Author: Nicholas Say

  • Thai “Billionaire” Jae Leng Injured by Monitor Lizard in Central Bangkok

    Thai “Billionaire” Jae Leng Injured by Monitor Lizard in Central Bangkok

    Thai mall operator Araya Lapshewasittichards, better known as Jae Leng, recently survived an encounter with a big monitor lizard in downtown Bangkok.

    The Baht-billionaire was on her morning bike ride in Lumpini Park when the massive lizard rambled in front of her. Despite giving the 1.5 meter long lizard lots of time to get out of her way, it stopped and refused to let her pass.

    Jae Leng reported that, “When I was sure that it wasn’t going to move, I started riding forward, and that’s when the lizard bumped into my bike!”

    Jae Lang Seems to be Fine

    After the 68-year old fell as a result of the lizard-impact, she required brief treatment at a local hospital. Despite some nasty looking bruising and five stitches, Jae Leng was released from the hospital within a day.

    She tweeted that, “Jae Leng is not afraid of anything … except monitor lizards,” which is totally understandable after her unfortunate encounter.

    While Jae Leng was the most recent person to have problems with monitor lizards in Lumpini Park, there have been issues with the giant reptiles in the past.

    In 2016 the local authorities removed at least 40 monitor lizards from the same park, after many cyclists complained about the risks they pose. Clearly, they were right about how dangerous monitor lizards can be.

    On to More Successes

    Araya Lapshewasittichards may have fallen down in the park, but she isn’t going to be taken out of the game by a big lizard. She has been working to build her retail empire for more than 30 years in Bangkok.

    Originally starting out in a small shophouse, the Chinese born Thai emigrant built up her retail business by offering Bangkok natives imported cosmetics and other luxury goods.

    Her ‘Jae Leng Plaza’ shopping centre was an outgrowth of this initial success, and as Bangkok has modernized, her location near Don Mueang has served Ms. Lapshewasittichards well. Even though she is approaching 70 years of age, she plans to develop the land that her affluence has afforded her all over Thailand.

    Jae Leng is thought to be worth more than 1 billion Thai baht, which is roughly $30 million USD at the time of writing.

    A Happy Result

    It is good to see a hard-working entrepreneur walk away from what could have been a serious accident, given the fact she sustained a head injury.

    Another Thai tycoon, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, died at the end of October when the helicopter he was riding in crashed in the UK. He has also made his fortune in retail, and was famous for his duty-free empire.

    Mr. Srivaddhanaprabha was estimated to have a net worth of around $5 billion USD at the time of his death and owned UK Premier League club Leicester City.

  • Elon Musk Likely Moving to Mars, Even if it Kills Him

    Elon Musk Likely Moving to Mars, Even if it Kills Him

    Elon Musk recently said that if he is able to, he wants to move to the planet Mars.

    The iconoclastic billionaire seems to be well aware of the risks involved in what could be the biggest move ever undertaken in human history. Elon likened the big move to the Antarctic expectation that was led by Ernest Shackleton.

    He was quoted as saying, “Your probability of dying on Mars is much higher than earth. Really the ad for going to Mars would be like Shackleton’s ad for going to the Antarctic,” and that, “It’s going to be hard. There’s a good chance of death, going in a little can through deep space.”

    Elon Musk Seems Willing to Die for Mars

    Despite the risks involved, Elon Musk put the probability of a move to Mars at 70%. He didn’t say what had happened recently to stoke his enthusiasm, but he seems surer that a risky Mars mission is in the offering.

    A mission to the planet Mars would be very dangerous. Pretty much every step of the way would be into uncharted territory from an engineering standpoint, and one problem could kill everyone.

    Once on Mars, Elon thinks that they would spend all their time building a habitation. He doesn’t feel like many people would be interested in the risk and hardship, so the likelihood of a billionaire’s Mars club is slim.

    SpaceX is Going Strong

    Even with his decision to smoke cannabis on a popular podcast and ruffle some feathers at the US Air Force, Elon Musk seems to be taking SpaceX to the next level.

    The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule is set for a test launch in January of 2019. The capsule has been under development for many years, and this launch will finally give SpaceX a chance to see what their gear is capable of doing.

