The Experts

I am proud that Australia can now say that a woman has been Prime Minister. It would seem that Ms Gillard has all the credentials to be a politician. Time will tell if she has what it takes to be our top leader.

Like many people, I look for things that go beyond the rhetoric, promises and spin. I’ve learnt over the years not to trust politicians – sad as it is to say that. I try to work out my own way to determine whether a person has what it takes to get my vote and stamp of approval. I’ve never met Julia Gillard so my opinion is based purely on what I watch on TV and what I read in newspapers, etc.

However, I did have a brush with her one day and it has stuck in my gut ever since. I was in a private airport lounge walking along a corridor where there were no other people nor any distractions. We were just two women walking in opposite directions. Both of us were dressed in business attire. Both of us could be described as determined types, looking like we’re always on a mission!

When I saw the then-deputy PM coming towards me, I tried to make eye contact with her – I was hoping just to nod and smile with that familiarity that us common folk (Kevin Rudd taught me that phrase!) have when we see a well-known figure.

Ms Gillard kept her eyes firmly fixed in front of her and made no attempt to make eye contact or give any semblance of an idea that she felt another woman passing her – let alone an Australian whom she represents. Her chin was pointing skyward in that way I’ve often seen in photos – trouble was, there was no camera in this corridor so she did no more than hold her head high and walk on by.

When other women ask me what I think of her, I tell them this story. I wonder why she did that – big issues of state must have been on her mind.

It kind of reminded me of the way Kevin Rudd ignored Kristina Keneally. Funny that.

Important information:This content has been prepared without taking account of the objectives, financial situation or needs of any particular individual. It does not constitute formal advice. For this reason, any individual should, before acting, consider the appropriateness of the information, having regard to the individual’s objectives, financial situation and needs and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.

It’s not surprising what’s happened today with what I’ve seen happening to politicians.

A few years ago, we produced a TV series and a glossy magazine promoting the achievements of women in business. We gave it the title Ms Entrepreneur and it attracted great publicity – you can still see the trailer at www.msentrepreneur.com.au.

The support for Ms Entrepreneur came from a variety of sources and those who made the decision to back this initiative financially were all men – except for two strong supporters, Julie Bishop, when she was Minister, and Fran Bailey, when she was Minister for Small Business and Tourism. Julie Bishop supported Fran in her desire to give women entrepreneurs more of a profile.

This is something I often write about – there are so few women out there who we can look to as role models and those who are there are often so reluctant to have stories written about them — and as far as coming on Peter’s TV show is concerned, well, they are as scarce as hen’s teeth. Don’t ask me why or I’ll get side-tracked: too fat, too busy, don’t have anything to say... the excuses go on and on. If you scroll down our website www.switzer.com.au and see all men, don’t think it’s because we want it this way.

With Julie Bishop’s great support, the Federal Office for Women got right behind our idea as well and were great to work with and loved what we did.

The initiative was successful but just before we launched the magazine, there was a change of government. Fortunately, Tanya Plibersek, who replaced Julie Bishop, was happy to participate and I remember going to her offices in Surry Hills to interview her.

She was terrific when I went along with a camera person who took some great photos. I remember the Minister distinctly said that she didn’t want to have a make-up person there, which we offered, and the photo taken was so naturally beautiful. I was struck by how real she seemed to be. She came along to the launch as well and I was equally impressed.

Now, as I said, this was early days of the Federal Labor government.

A few months on, I went to Canberra to talk to the relevant public servant about continuing on with this initiative and was hopeful that we could again get a small amount of government support while we grew the idea with more corporate backing.

I still vividly remember meeting the replacement of the person I’d been dealing with initially – she was what I would call a person who was rapidly losing the colour of life.

I proudly went through what we had done and achieved in terms of raising awareness about women entrepreneurs. The strange look on her face puzzled me but what came next was more perplexing.

In the magazine, we had represented a cross section of women – every shape and colour – and they all looked strong and glam in their own way. This, though, is what my public servant friend said she didn’t like. She said that if the Government was to support this project for a short time again she wanted women who were more average looking and who had not quite achieved as much as our ‘stars’ because that would intimidate other women. Holy cow! She kept going along this line but she was rapidly losing me – she just didn’t get it.

When I look for inspiration, I look to people who have achieved more than me – not to people on my level or those who are works in progress. I shelved the project.

