Friday, September 23, 2005

MRE's (Meals Ready to Eat)

I need some MRE's for my business and I'm going to buy a few thousand
to get a better price. I need to find groups/orgs/businesses/gov'ts
to buy what I don't need. These are complete meals with a shelf life
of up to 10 yrs. Great for camping and disaster preparedness. Not
firmed up yet, but guess price will be around $6/meal. Any ideas on
finding buyers would be appreciated. I'll ship from Oakland/Berkeley,
CA. Larry Guillot 510-558-3299.


Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Why Don't they ...

Folks,

Here are another couple of ideas anyone can steal from me...

1. I was discussing katrina and relief efforts with an ER doctor when i
mentioned i would like a "Finder" GPS system that would find me in a disaster
and
deliver a gallon of water, a few MRE's, a gas mask and Smith & Wesson Police
Special. One pays a small monthly premium and the company delivers (via
helicopter?) in case of disaster. He laughed and said he had a friend who had
just
such a business, but all they do is locate you, and tell others. Well that
might make others happy, but I still will need my CARE package. So that is
open.

2. I submit to searches at the airport not because I am afraid of what al
qaeda can do to me, but because I am afraid of the government can do to me.
Nonetheless, first class is no longer up front on an airliner, it is now private
jet. (Up front is called frequent flier). There is a new 6 seater jet coming
onto the market with a price that will make "air taxis" as cheap as airliner
first class. Luftansa is gearing up for that, so expect Virgin and all others
to do so as well. They don't have to submit to govt searches. I expect to
see nobodies take on the major airlines (not a tough fight since 4 of 6 are now
in bankruptcy) skim the cream of the airliners customers by offering "Boeing
Field to Oakland" taxi service at say $300 round trip. And making a profit.

2. If that seems too big a job, then how about this: presently I fly to SFO
about once a month... IF I have no carryon, I can scoot thru "gate-grope" past
all the others. So set up a private locker service near the airport where I
can scoot in and claim my baggage. Locate it next door to a cleaners who can
launder my clothes between trips. That would save me at least 3 hours a trip.
Joint venture the idea with anyone running a self-storage service so you can
get their operations expertise.

Steal these ideas and then let me know so i can be your customer.

John


Distribution channels for US products in Shanghai

Re: [spiers] Distribution channels for US products in Shanghai


In a message dated 9/19/05 1:59:21 PM, lim_0202@yahoo.com writes:

<< However, do you think Venture Capitals a more
realistic way to go? If yes, can you please brief me
on the rule of thumb of revenue requirement and how to
gather this kind of private capitals?>>

I think only along the lines of "get customers first"... there is NEVER a
shortage of capital, only a shortage of customers. He who says he needs money
is
fooling himself. Anyone looking for money has not bothered looking for
customers. On the other hand, if you have customers, people will be begging you
to
borrow from them. You will do so only if you can make lots more money by
borrowing. So, happily, we need never speak to Venture Capitalists.

As an aside, with unfunded pension liability as crisis # 1 in USA, when the
crunch comes you'll want a real business, not something based on bogus
economics because it will fail in the crunch. This is so clear to some people,
that
they are using it to their advantage. I know of a husband and wife team who
have been buying multi-unit housing all through the real estate boom. He buys
the buildings, and fixes them up, and gets them reappraised at a higher rate,
and uses the "equity" to borrow more money to buy more buildings. She is the
broker taking 100% of the commissions. His business is completely maxed out,
and he keeps it that way. When the real estate market crashes, his corporation
will simply go bankrupt and the pensions and bankers holding title to his
"investments" will take possession of all that now-overvalued property too. He
walks away. In the meantime his wife's brokerage has made millions on the
commissions on his transactions over the years. They sail off into the sunset
as
pensioners are told the kitty is empty. This is essentially what the venture
capitalists did during the dotcom boom, so it is not a new idea.

The world can be a wicked place, and that is good to know.

John


Interesting Corning Glass exchange

Re: [spiers] Interesting Corning Glass exchange

And you now see why people go overseas to outsource... we can make anything,
but we won't.

Along these lines, I was selling Libbey glass products...5-10 K
increments..and asked the Libbey salesman if he was not going to go around me...
he
scoffed at profits of mere 5-10K... and I understand it..they just don't have
economies of scale to pick up those crumbs...and we do.

Anyway, I am developing a theory... if the last 30 years boom in exports was
in some measure precipitated with nixon going off the gold standard... and
going off the gold standard will cause the dollar to crash... then we'll see 30
years of export boom because USA will become a cheap labor country... still
developing the argument... rent with and option to buy in bellingham... watch as
then navy withdraws... normally when the military pulls out, the economy
booms as the porn, prostitution and drugs around military bases disappears too.

