Diterbitkan oleh mingguan Kontan, 23-29 Januari 2012
Artikel-artikel saya bisa dijumpai di Kontan setiap 2 minggu sekali.
oleh Jennie S. Bev
Jika melihat harga property yang kian melambung di kota-kota besar di Indonesia, terselip sebuah pertanyaan. Apakah kita sedang memompa property bubble? Aset property di kawasan premium misalnya, mudah menikmati kenaikan harga (capital gain) 50% sampai 100% dalam setahun.
Mari kita bandingkan dengan ketika pecahnya bubble properti di Amerika Serikat (AS).
Di AS, (proses pecahnya) property bubble mulai terjadi tahun 2007 dan meledak pada 2008 yang ditandai dengan runtuhnya Lehman Brothers dan AIG. Setidaknya tujuh juta sampai sembilan juta aset properti telah disita bank (foreclosed) sejak tahun 2007 sampai detik ini dengan asumsi 1,5 juta sampai 2,5 juta per tahun. Tidak terhitung jutaan lagi aset property yang dijual secara short sale alias jual rugi, dan bank terpaksa menyerap kerugian itu. Sebab, nilai jualnya rendah dibandingkan sisa piutang. [click to continue…]
[This article was previously published in The Jakarta Post, January 22, 2012.
Republished in The Malaysian Insider, January 22, 2012.]
by Jennie S. Bev, Northern California
The Lunar New Year falls on Jan. 23, 2012, marking the start of the Year of the Dragon — a year of courage, prosperity, love and cooperation. With such a rosy expectations, the end of the world is likely not going to occur this year.
The current economic downturn may ease up a bit as well. People of Chinese heritage worldwide are likely going to celebrate this special day merrily and for a total of 15 days.
We can expect to hear loud firecrackers, see a lot of bright red clothes, watch the famous dragon dance and eat the delicious Nian Gao rice cake and roast pork. Children expect you to give out ang pao or “red envelopes,” so make sure your pocket is full of them. Chinese New Year, or Imlek, is a joyous occasion and gives us hope for a better tomorrow.
Let’s extend a sincere Happy New Year to each other by saying, “Xin Nian Kuai Le.”
[click to continue…]
by Jennie S. Bev on January 17, 2012
in eBook
JA Konrath and Dean Wesley Smith have proven that “starving writer” is a myth. Konrath earned $100,000 in 3 weeks from his Kindle ebooks. Smith makes more than enough to make a very good living in USA with his 90+ books and their derivatives.
Konrath’s Amazon KDP account screenshot (click to enlarge):
Read Smith’s arguments here or below:
Where else does this myth come from?
Duh? The answer is simple. It comes from all the people who are, for one reason or another, simply too afraid to try mailing out their fiction regularly to places who buy it. Or too afraid to put the stories up electronically. Or only have one novel up and are wondering why they are not selling like Konrath. Or writers trapped in the agent myth, rewriting book after book for an employee.
For all those writers, it would be impossible to make a living at writing fiction. And thus, when you talk to them about making money, they are telling you the truth. [click to continue…]
Just applied to Knight Fellowship. There is always the first time in everything.
Please pray for me. Thank you.
[Perviously published in Kontan 2-8 January 2012.]
oleh Jennie S. Bev
Kita baru saja memasuki tahun 2012. Awan kegelapan masih menaungi Amerika Serikat (AS) dan mengintai Eropa. Beberapa negara Asia mulai terkena imbas krisis ekonomi global, seperti China dan India. Bagaimana dengan prospek Indonesia? Benarkah pertumbuhan akan tinggi atau malah terseret ke dalam pusaran krisis?
Saya tercenung ketika para analis dan ekonom penuh optimistis memandang Black Friday yang jatuh pada 25 November 2011 atau sehari setelah Thanksgiving. Sebab, sebagai pemilik bisnis, ‘Hari Belanja’ itu tidak membawa revenue ekstra. Saya mencoba menghibur diri dengan berpikir, mungkin jenis usaha yang saya jalankan sedang lesu di akhir tahun.
Terbukti, beberapa hari setelah data-data yang masuk via POS (Point of Sale) dianalisis secara nasional, pertumbuhan bulan November di AS hanya 0,2% atau lebih rendah dari Oktober yang 0,6%. Padahal, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, dan musim belanja menjelang Natal sudah lama dijadikan barometer tingkat kepercayaan konsumen yang mempengaruhi pergerakan ekonomi sektor riil.
Di sisi lain, angka pengangguran nasional AS bulan November 8,6% atau turun dari 0,4% pada Oktober. Namun, ini bukan angka sebenarnya, karena tidak menghitung orang yang sudah habis masa pengambilan unemployment benefit bulanan (semacam pesangon) serta tidak menghitung para underemployed (pekerja paruh waktu). Termasuk tidak menghitung para wirausahawan yang membayar self-employed tax. [click to continue…]
by Jennie S. Bev on January 6, 2012
in Jennie
[This article was previously published in The Jakarta Post, January 3, 2012.]
by Jennie S. Bev
The year 2012 is here. Is it a time to celebrate or to get ready for another calamity? The United States started this economic implosion in 2008; next was Europe; now India and China have been showing signs of declining growth.
Obama has failed Americans with his inability to uplift the economy and increase jobs by over-expanding the government, over-spending, and under-performing. 2011 presented a gloomy picture for the western part of the world.
Whether 2012 will be a better year for the global economy, no one knows for sure. Most notable economists like Paul Krugman, Robert Reich, Michael Spence, Joseph Stiglitz and Nouriel Roubini agreed that 2012 would offer a 50-50 chance of global and US recession. So, at this point, whether you’re an optimist or a pessimist, you have an equal standing. [click to continue…]
I have a few business success “formulas” that I’ll share in my memoir on being a self-made person. Two of them are:
- Not only diversify, but create 100 unbeatable products per business line, at least 20% will become cash cows.
- Create 10 (at least) streams of income consisting no.1.
Financial success is guaranteed. No doubt. 20% of the streams will be your 80% of income. Worst come to worst, 1% of them will be best sellers. Key is very strong stamina to keep fighting in the Ultimate Marathon of Life/Business. And do it with a lot of smart, wit, and desire to annihilate BS and unfairness.
Adhere to social responsibility. Minimize social costs, maximize social benefits.
Click to enlarge. Make sure your skills are usable in 2020, so upgrade them now!
December 1st, 24 more days to Christmas. A special day in the midst of on-going global recession. It’s still a time to be merry.
As usual, I’ll be busy with year-end business activities (accounting, taxes, renewals, etc). On top of that, I have several book manuscripts being written and a few more to edit.
A friend asked, “What are you writing, Jen?” I answered, “I always have something to write. Next question, please.”
If Barbara Cartland could write and publish 732 books in her lifetime, Isaac Asimov 500+ and Jane Yolen 300, I sure can follow their footsteps.
(Photo Courtesy: Stan Richards)
The keyword is “impactful.” I’m writing about making an impact. It took me a while to find the appropriate term for what I was referring to. “Impactful” it is.
We all need to create an impact with our lives, big or small, far or near. If you know the sure way to create an impact, would you do it? I know I would, because I’m willing to take risks and to make calculated steps to minimize those risks.
Sometimes it takes a big push to see how far we can go and how big an impact we can create. Now is the time and I have arrived.
