Silk Cord for Beading and Jewelry Making
Most of the beaded jewelries make use of silk string. Silk strings are strong in nature. They are usually used when the design demands knotting between the beads or elements. The ends of the silk cord can be connected with the help of clasps set having crimping end. Silk cords are no good for heavy beady as they might break. They are generally used along with light weighted beads.
To properly thread your bead with a silk cord you need to check the following things. You should have a needle of correct size. The eyes of the needle should be wide enough to accommodate the cord. Calculate the bead weight and determine the corresponding thread weight needed to support the beads. Now we will go through the beading process.
Take enough silk cord according to your need. Wax the cord to avoid fraying. Now you have to thread the silk cord through the eyes of the needle. Thread the eye in such a manner there is a long tail available. The longer part is your working cord. Now you have to make a surgeon knot at the end leaving enough space before the knot to attach the clasps. A surgeon knot is made by passing the other end of the cord twice through the loop made at the desired end. Tighten the knot as close to the desired point.
Now thread the first bead over the needle to the knot we just made. Above the bead, make a loop around the middle and index finger while holding the bead with the thump and middle finger. It might be tough for the first time. You will get use to it gradually. Pull the working cord through the loop. You have to place beading tweezers through the loop to fasten the cord at the top securely. The bead and tweezers should be tightly packed. Tighten the knot in such manner; the knot should rest against the tweezers. Push the knot down by releasing the tweezers. Now you will get a new knot tightly placed above the bead. Place the next bead and repeat the steps till all the beads are finished.
Once all the beads are finished you have to close the loop by attaching clasps. To do that, you have to cut the two end of the cord at a slanting angle. This will make the ends of the cord pointed. Apply some glue inside the sleeves of the clasps you are planning to use. Place the cord into the sleeves. Remember to keep the cord away from the clasps assembly.
Now thread it through the first and second sleeve through any gap available. Now all that left to do is to tighten the crimp with the cord by applying pressure. Don’t overdo it as it might break the metal. This will provide a better grip between the cord and the crimp. Repeat the process for the other end. Now you can attach the clasps at the both end to join the ends.
Let’s Recap What We’ve Learned in this Article:
Investments in India by PE Firms Strengthen Global Investor’s Confidence
Investing in India has been a prime factor for the rise of the Indian economy in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) and vice-versa. Investment advisors who have been guiding investors on the prospects of favourable investments in India are quite optimistic. In such a trend quite evident lately, the private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC) investments into India have been somewhat remarkable. This trend is further strengthening the confidence of all investors alike.
According to a recent report released by global consultancy Bain & Company, titled ‘India PE Report 2010′, there is renewed confidence among the leading global PE investors about the Indian market. Private equity and venture capital investments are projected to reach US$ 17 billion (around Rs 80,000 crore) this year owing to some strong impetus received from strong economic growth in the country. As per a study by Venture Intelligence, private equity firms have invested about US$ 2,364 million across 67 deals during the quarter ended June 2010.
Funds focused on Indian equity are becoming favourites with these global investors. Investment firm, Evolvence Capital, which is based out Dubai, announced its plan on July 21, 2010, to launch its third India-focussed fund – The Evolvence India Fund II – targeting to attract a corpus of US$ 400 million from institutional and high net worth clients globally. UAE national Khaled al-Muhairy, the Dubai-based alternative investments company, was also one of the first Gulf investment funds to embark on India as an investment destination during the pre-crisis period as the Gulf looked forward to surplus petro funds for investing in India.
Further, PE players have invested more than US$ 300 million in companies related to food processing, agri-based sectors during January-June 2010, as per a Grant Thorton report. In calendar year 2009, PE investments in these sectors were about US$ 398 million as against US$ 187 million in 2008 and US$ 4.3 million in 2007, respectively.
All these indicators signal the vociferous favour that India seems to have found from the PE investors. Private equity investments in India in May 2010 alone grew by almost 200 per cent as compared to the corresponding period last year. During the month of May, financial services, materials and healthcare segment were the most favoured sectors for PE funding. Major PE investments during May were in companies like Avinja Properties, National Stock Exchange, Fortis Healthcare and Pegasus Assets Reconstruction by PE firms such as Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co (KKR), Temasek Holdings’ and DE Shaw etc.