John
In a message dated 9/19/05 1:55:22 PM, mgranich@yahoo.com writes:

I'm trying to find a supplier for borosilicate sheet glass, also

known as Pyrex glass. The glass will be used for an optical

application with a very limited market. Pyrex is a product produced

by Corning Glass in NY. I e-mailed Corning Glass asking how I could

obtain their glass directly. The response:


What am I, the customer, going to do for Corning Glass! My 3 – 5

year business plan needs to help their company grow! I know, it's

obscene! Here is their email answer to my question…..


"Although we sell through a distribution network, and our criteria is

quite arbitrary, a prospective company interested in becoming a

distributor could provide a detailed 3- 5 year business plan outline

ling how they plan to help us grow the 7740, Pyrex Rolled Sheet

business. You would have to comment to using Pyrex for specific

business opportunities, such as, a $500M stove window application,

This might also include a commitment to purchase, in advance, some

value of inventory. It all boils down to what can you do to help us

grow our business incrementally. It would not serve us well if all we

were doing is diverting business from on of our existing

distributors. "


Anthony


Monday, September 19, 2005

Distribution channels for US products in Shanghai

Re: [spiers] Distribution channels for US products in Shanghai


-----Original Message-----
From: ALBERT SUNG
Date: Sun, 18 Sep 2005 10:09:14
To:spiers@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [spiers] Distribution channels for US products in Shanghai

John,

Thank you very much for your quick response and kind
info.

100 million in revenue per quarter is not where my
brother-in-law is at right now, so I understand IPO is
not the way to expand his business yet!

However, do you think Venture Capitals a more
realistic way to go? If yes, can you please brief me
on the rule of thumb of revenue requirement and how to
gather this kind of private capitals?

Thank you again.

Yuk Sung (Albert)


--- wileyccc@aol.com wrote:

> Albert,
>
>
> During the fraudulent dot.com boom, I got in on an
> IPO at 22 cents and
> sold at $13... and only because I was self employed
> importer was I
> privy to the opportunity (I am sorry I only had a
> few thousand shares,
> some of the people had tens of millions of shares
> they unloaded). This
> all happened very fast, so what I know I learned
> very superficially.
> I recall at the time the rule of thumb was to have
> some 100 million in
> revenue per quarter before you go IPO...and I heard
> this only in
> context that during the dot.com boom no one bothered
> with this rule of
> thumb. I believe it is back in place.
>
> As I understand the IPO, it is the practical way a
> successful innovator
> converts to a conservator. We innovators compete on
> design. The
> conservators compete on price. To compete on price
> one must have the
> economies of scale in manufacturing, distribution,
> warehousing and
> finance that being big offers. The IPO allows you
> to get enouogh money
> to get big.
>
> To make a long story short (too late!) one
> approaches Morgan Stanley or
> some other merchant banker who employ people earning
> 50 milliion a year
> put together the deal. You'll need a dozen of
> these people for about
> a six months of their time. Is it likely your deal
> can pay these guys?
>
> On the other hand, study Expeditors international,
> you can find them on
> the web, a leader in the field of int'l trade
> logisitics and brokerage.
> One fellow in Seattle in 1979 started a business
> that has grown
> worldwide, and all he had was a typewriter and a
> telephone. A young
> woman I taught how to clear shipments thru customs
> went on to start her
> own custombrokerage, and now is quite happy with
> four offices and more
> business than she can handle.
>
> There are likelier ways to grow than an IPO.
> Others?
>
> John
>
> [spiers] Distribution channels for US products in
> Shanghai
>
> Mr. Spiers,
>
> My brother-in-law who has a thriving forwarding
> business in Shanghai, China wants to IPO his company
> in the United States. Can you or anybody tell me
> what
> are the qualifications and processes to accomplish
> this? Or if you may, direct me to any publications
> or
> web sites so I can research it myself? At last, how
> about any legitimate consulting businesses in USA
> that
> could package the process and their service charges?
>
> Thank you ahead for your attention and help.
>
> Yuk Sung (Albert)
>


Interesting Corning Glass exchange

I'm trying to find a supplier for borosilicate sheet glass, also
known as Pyrex glass. The glass will be used for an optical
application with a very limited market. Pyrex is a product produced
by Corning Glass in NY. I e-mailed Corning Glass asking how I could
obtain their glass directly. The response:

What am I, the customer, going to do for Corning Glass! My 3 – 5
year business plan needs to help their company grow! I know, it's
obscene! Here is their email answer to my question…..

