-served areas to write prescriptions, Interactive Electronic Harassment - Cyberbullying (HB 1072) which would help eliminate loopholes to ensure that anyone harassed through social media or electronic means has recourse, and No Detention for Truancy (SB185) which would remove the juvenile court's jurisdiction over truancy, and several other bills.

Listen Saturday at 1:00 PM on 710 KNUS –  Please let us know what you think of our program, either by commenting here or on Facebook at Connect & Collaborate with ICOSA or join the discussion on Twitter @ICOSAMagazine.

Continued business growth anticipated for Colorado in upcoming quarters

April 23, 2015 

Continued business growth anticipated for Colorado in upcoming quarters, says CU-Boulder report.

With an increase in business filings in Colorado through the first quarter of 2015 -- including new and renewing entities and trade names -- employment in the state is expected to keep growing during the second and third quarters of the year, according to a University of Colorado Boulder report released today by Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams.

The quarterly indicators report, prepared by CU-Boulder’s Business Research Division at the Leeds School of Business, uses data from the secretary of state’s central business registry.

During the first quarter of 2015 a total of 28,115 new businesses formed, up from 26,523 during the same period in 2014.

“Coloradans continue to drive our economy upward by adding their ideas to the marketplace,” said Williams. “Our small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities and their growth is encouraging.”

Colorado recorded 103,719 new entities during the 12-month period ending in March, up from 102,127 new entities recorded in the 12-month period ending in December 2014.

“Despite a drop in employment in Colorado from February to March, other indicators continue to point to a very healthy economy,” said economist Richard Wobbekind, executive director of CU-Boulder’s Business Research Division.

“While new business filings remain impressive, the employment outlook is dampening slightly for 2015.”

Existing entity renewals spiked in the first quarter of 2015 at a record 126,282, up from 107,848 in the fourth quarter of last year. Domestic limited liability companies represented the greatest increase in renewals among existing entities.

The number of Colorado entities in good standing went up in the first quarter to 571,386, a 7 percent increase compared with the same time in 2014.

Visit the secretary of state’s website at http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/business/quarterlyReports/index.html to view current and past reports or to sign up to receive reports by email.

Richard Wobbekind, Leeds School, 303-492-1147

[email protected]

Brian Lewandowski, Leeds School, 303-492-3307

[email protected]

Elizabeth Lock, CU-Boulder media relations, 303-492-3117

[email protected] 

Tim Griesmer, Colo. Dept. of State, 303-860-6903

[email protected]

Business Research: Colorado February Jobs Report Analysis and Other Economic Indicators

For more publications by the Business Research Division of the Leeds School of Business at CU Boulder, click here. By Brian Lewandowski, Associate Director, Business Research Division, Leeds School of Business

The March jobs report was released for Colorado today, with the preliminary numbers showing a month-over-month decline in employment (-3,900 jobs, -0.2%), and a downward revision to the February estimates. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, March recorded 67,700 more jobs than the same month in 2013, increasing 2.8% year-over-year. The pace of growth slowed, according to the preliminary March numbers, after growing in excess of 3% for 16 consecutive months. Year-over-year growth in March ranked Colorado 11th nationally, and monthly growth ranked the state 32nd. Average weekly wages increased year over year for the first three quarters of 2014 (4.2%, 2.9%, and 3%, respectively). State per capita personal income increased 3.9% in 2014 to rank 14th nationally, and quarterly personal income rose 5.9% year-over-year in Q4 2014.

Colorado employment grew year-over-year in all of Colorado’s metropolitan statistical areas

(MSAs), while monthly growth decreased in three MSAs. Industry growth was recorded in 10 of the 11 industries in the state year-over-year, but growth was only recorded in four industries month-over-month. The velocity of growth slowed in 8 industries.

The greatest year-over-year percentage gains were in Construction (10.4%), Mining and Logging (8.9%), and Education and Health Services (4.9%). The weakest sectors for growth included Information (-2.3%), Other Services (0.7%), and Professional and Business Services (1%). Compared to February, the strongest growth came from Financial Activities, Government, and Education and Health Services; the weakest being Mining and Logging, Professional and Business Services, and Other Services.

Growth in Colorado’s Manufacturing Sector ranked 3rd nationally, with 3.3% year-over-year

growth, but employment slipped 0.2% from February to March. Employment in the Mining and

Logging sector, which is dominated by oil and gas activity, was up 8.9% year-over-year in

March, but the employment estimates were revised down in February, and continued to lose jobs in March (1.1% month-over-month).

The construction industry increased by the greatest pace and absolute number of jobs year-over- year in Colorado, and home prices increased 9% year-over-year in Q4 2014 according to the FHFA home price index.

While WTI oil spot prices began to fall in June 2014, the economic indicators remained fairly

strong until early 2015, subsequently declining. As of mid-April, the WTI spot price was down

52% from June 20, 2014. Average weekly natural gas (Henry Hub) prices were down 43% year- over-year in mid-April, and gasoline prices down 36%. The falling oil and gas prices have placed a drag on the oil and gas industry nationally and in Colorado. The Baker-Hughes rig count in Colorado was down 42% in April compared to the same period in 2014, and was down 48% nationally. Evidence of the slowing industry also shows in the employment numbers—the Mining and Logging Sector as a whole lost jobs nationally in January, February, and March, down 29,000 jobs from December (-3.2%). Colorado has recorded two consecutive months of Business Research Division  Leeds School of Business  University of Colorado Boulder modest employment declines in the sector, as has the Greeley MSA. Monthly drilling permits—a metric that tends to be volatile—decreased year-over-year in March. Of the 42 states with published Mining and Logging employment, only 5 states marked monthly employment growth in March, and 12 recorded year-over-year growth.