Franchise Opportunity – 5 Questions To Ask About The Franchise
Franchising has become one of the most important and effective business growth strategies in the past quarter century. Although franchise system development dates back centuries to the times when monarchs awarded territories to tax collectors, current franchise business systems date back decades to the Singer Sewing Machine strategy of granting rights to individual business people to sell Singer products in various regions.
A Franchise strategy allows the Franchisor to penetrate, develop, and dominate markets on a simultaneous basis. A Franchise system also allows for each individual Franchisee to own their very own business, and yet participate in, and garner value from, a proven Franchise system.
A good Franchise system allows the Franchise Company to gain market share quickly, which serves as a barrier to competition, and helps build the Brand, which in turn creates exponential value for all stakeholders – including each Franchisee.
So how do you identify a good Franchise system? Well it makes sense that if you want to find out about strategies, culture, and compatibility, then you should ask the right questions. The answers can then be assessed to determine if the fit is right.
The following discussion covers five questions that should always be asked by the Franchise Candidate. If a Franchisor is either unwilling, or unprepared, to answer these questions, it should be a strong indicator that the fit may not be right.
How Big Is The Market?
The Franchisor should have a good handle on the available market for the product or service that you will be offering as a Franchisee. Presumably the Franchisor has done extensive research on the current market size, as well as the potential market size for the future.
The Franchisor should be willing to share that information with you so you can assess the data to make sure that the opportunity is going to be of sufficient size to satisfy your own goals. You may have to sign a non-disclosure agreement first, but the information is important to you, so it must be assessed. The whole idea of Franchising is to ensure that the goals and dreams of the Franchisee, and those of the Franchisor, are unified. If the market availability will allow for strategies to be implemented by you, which are consistent with your goals, and those penetration goals are congruent with the Franchisor’s goals, then all is good.
If it’s a long-standing and stable market, then there should be plenty of statistics to back up that conclusion. If it’s a new and burgeoning market, there should be analysis that you can assess to give you a comfort level that you, together with Franchisor, can go get a significant share. If it’s a fad market, or limited life market, then the strategies should reflect that, as should the agreements.
The caution is that if the Franchisor is wishy-washy about the market, or is unwilling to discuss the issue in depth with you, that should be a significant warning sign.
Who are The Competitors?
The Franchisor should have a good understanding about the competition, and how much market share they command. It doesn’t matter how big a market is if it’s completely saturated, unless the Franchisor has specific strategies to eat someone else’s lunch.
The Franchisor should be able to talk to you about specific competitors, what their strategies have been, what they will likely be in the future, and how the Franchise system intends to penetrate that market.
The Franchisor should also be willing to discuss the future competitor that may appear on the horizon. They may not be willing to disclose their specific strategies about dealing with that eventuality – at least not without erasing your memory after the discussion. However, a general discussion about the issue should give you some solace that they have thought about their approach, and that you feel comfortable with their preparedness.
Again, if the Franchisor is not sufficiently prepared to discuss current competition, as well as future competition, then warning bells should go off.
Is The Franchise Scalable?
This issue relates to your own targets, as they all do. If you want to grow a your business to leverage the Franchise process in multiple locations, or by leveraging the results of a number of employees, or by any other criteria appropriate for the business, does the Franchisor allow for that growth? If leverage is one of your goals, and the means and market are available in the Franchise system, what is the cost of that leverage?
Some systems that provide services, won’t allow you to hire employees, while others encourage it. In the case of the systems that encourage it, you should ask about the cost of adding units in that strategy, and the training process for any new employees.
In retail environments, the leverage will come from additional locations, or physical expansion, or additional product lines, so your questions must relate to that availability, and the capital cost required to execute the strategy.
Other related questions include asking about geographic restrictions to where you can build business. Again, some Franchises have geographic restrictions, while others allow you to build business without reference to the map.
The important thing is to ask the questions, and understand the answers to make sure your future growth goals can be met by the system you are assessing.
What Are The Franchisor’s Growth Plans?
You may think that a Franchisor’s growth plans are not important to you once you become a Franchisee. However, there are a number of factors that illustrate that a Franchisor that has continuing growth plans will increase the value of your investment.
The opposite of growth would be shrinkage. That doesn’t sound too good does it? The middle point would be stagnation. That’s not too attractive either. So why is growth important?