Now, back to Plibersek. The other night I was watching TV and, all of a sudden, Mr Rudd is ranting into a microphone, putting in his two pence worth about some piece of irrelevance that sounded like it was written by his spin doctors or those trio of men in their early 30s who were touted as being on Rudd’s inner circle.

And there in the background was ‘noddy’ Tanya Plibersek – looking all glam, now with her make-up and pearls, but looking so ridiculously unreal as she kept nodding her head and mouthing the word ‘yes’ at everything her fearless leader said. Haven’t you changed, I thought, and are you aware of what a phony you look like? She looked like she had been dragged out as the token women behind the man. Pity she didn’t have an inner ear to the PM to tell him how fake he was – and how his team were catching the disease.

Who is putting politicians up to this head-nodding? And the women – the new PM included - are doing it more than the men! Is this some new way of telling us voters that the team is united and backing their leader? You know, politicians really do take us for fools, particularly as we now know in reality there was such division in the camp.

Let’s hope the Gillard gang go back to the future. They need some seriously experienced real people like in days of old who tell them they look damn stupid and to get more grounded, stop the lies, stop the acting and do what they’re paid to do – lead this country.

I’m just one Aussie who’s fed up with fakes and spin doctors – get the public relations people out of Canberra and start dealing honestly with the public who put them there. Let’s hope our first female PM gets real.

Important information:This content has been prepared without taking account of the objectives, financial situation or needs of any particular individual. It does not constitute formal advice. For this reason, any individual should, before acting, consider the appropriateness of the information, having regard to the individual’s objectives, financial situation and needs and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.

A couple of years ago I was renovating a house in the eastern suburbs of Sydney – an old Victorian home that needed to be unshackled from ugly layers that had built up over the years. Its bones were good. If you’re an architecture lover like me, you’d see the beauty in the craftmanship of old houses – the curves, patterns and the balance that’s often lost in modern homes. I dealt with tradesmen on the building site, though two of the three architects engaged in the total building process were women, very attractive women. The other young architect was a flamboyant gay guy, highly creative but extremely eccentric for his years.

On site, the tradesmen treated the three architects poorly – behind their backs, of course. Because the women were good looking they received due attention and a host of comments after they’d left – none of which need to be repeated. Comments like this could be blocked by Kevin Rudd’s new filter!

The tradesmen were basic blokes not too long out of the trees but with every comment that either the architects made, or I made for that matter, they had this look on their faces that they were dealing with dumb women, and yes, unfortunately, dumb blondes. The gay guy they thought was a joke. When I’d stop to consider how something was progressing, they’d think it was because I didn’t know what I was doing but in fact they’d often do work in such a ramstam, bull-at-a-gate manner that it ended up being wrong and had to be redone. But they always made out that it was me. I was a woman. I didn’t know what I was doing and shouldn’t be on a building site.

So dealing with blokes on the building site was one thing. I always tried to be polite to them, despite their complete rudeness to me, based on my belief that they had limited life experience. But this dumb woman thing extended beyond the building site right into the stores that sold building supplies. Let me give you an example.

I needed door hardware, in particular certain door handles and locks that were made in France. I drove to a specialty hardware shop. I remember walking into the store and became a little overwhelmed at the variety of locks, handles, escutcheons – you name it, there was so much choice. So I took my time trying to work out exactly what I needed. I didn’t want to waste time having to come back to the store again if I got the wrong device. Then what appeared to be the owner of the store came over and told me to (and I quote) “Get out of his f---ing shop”. He said I was only a woman and didn’t know what I was doing so just “f--k off”. I had someone with me who can verify this! (Later, someone told me that he was going through a divorce and was pretty angry towards women!)

OK, now what I am going to say next might shock or annoy some people but this man was the only supplier of this door hardware in the country and I needed to get the house locked up. So I sent a man down to get these things and just forget about this ignoramus. I wanted those locks!

But, shock horror, the other day I needed to get another one of these locks. I had no choice but to go back. Three years had gone by and I was sure he wouldn’t remember me. And the memory-challenged sap didn’t. I got out of the store with the lock without insult. “Hmmm,” I thought. “Times could be changing.” Got into my nifty little car, feeling good with the security device beside me and proceeded to drive onto the airport to pick up Peter. In the rear vision mirror I could see a white semi trailer looming down on me, with horn bellowing. I checked my speed, I was in the slow lane anyway and just kept driving. He wouldn’t get off my tail and was putting real pressure on me to speed. When we came up to the red lights I stopped and he took the left turning lane. Then he half fell out of his window with his fingers gesticulating skyward and yelled “Get off the f+*#king road you dumb f---k”.

