Corb7 International November 30th, 2022 Newsletter

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International Business 

Editor's Note

Breaking the Comfort Zone!

December 2022 is here. Towards the end of the month, people become reflective and inevitability turn towards the next year with idea to set personal goals and resolutions.  Estimates vary depending on the year and scope of the study, but research into New Year's resolutions has generally found that fewer than 10 percent of people who make resolutions each year stay the course until they've accomplished their goal. In fact, a 2020 poll conducted by OnePoll in conjunction with Crispy Green found that the average person has abandoned his or her resolution by February 1. 

Here are some ideas to avoid those pitfalls.

We all have an imaginary safe haven often referred to as a comfort zone. From our youth to our senior years, we create a corridor allowing us to function within the daily perception of safety. Everyone expands and contracts this area through different experiences. Some are content at 200 miles per hour circling a racetrack, while others will faint on a Ferris Wheel. Nevertheless, each person’s comfort zone is important for a sane and productive existence.

Many individuals, however, choose to hold onto their comfort zone as they mature with clenched fists. As a result, they create a very unhealthy disdain for new adventure. Ironically, many of these same people gladly teach their children to try different things.

Why, then, do so many become entrenched in their personal routines and cynical about reaching beyond? Even high achievers can find themselves stuck on personal plateaus resulting in depression.

Instead of being a crutch, the comfort zone can be prodded in many interesting ways leading us to discover almost limitless boundaries. Allow me to provide a personal example. My experience has been that personal growth often occurs as an unintentional reaction to a planned event which is one reason I love to travel.  Once during a summer fishing trip to Canada, several friends and I inadvertently had such an encounter in the sub-arctic. We reached our destination by traveling eight hours north of Toronto by car and then sixty miles into the wilderness by seaplane. I can vividly recall the pilot dropping us off with a cigarette dangling from his lips (under a no smoking sign) and with a cynical smile. “You’re here for five days-hey, no radio-hey, if someone breaks their leg just string him up in a tree, and we’ll pick him up on the way back-hey.” He made his point. This place of awesome beauty had no way out except, by the way, we got in. It was priceless. Lifelong bonds of friendship were forged and now, us whenever we get together, that trip always comes up in conversation.

You do not need to be so dramatic. Stretching is critical and can be easily accomplished. Perhaps that is where the problem lies. Our human condition does not like commonsense answers. We like to make things complicated. Let’s give it a try anyway. Besides, as my father is apt to say, “without common sense, education is no more than books piled on the back of an ass.”

The solution is in your organizational skills. All you need is 2 minutes a day. Write one item in your daily planner that will break your ordinary patterns. You will want to make it easy at first and repeat this each day for a week. At the end of the first week, you should review what you accomplished. This item could be as simple as making candlelight dinner or talking with a stranger. If you are successful be sure to congratulate yourself. If you fail, who cares? At least, you tried and next week offers another opportunity. You can strengthen comfort zone muscles like training with weights, which will allow you to experience your life.

Simple solutions work and by expanding your comfort zone the goals for the new year might be easier to reach.

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”
– Thomas Edison     

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International Business 

Business Psychology

You Need a Good Laugh! 

There are many health benefits to Laughing.

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Most people have heard the adage that "laughter is the best medicine." There are many indications that laughter can be beneficial to the mind and body, and that the perks of laughter and humor are far-reaching.

Various professionals have studied the clinical benefits of laughter, including Dr. Lee Berk and Dr. Stanley Tan at Loma Linda University in California. Here is what these experts say in regard to the benefits of a few good belly laughs.

Boosts immune system

A recent study titled "The Laughter Prescription" and published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine found that the amount of laughter a person experiences is related to the immune system's ability to fight off infections, among other benefits. The study references additional research that indicated spontaneous (not forced) laughter boosts the immune system by increasing natural killer (NK) cell activity. Levels were measured after participants watched a one-hour humorous video. NK cells are lymphocytes with a unique ability to kill a broad spectrum of cancerous and virus-infected cells, according to the National Institutes of Health. Laughing out loud improves immune system function and increases heart rate and oxygen levels.

Lowers blood pressure

Individuals who laugh often have lower blood pressure than those who laugh less often. Lower blood pressure reduces the risk for stroke and heart attack.

Helps heal the brain

Laughing can help reverse symptoms of grief or depression by increasing the pleasure-enhancing neurochemicals in the brain, according to the Dr. Sears Wellness Institute. A good laugh also may help people recovering from chronic illnesses by helping to alleviate fear and anxiety that could otherwise preoccupy the mind.

Suppresses stress hormones

Drs. Berk and Tan found that the stress hormones epinephrine and cortisol decrease following laughter. Laughter may help people feel less stressed and overwhelmed.