One important factor is related to the penetration goal stated above. If there is room to penetrate, and the Franchisor doesn’t have strategies to meet that market, guess want will happen. Yep, competitors will penetrate, and through their growth strategies, they might eat some of your lunch. It is logically better for you that the Franchisor has growth strategies that will address that market need, and grow value in the Franchise system, as opposed to rolling out the welcome mat for competitors.
A second factor is that a normal phenomenon in Franchising is that each Franchise that is added to the system, and each new customer that is added to the system, and each new employee that is added to the system, will increase the value of the brand. Volume carries clout in price negotiation. Messages are carried by more lips. More signs, more transactions, more bank deposits, more customers, more vendors – it all translates to increased brand recognition. Increased brand recognition should translate to more business for each Franchise.
In addition, growth strategies will generally drive up the Franchise Fee. That means that if you pay $2 as a Franchise Fee, and growth strategies drive the Franchise Fee up to $5, then that becomes the base value for your Franchise because the market will pay that price. That’s a nice return on investment if it’s achieved over a reasonable timeframe, which of course is driven by the Franchisor’s growth strategies.
O.K., so there are lots of good reasons that growth is important as opposed to shrinkage or stagnation. However, you must also feel comfortable that the strategy is sensible. That’s why you need to ask the questions, and you should expect well thought out answers that makes sense to you.
What Exit Strategies Are Available?
There are many factors that should come into your analysis before becoming a Franchisee. The folly often lies in not considering this part of the equation at the very time that you are considering entry into the Franchise in the first place. That’s exactly the time when you need to give significant consideration to the value of the asset that can be created. Ongoing profitability, cashflow, and emotional fulfillment, are all important criteria in the process of making an informed business decision about becoming a Franchisee. But then so is the growth of the asset value you create, along with the ease of realizing that value at the time you intend to exit.
You need to discuss these issues with the Franchisor as you consider the Franchise opportunity. If the Franchisor isn’t willing to discuss these issues, then it may mean that there isn’t a solid basis for asset growth, and current profitability is the only consideration. You have to determine how important this particular part of the equation is for you. The important part is to ask the question so you can assess the response in terms of your own goals and dreams.
There are many more questions that must be asked of the Franchisor. These five questions will give you a good basis to understand the general strategies and thoughts of the Franchisor. That way you can determine if you have unified thinking, and if that answer is affirmative, then you can craft more specific questions about the system.
To receive a free copy of an E-Book titled ‘Franchise Opportunity – Making The Right Decision’ by Dennis Schooley, email that request to corp@schooleymitchell.com.
A Guide to U-Haul Trailer Hitches
U-Haul is best known for its rental trucks used to help people move, but they also sell trailer hitches and trailer hitch accessories. U-Haul makes trailer hitches that accommodate all kinds of vehicles, including many cars. Different models of U-Haul trailer hitches can haul up to 24,000 pounds. U-Haul makes and sells all needed trailer hitch parts, including hitch balls, ball mounts, receivers, and brake controllers.
U-Haul makes some small trailer hitches that can be secured onto cars. These hitches usually can’t be used to haul as much cargo as heavy-duty trailer hitches found on trucks, but they are still useful. Most car U-Haul trailer hitches can handle loads up to 2000 pounds. These hitches can be bolted onto the car’ frame, usually using preexisting holes. This is a better option than welding the hitch to the frame, which can cause electrical problems and can make the frame much weaker.
U-Haul trailer hitches are not just made for cars. U-Haul manufactures a wide range of trailer hitches to accommodate almost any kind of vehicle. Their heavy-duty hitches can bear loads of up to 24,000 pounds. U-Haul trailer hitches are among the strongest on the market and can come with a lifetime unlimited warranty for an extra five dollars.
U-Haul is a one-stop shop for all towing needs. U-Haul sells all necessary brake controls and electrical wiring needed to make the trailer hitch completely functional. The law requires that trailer hitches be equipped with working brake lights and brakes, so it is vital that consumers make sure they purchase this equipment.
U-Haul is one of the top trailer hitch dealers in the country. U-Haul sells quality trailer hitches and accessories at low prices. Their lifetime warranty is one of the most comprehensive in the industry.