Talk about Meet the Fockers! But where do men get off screaming abuse like this at women? Is this still coming through our schools, the television shows that I don’t watch or is it being passed on genetically? There are so many Neanderthals out there that I can’t help but think there must be some missing link in our schools. Society really needs to go through extensive renovations.

Important information:This content has been prepared without taking account of the objectives, financial situation or needs of any particular individual. It does not constitute formal advice. For this reason, any individual should, before acting, consider the appropriateness of the information, having regard to the individual’s objectives, financial situation and needs and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.

Has anyone stopped to think what the Reserve Bank is really up to in dropping interest rates last year and then raising them so much and so often a few months later?

I remember studying economics years ago at school with a teacher who couldn’t in all truth tell a supply curve from a demand curve.  But because we were very much programmed to memorise textbooks like Brown’s Economics and some of Samuelson’s tome I made it through the HSC exam OK. My understanding of economics was zero but I could pick the right curves!

I ended up doing three years of Economics at University. In third year, there were six of us in the class and our professor at the University of New South Wales, Dr Fu Chi Lui was excellent.

Somewhere along this study path, I came into contact with the role of the Reserve Bank – it went something like this: “The Reserve Bank Board's duty stated in the Act is to ensure the Bank's monetary and banking policy is used to help the Australian population, particularly with the economic prosperity and welfare of the people of Australia”.

Over the last few months I’ve seen a lot of Australians looking stressed by the last five rate rises since October and anxious about the probable onslaught of more rises. And I’m talking real stress and panic here. Remember, before the falls last year, Australian borrowers were forking out big money due to continually increasing rates so there’s been a history of interest rate pain.

A couple of things I know about interest rate policy – first, it works with a lag, which means they can raise interest rates today but it could take six months or more to work. Second, because of the lags, it is always guesswork how many rises are needed. That’s why with the last increase economists were split 50:50 on the increase – some said the RBA would raise but they shouldn’t! So when we hear economists predict a rise, not all of them are saying there should be one. More correctly, they are second-guessing what the RBA will do. It could be said that these people who make up the RBA board are effectively playing Russian roulette with Australians’ incomes and lifestyles.

I didn’t watch the Bank’s governor do his public relations stunt recently but I did do a little digging of my own to see the type of people who make these decisions that are supposed to help us Aussies.

Now, to my knowledge, no woman has ever been a governor of the Reserve Bank since its inception in 1960 and certainly not in its previous life as part of the Commonwealth Bank. And as I look through the list of current board members, there are three ex officio members – Glenn Stevens, Rick Battellino and Ken Henry. There are also six external members – five men and one woman, Jillian Broadbent, who has been on the board since 1998 and whose term ends in 2013! That’s the longest term that I could see for any of these Reserve six – does that mean that once you get a woman on board you don’t want to lose them?!

My final question is – how can any board make decisions in the best interests of the Australian population when there is one woman on the board?

I think I was the only woman in my final year university economics class of six students, but we’re not living in the seventies now.

Important information:This content has been prepared without taking account of the objectives, financial situation or needs of any particular individual. It does not constitute formal advice. For this reason, any individual should, before acting, consider the appropriateness of the information, having regard to the individual’s objectives, financial situation and needs and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.

Important information:This content has been prepared without taking account of the objectives, financial situation or needs of any particular individual. It does not constitute formal advice. For this reason, any individual should, before acting, consider the appropriateness of the information, having regard to the individual’s objectives, financial situation and needs and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.

Not only was the eminent Alexander Graham Bell credited with inventing the first practical telephone, the following quote is also attributed to this man of science:

“When one door closes, another door opens, but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.”

How true this is in business. We so often preoccupy ourselves with contracts or clients lost that we fail to see another and even better opportunity staring us in the face. And we waste valuable time and energy on grieving or moaning what’s gone, rather than being recharged by the prospect of a new arrival. The more experience I get in business – and along with that comes more knockbacks – the more I put into practice the words of Andrea Bocelli, “Time to say goodbye”.

Life continually shows me that no sooner have you said goodbye to the client, friend or family member who simply does not value you, they are replaced by someone who can’t believe their luck in finding you! So many people waste their time and therefore their life on futile relationships that cause nothing but stress and anxiety. Even if the dollars are there, do you really want to spend your days in a situation that makes you little more than a harbinger of someone else’s problems?

