Consult Corner: PFHub.com

I wanted to take this Consult Corner and do a bit of a review but also sharing with you all a site that I’ve come across that is pretty useful - personal finance-ly speaking. The site is PFHub.com and I just happened across it in my travels for really good sources of information throughout the interweb. So first a bit of a review.

PFHub is a site that pretty much covers all things personal finance. When you get to the site you get a blast of information in the form of recent articles and a sidebar full of useful links that span the gamut of personal finance. I really liked how simple the interface was and how easily accessible all of the other information was right from the start. PFHub gives you the opportunity to consume information in a few different ways as well. They offer free tutorials, infographics, and even some Top 10 type lists. What resonates with me though is that this information is actually useful. As a financial professional and blogger I come across a ton of stuff that’s rushed and sometimes just wrong all in an attempt to capture attention from readers and visitors that are looking for help.

One of the coolest parts of the site for me was that they are constantly adding content regarding interest rates in bank accounts and CD rates. When you think about your current financial situation often we skip the most fundamental decision - where to house our discretionary and short term funds. PFHub does a stand up job of combing the market and bringing its readers the most relevant and competitive rates from all kinds of financial institutions. A few other parts of the website that really stood out to me personally were the glossary and investing portions. PFHub has links out to really great resources for investing of all types, traditional markets to Forex. There glossary is an interesting function because it gives readers the opportunity to get clarification on the issues they are reading about right there - really focusing on doing the best possible job in terms of financial literacy.

Final Thought - I’m a fan of this site and I know that it’s a relatively new player but it’s one that I will keep an eye on. I urge all of you to pay them a visit and see for yourself.

Consult Corner: Las Vegas Tax

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After you hit the big bucks at your hotel/casino in Las Vegas or pull off your Ocean’s 11 type heist - one of which is not legal or feasible - where will you go to help you manage those funds tax efficiently? Odds are you aren’t going to be from that area so you probably won’t have any idea how a windfall works or what the Nevada state specific tax implications will be. Not only that but how those money’s will be treated in your own home state. This is where I would like to introduce Las Vegas Tax. Las Vegas Tax is an online directory of CPA’s, Book-Keeper’s, Attorney’s, and anyone else that has their hand in being a tax resource.

When you visit this site you will be impressed with how clean and professional it’s user interface is. It is very easy to use and helps you sort by what service you actually need. There’s no fluff and they aren’t trying to push you into some service corner with people who aren’t reputable. The listings offer all the pertinent contact information and even a Google Map to help you find their offices. Each listing offers a direct connection to each professionals website as well giving you the opportunity to scope out who you will be dealing with way before you ever decide to make the call.

Being a financial professional I know the bane that comes with being listed on unreliable aggregates that post incomplete information. Some will even list you with sites and people that don’t even exist anymore because they made the sites creators make their money then drop the project. This is not one of those experiences. I’m even a little jealous that I’m not located in that area (not because of the shows or the casinos - ok maybe a little) because I don’t have the opportunity to be listed in such a highly visible and easy to use space. If you are a professional looking to get listed it’s as easy as creating a profile and you are done. You control what kind of info gets listed and what categories you appear under. That being said I’m all for full disclosure and if you are looking to be found then making yourself easily contactable is always a plus.

Final Thought: It’s clean and easy to use. No crazy ad pop-ups is always a plus when I’m engaging with a site like this. If you are looking for a tax professional in any capacity in that area I would most definitely send you in their direction. There link again is: http://www.lasvegastax.com

Consult Corner: Aliante Web Design

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If you are a new business or have been brick-and-mortar for sometime now getting established online effectively can be a very large undertaking. I can personally attest to this and wish I had enlisted the help of a company like Aliante Web Design to help. Creating a viable, honest, and lasting web presence is more than just setting up a blog and twitter account. It's about being noticed by the people, sites, and institution that matter and proving to them that you have the staying power of any of the big boys on the internet. Trust me, as a consultant, this is something that I battle with almost daily. 

There is also an opportunity cost associated with starting from point zero, not knowing where to look first, and taking shots in the dark. It's your time. As entrepreneurs and business owners our time can be priceless at times. We learn very early on that it is important to automate and out source as much as possible. For being noticed on the web I'll leave it to the people at Aliante Web Design. They have been in the SEO game for years and are one of the top Las Vegas SEO firms. With a business like this you don't have to be close to them physically to take advantage of their services. 

What I liked most about this firm is that they can handle all of the needs a business might have when making the leap to be online. Aliante also has a great capacity to take what you may already have that's out there and tailor a plan to help you make it more effective. When I am coaching my clients one of the biggest conversations we have is about overhead. Everyday as a business owner we track our cash flows but sometimes we lose track of our time. I encourage you to find what your hourly rate is and then come back and tell me if it would be worth it for you to engage in your own SEO or enjoy the discount of having great professionals do it for you. 

Consult Corner: Occupational & Regulatory Toxicology

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I have absolutely no chemical engineering experience - I even mix cleaners under the sink sometimes, that's how little I know about chemical safety. What I do know though is that Larua H. Robinson has done a great job presenting herself as an expert in her field. First off you can find out more about Laura at her site Occupational & Regulatory Toxicology. What Laura and her team do is actually pretty interesting - they represent people in workplaces that have been exposed to hazardous chemicals wrongfully in the work place. It could be anything from side effects due to unknown exposure to firms not using best practices when their employees are handling some pretty caustic stuff. 

From a usability stand point her website is very clear and concise. She does a good job of integrating video through out the site to add authority to her web presence and voice. Everything is laid out very simply and I'm inferring it's because her audience could be from any level of technical experience. That's a great thing! As you are traversing her site you will find all kinds of accolades for each of her clearly defined services. At the bottom of her site she offers resources to help her readers better understand what she does and how she can effectively serve her niche. 

Outside of a Skype widget and the YouTube videos I'm not too sure about the social media integration up to this point. When you have a message as specific as yours Laura I would encourage you to take advantage of every opportunity you can to get that message heard. Along those lines your contact information is very easy to find as it is right there in the main banner of the site. I've listened to the videos and read the notes from satisfied clients and I was thoroughly impressed. As added value I found worksheets and resources to help readers familiarize themselves with what might be an overload of information. For someone who is looking for representation there is no doubt that Laura is not only an expert at what she does but is someone who will always work in her clients best interest. 

A pretty simple design but the content and message is what really shines through.