Feb 25, 2015

By Phin Upham Stockton, California was full of rich and fertile soil. So rich, in fact, that it presented a problem to farmers attempting to settle there. The tractors they used, large and heavy steam monstrosities that could weigh up to 1,000 pounds, were literally sinking into the earth. This rendered most farming efforts completely useless. That’s where Benjamin Holt decided to step in and fix the problem. He tried to increase both the size and with of the wheels on those tractors, which made them 46 feet wide. The plan worked, but the downside was that the tractor was expensive and extremely difficult to maintain. He also tried laying a temporary platform of wood planks ahead of the tractors, but the process was time consuming and not very cost-effective. It also interfered greatly with the tractor’s movements. The ultimate solution, tested successfully in November of 1904, was to put wooden tracks around the wheels bolted together with chains. Charles Clements, the company photographer, made the observation that the tractor moved across the wet delta of Roberts Island like a caterpillar. Holt took the name and ran with it. The first Holt-produced tractor was sold for $5,500, which would translate to $128,000 today. Holt filed for a patent in December of 1907, and got the rights to produce a “traction engine.” The improvement promised “endless travelling platform supports upon which the engine is carried.” Caterpillar is one of the most recognized brands in construction, and it was little more than someone’s experiment at efficiency. About the Author: Phin Uphamis an investor at a family office/ hedgefund, where he focuses on special situation illiquid investing. Before this position, Phin Upham was working at Morgan Stanley in the Media & Technology group. You may contact Phin on his Phin Upham website or Twitter...

As your children get older, they would need to start developing their financial independence. It might not yet be the time for them to look for a part-time job, but inculcating some habits in them might prove to be beneficial as they get into adulthood. Open a High Yield Savings Account Once your children are mature enough to be able to grasp the concept of interest, you could open a savings account with an interest rate. You might guide your children into opening a high yield account online and at the same time would be able to explain the concept of compound interest. Help Your Child Prioritize You might want to help your child prioritize by making them draft a wish list of all the items that they would need to spend money on. Ask your child to consider the long term rather than just that cool trendy object that they wish to buy. For instance, they could start saving for a trip to Europe or to buy a brand new laptop. Then you could guide your child to allocate a portion of their allowance to each of these goals. Let Your Child Make Mistakes If you child want to spend money from birthday gifts or from their grandparents’ visit, a good idea might be to let them do it. Poor decisions might sometimes serve as one of the most important life lessons for your children. Assuming that the money is not a big amount, it does not constitute so much of a financial loss if your child does not save it...

By Phin Upham When you really consider the basis for forming a civilization, philanthropy could be considered central to those aims. Colonial society, for instance, was built largely through the hard work of volunteers working together for the common good. Americans are largely perceived as good natured, honest people. Though it’s hard for us to recognize sometimes within our own society, we are surprisingly open about how we feel and we are very emotional people too. Those two qualities have been basic to American life since the beginning, especially when one considers the notions of patriotism. These voluntary associations were the first forms of philanthropy in the US, but definitely not the last. Benjamin Franklin was another example of early American philanthropy. He was well-known for public service, even called “Prometheus” by Immanuel Kant for stealing electricity from the heavens to bring to the common man. His work for the betterment of life led to multiple honorary degrees, earning him the title of “Doctor” despite his lack of education. Philanthropy kept America in fighting shape during the revolutionary war, when men and women fought to protect their lands from the British. So called “Minutemen” were volunteer farmers ready to give their lives in defense of their neighbors. Today, philanthropy is often obscured by the numbers. It sometimes feels like we cannot truly see the change we enact in the donations we give or the work that we do for others. Money is one of the primary factors in philanthropy today, and you find fewer public figures so dedicated to public service. Of course, we’ve seen with organizations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that true change is possible if there are enough funds to keep efforts going strong. Phin Upham is an investor from NYC and SF. You may contact Phin on his Phin Upham website or LinkedIn...

Everyone has a reason to plan a budget and a new year is a great way to review attempts at budgeting and to reiterate initiatives to plan and stick to it. Whether you have already tried budgeting in the past and have not been very successful does not matter. You will still be able to make new commitments and use new information acquired to become efficient at it. The factors below might help you in keeping up with your budget. Everyone needs to budget You might think that some people are not on a budget and are able to afford whatever they want, but that is probably not true. People appearing to be carefree spenders might in fact have planned for these indulgences or are perhaps going to be struggling in the future. Set your mind on the reason why you are budgeting Remaining motivated is the key to succeeding in any aspect of your life and this applies to budgeting as well. By keeping focus on the reason why you are budgeting, you will keep track on your expenses and ultimately achieve your goal. Keep your budget realistic Just because you have to save money does not necessary imply that you have to cut back on everything, including food and necessities. You would thus need to cater for these expenses and cut the extras. Focus on savings A savings account is important in this case. You might also consider having an account for each savings objectives. You might distribute your savings for short term goals such as buying something in the coming months, longer term goals such as your children’s education and an emergency...

Construction turnaround services are performed under an extremely strict deadline. The building must be upgraded to fit the newest standards, but it costs money each day the building or facility is not performing. Project management is integral to completing a turnaround project on time and under budget. Estimates and Preparation The first thing that a PM does is review all potential work to be done, and make estimates based on what information is available. They will review personnel and determine how many people are required to do the job on time. They also look at material lists, and help determine which suppliers receive orders and schedule a time frame for supplies to arrive. PMs have a short time to grasp the full scope of a turnaround project and their estimates must be as accurate as possible to avoid overages. Reporting and Handling Relationships PMs are the head in their own chain of command, but they have a chain to follow as well. A project manager typically reports to the building owner directly, so keeping an open channel of communication is crucial. PMs should be reporting updates, and discussing what the conditions are like on the site. They must also handle the documentation, or delegate this task to a responsible party. In the event of construction mediation, this documentation can prove to be the deciding factor in a lawsuit. A project manager has the responsibility to make sure a project is completed on time, and that means remaining flexible and responsive. Just remember to keep a safety-first mentality on site.   — Lyle Charles is a consultant for construction, and an expert in steel fabrication. Contact Lyle Charles Consulting for assistance with your next commercial construction...