"Although we sell through a distribution network, and our criteria is
quite arbitrary, a prospective company interested in becoming a
distributor could provide a detailed 3- 5 year business plan outline
ling how they plan to help us grow the 7740, Pyrex Rolled Sheet
business. You would have to comment to using Pyrex for specific
business opportunities, such as, a $500M stove window application,
This might also include a commitment to purchase, in advance, some
value of inventory. It all boils down to what can you do to help us
grow our business incrementally. It would not serve us well if all we
were doing is diverting business from on of our existing
distributors. "

Anthony


Sunday, September 18, 2005

Good Article

Re: [spiers] Good Article

Well, perhaps... here is the important point... we have no idea what
will happen next. One job as innovators is to minimize risk, if not
eliminate it. Currency is very risky. I am prepaying everything I buy
in China so they can convert the US$ into RMB and I lock in the price.

As I understand it, the Chinese merchants your banker friend mentions
are unloading their dollars because they are pretty sure the dollars
will lose much value vary fast. Certainly China's star is ascending,
and the USA's is descending, both trajectories based on govt policy.
They are betting the Chinese currency will do better than USA.

Some think there are two places to put USA dollars right now, in other
currencies or buying usa assets. The price of a house may fall, but
not as far as a piece of paper with a flimsy promise printed on it (USA
currency).

Certainly I stand by what I said about currency in the book, and beyond
that certainly consider owning foreign currency as any investment plan.
Who knows... if we have hyperinflation and a loaf of bread costs
$5000... then a few thousand swiss francs may buy a million USA
dollars, which you can use to pay off the mortgage on your million
dollar loan. Like I said who knows. Even Alan Greenspan has said
explicitly that he has no idea what he is doing. We live in
interesting times.

John



So after importing our products and collecting our money from
retailers, we
will be faced with a choice between holding the dollars or exchanging
them.
Into ...?

I was chatting with a man recently who works in commercial banking at
Cathay Bank in Seattle. He indicated that all of his ethnic Chinese
customers living here, are now immediately converting any dollar profit
from transactions, into renminbi. RMB are not well accepted at the
stores
around town, so that is a pretty bold position to take. Perhaps our
guidelines would be to keep enough RMB for the next business
transaction.
But after reading your article, perhaps we should be exchanging part of
our
personal assets into foreign currencies.

At 01:05 PM 9/15/2005 EDT, you wrote:
>Folks,
>
>At the below website is a very good article by Richebauer at bottom of
page...
>
>
>http://www.dailyreckoning.com/Issues/2005/DR091405.html
>
>
>One observation he makes...
>
>
>"In China, however, the specific components are real estate and
manufacturing
>investment, while in the United States, it is consumer-spending
excess. "
>
>
>Think about this... we have expensive (overpriced?) houses with big
mortgages
>and the Chinese have overpriced property that they own... USA has and
cool
>computers and cars and refrigerators... and the Chinese have world
class
>manufacturing capability. Who is in the better position?
>
>
>This is a result of Chinese policy taking advantage of USA policy.
The USA
>is the initiator, in the driver seat. We will not do what is necessary
to
end
>this situation (eliminate the fed), but it does not mean we cannot do
well
and
>do good as this scenario unfolds.
>
>John


Distribution channels for US products in Shanghai

Re: [spiers] Distribution channels for US products in Shanghai

John,

Thank you very much for your quick response and kind
info.

100 million in revenue per quarter is not where my
brother-in-law is at right now, so I understand IPO is
not the way to expand his business yet!

However, do you think "Venture Capitals" a more
realistic way to go? If yes, can you please brief me
on the rule of thumb of revenue requirement and how to
gather this kind of private capitals?

Thank you again.

Yuk Sung (Albert)


--- wileyccc@aol.com wrote:

