The Weeknd’s much-awaited After Hours Tour has been postponed to a later date again. This is happening after a previous reschedule, which was slated for January. Instead, the tour will now be held in summer 2022, so the musician can do something special and bigger for his fans.
The Weeknd posted a statement on his social media platform on October 18 that said, “Due to the constraints of arenas and the demand for more shows, I want to do something special and bigger for you, my fans, which requires stadiums.” The new tour dates are yet to be announced.
This is the third time The Weeknd is postponing the world tour, and his fans await the elaborate arrangements the musician has to entertain them come summer 2022. With the recent developments, all previously announced venues and cities have been canceled, with a new list of venues and cities to be unveiled in some months. The tour has now been rebranded as “After Hours Til Dawn” Stadium Tour. This points to the fact that the tour will be held in Europe, North America, South America, Australia, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
Tickets previously sold for the tour will be invalid for the new dates and venues, with punters set to receive automatic refunds. The Weeknd’s statement also noted that “all ticket holders will receive priority when purchasing tickets for the new tour dates when they go on sale.” The announcement came with a short teaser of the tour, which featured the snippet of an untitled song. Earlier in the month, The Weeknd stated that his forthcoming album, his fifth studio album, was almost completed. He also teased that only “a couple of characters are missing to complete the narrative.” He previously announced that the album would be completed by the end of August.
Earlier this year, in August, The Weeknd shared his album’s lead single, “Take My Breath.” In a GQ interview with Mark Anthony recently, he described his next record as the album he has always wanted to make. His lead single was released alongside a film clip slated for release in IMAX theatres, but due to epilepsy concerns, it was pulled immediately.
The Weeknd, who has publicly cited Kanye West, Nas, and Britney Spears as his inspirations, was named a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations this month, a title he has expressed his gratitude for and said was a “profound honor.”
Kelly Hyman is well-known for her extraordinary and multifaceted career. Born in Miami Beach, Florida, Kelly is an Australian American raised by a single mother in the busy streets of New York City but later on moved to Southern California. The Floridian native started her career in the entertainment industry at just five years old, where she appeared in numerous print ads, commercials, and television shows. It was also there that she met her childhood best friend, Shalane McCall, and they were simultaneously nominated for a Youth in Film Award.
Kelly was known for portraying numerous characters in several TV shows, including playing the role of Loretta on the soap opera The Young and the Restless, Normal Fell from Three’s Company, as well as Donna in the 1988 film Doin’ Time on Planet Earth, where she worked alongside Batman’s Adam West. Aside from her acting career, Kelly also performed off-Broadway in New York City and lent her voice to several ads, including the distinguished Kit Kat “Give Me A Break” commercial.
Later on, Kelly wholly focused on her education despite still being in the entertainment industry and eventually earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). While traversing her busy college life, Kelly took the opportunity to become an intern at the Office of Presidential Inquiries at The White House. Subsequently, in 2000, she received a Master of Arts in Communication at Barry University. Finally, in 2003, she was awarded the Juris Doctor Degree with honors from the University of Florida College of Law.
The former actress’s remarkable academic background opened many doors for her. It didn’t take long before she took on more career-defying jobs, including working for well-known law firms such as Kozyak, Tropin & Throckmorton Law Firm, and Searcy, Denney, Scarola, Barnhart & Shipley PA. Additionally, she served as a law clerk for the former U.S. District Court Judge Brian Sandoval, Judge Robert Mark for the United States Bankruptcy Court, and the esteemed Judge Wendell Graham for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court.
In 2017, Kelly was elected President of the Federal Bar Association in Palm Beach County, Florida. She was also on the Board of Directors for Dress for Success, Palm Beach. As a lifelong democratic, the distinguished lawyer committed herself for the election and reelection of President Barack Obama back in the days and volunteered for the democratic party as a poll watcher to protect voters’ rights during the then-presidential election.
Despite her departure from the entertainment business, Kelly continues to appear on television as a legal analyst and has appeared numerous times on Law & Crime, Court TV, OANN, as well as with Fox and Friends First. She’s also made countless appearances on BBC, ABC, NBC LX, The Ingraham Angle, I24 News, Newsmax TV, and so much more.