The March unemployment rate stood at 4.2% for the fourth consecutive month, ranking

Colorado 14th nationally. At the low end, Nebraska and North Dakota are ranked 1st and 2nd, at 2.6% and 3.1%, respectively. At the high end, Nevada and Mississippi were ranked 50th and 49th with 7.1% and 6.8% unemployment, respectively. Year-over-year growth (1%) in the Colorado labor force ranked 28th in percentage terms and 22nd in absolute growth.

Comparing Colorado job growth to other states, Colorado still remains one of the best recovery states in the nation in terms of employment, ranking 4th nationally for growth above the previous peak, behind only North Dakota, Texas, and Utah. Colorado now measures 6% above 2008 peak employment compared to 2% for the nation. National job growth weakened in March, with the United States adding 126,000 jobs compared to 264,000 in February. The three-month moving average ending in March was 197,000, compared to 193,000 a year ago.

March State Employment Growth, Month-over-Month

Data Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, CES (Seasonally Adjusted).

Despite growth across the state, wide variations persist, with the year-over-year growth recorded in the Greeley (7.2%), Denver-Aurora-Broomfield (3.6%), Pueblo (2.9%), Fort Collins-Loveland (2.8%), Colorado Springs (2%), Boulder (1.7%), and Grand Junction (1.3%) MSAs. Month-over-month growth was recorded in the Fort Collins (0.5%), Colorado Springs (0.3%), Grand Junction (0.2%), and Boulder (0.1%) MSAs. Month-over-month, employment decreased slightly in the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield (-0.2%), Greeley (-0.5%), and Pueblo (-0.7%) MSAs.

The April national jobs report will be released May 8, 2015. The April state jobs report will be released May 27, 2015.

For more publications by the Business Research Division of the Leeds School of Business at CU Boulder, click here.

TPG stake in Cirque du Soleil

TPG, which is the world's largest casino owner will hold the majority stake in Cirque du Soleil. As it turn out Cirque has seen a decline in show success, not in all shows, but a few since 2012.

Ian Austen of the Wall Street Journal wrote the following.

OTTAWA — Like many a Vegas act, Cirque du Soleil had become a bit flabby and passé. But a group of investors is betting that China — and more important, its growing demand for Western entertainment — may be an answer to the circus troupe’s midlife ennui.

On Monday, a consortium of private equity investors led by TPG agreed to buy Cirque du Soleil for 1.5 billion Canadian dollars, a purchase that will pave the way for the company to expand into China.

One of the buyers, Fosun of China, is heavily invested in entertainment and travel businesses, including the recent purchase of Club Med. The plan is to open a Cirque office in China.

Investors and companies around the globe are trying to capitalize on the swelling leisure spending by China’s growing middle class. The Walt Disney Company is building a $5.5 billion theme park resort in Shanghai. Several American movie studies, including Lionsgate, Studio 8 at Sony Pictures and STX Entertainment, have formed joint ventures with Chinese players. On Sunday, Dick Cook, a former chairman of Walt Disney Studios, announced the formation of a movie company in partnership with the Chinese conglomerate Citic Guoan Group.

“We’re looking at an entertainment boom in China,” said Robert Cain, a film producer from Los Angeles who has done business there for about 25 years. “It’s really underdeveloped.”

Cirque — which merges elements of dance, performance art and high-technology stagecraft with traditional circus acrobatics — has struggled to break into the fast-growing Chinese market.

In 2012, a lavish Cirque production in Macau closed prematurely because of poor attendance. Chinese gamblers, unlike their counterparts in Las Vegas, where Cirque has eight permanent shows running, don’t have much interest in entertainment.

L. Patrick Leroux, a professor at Concordia University in Montreal who founded an academic group that researches circuses, said that shorter-run Cirque shows presented in other Chinese cities have also struggled. Part of the problem, he said, is that the Cirque’s traditional formula is just not to Chinese tastes.

He says that Cirque usually focuses heavily on New Age narratives, often about the plight of a common man or woman. Instead, the Chinese tend to prefer shows that feature large numbers of performers, where the acrobatics “are choreographed and very precise.” Several Chinese circuses, Mr. Leroux said, have combined those elements with Cirque’s style to create successful shows.

The investors did not offer many specifics about their plans in China, instead speaking to their global ambitions. “We are excited about the opportunity to bring our global platform of resources and know-how to propel the growth of Cirque’s unique brand, content and capabilities around the world,” David Trujillo, a partner at TPG, said in a statement.

Joshua B. Grode, a lawyer with Irell & Manella in Los Angeles who has been involved in movie deals in China, said that TPG and Fosun were most likely attracted by both Cirque’s high brand recognition in the West as well as the prospect of a China expansion. “You have a growing middle class and that middle class starts to have the beginnings of disposable income, how do you capture that?” he said. “One approach is to bring in recognized brands and have them do what they do without having to learn it.”

Continue reading the main storyContinue reading the main storyContinue reading the main story The sale will be politically sensitive in Quebec, where Cirque is based and where it is a major employer. In a less prominent case in 2012, the province effectively blocked a deal for Lowe’s to buy a Quebec-based home repair company.