Provides a small body workout

Hearty laughter can exercise the diaphragm, contract the abdominals and even work the shoulders and muscles in the face. Laughter also gets the heart pumping at a rate that burns a similar amount of calories per hour as walking slowly.

Provides natural pain relief

Research suggests that laughter decreases inflammation that may contribute to pain. Researchers at the University of Maryland found that laughing also increases blood flow, which may help to reduce pain as well.

Finding ways to laugh more is an easy and fun way to improve overall health. 

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International Business 

Cross-Border Business 

Noteworthy Swiss Organizations

Cutting-edge ideas. 

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If you are considering the acquisition of a Swiss Trust Company for 2023 to gain asset protection or operate as a profit center then you might want to consider membership to these organizations.  Below are two professional organizations based in Switzerland that we wanted to bring to your attention.   

SATC - The Swiss Association of Trust Companies 
(established 2007)
SATC link

STEP - Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners 
(established 1992)
STEP link 

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International Business   

Business Etiquette  

How to Find the Perfect Holiday Pet Sitter

by Candace Smith
The Etiquette Blog
Candace Smith Etiquette

Hiring a pet sitter is a given in our busy world.  As devoted as you are to your pet, leaving them overnight will be necessary at some point and often during the holiday season.   Are you prepared?

Finding the Right Person

Some occasions may lend themselves to what I call a “built-in pet sitter”.  This is a trusted close friend or family member who knows you, your pet, and your home well enough to easily step in and take care of things while you’re away.

But when an angel such as this isn’t available, who will you turn to?  Finding the right person can be a challenge.  I recommend starting with a list of what you will need from the person you hire.

• Do you want them to stay in your home, or are daily visits sufficient?
• Will they be needed for household tasks or only for caring for your pet?
• What skills will they need in order to care for your pet?  If your pet has special needs or requires medications, this is a big consideration.
• What is your budget for paying this person?

Listing your answers to the above questions will give you a good starting point.  

Getting to Know You
Meeting the person who will be visiting your home and caring for your pet (or pets) while you are not present is absolutely necessary. So is getting to know them – at least a little.

On the other side of the coin, it’s also necessary for you, the pet sitter, to get to know your client.  Will this be a person or family and pets that you will enjoy working with?

A preliminary phone conversation will reveal whether or not you have a good feeling about this potential relationship.  Do you find their voice, demeanor, and phone etiquette satisfactory? Are you comfortable speaking with them?  You can tell a lot about a person from a phone conversation.

Once they pass the phone conversation evaluation, it’s time to meet in person.  Both parties should make it clear that the meeting is for consideration purposes only. And make sure that your meeting includes the following:

• A proper introduction to the animals that will be cared for.  The caregiver should see them up close (cats are terrific at hiding) and should be given the pets’ names.  
• Observation of interactions.  Does the pet seem comfortable with this new person?  Does the comfort level improve as the visit goes on?  
• Assessment of skills.  Does the pet sitter indicate in conversation that they have certain care methods and techniques that will be compatible with your pet?  Find an opportunity to see this in action by making your meeting time in line with feeding or medication time and ask your potential care giver to help with the task to see how your pet responds.  You might also take your dog for a walk as you interview the person, letting them take the lead to help assess compatibility with your dog.
• A tour of the home.  Show the person who will care for your pet where food and water dishes, food, medications, treats, toys, etc. are kept and how they are given.  If they will be staying full-time while you are away, show them the sleeping arrangements, bathroom, and what is off limits.
• Don’t skip the details.  Even though this is a preliminary meeting, if detailed questions arise, don’t put off answering them.  If your care giver isn’t allowed to park her car in the driveway, go ahead and tell her.  If you are curious about how often the litterbox should be cleaned, go ahead and ask.  Details from either the client or the care giver can only be helpful.

Once you’ve met and consider moving forward with a good working relationship, it’s time to dig a little deeper.  Both parties should find out more about each other.  References and mutual acquaintances should be called.  And a scroll through social media accounts may reveal more as well.

A Great Pet Sitter
So, you’ve found a pet sitter you like and trust.  Or you’ve found a client whose pets you look forward to spending time with. Ensure everything goes smoothly with these tips. For the Pet Parent:

• Before the day of arrival, provide a key, code, and any other entry instructions, including alternatives – just in case.
• Make sure your care giver has the name of your vet and the name of an emergency veterinarian clinic.
• Write down food quantities, feeding times, and medication times.  Especially if you have multiple pets, it’s important to also label food containers and medications.
• Leave the names of neighbors, friends, or back-up pet sitters in case they are needed.
• Provide all available forms of contact for yourself while you are away.