Currently, Kelly remains a democratic political commentator and lawyer, where she focuses mainly on class actions and mass tort litigation, with Forbes calling her the “modern-day Erin Brockovich.” Adding to her already long list of achievements, Kelly is also the author of two politically-driven books called Top Ten Reasons To Drop Trump in 2020 and Build Back Better: 100 Days of the Biden Administration and Beyond. In addition, the established lawyer is married to Paul G. Hyman Jr., a judge for the United States Bankruptcy Court.
To learn more about Kelly and her accomplishments, check out her website.
Optimal health is non-negotiable, and the process of achieving that cuts across taking care of every part of the body. So for Dr. Tyler Hartley and Dr. Megan Hullihen, establishing Axiom Chiropractic was a needed move as it gave them the chance to carry out life-changing, powerful and healing work every day.
Through Axiom Chiropractic, the experienced medical professionals aim to show the world that chiropractic is more than fixing neck and back pain. In Dr. Tyler’s words, “It’s a holistic approach to health designed to improve overall body function and optimize performance.” At Axiom Chiropractic, health is a top priority, and all the medical professionals working at the facility understand that fact. Dr. Tyler and Dr. Megan also make sure to pass along the necessary education to keep patients up-to-date about the right decisions they need to make to ensure optimal health for their bodies.
Axiom Chiropractic’s operation thrives on the individualized approach to treating patients. “We understand that no two people are the same. So we take the time to discover your wants, but more importantly your needs, and deliver the best results in the Charlotte area,” Dr. Tyler said.
The practice utilizes the most specific full-spine chiropractic adjusting technique called the Gonstead Method, which applies five different criteria to identify the cause of a health concern. This method has been highly successful and has played a massive role in the high level of trust that many patients have in Axiom Chiropractic.
“We believe that the amazing results we achieve are credited to detailed nervous system exams, as well as attention to specificity when delivering the chiropractic adjustment. When performed correctly, the chiropractic adjustment will alleviate nerve pressure at the root and allow proper efferent and afferent signals between the brain and body to take place,” Dr. Megan Hullihen explained.
Axiom Chiropractic has plugged itself to the center of educating the entire Charlotte community and beyond about where health truly comes from and connecting the bridge between symptoms or chronic health concerns and how chiropractic procedures correct those problems. In receiving this education, patients get both evidence and knowledge to understand everything about their health and what they need to do or not do.
“We always use objective measurements before we perform any adjustment. We must know when to correct, but even more importantly, we need to know when not to adjust. We cannot juxtapose one for the other to avoid issues,” Dr. Tyler Hartley shared.Over the next few years, Dr. Tyler Hartley and Dr. Megan hope to make Axiom Chiropractic’s office one of the busiest in the greater Charlotte area, focusing on families, pediatrics and athletes. The ultimate goal is to reduce the use of pharmaceuticals and surgery to the barest minimum while putting the power back in the patients’ hands regarding decisions about their health.
Although internet speed is one of the essential factors in a digital network experience, signal strength and how that data is delivered depends on numerous things, including proximity to servers. This has proven a significant challenge for internet service providers and companies who offer connectivity until uCloudlink came up with functional and swift connection access with minimal downtime known as HyperConn™ .
uCloudlink is a leading data traffic sharing platform globally that is pioneering innovative techniques through its CloudSIM technology; the company offers easy and flexible ultra-high-speed internet connectivity for mobile, home, and office users using a network of more than 200 service providers located across over 140 countries and regions.
uCloudlink provides consumers with not just fast connections but also high performance, so they’re free from worries about their connection dropping down or getting interrupted during use- even at peak hours when others have problems reaching certain sites due to traffic congestion caused by other users loading up pages simultaneously trying out streaming services like Netflix.
By leveraging a specific Artificial Intelligence to determine the most efficient network coverage based on a user’s present location, internet usage, and performance of all available broadband networks, HyperConn™ guarantees its users a great, if not the best, network connection possible at all times. Furthermore, through its robust and seamless switching, HyperConn™ ensures that the given network will never fail regardless of the open applications, how many people are utilizing the network connection, or where the user is.
uCloudlink’s products and services are known for delivering unique value propositions to mobile data users, handset companies, MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators). The company leverages its innovative CloudSIM technology and architecture, the foundation of our business model that redefines how people connect with their phones.