By including Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, the provincial pension and investment fund, as a minority partner, the new owners hope to block that kind of problem. The founder, Guy Laliberté, will also maintain a stake. The deal will include guarantees that the business headquarters and “center for creative and artistic services” remain in Montreal. Mr. Laliberté, who started in the business as a busker and fire breather, opened Cirque three decades ago with a grant from the provincial government. The company now has 17 elaborate productions playing in North and South America as well as Europe. And in recent years it has become as closely associated with Las Vegas as Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. once were.

Last year, Cirque established a theatrical division to develop shows for Broadway. That division is now teaming with NBC on a live musical broadcast of “The Wiz,” and hopes that broadcast will transfer to the stage.

The path to a sale started more than eight years ago as the global economy started to stumble.

In 2008, Cirque sold a stake to a group of Dubai investors. The investors, the real estate company Nakheel and Istithmar World Capital, would provide the funds to further Cirque’s international expansion.

At the same time, Mr. Laliberté stepped back from daily management of Cirque to spend time with his family and focus on personal endeavors including a spaceflight aboard a Russian Soyuz capsule.

When the global financial crisis hit, and the Dubai investors failed to come up with the necessary funds, Mr. Laliberté bought back their 20 percent stake.

Cirque struggled, as some new shows failed. “For the first time, after 25 years of constant growth, we went through a crisis,” Mr. Laliberté said.

A closing forced by the 2011 tsunami in Japan eventually led to the shutdown of a major production there. Other shows around the world did not attract sufficient audiences, or were so costly that profits were minimal. Its New York efforts have largely faltered; the 2010 production of “Banana Shpeel” at the Beacon Theater was a flop, and then a production of “Zarkana,” at Radio City Music Hall, ran only two summers, instead of the anticipated five.

In 2012, Mr. Laliberté returned to active management, and ordered a strategic review. The company cut roughly $100 million in annual costs, including laying off 400 employees.

During the news conference, Cirque’s new chairman, Mitch Garber, a Quebec businessman with close ties to TPG and Mr. Laliberté, described the company as “very profitable.” Last year, Mr. Laliberté said Cirque had annual revenues of 850 million Canadian dollars.

“This is by no means a rebuilding acquisition,” Mr. Garber said.

Correction: April 21, 2015 An earlier version of this article misstated the surname of a lawyer who has been involved in movie deals in China. He is Joshua B. Grode, not Grod.

Brooks Barnes contributed reporting from Los Angeles and Michael Paulson from New York.

Andy Stanley - Leadercast 2015 Speaker

Leadership Communicator & Author Communicator, author, and pastor, ANDY STANLEY founded Atlanta-based North Point Ministries in 1995.

Today, NPM is comprised of six churches in the Atlanta area, serving more than 36,000 people weekly, as well as a network of 30 churches around the globe. As host of NBC’s Your Move with Andy Stanley, reaching over 36 million viewers in less than two years on the air, and author of 20-plus books including Ask It, How to Be Rich, Deep & Wide, Visioneering, and Next Generation Leader, he is considered one of the most influential living pastors in America.

Andy Stanley and his wife, Sandra, have three grown children and live near Atlanta.

The Biggest Thing Wrong With Hiring Is the People Doing It

A growing number of great companies are dumping hiring managers altogether, and putting hiring in the hands of peer teams. It turns out eight to ten brains are better than one.Harvard Business Review says 80 percent of employee turnover is due to bad hiring decisions, and that those decisions can cost more than five times the annual salary of the bad hire. The problem is largely with who is doing the hiring: managers.

Easily the most broken part of the recruiting process is that hiring and ops managers are the ones doing it. That's an archaic Industrial Age factory system approach that was a bad idea back then, and a much worse idea in the Participation Age we're in today. When managers do the hiring, it's just one more thing that makes Dilbert funny, and Dilbert should no longer be funny.

Managerless Hiring Works Better

Managers may be the start of the process, but at a growing number of great companies, they not only don't do the hiring, they no longer exist, having been replaced with self-managed teams. In many companies with very high retention, hiring is done by peers of the person who is being hired. W. L. Gore (10,000 Stakeholders), Semco (3,000), Barry Wehmiller (7,000), and hundreds more with some of the highest retention in the world, all push hiring to the peer team level.

At Semco, a manufacturing company, with 3,000 people--there isn't a single manager in the whole place; all hiring is done by the 8-10 person team on which that new hire will work. How does it work to have peers do the hiring? Semco's employee turnover for the last 20+ years has consistently hovered in the incredibly low 1-2% range.

Barry-Wehmiller, a $1.7billion company, never does a "head count" of retention, they count hearts. How does this culture help them? The data is dramatic. While 88% of employees in traditionally managed companies feel they work for an organization that doesn't care for them, at Barry-Wehmiller, where peers do the hiring and managers don't exist, it's 180 degrees the other way--79 percent surveyed by an outside organization said they believe BW cares about them. Culture matters, and having peers hire peers is a core cultural distinction for BW.

Managerless Cultures See People Very Differently

It's important to understand why this works. Gore, Semco, Wehmiller and other managerless cultures share a common, simple but very profound belief; that EVERYONE is smart and motivated. Because that belief is deeply held, they have all set up a company business culture where that can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. They attract and retain nothing but smart and motivated people who don't need to be managed.