    Still Some Work to Do

    A far cry from being capable of traversing the space between Earth and Mars, The Crew Dragon capsule is designed to carry seven people into space. It could be used to move people to the international space station if the first tests are successful.

    For now, the launch of The Crew Dragon capsule will be done without humans aboard, as SpaceX has to prove the viability of the vehicle before it will be allowed to carry people into orbit. Boeing is also working on creating a competing vehicle, and may also launch it next year.

    Images from Shutterstock, Wikimedia, & Wikimedia 

  • Big Money and Big Mouths at Cricket T20 India vs. Australia

    Big Money and Big Mouths at Cricket T20 India vs. Australia

     

    The Twenty20 (T20) between India and Australia started yesterday with a bang. Australia came away with 4 more runs than India, but there is a lot of cricket left to play down under.

    Virat Kohli is leading India in Brisbane. He is the highest paid athlete in India, and has a net worth that is in excess of $60 million USD according to MSN.

    Famous for his aggressive speech, Virat Kohli was reportedly told by the BCCI to tone down his penchant for fanning the flames before an event. All involved deny the rumour. If it is true, then whatever Virat Kohli was told, it has done little good. He was quoted by The Telegraph as saying,

    “Aggression depends on the situation on the field. If the opposition is aggressive towards you, then you counter it. We have never been a team that started anything, but we always draw a line at our self-respect. If we feel that someone is crossing that line, then we stand against it,”

    whatever that means in practical terms.

    T20 India Team Looks Strong

    Despite all the drama surrounding possible financial misdeeds by shady figures in the IPL and Virat Kohli, the Indian T20 skipper has vowed to make-up for their sub-par performance against England.

    Australia is down two of their strongest players, who were banned from league play for a year.

    The ban against top-level batsmen Steve Smith and David Warner have been upheld by Cricket Australia, and the two will be absent from play over a controversial ball-tampering scandal that could cost the Aussie team dearly.

    Steve Smith and David Warner are Taking a Hit

    Steve Smith is widely regarded as one of the world’s best batsmen. He is estimated to have around a third of Virat Kohli’s $60 million dollar net worth, but it could be falling fast.

    He won’t be the same bright-eyed up-and-comer after this mess, and brands like Weet Bix probably won’t want him anywhere near their ad campaigns. Steve Smith may still be able to command his $4 million USD per year salary when he returns, but who knows at this point.

    Who wants to hire a cheat, and risk a suspension?

    David Warner is more-or-less in the same position as Steve Smith, but without all the cash. He is worth less than $10 million USD at the moment and was able to command a touch less than $2 million USD between Cricket Australia and the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

    On the plus side David Warner gets paid a match appearance fee, but that won’t do much for his bank account anytime soon.

    Indian Earning Power

    Virat Kohli isn’t the only big earner on the Indian T20 team.

    Vice-captain Rohit Sharma is worth almost $20 million USD, which makes him one of the richest cricket players besides the captain of the Indian T20 team. He is ranked in the top 50 richest Indian celebrities and makes an annual salary of Rs. 11.5 crores!

    Images via Virat Kohli DNA India,  Steve Smith The New Daily, & Rohit Sharma Rediff.

  • Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Plans New Refineries in World’s Fastest Growing Oil Market

    Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Plans New Refineries in World’s Fastest Growing Oil Market

    India is on track to be the world’s fastest-growing market for oil, according to the IEA. Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries may invest as much as $10 billion USD into a new refining train at their Jamnagar complex, which is located in the Gujarat state of India.

    Ambani’s move seems to be a positive for India’s largest company measured by market cap. Reliance overtook Tata Consultancy Services last week as the biggest in India, with a market cap of around Rs 7,06,574 crore. That is around $100 billion USD, depending on the exchange rate.

    The expansion at Jamnagar could boost output at the complex by 50%. Reliance isn’t the only company that is interested in leveraging the rising demand for petroleum in India. Saudi Aramco, Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., and Russia’s Rosneft PJSC are all interested in expanding refining operations in India as well.

    Reliance Industries Could be Diversifying

    This isn’t the first time that Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries is considering an expansion at Jamnagar. The company first talked about more refining capabilities back in 2013, but they pivoted to their telecom and petrochemical divisions instead.