A new approach we take into account when designing these solutions ensures reliable connectivity at consistently high speeds while also providing competitive pricing so you can enjoy a seamless experience on your device no matter where or what type it may be, including smartphones as well as laptops, computers and tablets.
While describing the technology’s functionality, “Imagine a car being able to freely make use of all the lanes available on a highway without needing to stop for tolls and other barricades. This level of flexibility and freedom is what we offer with HyperConn™. We believe that our forward-thinking solution will help the world prepare for whatever may come our way in the future and move us one step closer to sharing without limitations.” CEO and Director Chaohui Chen said.
“HyperConn™ is a groundbreaking technological advancement,” Chen added and he describes it as the result of years of a collective effort from our hundred-strong R&D team
Along with HyperConn™, uCloudlink has introduced Numen, a world-first – an ultra-fast 5G mobile WiFI device that can connect to all signals available, including fixed broadband WiFi and 4g/5g data networks. In addition, it will constantly monitor your connection for optimum performance, so you never have any more problems with weak or congested links!
Learn more about HyperConn™ and uCloudlink on their website.
As dramatic as it may sound, no insurance policy can make up for data loss, a problem that almost everyone has encountered over the course of using computers, smartphones, and other digital tools. From accidental deletions to losing progress on a file one has spent hours working on because of a poorly timed crash, every possible misfortune that comes naturally when handling both softwares and hardware has caused people a headache or two. The stress associated with data issues is even more significant when it involves photos. In recognition of the role that pictures play in capturing fleeting moments and immortalizing events that a person wishes to relive in the future, Maktar Inc has gone all-out in ensuring that albums are kept intact and safe from the impact of human error and tech failure.
Maktar Inc is the home of Qubii Duo, an ultra-fast charging and advanced auto-backup cube for Apple and Android devices. Founded in New Taipei City in 2014, this global technology company strategically designs, develops and sells consumer electronics, software, and services. The brainchild of Mactaris Chen, it places a heavy premium on improving efficiency and security in the devices that individuals and companies use on a daily basis.
“With technology all around us, we want to protect your safety and privacy both online and offline and allow you to live adventurously and fully,” shared the mind behind this fast-growing establishment.
Since its creation, Maktar Inc has operated under the goal of creating more than a trending gadget. At the heart of its initiatives is the desire to encourage sensibility and proactive behavior among users as well as alleviate worries over technological failures by introducing intuitive products that can consistently deliver their promise of utility and efficiency.
So far, Maktar Inc has managed to impress industry peers and customers alike for its selection of well-crafted products, one of which is the Qubii Duo. The award-winning innovation automatically triggers backup when people charge their phones or tablets. Its premise is simple: new photos are immediately backed up when detected in the device’s photo album. With its design aimed toward protecting users’ safety and privacy, Qubii Duo boasts a long string of features, including extensive storage, smart automatic backup, and two-factor authentication content security.
While there are a host of other platforms that share the same objectives Qubii Duo has, most of them rely on a steady connection to the internet. This brainchild of Maktar Inc, on the other hand, acknowledges that not everything needs to be hosted online, and not all information should be stored on the cloud.
“By being offline, we do not risk our clients’ information and data to malware,” explained the team at the helm of the tech powerhouse.
With the launch of Qubii Duo, Maktar Inc was able to cement its reputation within the consumer electronics industry even more solidly. As it continues to provide digital solutions to issues that plague everyday users, it is expected to emerge as one of the leaders of the space in the years to come.
Learn more about Maktar Inc by visiting its website and Instagram page.
Madison, Wisconsin has never been a place known for producing relevant individuals in the entertainment & media spaces. Well known for its beer and cheese, the state sits right in the middle of what many know as “the flyover zone”. While in many cases that assumption would be true, recently the state has produced a story that has taken the internet by storm, transforming the original perception it has for so long put forward.
Insert Christian Anderson and Bryce Vander Sanden, a duo of early 20-year-olds transforming the entertainment space in a refreshing way. The duo founded a successful Digital Marketing & Public Relations firm called Lost Boy Entertainment LLC which has now expanded beyond its original foundations into a holdings company. Anderson and Vander Sanden began Lost Boy Entertainment almost two years ago from their college dorm room at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse. Anderson was studying Marketing meanwhile Vander Sanden was focused on his studies in Finance and Accounting.