Here are some tips if you ever have to decide to do a Fleetwood Mac and “break the chain”:

1. Take a look at the troublesome relationship. Write down what you value about the relationship.
2. In another column, list the ‘baggage’ that comes with it. What don’t you like about this twisted mess you’re in?
3. Take a look at what you’ve written down. Is the negative side outweighing the positive? Some people have ingrained patterns of behaviour just like a man who hits a woman — they are simply not going to change.
4. Work out the dollar value of the business – what are you actually receiving from this client? Is that money really worth the stress and resultant anxiety that you’re going through?
5. Think of what the stress is doing to you, your business and to those who care for you.
6. Take yourself out of the situation. Have the courage to walk away. There are so many relationships where people are trapped in a revolving door. Break the cycle and get out.
7. Stop thinking, talking, dissecting, evaluating, mourning and torturing yourself about the loss. It’s over. Move on. Comfort yourself with the knowledge and inner belief that you have given your very best and you have been undervalued and not appreciated. Perhaps when you’re long gone, the one with the problem might realise what they’ve lost. Too late. Don’t let them back!

I know this sounds analytical but I remember what Jack Welch, the former CEO of GE, said when he was explaining why he sacked 10 per cent of his staff every year. He said he did this because he wanted the best people in his organisation. He added that he often received thanks from those he let go when they found another job where they were happy and more productive. If you’re unhappy, you don’t get the best out of yourself, your career or your business.

Now pick up the telephone (courtesy of Mr Bell). Make calls and connect with people who will fill the void on your profit and loss statement. Set yourself up for future success. You do need to be proactive and get yourself out in the world. In our business we knock on doors to find new contracts but I am always amazed the way doors magically seem to quietly slide open not too long after we’ve closed one that needed to be shut.

Important information:This content has been prepared without taking account of the objectives, financial situation or needs of any particular individual. It does not constitute formal advice. For this reason, any individual should, before acting, consider the appropriateness of the information, having regard to the individual’s objectives, financial situation and needs and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.

We produced an excellent title for a very large organisation about seven years ago and everyone at Switzer working on the project put their heart and soul into it. The result was a roaring success and the company won accolades for this, with their staff rewarded handsomely for such a fine result, or so we heard. They had approached us with a set budget, stratospheric expectations and that certain manner that is worn by those working for companies at the big end of town – you know, 'we’re BIG and you’re small and this is a great opportunity for you to be working with us'. They returned another time with another project – less money and even higher expectations after the success of the last. We obliged – this time a little cautious that we were perhaps falling into a discount pattern but we again produced an outstanding product. No further work ensued and the reasons why were the usual ones – budget cut backs, taking the business in a different direction, staff changes and other companies have been appointed. I know the story well.

However we had produced great products and we could show other clients what we could do for them – so we used these products as examples of our work when we were talking to other prospects. I remember the following story so well with one of them.

We had a meeting booked with a big four accounting firm with senior people from their marketing team. We showed our work and explained what we could do for them as we had identified a need for them for our product. I offered two of our books to the senior marketing person as gifts as she had said that her husband owned a small business. She turned to her assistant and told her to take these books to their internal design team. I didn’t know until then that they had an internal design team and I remember wondering why this instruction was given – and in front of me! I had been so explicit in what we could do for them, lured in by their love of our idea and not thinking for one moment that a big four accounting organisation would take us for a ride.

Time passed and despite our follow ups with this marketing person, we heard nothing. Some time later I opened an envelope from our former banker. Inside was a book – the very book that we had suggested to the accounting firm. The two organisations had paired up to produce this book that was promoting an award run by the accounting company – and the book, without word of a lie, looked exactly like the Switzer book. I was taken aback.

I never did anything although I did feel like writing to the two CEOs telling them that their marketing departments were doing things that I believed were unethical and not in line with what each organisation publicly states about ethics and fair dealing. But I didn’t. You get distracted by this sort of thing and I run a business that needs to have revenue flow in the door, not have me engaged with legal/ethical/moral debates.

Then the other day I read a press release put out by the Federal Small Business Minister Craig Emerson on unconscionable conduct and I said to Peter (Switzer), “You should have him on your TV show and make a real song and dance about this because these big end of town companies have all these supposed policies about being ethical and all they really do is rip small businesses off in whatever way they can and they don’t give a toss.”