In contrast, companies who rely on managers to do the hiring have a culture that believes the manager is at least a little bit smarter and more motivated, more experienced, more committed, etc. And too often, the assumption is the manager is a lot more of all those things. That is also a cultural distinction, but a very negative one.

Such a common but insidious mindset is a self-fulfilling prophecy as well. Those companies have trouble finding or retaining good people. Why wouldn't they? Who wants to work in an environment where it's clear I'm not going to be allowed to be as smart and/or motivated as the people up the hierarchy from me?

Can You, Or Can't You?

If your culture is set on believing people are smart and motivated, you can take managers out of the picture and put the hiring process in the hands of those most affected by the decision--the new hire's peers. If you think only certain rare people have the skill, experience, smarts or motivation to hire, you're communicating the worst possible message to those you are hiring, as well as those who are already there.

As Henry Ford said, "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right. Believe that everyone is smart and motivated, and wants to participate in the building of a great company. Don't just hope it will work out, but intend for them to take the ball and run with it, because you get what you intend, not what you hope for.

Article as seen on Inc.com

Connect & Collaborate - Title IX Working Group

There seems to be a constant focus from the media, on campus sexual assault. They bombard us with salacious headlines, and graphic details while placing blame anywhere they can, whether that's on the university, the investigative process or a multitude of other factors. Often times emphasizing the conflicts between the administrative reporting process, and a police investigation. In an effort to combat such obstacles the Denver District Attorney's office has established a collaborative effort between all of Denver's university campuses, law enforcement, investigators, hospitals and other organizations. That collaboration is known as the Title IX Working Group, made up of agency stakeholders in sexual assault response, forming increased coordination regarding co­occurring Title IX and criminal investigations.

We will talk with Denver District Attorney, Mitch Morrissey and University of Denver Director of Equal Opportunity and Title IX Coordinator, Kathryne Grove about specific ways these agencies work together, and how best to serve students who are impacted by sexual assault on campus.

Title IX Working Group Participating Agencies include:

•  Denver Police Department
•  Denver District Attorney’s Office
•  The Blue Bench
•  Community College of Denver
•  Johnson & Wales University
•  Metropolitan State University of Denver
•  Regis University
•  University of ColoradoDenver/Anschutz Medical Campus
•  University of Denver

Listen Saturday at 1:00 PM on 710 KNUS –  Please let us know what you think of our program, either by commenting here or on Facebook at Connect & Collaborate with ICOSA or join the discussion on Twitter @ICOSAMagazine.

Business Roundtable Hails Introduction of Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Bill

America’s Business Leaders Urge Swift Congressional Approval of TPA Legislation to Advance U.S. Trade Agreements

Washington – Business Roundtable, representing CEOs of U.S. companies from every sector of the economy, today commended Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI) for their introduction of a bipartisan bill to update and renew Trade Promotion Authority (TPA). Approval of legislation to modernize TPA is a top priority for Business Roundtable.

“The United States is currently pursuing one of the most robust and diverse trade agendas in many years, so we urge Congress and the President to work together to enact TPA legislation as soon as possible,” said Tom Linebarger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Cummins Inc., and Chair, Business Roundtable International Engagement Committee.

“Trade Promotion Authority strengthens the hands of U.S. negotiators and will help ensure the best possible outcome in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, Trade in Services Agreement and future trade deals. These trade agreements provide enormous benefits to the United States by increasing the number of consumers for the products made in our country.”

Updating the 2002 TPA law also provides an important opportunity for Congress and the President to work together to shape a strategic vision and goals for U.S. trade policy.

“Creating opportunities for American companies to reach customers through 21st century trade agreements can help fuel our economy and keep the United States globally competitive,” Linebarger said. “Passing TPA as soon as possible is critical to helping create new trade and growth opportunities for the U.S. economy, supporting jobs for American workers and farmers and strengthening communities across the United States.”

As part of its TPA advocacy efforts, Business Roundtable leads theTrade Benefits America Coalition, a broad-based alliance of more than 250 business and agricultural associations and companies dedicated to the pursuit of U.S. trade agreements and passage of modernized TPA. To learn more, visit www.tradebenefitsamerica.org.

Business Roundtable released an economic growth agenda earlier this year that includes tax reform, expanded trade opportunities, immigration reform, fiscal stability and infrastructure investment. Learn more about the Business Roundtable position on Trade Promotion Authority here and our 2015 growth agenda here.

SpaceX CRS-6 Almost Sticks a Perfect Landing

SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft successfully carried more than 4,300 pounds of supplies to the International Space Station. A second feat of rocket science was attempted in the landing of the 1st stage of the Falcon 9 rocket on a platform in the ocean.

It was impressively close.

It's important to remember that the ascent part is still a magnificent achievement - those that might be tempted into thinking it's become routine need only to look at the recent Orbital Sciences explosion. The landing, however, would have been an exciting first for humanity.

If SpaceX can perfect this move, they will be able to reuse their rockets, rather than building a new one each time. Such an advancement would dramatically lower the cost of flying cargo (and people) into space.

Below is another angle of footage, this time it was filmed by a chaser plane - in slow-motion HD.

Check it out:

From SpaceX's website:

The odds of success are not great—perhaps 50% at best. However this test represents the first in a series of similar tests that will ultimately deliver a fully reusable Falcon 9 first stage.