The “Lost Boy” concept was inspired by Disney’s Peter Pan, Anderson’s favorite childhood hero. Many of the company’s cartoon clothing designs and visual concepts derive from the overall idea. However, the concept has taken life beyond just a character, meaning more to its founders and others who have joined the movement. “Being a Lost Boy means being okay with being different. Being okay with not being considered normal,” explained Anderson. “That’s the very thing we wanted to drive home when we first began brainstorming concepts for our overall brand. You know I say this every time someone interviews me but when I first began making music many years ago people thought I was a joke. My peers didn’t take it seriously at all. It was weird to a lot of people. To me it wasn’t, it felt right, it felt like what I was supposed to be doing. I wanted my brand to capture that disconnect between the creative and the doubter. That’s what the Lost Boy brand as a whole was built to represent.”
While at college, both founders juggled their studies with a hefty workload, sometimes finding their hustle overwhelming. “You know it got stressful at times,” explained Anderson. “Especially in the beginning before I asked Bryce to help me it was just me. It was hard to study for exams all the time while juggling my clients. I’m thankful Bryce stepped up when I asked.” Anderson called on Vander Sanden for back up and the duo worked together to build the original foundations of their now multi-million dollar empire. “Bryce has been there from the beginning. He was there when we made our LLC together. I told him I had a meeting with our school’s small business center about getting the company’s paperwork right. He told me he wanted to come with and has been by my side ever since. That’s really how it happened.” Anderson decided not to finish his studies at La Crosse, dropping out midway through his first semester as a senior to drive business forward. Vander Sanden, on the other hand, recently finished up his studies graduating with bachelor’s degrees in Finance & Accounting.
The company’s original seeds were planted through Anderson’s career as a hip hop artist. Making music under the stage name “Trust’N”, Anderson has put together an impressive career as an independent artist. The creative has released multiple charting projects including his TikTok viral single “Lucy” but hasn’t dropped anything in over a year. He’s been busy expanding his company and making moves in his new home city of Los Angeles. Anderson did mention that he plans to return to the music space soon, having a vault of unreleased music we should expect to hear soon.
What started as Lost Boy Entertainment LLC has now expanded into Lost Boy Holdings LLC. The holdings company has stepped beyond the Entertainment & Media space into the fields of E-Commerce, Real Estate, Fashion, Music, and most recently announced Film. The company manages Lost Boy Logistics LLC (private E-Com & Real Estate investing) and Lost Boy Clothing LLC (Fashion Design & Merchandise) among others. The Lost Boy umbrella boasts an impressive list of clients including the likes of corporate powerhouses like Google, Target, Procter & Gamble, DoorDash, and The San Francisco Giants among others while catering to the needs of some of today’s biggest influencers also listing names like Snoop Dogg, Ne-Yo, Mayweather, Trippie Redd, Harry Jowsey, and Tayler Holder. The company’s mission is to be pioneers in any field the company touches, and to inspire those around them to pursue what might seem to be the unlikely or impossible.
Anderson and Vander Sanden have big plans for 2022 after boasting more than 1 million dollars in revenue for 2021. The founders continue to look to expand the company further and step into even more spaces. “You know we want to keep expanding,” explained Anderson. “E-Com is really starting to take off and that’s exciting because we see that as a base for a lot of what we plan to do. We have so much planned for the future and that’s what keeps pushing us forward and inspires us every day.”
The future of the company couldn’t look much brighter with its successful past year and exciting new ventures on the way.
Several years ago, Selena Soo quit her job and took a giant leap of faith by starting her own business. Along the way, she found there has been one critical component impacting her success at every level: mindset.
It’s what helped her go from a full-time salary of $42,000 to becoming a multi 7-figure business owner—and it can help you do the same. Selena shares that if you’re ready to watch your business take off, commit yourself to mastering these three mindset shifts and watch what happens next.
MINDSET SHIFT #1: Your greatest fears are your greatest opportunities in disguise.
Not every entrepreneur dreams of flipping their desk at work one day and going out on their own. Like a lot of us, I never used to see myself as a person who could run her own business. I was terrified of the spotlight and worried about other people judging me. When I started writing an outline for my first workshop ever, I felt completely paralyzed.