For the Pet Sitter:

• Communicate!  Let the pet parent know when you leave and arrive, or if you are staying in the home, what your daily schedule looks like.  Have all questions regarding the pets and the home answered before your client leaves.
• Keep the home tidy.  Even if cleaning isn’t on your task list, ensure that your client comes home to a neat and clean place.  Or at least as neat and clean as it was when they left it.
• Send pictures.  Sending the pet parent pictures of a happy, well cared-for pet will give them comfort.  However, do not post these pictures on your social media without the pet parent’s permission.
• Follow safety rules.  Make sure all food and cleaning supplies toxic to pets are put away appropriately, lock doors and windows, set alarms as directed, etc.
• Leave a daily log of events.  A written log of events, food consumption, medication reactions, behavior issues, and even cute anecdotes, will be helpful for pet parents.

Keeping pets and humans happy is a big job.  But when you show care and attention to both, you can consider it a job well done!

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Lifestyle    

Executive Fitness 

A Home Gym for $65 

A very cost friendly workout. 

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Ever since the pandemic hit there have been a lot of products marketed online to promote at home fitness.  Many of the better ones come with a huge price tag.  Although very skeptical about low cost fitness gadgets, I decided to drop the $65 and try the Power Press Push Up Board which is advertised throughout social media.  I was pleasantly surprised.  It is unbelievably easy to follow and well manufactured.  Since it is very simple to transport, the board can also get you out of the garage, outside if weather permits and even on trips.  Give it a look, you might like it too.   

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Lifestyle  

Spirits & Cuisine  

10 Unique Gifts for Your Favorite Foodie

Time for Holiday shopping. 

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 Many people know someone who loves spending lots of time in the kitchen. Certain home cooks may enjoy whipping up favorite recipes, while others might get excited about experimenting with new flavors and ingredients.

A love of cooking paves the way for many different gifting opportunities. Food-related gifts also come in a wide variety of price points, making it easy for shoppers to spend as little or as much as they want. Check out these 10 gift ideas for the foodie on your holiday shopping list.

1. Sheet pans: They may not seem like the most sexy or high-tech tools of the kitchen, but sheet pans are among the most versatile. They can be used for cookies, sheet pan cakes, oven-frying cutlets or fries, or even serving as the perfect bases for candy brittles.

2. Air fryer tool set: By now many people have hopped on the air fryer bandwagon, but they may not have all of the accessories to take air frying to the next level. From spatulas to tongs to silicone brushes, an air fryer tool set can make meals even more delicious.

3. Dutch oven: You'd be hard-pressed to find a more hard-working tool in the kitchen than a Dutch oven. These heavy, often enameled cast iron vessels come in various quart sizes. They can be used to cook stews, breads, cakes, and much more.

4. Kitchen compost bin: Home cooks who want to cut down on waste will appreciate a countertop compost bin to gather food scraps.

5. Serving board: The rise in cheese and charcuterie boards means cooks will need something attractive to serve their spreads. Wooden and stone boards are attractive when serving sliced cheeses, crackers, chutneys, and other appetizer.

6. Electric wine opener: Wine is the perfect complement to many dishes, and what easier way to open bottles than with an electric wine opener? Many are compatible with almost any bottleneck and can open several bottles on a single charge.

7. Spiralizer: The trend for pasta alternatives continues, and having a spiralizer that can turn vegetables like zucchini into spiraled "noodles" will be handy in most kitchens.

8. Apron and accessories: Home cooks need to protect their clothing in the kitchen. A fashionable apron and matching oven mitts can make a statement and keep clothes clean.

9. Meat delivery: The number of direct-to-home meat shipping providers continues to grow. Have quality cuts of meat delivered right to a home cook's house so that he or she can cut back on trips to the store.

10. New blender: Today's blenders can crush ice, process foods, puree, and chop foods. These versatile appliances make a welcome addition to any kitchen.

Stock up on food-related gifts now for those people on your holiday shopping list who love to cook.

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Lifestyle 

Leisure 

How to Pick the Perfect Christmas Tree

Selecting a great tree is a yearly family ritual. 

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Come the holiday season, perhaps no tradition evokes the warm and fuzzy "feels" more than a family outing to pick a Christmas tree. Whether it's a trek to a live Christmas tree farm or a short drive to the nearest pre-cut tree lot, the process of selecting a tree that will serve as the crown jewel of the entire season is a great way to make lasting memories.

Selecting a tree is a yearly ritual and each person has his or her set of criteria for what makes the ideal Christmas tree. These tips can help families find the right tree.

Choose your species

Do some homework on the type of tree you want prior to buying the tree. Balsam fir and Fraser fir are popular Christmas tree varieties, but there are many others, such as noble fir and Norway spruce. Balsams are known for having the most fragrant smell, but Frasers tend to keep their needles the longest. For those who prefer a Douglas fir, keep in mind that they sometimes drop their needles prematurely due to foliar diseases like needle-cast fungus.