Returning anything from space is a challenge, but returning a Falcon 9 first stage for a precision landing presents a number of additional hurdles. At 14 stories tall and traveling upwards of 1300 m/s (nearly 1 mi/s), stabilizing the Falcon 9 first stage for reentry is like trying to balance a rubber broomstick on your hand in the middle of a wind storm.

In the end, perhaps it's for the best that Elon Musk didn't stick his landing. His current twitter profile photo looks an awful lot like Dr. Evil. Plus there's this tweet remarking about the Falcon 9 landing.

If this works, I'm treating myself to a volcano lair. It's time.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 15, 2015

Joking about being an evil genius is the sort of thing an evil genius might do. Isn't it?

Income Tax Versus Consumption Tax: A Taxing Tale

Changing the U.S. income tax system to a consumption tax system is appealing. The Senate Finance Committee is considering the consumption-tax idea. It's thought that this method of taxing would boost economic growth. Consumption tax would tax money spent instead of income earned. John D. McKinnon further explains consumption tax in his article, "Tax Proposals Would Move U.S. Closer to Global Norm." Below is that article.

As lawmakers have examined a tax overhaul, “it becomes extremely difficult to see a political path to accomplish it” within the confines of the current income-tax system, said Sen. Ben Cardin (D., Md.), co-chairman of a Finance Committee working group negotiating a possible overhaul of business taxes.

As a result, the idea of a consumption tax “is getting a great deal more respect, and it is in the discussions,” he said.

Mr. Cardin introduced legislation last year to create a type of consumption tax known as a value-added tax and at the same time lower business taxes and scrap income taxes completely for lower-income Americans.

Republicans on the working group also are interested in the concept, including a proposal put forward recently by GOP Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Mike Lee of Utah. That plan would make several changes to the tax code that would move the nation closer to a consumption-based system.

Many GOP members “believe that there are economic benefits to moving away from taxation of income and toward taxation of consumption,” a Senate aide said. That includes Republican John Thune of South Dakota, co-chairman of the working group along with Mr. Cardin, the aide said.

As the name implies, consumption-style taxes hit the money taxpayers spend, rather than income they receive. One prominent feature of consumption systems is that they generally tax savings and investment lightly or not at all. That, in turn, encourages more investment and innovation, and ultimately more growth, many economists contend.

The U.S. tax system already has some features of a consumption system, such as tax-advantaged retirement-savings accounts and lower rates for investment income. In general, though, the consumption-tax proposals being floated would go much further.

The plans vary widely in their details. They include European-style value-added taxes, a type of sales tax that is collected along each stage of the production process; traditional sales taxes; and taxes on carbon-based pollution.

Some of these proposals would have consumers pay another tax in addition to existing state and local sales taxes, while others would merely reshape the current system to tilt it more toward consumption.

The discussions are in early stages. The likelihood that senators will agree on a consumption tax—or any major overhaul—in current negotiations remains slim. Introducing such a different tax system also brings the fear of the unknown.

Still, the talks open up a possible new direction in slow-moving discussions about rewriting the U.S. tax system. Enactment of a broad-based federal consumption tax would align the U.S. with a global trend. In the U.S., most of those taxes now are in the form of state and local sales taxes.

Until now, efforts in Congress to revamp the tax system largely have focused on rewriting the income-tax rules. The most prominent was a plan put forward last year by then-Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp (R., Mich.) that would have lowered rates for businesses and individuals while paring back deductions.

But that approach, some lawmakers contend, faced a basic mathematical problem, particularly on the business side: The U.S. corporate tax rate is the highest in the developed world, and lowering it substantially would require eliminating a large number of tax breaks to avoid adding to budget deficits. That could offset any economic benefit of lower rates.

Many experts believe moving to a consumption tax would ease the difficult policy task, at least on paper. While there is still lively debate about the relative merits of income and consumption taxes, some economists believe consumption taxes encourage more savings and lead to faster economic growth.

Some liberals are concerned that consumption taxes affect poor people disproportionately, while unduly benefiting the rich, unless adjustments are made. For their part, conservatives fear that some types of consumption tax—particularly value-added taxes—would make it too easy to dial up government revenue collection.

Some lawmakers also worry about the potential impact on the federal deficit, particularly if Congress relies too much on estimates of a future economic boost.

Both of the leaders of the tax-writing committees in Congress, Rep. Paul Ryan (R., Wis.) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R., Utah), say they are intrigued by the consumption-tax approach, while acknowledging some potential drawbacks.

“There’s a lot of merit” to a consumption-tax system, said Ryan spokesman Brendan Buck. As the House Ways and Means Committee thinks long-term about a tax overhaul, the consumption-tax approach is one that will be considered, he added.

The Obama administration declined to comment. President Barack Obama’s aides have been critical of some consumption-tax proposals, particularly sales-tax ideas that they view as unfair to lower- and middle-income households.

“I would not count on consumption-tax regimes to replace the income tax, given the need for [more] revenue,” said Harry Stein of the liberal Center for American Progress.

Write to John D. McKinnon at [email protected]

Connect & Collaborate - Development Progress

A vibrant community doesn't just happen. In Aurora, there are people working to recruit businesses, attract growth industries like aerospace and defense, and other efforts, all to ensure a healthy economy, and employment opportunities. Wendy Mitchell is the President of the Aurora Economic Development Council, with a focus on leading the city of Aurora to a prosperous future. The job is not without obstacles. One of Aurora's most promising development projects, the Gaylord Rockies hotel, conference center and water park, faced a tough battle over the implementation of tax incentives  under the Regional Tourism Act. A group of competing hotels brought a lawsuit against the Gaylord project, in attempts to slow it down and ultimately shut it down.