As I sat crouched in front of my laptop, I couldn’t move my body or even lift a finger. I was so fearful of saying something stupid or creating something people might laugh at that I felt like throwing up. Forget freefall roller coasters and sharks at the beach. This was probably the most scared I’ve ever been in my life. But a quiet voice inside of me whispered, “This could be big.” So I pushed myself forward. In the end, the workshop turned out to be a huge success—one of many to come.
TIP: Write down a list of the things that scare you the most—things that have a really strong emotional charge for you. Maybe it’s raising your prices or asking people to pay for your work instead of doing it pro bono. Perhaps it’s speaking in front of a big room. Then pick just one and go for it! You’ve just identified the acts that will take you to the next level in your business.
MINDSET SHIFT #2: Making money is easy. If they can do it, so can I.
In the early years of my business, I took a risk and joined a high-end mastermind. It was kind of crazy for me to pay as much as I did to become a part of the group, but so many people that I admired who were achieving really big goals were in it. At my job, I was surrounded by people who were making maybe $50K a year, so that’s what I originally imagined for myself. But in the mastermind, people were having $10K, $20K, or even $30K a month. I thought, “Wow, if they can do this, I can do it, too.” Seeing other people doing life-changing, soul-stirring and lucrative things in all sorts of industries allowed me to envision what was really possible for me.
TIP: When you’re feeling stuck, one of the fastest ways to grow is to change your environment. Surround yourself with role models who have achieved the goals you’re striving for. Expose yourself to people who are doing what you want to do, and you’ll start to see more possibilities for yourself (and your earning potential).
MINDSET SHIFT #3: It’s impossible for me to fail. I can overcome any challenge.
When I look back at all that I’ve been able to achieve, so much of it involves my refusal to give up. When I’m facing a challenge, I remind myself that I’m really hardworking, I’m a smart person, I’m a good person, and I want to help people. I also know that I’ve spent time developing an amazing network of people who care about me, and that through mutual respect we always support one another. With all of those things in place, I know it’s impossible for me to fail. Whatever the problem is, I know I can figure it out.
TIP: It can be hard to keep going when you don’t believe in yourself, so you must remind yourself every time you come up against an obstacle that you can do this. Take a few minutes to write out an empowering statement… something you can look back on and repeat to yourself when you’re feeling less than confident.
Here’s one of my favorites: “I don’t need to be perfect to show up and share my message. I have valuable things to share with people right now… and they are waiting to hear from me.”
These three mindset shifts helped me cross the 6-figure mark, the multi 6-figure mark, and ultimately the million-dollar mark—and my hope is that they will do the same for you.
Stress – What’s your most cherished value? We all have driving forces that keep us inspired and motivated, whether it’s supporting our loved ones, giving to those in need, finding fulfillment in our work, or making a difference in our community.
Determining your most cherished value and using it to your advantage can drastically change your approach to your work, infusing you with additional internal motivation, says Rebecca Greenbaum, Ph.D., professor of human resource management at Rutgers University’s School of Management and Labor Relations.
That’s where value triggers come in. Value triggers are items that represent something that matters deeply to you — for example, a key ring that belonged to your grandmother can be used as a value trigger representing how you prioritize family. “A value trigger is a physical reminder of your core values,” Steven Hayes, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of Nevada and author of A Liberated Mind, tells Thrive. “It is there to help you refocus back on what matters most to you, making you more inclined to act in line with your highest ideals.”
Value triggers are especially effective at keeping your work life on track. “Having purpose prompts employees to want to go to work and do a good job, without focusing as much on external rewards,” Greenbaum explains. “When the going gets tough, an employee’s sense of purpose reminds them of the importance of their work, and gives them the fortitude to move forward.”
Here are four expert-backed tips for finding your own value trigger:
1. Do some soul-searching
Before you choose an object to act as your value trigger, it’s important to make sure you’ve chosen a value that truly resonates with you. Hayes stresses the importance of avoiding choosing certain values due to pressure from others. For example, if your mother greatly values tradition, but you value independence, make sure to follow through with what you believe — not with what will make others happy.
Additionally, Hayes urges against choosing values you believe you should have — that will only create internal distress. “Values chosen out of emotional avoidance or entangled ‘have to’ thoughts push you down rather than lift you up,” he tells Thrive. “True values are something you seek — they are not methods of running away.”
