Are You Smarter than An Economist?

Renee C. Fellman, CTP is an experienced Certified Turnaround Professional. Her job and that of other turnaround professionals is to go into companies that are in trouble and get them “turned around.” Just like other consultants and experts, there are good ones and there are mediocre ones. Good turn-around pros like Ms. Fellman don’t stop when they have the balance sheet and income statement patched up, they help companies develop processes and best practices that will help prevent the company from getting into trouble again. A good turn around consultant is worth every penny you pay them.

 

Mr. Fellman has a blog called, “The Turnaround Blogger”™ that I highly recommend accountants, CFOs, and business owners to read. She has fresh insight on what is happening in companies around the U.S. and gives practical advice on fixing your company’s operational, accounting, and financial systems.

 

Now the good news:

 

Ms. Fellman is sponsoring a contest for anyone who wants to participate. Essentially the person who correctly predicts several key aspects of the economy’s turnaround wins!

 

Rene’s Rules™ more specifically state:

The winner will be the person who accurately predicts both of the following measures:

1. Quarter that seasonally adjusted annual rate of real U.S. Gross Domestic Product increases by at least 2% from prior quarter (This will be measured using a report at this URL, title “Percent change from preceding period.” We’ll use “chained 2,000 dollars.)
2. Month that seasonally adjusted U.S. unemployment rate is the same or less than same month in prior year (This will be measured at this URL; see the chart with monthly unemployment located under the graph.)

To participate, you must provide your first and last name and your email address (Your email address will not appear on the site.) and tell the quarter in which you think #1 will occur and the month in which #2 will occur. (e.g., 1 will occur in the first quarter of 2011; 2, in September  of 2010.)

There are a few more things that you need to know to participate, so go to her blog and read her directions.

 

I am not telling anyone my guess, though I will say I am guessing the correct guess of the two metrics that make you the winner are not each going to happen in the same calendar year.

 

So go over and read some of Ms. Fellman’s material. You may just learn something! I did.

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Sam Thacker is a partner in Austin Texas based Business Finance Solutions.

You may contact Sam directly at: sam@lesliethacker.com

or follow him on Twitter: SMBfinance

 

EXTRA: If you have questions for Sam regarding business financing, the credit market, and similar issues, please send an e-mail. Your questions will be recorded and Sam will answer the best ones in his Ask the Expert podcast show.