    The planned expansion at Jamnagar would allow the plant to process around 30 million tons of crude oil a year. Saudi Aramco and ADNOC’s proposed west-coast refinery would process double that annually, which should demonstrate the optimism the global energy giants have for future demand in India.

    Reliance’s plan is still being discussed and would have to meet environmental standards before construction could begin. According to a source cited by Bloomberg, construction could start as soon as 2020.

    The Market Loves It

    Reliance stock is still down from the highs it hit over the summer, but it has risen more than 20% on a year-over-year basis. The announced expansion plans at Jamnagar seemed to fuel a gain of more than 2% in RIL shares, which seems to follow investor enthusiasm for more oil refining capacity in India.

    Abdul Aziz Al Hajri, the director of ADNOC’s Downstream Directorate, told media last week that, “India is a very strategic market for us and we have strategic government-to-government relations. We expect demand for petrochemicals to grow in the coming years that would help our business.”

    ADNOC and Saudi Aramco are pumping more than $40 billion USD into the Ratnagiri refinery and petrochemicals complex, which is located in Maharashtra.

    The two Arab companies will own 50% of the refinery, via a new vehicle called, “Ratnagiri Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (RRPCL),” with the remaining stake owned by national companies like Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, Indian Oil Corporation, and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited.

    Oil Prices Fall

    Crude oil prices have been under major selling pressure lately. Both WTI and Brent crude prices have fallen by more than 25% since October. Indian crude oil imports are one of the only bullish factors for the oil price right now.

    Recent trade data shows that India has been importing 5 million barrels of oil per day, which is a record high amount. WTI prices are still trading under $65 USD/barrel, which puts India in a good position to import oil going forward.

    Image from DNA India

  • Bishan Singh Bedi Calls IPL a “Scam”, Questions League Funding Practices

    Bishan Singh Bedi Calls IPL a “Scam”, Questions League Funding Practices

     

    Bishan Singh Bedi is a living legend in the cricket community. He went on the record again against the Indian Premier League (IPL). The retired spinner and captain also had some harsh words for the T20 tournament, which he views as a platform for money-laundering.

    The world-class spinner told Sahitya Aaj Tak that,

    “I don’t want to say anything about IPL. There’s not a bigger scam in India than IPL. Nobody here knows where IPL’s money comes and goes. The second edition of the IPL happened in South Africa, millions of money was taken out of the country without the permission of Finance Minister.”

    There are numerous controversies surrounding the Indian cricket elite. Al Jazeera has also aired a documentary the puts the ethics in Indian cricket into serious question.

    The broadcaster claims that there was a conspiracy to point-fix international matches, which the International Cricket Council (ICC) is investigating.

    Bishan Singh Bedi Raises Tough Questions

    Bishan Singh Bedi seems to be well aware of the betting that takes place in the cricket world. He was very critical of the national team selection process, which could be contributing to corruption in the league.

    “IPL should not be the basis of Indian selection, local T20 tournaments should be. A team has players who are paid high and ones who get less money. The lower income player doesn’t have the skills, how does he catch up? The only way he sees is betting. I have a lot of experience in cricket, you can tell what is happening in what match. If we stay blind even while seeing, then it’s our choice.”

    Al Jazeera’s documentary seems to back-up Bedi’s assertion. They were able to secure footage that shows an illegal bookmaker in India gets 25 out of 26 point ‘fixes’ correct.

    The alleged mastermind behind the plot is a man named Aneel Munawar. The footage that Al Jazeera has shows games involving India, England, Australia, and New Zealand, among others.

    Munawar speaks to a bookmaker who is allegedly in Ahmedabad immediately before batsmen take to the crease and tells the bookmaker which way to bet before the session.

    Clearly, the odds of being correct 25 out of 26 times are very low. Unless of course, there was corruption involved.

    Money and Sexual Favors

    Akram Saifi is the former personal assistant to IPL chairman and Congress leader Rajeev Shukla. His career was marred by evidence gathered by The Indian Express, which showed the functionary demanding money and sexual favours as payment for selection in Uttar Pradesh’s under-23 team.

    The story broke over the summer, but Akram Saifi is still showing up to T20 matches with an all-access pass around his neck!