And make sure your value integrates naturally into everything you do. “The ones that work best are intrinsic to being and doing, such as behaving honestly or lovingly,” Hayes says. “Values like that protect you from stress reactivity and burnout.”
2. Choose your item carefully
Value triggers come in all shapes and sizes. A few common examples include pictures, jewelry, or even a Post-It note, Hayes notes. He also suggests using more intangible things, such as a mantra or ringtone. Greenbaum proposes displaying quotes in your office, or creating an email signature that is meaningful to you, to serve as daily reminders of your core value.
The key here is choosing something that fits naturally into your daily life. Set yourself up for success by making interaction with your value trigger inevitable. “If you want to be reminded of the values you bring to your home life, pick a trigger, like the keys of your car, that you will have to interact with before you go home,” Hayes says. “If you take your wedding ring off at night, use that little moment of putting it back on in the morning to think about the kind of spouse you want to be that day.”
Many people already carry around value triggers without realizing it: pictures of loved ones in your wallet or on your desk, wedding rings, or award certificates hanging on your office walls. The trick is making use of that trigger.
3. Tap into the power of rituals
Value triggers are effective — but only when you actually use them. Hayes explains that value triggers are something of a use it or lose it scenario. Simply having a value trigger isn’t enough to reap the benefits.
In order to get the maximum benefit, you have to make a habit of finding meaning in your value triggers, Greenbaum notes. Rituals can enhance a person’s self-control, and allow them to focus on what’s most important. Employees should start their work days reminding themselves about their values, and how they’ll uphold those values throughout the day, she says.
4. Reflect and reevaluate as you go
Remain mindful about what matters and never take values for granted. Both experts emphasize the importance of deep reflection throughout the process of choosing and utilizing value triggers.
Reflecting on values regularly allows you to continually determine their importance in your life. “Make a concerted effort to reflect on your values before entering a situation where those values may be challenged,” says Greenbaum. “By actively and strategically thinking about the application of your values, they will become an integral part of how you work — rather than something that you attend to only when it is convenient.”
And don’t be afraid to reevaluate your values as the need arises. People change over time, and so do their values. By reevaluating, you can make sure that the value you choose to prioritize always matches up with where you are. “It’s okay if your values change. The idea is not to find the ‘ideal’ value, but to be actively engaged in the process of finding out what matters most to you. Hold them lightly, but pursue them passionately,” Hayes says.
Lori Smith is the founder and CEO of Acu-Elligent LLC, a well-known business coaching and management consulting firm that continues to help small-time businesses and individuals acquire government contracts without tribulation. Lori and her team are leveraging over forty years of federal service and using their expertise to help these companies achieve their goals. At Acu-Elligent, a devoted team of accomplished business strategists, mentors, professional trainers, and thought leaders take pride in their unwavering integrity and unbiased solutions when it comes to their first-rate services.
Ever since Lori launched Acu-Elligent, it has earned a stellar reputation for effectively offering the best solutions to helping businesses maneuver through opportunities and challenges using strategic positioning, relationship, and resources. As an idealistic leader with a firm entrepreneurial background and proficient with the perception of organizational development, Lori employs the idea of visualizing, strategic planning, evaluation, monitoring, and trusted advisory support to advance a client’s necessity.
“I launched Acu-Elligent in the hopes of helping minority-owned businesses obtain government contracts, as well as simplifying the federal contracting process,” Lori says, adding that more often than not, minority-owned businesses, especially those run by women, get lost in the procedural aspect of government contracting. For some, the rejection can be discouraging, but Lori intends to change the tide of these circumstances through her company.
As a recently retired federal contracting officer, Lori is offering her contracting proficiency and fiscal oversight she leveraged to manage a broad spectrum of contract administration actions such as administering a $128 billion portfolio while granting administrative support and human resources management services.
Described by many as a systematic thinker, proficient enough to raise expectations while communicating neutrally with personnel at all levels, Lori’s capabilities aren’t solely reliant on her federal experience because as a person she is inherently incredible when it comes to masterful coaching conversations; she is also detail-oriented and nurturing when it comes to the growth and opportunity of her clients.