The battle was hard won, and Wendy joins us with details about the project moving forward, to break ground later this year.

Then, later in the show, we talk with Representative Beth McCann, House District 8. We will discuss her latest legislative efforts, including health care and bio-medical/ pharmaceuticals, criminal justice reform concerning juvenile offenders, and advocacy for human trafficking victims.

There is much more to talk about, not the least of which, her intentions to seek election to the Denver District Attorney's Office, which will become available when current D.A. Mitch Morrissey reaches term limit restrictions in 2016, the same time McCann's legislative career reaches term limits.

Listen Saturday at 1:00 PM on 710 KNUS –  Please let us know what you think of our program, either by commenting here or on Facebook at Connect & Collaborate with ICOSA or join the discussion on Twitter @ICOSAMagazine.

The Connection with Cuba (O La Conexión con Cuba)

The United States and Cuba, long frozen in a political stalemate lasting more than half a century, could finally be turning towards a more open and collaborative relationship with each other. This is exciting news for both citizens and businesses looking to travel, exchange culture and develop trade opportunities. On December 17, 2014 both Barack Obama and Raul Castro held simultaneous press conferences announcing their intention to begin normalizing diplomatic and trade relations. Given the deep and stormy history, reconnecting with Cuba serves as an important and symbolic step for connecting with the rest of Latin America.

While discussions likely started well before December, the administrations no doubt had this week in mind when they made their original announcement.  Starting Friday, April 10th is an important meeting for the entire Western Hemisphere: the Summit of the Americas hosted in Panama City.

In preparation for this week's summit and for an upcoming business trip, the Chamber of the Americas brought in an internationally renowned expert on US-Cuba relations, Arturo Lopez-Levy. In addition to being a professor on Latin American politics and comparative politics, the Cuban-American has in fact written the book on "Raul Castro and the New Cuba". ICOSA Media and the Colorado Business Roundtable would like to thank Gil Cisneros and Laura Frigo from the Chamber of the Americas for bringing in such a high caliber expert on this timely subject.

While the luncheon was not filmed, he covers a small selection of the same perspective below in this interview following the December 17th announcements. For future events and for information regarding the upcoming trip to Cuba, please visit http://www.chamberoftheamericas.com/

You can read more about US-Cuba relations from Arturo's perspective here or by following him on twitter @turylevy

Innovation and Technology

Modern economic growth is driven by innovation and technology. In partnership with the Colorado Business Roundtable, this issue of ICOSA Magazine explores some of these topics in an attempt to inform and inspire leaders here in Colorado and beyond.

Documentary Collection: Importing Veterinary Tools From Pakistan

Trade Acceptance, Bankers’ Acceptance, Draft, Collection, Letter Of Credit, Beneficiary

---

DOCUMENTARY COLLECTION: TRADE ACCEPTANCES

As in any business, trade buzzwords exist in the international arena and each has its own particular and sometimes peculiar meaning, such as “trade acceptances” and “bankers’ acceptances.” In keeping with the theme of this book, let’s develop some scenarios rather than furnish dry academic definitions.

EXTENDING CREDIT TERMS

An importer in the United States purchased veterinary tools from a supplier in Pakistan. He developed a high level of trust after several years of a satisfactory working relationship. As a result, the supplier extended 90 days terms to the importer.

The supplier wanted to strengthen his balance sheet to impress his banker in order to obtain financing. He requested an obligation from the buyer to provide something a little stronger than “foreign accounts receivable” on his financial records. At the time of each shipment, the supplier prepared typical shipping documents plus a draft drawn on the buyer payable in 90 days.

The supplier presented the draft with attached shipping documents to his bank on a collection basis. The supplier’s bank couriered the documents to the buyer’s bank in the United States, which then requested the buyer to acknowledge his obligation to pay in 90 days by accepting the draft. The bank stamped the face of the draft with a stamp which said, “Accepted,” and asked the buyer for a signature and date on the draft. At this point the buyer has a legal obligation to pay when it matures in 90 days.

TRADE ACCEPTANCES VS BANKERS' ACCEPTANCES

This is known as a “trade acceptance” to distinguish it from a “bankers’ acceptance,” drawn and accepted by a bank.

Bankers’ acceptances most commonly occur in letter of credit transactions. The terms of the letter of credit require the beneficiary to present a draft for acceptance and state that it is payable at some future date. When a bank accepts a draft, they obligate themselves to pay at maturity. Investors generally perceive that bankers’ acceptances carry less risk than trade acceptances. In fact, a secondary market exists for bankers’ acceptances, which allows investors to readily buy and sell them. No established secondary market exists for trade acceptances.

Leadercast 2015 - CMDR Rorke Denver

CMDR Rorke Denver

Navy SEAL Commander & Author

By Leadercast

Commander Rorke T. Denver has run every phase of training for the U.S. Navy SEALs and led special-forces missions in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and other international hot spots. He starred in the hit film Act of Valor, which is based on true SEAL adventures. His NY Times Bestseller, Damn Few: Making the Modern SEAL Warrior, takes you inside his personal story and the fascinating, demanding SEAL training program he oversaw. Some people are born to lead. Rorke Denver is one of those people. Throughout his 13-year career as a platoon commander and training leader with the Navy SEALS, he constantly found himself leading in the face of danger. Denver led more than 190 combat missions and never lost a member of his team. His amazing leadership and bravery led to him running all phases of U.S. Navy SEAL training. Rorke communicates about leadership with unparalleled passion and intensity, rooted in his desire to see everyone lead to the best of their ability.