Space for ornaments

In addition to aroma and needle longevity, look for trees that have a desirable shape and allow for adequate space between branches, advises the home and garden resource The Spruce. Trees groomed to be lush and full will look beautiful unadorned, but once ornaments are added, full branches may cause those ornaments to hang low or even fall off. Trees with sparse branches allow for ornaments to hang straight.

Measure your space

Trees in the field or in a lot may look much smaller than they do when brought into the living room. Don't make the mistake of selecting a tree that is too large for your home. The agricultural firm Ragan & Masey says to measure the room from floor to ceiling and subtract the height of the tree stand and tree topper. It's equally important to measure the width of the area where the tree will stand and allow for ample space for foot traffic around the tree.

Perform a needle check

Every tree will drop some needles, and most evergreens hold their foliage. Modest needle loss is not an indicator of a poor tree. However, Decker's Nursery in Greenlawn, NY says if 50 percent of the needles are lost when you swipe your hand down three to five different branches around the tree, the tree likely is not a good choice. In addition, avoid a tree that has glaring defects in the trunk as it can impede water flow through the tree.

Heavier is better

A heavy pre-cut tree means it is full of water and has been cut more recently. A healthy, fresh tree is going to require an effort to lift. Older, dried out trees will not be heavy.

Upon arriving home, make a fresh cut off the tree trunk and get it in water as soon as possible - even if that's a bucket until the tree stand can be set up. 

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Lifestyle

Travel 

2022 Holiday Road Travel Tips

Here are a few tips  to make your travel more enjoyable & safe. 

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Many people will head home for the holidays this year, and the vast majority will take to the highway to do so.

The U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics says the Thanksgiving and Christmas/New Year's holiday periods are among the busiest for long-distance travel. The highways will be busy with motorists crisscrossing the country to visit loved ones. Holiday travel may require covering a long distance in a limited amount of time. Finding ways to be efficient in regard to time management can reduce stress and improve safety.

Travel at night

If you can safely manage it, you may experience considerably less traffic in the evening hours than during other times of day. In addition, if kids are in tow, they may sleep much of the way, helping to reduce the number of times they ask, "Are we there yet?" Share driving responsibilities with another person so that each driver can take a break to prevent drowsy driving.

Get a vehicle maintenance check

No one wants to get stranded on the side of the road with a car filled with gifts and treats. It's well worth the investment to have a mechanic give a vehicle a checkup prior to leaving. Get an oil change even if it's a little early to do so. Look at tire tread wear and ensure that you have the right tires for the road conditions where you'll be headed.

Plan your route

People often rely on mobile phone or dashboard GPS systems to get where they need to go. However, it helps to have a general idea of the route so that if service drops out you can still find your way. Scout out rest stops or acceptable restaurants online prior to leaving so you have a plan for making stops in safe areas.

Stock the car

While presents may be taking up valuable real estate, pack a cooler with snacks and beverages to help reduce how many times you need to get off the highway. Also, games or other forms of entertainment can keep children occupied on long trips.

Slow down in inclement weather

The holiday meal can be reheated if you're late, so don't feel compelled to speed or drive erratically when the weather is stormy. It's not worth the risk of getting into an accident that can cause serious injuries. Travelers United, a nonprofit organization that represents all travelers, also warns that quick storms that pop up after a long dry spell can immediately make road surfaces extremely slippery. Use caution.

Planning and preparation are essential to getting home safely this holiday season.

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Business Services

Acquisitions 

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR SALE!

Corb7 International
"Think Seven Continents, Think a World of Opportunity"

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Swiss Trust Company Acquisition & Great Opportunity with $10,000 Savings
 
Do to Special Circumstances we are able to offer you this opportunity. 

This is time sensitive and for the right individual or company, this could be an outstanding opportunity aimed at business planning for 2023 and beyond with outstanding savings.

Here is a synopsis of the immediate opportunity:  

2001 Swiss Trust Company:

* 21-years-old with full authority - turnkey
* Year Incorporated: 2001
* Place of Incorporation: Zug, Switzerland
* Corresponding Bank Relationship: Client’s Choice
* Acquisition Investment:  USD $85,800Now $75,800
* Excellent administration with a prestigious law firm located in Zurich 
* Administration first year fees included in acquisition price
* Initial legal retainer also included
* Administration also has SRO license which is large benefit to meet AML & KYC
* Additional Licensing may be require depending upon new ownership activities

Please contact us at your earliest if you have an interest.

Profit, Privacy & Asset Protection. 
 
For Details:

  Call +1-310-601-3115 (Beverly Hills Office)
or 
Email: contact@corb7.com