Naturally, for an established person like Lori, her extensive educational background has contributed to her remarkable development as a person and as a leader. Lori holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Resource Management from Troy University, a Master of Science in Education from the University of Oklahoma, and a Master of Arts in Business from the University of Phoenix. Adding to her extensive list of academic and non-academic achievements, Lori obtained a Level 3 certification in DAWIA (Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act), a FAC-C Level 3 (Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting), and a certification as a Growth IQ Personality Assessment Evaluator. Lori also has American Board certifications as Hypnotherapist, Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), and as a NLP Coach; and is certified as a Time Line Therapy Practitioner as well.
Being in the military, Lori has also received numerous awards for her service, including being the recipient of both the Department of Veterans Affairs and Army Outstanding Civilian and Performer Cash Awards, two Meritorious Service Medals, a Joint Service Achievement Medal, six Air Force Commendation Medals, and an Air Force Achievement Medal, to name a few.
Through the years, Lori developed the perceptive ability to quickly distinguish various problems that organizations and individuals face when seeking contracts with the federal government. In addition, Lori never fails to motivate her team to maximize their potential and develop an alignment and a clear roadmap leading to actual results. Furthermore, she empowers her clients to express their vision and educate them to understand federal contract terms and pricing and billing regulations deeply associated with doing business with the national government.
Lori also took the opportunity to write a book that eventually helped her earn the title of best-selling author. WINNING BUSINESS PROPOSAL STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS: How To Give Your Business The Winning Edge, Writing To Win More Customers, Clients, And Contracts was written by Lori to express her creative thinking, splendid intuition, and insight. Other works include Customer Relationship Management: A Business Guide to Customer Relationship Management, Discovering Techniques for Attracting and Retaining Customers. Her latest effort, Business Development and Strategic Marketing: A Practical Guide for Business Owners, Understanding Business Development, Guidance for Orchestrating Strategic Marketing Plans for Success, will be published soon.
Check out her LinkedIn profile to learn more about Lori Smith and Acu-Elligent LLC.
Timeshares are a great idea in theory. You buy into them and then you get the use of a vacation property for an extended period of time, typically one week every year or two weeks every other year. That sounds like a lot of fun, but there is more to it than that. Timeshare owners deal with so much unnecessary stress. For starters, they can’t use the property when they want to; timeshare scheduling is incredibly complex, and individuals are often stuck visiting a place at the same time every year (if they can even do that). Moreover, the people who work at timeshare resorts can be most manipulative about what they’re selling you. As terrible as those drawbacks are, the most significant disadvantage to owning a shared vacation spot is what it does to people’s finances. Here is a list of the biggest financial problems caused by timeshares that everyone should know and how to get out of them:
#1 Upfront Cost
According to 2019 data from the American Resort Development Association (ARDA), the average cost of a timeshare is $22,942 per interval. It’s important to understand that most timeshare owners aren’t paying $22,942 out of their pocket upfront. In most cases, they’re financing this amount through the resort directly to become members. The average interest rate of timeshare loans is 14% over a 10-year term. For some clubs, the interest rates can soar as high as 20%.
For this example, we will show you what the interest rate of 14% over ten years looks like with a timeshare that costs $22,942.
That’s right, the timeshare you thought you were paying $22,942 for is actually going to cost you $42,745.20 over the next 10 years. What’s worse? This is not even close to the real total of what you’re going to spend. We’ve yet to factor in a few more payments that are mandatory for timeshare owners. One of the most common is what’s called maintenance fees.
#2. Maintenance Fees
Maintenance fees are annual payments that go towards the upkeep of your timeshare property. In 2019, ARDA reported that the annual maintenance fee for a timeshare runs around $1,000 on average. Although, this fee could be much higher depending on the size of your timeshare and which resort you own.
It’s not a terrible idea to think that having everyone pitch in to keep maintaining and updating the property over the years is fair. However, when you break down the numbers it resembles a legal bank robbery. Think about it like this; if the timeshare resort has 100 units total they’re able to sell each unit 52 times because there are 52 weeks in a year. This means they can potentially have 5,200 owners at that one resort at any given time. In turn, receiving 5.2 million dollars in maintenance fees every year if we use the average maintenance fee of $1,000 x 5200 owners.