> Albert,
>
>
> During the fraudulent dot.com boom, I got in on an
> IPO at 22 cents and
> sold at $13... and only because I was self employed
> importer was I
> privy to the opportunity (I am sorry I only had a
> few thousand shares,
> some of the people had tens of millions of shares
> they unloaded). This
> all happened very fast, so what I know I learned
> very superficially.
> I recall at the time the rule of thumb was to have
> some 100 million in
> revenue per quarter before you go IPO...and I heard
> this only in
> context that during the dot.com boom no one bothered
> with this rule of
> thumb. I believe it is back in place.
>
> As I understand the IPO, it is the practical way a
> successful innovator
> converts to a conservator. We innovators compete on
> design. The
> conservators compete on price. To compete on price
> one must have the
> economies of scale in manufacturing, distribution,
> warehousing and
> finance that being big offers. The IPO allows you
> to get enouogh money
> to get big.
>
> To make a long story short (too late!) one
> approaches Morgan Stanley or
> some other merchant banker who employ people earning
> 50 milliion a year
> put together the deal. You'll need a dozen of
> these people for about
> a six months of their time. Is it likely your deal
> can pay these guys?
>
> On the other hand, study Expeditors international,
> you can find them on
> the web, a leader in the field of int'l trade
> logisitics and brokerage.
> One fellow in Seattle in 1979 started a business
> that has grown
> worldwide, and all he had was a typewriter and a
> telephone. A young
> woman I taught how to clear shipments thru customs
> went on to start her
> own custombrokerage, and now is quite happy with
> four offices and more
> business than she can handle.
>
> There are likelier ways to grow than an IPO.
> Others?
>
> John
>
> [spiers] Distribution channels for US products in
> Shanghai
>
> Mr. Spiers,
>
> My brother-in-law who has a thriving forwarding
> business in Shanghai, China wants to IPO his company
> in the United States. Can you or anybody tell me
> what
> are the qualifications and processes to accomplish
> this? Or if you may, direct me to any publications
> or
> web sites so I can research it myself? At last, how
> about any legitimate consulting businesses in USA
> that
> could package the process and their service charges?
>
> Thank you ahead for your attention and help.
>
> Yuk Sung (Albert)


Distribution channels for US products in Shanghai

Re: [spiers] Distribution channels for US products in Shanghai

Albert,


During the fraudulent dot.com boom, I got in on an IPO at 22 cents and
sold at $13... and only because I was self employed importer was I
privy to the opportunity (I am sorry I only had a few thousand shares,
some of the people had tens of millions of shares they unloaded). This
all happened very fast, so what I know I learned very superficially.
I recall at the time the rule of thumb was to have some 100 million in
revenue per quarter before you go IPO...and I heard this only in
context that during the dot.com boom no one bothered with this rule of
thumb. I believe it is back in place.

As I understand the IPO, it is the practical way a successful innovator
converts to a conservator. We innovators compete on design. The
conservators compete on price. To compete on price one must have the
economies of scale in manufacturing, distribution, warehousing and
finance that being big offers. The IPO allows you to get enouogh money
to get big.

To make a long story short (too late!) one approaches Morgan Stanley or
some other merchant banker who employ people earning 50 milliion a year
put together the deal. You'll need a dozen of these people for about
a six months of their time. Is it likely your deal can pay these guys?

On the other hand, study Expeditors international, you can find them on
the web, a leader in the field of int'l trade logisitics and brokerage.
One fellow in Seattle in 1979 started a business that has grown
worldwide, and all he had was a typewriter and a telephone. A young
woman I taught how to clear shipments thru customs went on to start her
own custombrokerage, and now is quite happy with four offices and more
business than she can handle.

There are likelier ways to grow than an IPO. Others?

John

[spiers] Distribution channels for US products in Shanghai

Mr. Spiers,

My brother-in-law who has a thriving forwarding
business in Shanghai, China wants to IPO his company
in the United States. Can you or anybody tell me what
are the qualifications and processes to accomplish
this? Or if you may, direct me to any publications or
web sites so I can research it myself? At last, how
about any legitimate consulting businesses in USA that
could package the process and their service charges?

Thank you ahead for your attention and help.

Yuk Sung (Albert)


Good Article

Re: [spiers] Good Article

So after importing our products and collecting our money from retailers, we
will be faced with a choice between holding the dollars or exchanging them.
Into ...?

I was chatting with a man recently who works in commercial banking at
Cathay Bank in Seattle. He indicated that all of his ethnic Chinese
customers living here, are now immediately converting any dollar profit
from transactions, into renminbi. RMB are not well accepted at the stores
around town, so that is a pretty bold position to take. Perhaps our
guidelines would be to keep enough RMB for the next business transaction.
But after reading your article, perhaps we should be exchanging part of our
personal assets into foreign currencies.

At 01:05 PM 9/15/2005 EDT, you wrote:
>Folks,
>
>At the below website is a very good article by Richebauer at bottom of
page...
>
>
>http://www.dailyreckoning.com/Issues/2005/DR091405.html
>
>
>One observation he makes...
>
>
>"In China, however, the specific components are real estate and
manufacturing
>investment, while in the United States, it is consumer-spending excess. "
>
>
>Think about this... we have expensive (overpriced?) houses with big
mortgages
>and the Chinese have overpriced property that they own... USA has and cool
>computers and cars and refrigerators... and the Chinese have world class
>manufacturing capability. Who is in the better position?
>
>
>This is a result of Chinese policy taking advantage of USA policy. The USA
>is the initiator, in the driver seat. We will not do what is necessary to
end
>this situation (eliminate the fed), but it does not mean we cannot do well
and
>do good as this scenario unfolds.
>
>John