Biography

 by CAA Speakers

Commander Rorke T. Denver has run every phase of training for the U.S. Navy SEALs and led special-forces missions in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and other international hot spots. He starred in the hit film Act of Valor, which is based on true SEAL adventures. His first book, Damn Few: Making the Modern SEAL Warrior, takes you inside his personal story and the fascinating, demanding SEAL training program he now oversees.

After completing the SEALs’ legendary Basic Underwater Demolition program in 1999 (BUD/S Class 224), Denver began an action-filled 13-year career as a platoon commander and training leader with America’s premier special-operations force. As assistant officer in charge of BRAVO Platoon at SEAL Team THREE, he was deployed to SOUTCOM, the Central and South American Area of Operations, where his platoon was the “alert” SEAL team for maritime interdiction, hostage rescue, counter-insurgency and counter-narcotics. As SEAL officer aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard, Denver led his group’s response to a murderous uprising in the Ivory Coast nation of Liberia, launching advanced-force operations, conducting hydrographic beach reconnaissance and helping to get U.S. Marines safely ashore. At Special Boat Team TWELVE, he started the Maritime Capable Air Deployable Boat Detachment, which specialized in parachuting large assault boats from U.S. aircraft.

In 2006, Denver was officer in charge of BRAVO Platoon of SEAL Team THREE in Iraq’s Al Anbar Province in one of the most combat-heavy deployments of any regular SEAL team since Vietnam. Stationed in Habbaniya, his team conducted more than 190 missions including sniper operations, direct assaults, special reconnaissance and ground patrols. Two of his teammates were killed in action, including Mike Monsoor, who received the Medal of Honor for jumping on a live grenade to save his teammates. Denver’s team has been widely credited with propelling the “Tribal Awakening” that helped to neutralize Iraq’s Shia insurgency. Denver was awarded the Bronze Star with “V” for valorous action in combat.

After returning to the United States, Denver was appointed flag lieutenant to Admiral Joseph Maguire, commanding officer of Naval Special Warfare, traveling to Afghanistan and briefing Congress on SEAL operations. In 2009, he became First Phase officer of SEAL Basic Training including Hell Week, then rose to Basic Training officer. He went on to run all phases of training including advanced sniper, hand-to-hand fighting, communications, diving and language.

Denver is an honor graduate of the United States Army Ranger School. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Syracuse University, where he was an All-American lacrosse player and captain of the varsity lacrosse team. He earned a Master’s Degree in Global Business Leadership from the University of San Diego. He lives with his wife and two young daughters in Colorado. In his off-duty hours, he enjoys surfing, hunting, fly-fishing, reading and playing on the living-room floor with his amazing girls.

Leadercast 2015 - Brave Moves for Boring Meetings

Leadercast is a brand that builds Leaders Worth Following. We believe that leadership is not reserved for those with a ‘C’ in their title. We need better leaders in our communities, businesses, organizations, and in homes across the world. Leadercast exists to serve individuals and organizations across all sectors who want to become intentional about raising their standard of leadership. Leadercast Live will be simulcast from KNUS 710 on May 8th.  Leadercast Live is a one-day leadership event broadcast from Atlanta to hundreds of locations globally.   Speakers include Rudy Giuliani, Aja Brown, Malala Yousafzai and Seth Godin. I took a look at the Leadercast website, and found an April's Fools day blog post titled, "Brave Moves for Boring Meetings," I had to share.  Below is that blog post.

We’ve all had to experience those terribly boring meetings where every ten minutes feels like an hour. Have you ever wondered what it would look like if someone actually acted upon some of the thoughts we’ve all had while sitting in one of those meetings? For April Fools Day, we put together a short video to show a lighter side of bravery with 10 bold moves you probably shouldn’t pull in your next meeting…

1. Obnoxiously send emails with your speaker volume up.
2. Bring fajitas for lunch.
3. Don’t know someone’s name? Just take a guess.
4. Tell them how you really feel.
5. I mean, if the donuts are free, just take seven. No one’s looking…
6. Synchronized pen clicking: The new way to annoy your boss.
7. Interrupt the meeting to encourage a nice team outing to the Cheesecake Factory.
8. Attach fundraising forms to the meeting agenda. A little hint never hurt anyone.
9. Arm wrestling: Hey, at least we learned Stan’s name! That’s a point for productivity, right?
10. Multitask with no shame. #SorryNotSorry

Now it’s your turn:

Have you experienced some bold moves in your meetings? Share it with us on Facebook. We will re-post our favorites!

To experience a different level of bravery and hear from some of the bravest leaders in sports, business, government and more, join Leadercast Live.

Letter of Credit: History of the Red Clause

Red Clause, Letter Of Credit, Beneficiary, Draft, Applicant

---

RED CLAUSE RESULTED IN $70,000 SAVINGS ANNUALLY

A US company importing mosaic ceramic tile sent an annual payment on January 1st to their Italian supplier for the entire year’s purchases. The supplier always performed and presented no obvious risk of nonperformance.