Have you ever noticed $5,200,000 worth of minor updates and or maintenance at your timeshare resort each year? On another note, maintenance fees are always required by owners to use their timeshare even if they’ve already paid off their initial purchase price. Not to add insult to injury but maintenance fees also go up 2% – 4% a year depending on who you own with. Over a ten-year span that 2% increase will result in your $1,000 annual maintenance fee going up 18% to a total of $1,220 per year. If the average entry price of a timeshare along with its maintenance fees weren’t already enough to make you question owning a timeshare the next financial pitfalls definitely will.
#3 Special Assessment Fees
By now, we are familiar with the maintenance fees that come along with timeshares, which cover general property expenses like repairs, landscaping, lawn care, and basic updates. Although maintenance fees are similar to the HOA fees people who live in a community pay, there are several other major financial responsibilities that come with timeshares everyone should be aware of.
Special assessment fees are a result of property assessments. For example, in the event of a natural disaster, the owners would bear responsibility for covering the costs to repair damages that were not covered by resort maintenance budgets or insurance policies. These types of fees can be issued at any time and in any amount. Due to their unpredictability, special assessments put people under a lot of financial pressure when hit with one, and many timeshare owners are stuck paying for amenities they will never use, like a new gym or racquetball court. It is best to avoid timeshare ownership in the first place if you’re wanting to avoid the fees we’ve stated above, but if you already own one, we are going to show you how to remove yourself from paying special assessment fees forever in just a moment. For now, let’s move on to our last major financial pitfall for timeshare owners.
#4 Losing All The Money You Spent
When you’re in the sales presentation at the resort the salesperson may state something that implies you being able to recoup some or even all of the money you’ve spent on your timeshare once you’re ready to get rid of it. We want you to understand that financially, timeshares are not an investment. You see, to be a financial investment, the product must go up in value over time. Let’s say you bought your timeshare at $22,924 this year. That means next year it should be worth more than that. At the very least, you should be able to sell your timeshare for what you paid one year ago. However, that’s not the case.
Timeshares are being listed on sites like eBay every single day for 1 penny and aren’t going anywhere. These aren’t non-name brand timeshare resorts in the middle of nowhere either. They’re some of the biggest names in the industry and in some of the nicest places. Here, check this Hawaii property out.
So why aren’t they selling? Because of the reasons we’ve listed above coupled with the fact that when you want out of your timeshare, it’s almost impossible to do so. When timeshare owners have problems who do they have to reach out to? In most cases, it’s their resort. What does the resort do? From what we can tell, they have the owner come back into one of their resorts for help and the help they receive is being sold more of the product they already have after being told: “not having enough points” or “needing a higher status” was the culprit of their issues. What do you think happens when you buy more points or a higher level of membership? The annual fees and payments go up! If you’ve been a timeshare owner for a while now you know this to be true more than anyone.
How To Get Out?
Are you a timeshare owner wanting to get out of your ownership? If so, we have a solution. There is a company called Timeshare Help Source and they are the best way for a timeshare owner to get out of their unwanted ownership. We’re going to walk you through exactly why we believe Timeshare Help Source is the #1 company to get out of your timeshare ownership.
#1 Their Proven Success Rate
Timeshare Help Source is the only company we can find that is actually accredited with the Better Business Bureau and has not even one review from a client stating they didn’t get them out of their ownership. This is after being in business for almost three years too! Pretty incredible considering we couldn’t find another business that can say the same.
#2 Qualification Process
Unlike other companies that claim to do what Timeshare Help Source does, THS will only take on certain ownerships they know they can succeed with. This has allowed them to receive the best of reviews and maintain a 100% success rate for the clients.
#3 Customer Service
You can expect the highest level of customer service when speaking with representatives at Timeshare Help Source. They genuinely care about the timeshare owners they’re helping and it shows with every interaction. You’ll see for yourself on your very first interaction.
#4 Money Back Guarantee
Should you become the first individual that Timeshare Help Source fails to get out of your timeshare, rest assured you won’t lose your money. They offer a 100% money-back guarantee to all of their clients.
While there are many other reasons we would encourage anyone to use Timeshare Help Source to alleviate themselves of their unwanted timeshare we highly encourage that one takes into consideration all of the above information before committing to timeshare ownership in the first place. The more informed you are, the better decisions you will make. Should you have any questions for Timeshare Help Source directly you can contact them by visiting their website at www.TimeshareHelpSource.com.