Anyway, the invitation is out for the Minister to come on the show – and maybe we can then get this bullying big business issue out for public debate because I know I’m getting tired of hearing the line about how small business is the backbone of this country from the very governments and big end of town players who keep kicking small operators up the proverbial – just because they can.

Important information:This content has been prepared without taking account of the objectives, financial situation or needs of any particular individual. It does not constitute formal advice. For this reason, any individual should, before acting, consider the appropriateness of the information, having regard to the individual’s objectives, financial situation and needs and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.

February has been a run of meetings with really capable business owners – all women. They’ve ranged from day spa operators, occupational therapists, software designers to farmers and retailers. Despite the diversity of industries, they’ve had one thing in common — they all knew they needed help and weren’t afraid to admit it. Like any business owner, they’re all risk takers but they’re doing far too much technical work pushing them to the edge of burnout.

Let me tell you a story about one of these clever women, whose brother I first met a while back. He really admires his sister and glowingly talked about her business success, but was quick to add that she needed help as her business was bursting at the seams — you know, when the stitching starts to show or the buttons start popping. I said I’d be happy to have a chat with her and we met up.

I liked her instantly. 100 per cent empathy. Watched her pretty face which was starting to show signs of strain as she explained her self-confessed mess. Now I said in last week's blog that I’m a listener rather than a talker, but as she looked so tired, I quickly turned the tables and told her my story, hoping that she’d see herself in the mirror. For years I pushed myself in business, I told her, telling myself all the time that next month would be easier, just another year like this and all will be well – until life threw a few obstacles in my way making me realise that it was time to change. I love this line: “Don’t wish it was easier, wish you were smarter”. Most of us refuse to get smart and we fool ourselves again and again that we can get by, it’ll be OK, tomorrow.

To me, getting help with your business is just like getting help with living a full and mature life. Most of us don’t get that either. We find it scary, even though we know inside that we should be getting counselling with our marriages, or seeking guidance on how to raise our teenage children, or even therapy on how to deal with death or divorce. But we avoid getting proper help. We go to a doctor, maybe, and get a pill to relieve depression or anxiety – and that might work, for a while. In business, we go to some motivational event or read business books like The Four-Hour Work Week (I must read that!) and just like the pills, for a few days, months or years if we’re really lucky, the stress dissipates. But it always returns.

We Aussies often have a very real fear of deconstructing our lives via personal therapy because of the stigma attached. It’s the same in business. We avoid business therapy (coaching) because it might seem too hard or too expensive, or too embarrassing to admit we don’t know what we’re doing, or it’s all getting too much.

I gave this woman two of our business magazines when she left. They’re full of great information.

“Great as they are, these magazines are like a pill,” I said. “They’ll help you for a while. But one day you’re going to have to put your business on the lawn and really sort it out.”

This woman wasn’t afraid to admit she needed help. Her next step will be harder – reaching out and actually getting it. And that’s such a hard step because you have to untangle the person from the business – toss out all the crazy parts and build some really solid foundations. Some business guru once said: “Find out what you need. Find out the price. Pay the price.” I don’t remember where I first read these words, but I do know that I act on them.

Important information:This content has been prepared without taking account of the objectives, financial situation or needs of any particular individual. It does not constitute formal advice. For this reason, any individual should, before acting, consider the appropriateness of the information, having regard to the individual’s objectives, financial situation and needs and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.

I was in a meeting this week where the numbers were eight men and two women, myself included. Naturally, I won’t go into details of the gathering but one matter does need airing because it’s indicative of the uphill battle women in business face.

The other woman in the party of 10 shows little business acumen. Still, the group is supportive and I like to think that I listen and give valuable insights that may help her. It’s all part of the merry-go-round of learning how to survive and hopefully thrive in what can be a tough game – running your own enterprise.

Then this woman let out a real gem in front of the entire group. She’s probably approaching 40 and you’d think she should know better. Out of the mouth of this babe came these words:

“I’d much prefer to deal with men in business because they say things that really help me, unlike women. All they do is talk and talk.”

Now if I were thin-skinned, I could have taken offence at her comment.