When the US company learned of the red clause letter of credit, they realized it could save them money. Issuing a red clause letter of credit to the supplier would enable them to borrow money from their own bank and pay interest instead of using the importer’s money interest free. After issuing a letter of credit with the red clause, they estimated that they saved $70,000 the first year.

WHY IS IT CALLED "RED CLAUSE?"

A red clause letter of credit, originally so called because of a clause printed in red ink on the face of the letter of credit, permits the beneficiary to obtain advance funds from the letter of credit with the intent to repay the funds at the time he presents documents for payment. The red clause typically restricts the advance to a certain percentage of the letter of credit, say 30%. When the beneficiary presents documents for payment, the bank uses 30% to repay the loan and the beneficiary receives the remaining 70%.

ORIGINS OF THE RED CLAUSE

Several versions of the history of the red clause letter of credit have circulated. Jim Harrington believed it began in the Philippine Islands. The Philippines established home-based businesses to produce lace tablecloths. Eager buyers filled a demand of a ready market in the United States. Buying agents would call on home-based businesses throughout the Philippine Islands agreeing with each to order a certain quantity of tablecloths.

The agents discovered they could get better prices by paying for a portion of the goods in advance because the households needed money for living expenses and also to purchase needles and thread to make the tablecloths. The red clause allowed the agent to borrow from the Philippine bank, pay the households and then store the tablecloths until he had enough to make a shipment and draw a draft against the LC. The proceeds of the draft paid off the borrowed money.

The applicant of the letter of credit should understand the risk: The beneficiary could get the advance and disappear with the money. In that case, the bank which made the advance has recourse to the applicant. As in any other transaction, a high level of trust reduces the risk.

Because of the risk, buyers rarely use red clause letters of credit. However, buyers such as the mosaic tile importer, who have to pay cash up-front, may consider the red clause letter of credit as a viable alternative.

In one of his workshops, Jim Harrington stated that he wanted to put to rest a myth. With a twinkle in his eye, he explained that the red clause has nothing to do with lobsters whose claws turn red when placed in boiling water.

Connect & Collaborate - Space Innovation

Colorado is home to some of the most innovative research in space exploration. The state ranks highest in the nation for private sector employment in the space industry. Even so, much of the work can go unnoticed by many of our residents. We at the Colorado Business Roundtable work to keep you informed of the many great companies and organizations making advancements in aerospace. This week we bring you an inside look at Sierra Nevada Corporation, and the latest on the upcoming Space Symposium.

Mark Sirangelo, Corporate Vice President of Sierra Nevada Corporation's Space Systems, joins us for a Pro-Business Colorado segment with Dave Tabor, from the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry. Mark shares inspiring stories about their work on space vehicles and other important components. SNC boasts 26 years in space, and has been a part of 425 missions, as the largest builder of small satellites. They make possible weather reporting systems which allow farmers to determine which areas of their land require watering, or helping firefighters determine the driest areas where forest fires might flare up, as well as asset tracking for companies like FedEx.

Another current project is a solar probe spacecraft to be launched close to the sun to monitor its' storms. Radiation from those storms have the potential to destroy the GPS satellites and other systems that we rely upon here on earth.  Sierra Nevada also anticipates in coming weeks, the arrival of New Horizions on Pluto, after 10 years of travel, at a speed of 20 thousand miles per hour.

Later in the show, we also check in with Edgar Johansson, President of the Colorado Space Business Roundtable about the upcoming Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, April 13-18th. The Space Symposium is a gathering of top aerospace scientists and engineers from around the world, discussing classified projects so it is not open to the public. But, if you want to indulge your or your child's interest in aerospace, get them registered for Yuri's night, leading up to the symposium on April 12th. Yuri's night is a celebration of the first human in space, Yuri Gagarin, who circled the earth on April Meet astronauts, and enjoy fun interactive activities. 12, 1961. Find more information and registration information here. Meet astronauts, and enjoy fun interactive activities.

Listen Saturday at 1:00 PM on 710 KNUS –  Please let us know what you think of our program, either by commenting here or on Facebook at Connect & Collaborate with ICOSA or join the discussion on Twitter @ICOSAMagazine.

The State of Immigration: U.S. is Far Behind in the Race for Global Talent

The Business Roundtable has found that the U.S. is Far Behind in the Race for Global Talent.

Based on a comprehensive examination of 10 advanced economies to identify and evaluate the best immigration policies to promote economic growth, the United States ranked 9th out of 10 competitor countries, ahead of only Japan, a country historically closed to outsiders.

This analysis found that America’s near-bottom ranking among major advanced economies is due to U.S. laws and regulations that impose unrealistic numerical limits and excessive bureaucratic rules on hiring workers that the country’s economy needs.

For example, while Germany has a high approval rate for skilled foreign workers, the US limits the number of H-1B visas so much so that they run out almost immediately. In fact, starting today, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services agency starts assigning H-1B visas for the year. By next week, the full 65,000 cap will be reached. Demand far outpaces supply.

This morning in the Wall Street Journal, Gary Beech writes about the issue. He, like many people on both sides of the political spectrum, is advocating for the removal of the H-1B visa cap. Start learning more about the arguments for and against this action by reading his full article here: http://blogs.wsj.com/cio/2015/04/01/remove-the-h1b-visa-cap/

It's a bipartisan opinion: let skilled, hardworking employees and entrepreneurs build their businesses here in America.

(Click the Business Roundtable graphic to view the full size)