I was the only other woman in the room and I’ve never had the reputation of falling into the ‘talk and talk’ category. I wouldn’t have been part of the growth of the Switzer Group if that was the case. If anything, people regard me as a listener, and I try to drop appropriate comments if I feel they have value. While I didn’t take this as a personal affront, I was taken aback and couldn’t stop myself from saying to her, “On average, I think successful women in business are no less focused or talk any more than successful men.”

Perhaps I could have said something more profound. But the adrenalin was running and I did my best from saying something I’d rather not. I certainly didn’t want to say anything that would give off the air that a catfight could occur. It was the best I could think of at the time.

Should I have stayed mute? What else could I have said? I’m still not sure about these answers. All I know is that I’ve worked very hard to advance the cause of women in business because I know what an uphill battle it has been for me to be recognised over the years.

You know, being in a meeting where men don’t listen to what you say until some turkey picks up your idea, repeats it and then gets lavished with praise for it! And let me not forget the parade of bank managers, insurance brokers, real estate agents, car salesmen and government departments – the list could go on – that I’ve had to do battle with over the years so I could be seen as having equal value as my husband.

And just when you feel that you’re making some headway with the boys’ brigade, in comes this misguided girl who, in front of the men, does a massive put down of women.

The trouble is, this isn’t an isolated example. You know, the court is out about whether men are more focused, and who talks more, but one thing’s for sure – men show far more solidarity to each other than what I’ve seen women show. Something’s gotta give.

Important information:This content has been prepared without taking account of the objectives, financial situation or needs of any particular individual. It does not constitute formal advice. For this reason, any individual should, before acting, consider the appropriateness of the information, having regard to the individual’s objectives, financial situation and needs and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.

I have news! It’s about our business expansion! Switzer has acquired a title that is well respected in the beauty and fashion world – RUSSH magazine.

The opportunity presented itself via phone from Sydney the very day we were walking back to Manhattan over the Brooklyn Bridge. I mentioned this inspirational walk in last week’s blog. The bridge itself is such a fine architectural structure and the lateral view of Manhattan is breathtaking.

Looking at New York from such a different angle (with mobile pressed to my ear) had a far-reaching effect on me. Our stable of books and magazines had never included fashion and beauty. We’re edging into lifestyle via this website but the opportunity to take on this coveted magazine, which has an international cult following, held appeal. In the many years I’ve run a publishing business, our constant aim has been to produce excellence in design and editorial – but moving the business in this direction needed consideration.

Pausing on one of the iconic bench seats so often photographed, I let my mind examine the decades I’ve been in business. The right side of the brain was committed to this new venture – the left side was giving me all the reasons not to do it!

And then two overwhelming experiences rose up in my memory as I fixed my eyes on the dual icons of the Chrysler building and the Empire State.

We have always specialised in business and finance publishing. We are, and always will be, committed to our clients and to developing long-term relationships. One of our core values is to respect and support our clients. But no matter how hard we’ve tried over the years and how much work we have done, we have lost business because of the internal decisions of a ‘Johnny come lately’.

My team here once supported an association that was going through the most appalling internal chaos that would have totally shocked its members if they’d known. Through all this, like a rock, we stuck by them, going beyond the call of duty.

Then, enter a real Johnny right through the door tagged ‘I am totally into me’. Exit the loyal publisher. Where does the much loved (by us) business magazine end up? In a house that publishes digital and video game magazines! So much for all our knowledge and experience of business and finance!

Next story. We work with a client for two years agreeing to discounted prices, all the time lured by their ‘promises’ of being seriously considered for their publication when it came up for tender. Were we seriously considered? No! another Johnny moves in via the same door as the last and this business publication ends up in the stable of fashion and beauty magazine house!

At this point of my extended time on the Brooklyn Bridge bench, the lights (literally) came on in the Empire State Building. Simultaneously, my right brain lit up and overtook its more rational side. ‘It’s time for Switzer to diversify’ seemed to blaze across the Manhattan skyline. I saw my business differently that day, and now it’s time to do things differently.

We will always be business and finance experts. We’ve worked hard for 30 years to develop this knowledge and niche. But as the trolleys laden with fashion items and beauty products are wheeled past my desk by the endless parade of couriers, it’s exciting to contemplate the future.

As they say, there’s nothing more powerful than brains and beauty.

Important information:This content has been prepared without taking account of the objectives, financial situation or needs of any particular individual. It does not constitute formal advice. For this reason, any individual should, before acting, consider the appropriateness of the information, having regard to the individual’s objectives, financial situation and needs and, if necessary, seek appropriate professional advice.