    A week ago he was spotted at the T20 between India and the West Indies, which was held in the Ekana Cricket Stadium, in Lucknow. He was never officially a part of the IPL, which may be why he has been able to dodge corruption charges.

    Vinod Rai, who is the chairman of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators that is running the The Board of Control for Cricket India (BCCI), told The Indian Express that,

    “Since he (Saifi) was never a BCCI employee but a personal assistant of the IPL chairman, as soon as he was sacked by the IPL chairman, no probe could be done against him.”

    This all seems like a very convenient way to engage in corruption, and avoid any consequences. Appoint someone as an assistant, let them do the dirty work, and if their deeds ever come to light, dismiss them before an investigation can make a difference in the league.

    Bishan Singh Bedi is probably right that corruption runs rampant in the IPL, but his accusations may not go far enough.

    Image from YouTube.

  • Do Bollywood Men Prefer Older Women?

    Do Bollywood Men Prefer Older Women?

    Arjun Kapoor

    Arjun Kapoor has been on an epic winning streak. His movies have made him a household name, but his recent sightings with bombshell Bollywood actress and dancer Malaika Arora have created a media frenzy.

    So far there is only rumour and innuendo surrounding the alleged couple. Oh yeah, and they just spent the night partying together.

    The ‘couple’ wasn’t alone, but the pictures that emerged from the event left their fans wanting to know more about what is going on. Neither one has admitted to anything so far, but they sure don’t seem to mind spending lots of time together.

    There is one thing that stands out about the perhaps pair, other then the impressive filmographies they both have.

    Malaika Arora is more than a decade older than Arjun Kapoor!

    Bollywood Men Seem to Love Older Women

    Malaika Arora

    Arjun Kapoor and Malaika Arora wouldn’t be the first Bollywood couple to have an age gap.

    Harshvardhan Rane and Kim Sharma also look a lot like a couple. They were spotted at a popular Mumbai cafe yesterday, hand-in-hand. Another pair of red-hot Bollywood actors, another double-digit age gap with the woman on top.

    So what gives?

    Making it in the movies isn’t easy. Part of the reason why Bollywood men might choose to take an older wife (assuming it gets that far) is their experience in a rough industry. Both of the women mentioned above have been in Bollywood for years, and could offer their younger partners some sage advice when the going gets tough.

    You don’t think that it is all fun and games behind the scenes, do you?

    Nothing to See Here

    Besides the benefit of experience, younger Bollywood men are gaining a huge amount of attention from being with an established woman with a loyal fan base.

    Malaika Arora is estimated to be worth $10 million USD and can demand 1.75 crores per dance in any movie she works on. She has also been in the game since 1997 when her current maybe boyfriend was hardly old enough to handle money.

    Those decades of exposure that Malaika Arora comes with won’t hurt Arjun Kapoor’s career. The constant media attention is good for both of them, and her fans will probably be more likely to see one of his upcoming movies as well.

    A Risky Proposition

    Falling in love with an older partner isn’t as simple as it sounds. While true love probably lasts forever, our bodies don’t.

    Bollywood icon Shashi Kapoor found that out when his wife died, and left him to manage his career, and grief, on his own. His wife had been 10 years older than he was, and helped him enormously during his prolonged time in the spotlight.

    Whether or Bollywood men prefer older woman is up for debate. There is no doubt that right now there are a few couples in Bollywood who have a younger heartthrob matched with a gorgeous older woman.

    How these relationships will develop is anyone’s guess, but they are all sure to make a killing at the box office in the meantime!

    Image from Twitter, Wikimedia and Shutterstock.

  • Indian Gold Price Capped by Strong Rupee, Offshore Price Stable

    Indian Gold Price Capped by Strong Rupee, Offshore Price Stable

    Gold prices fell by Rs 235 late last week to settle at Rs 32,015 and Rs 31,865 per 10 grams for 99.9% and 99.5% purity. The move lower in gold prices was largely due to a strengthening Indian Rupee.

    Over the last few months, the US dollar has become a go-to safe haven asset. This has pushed most other world currencies lower. The Rupee ended the week at the highest level against the US dollar in two months, closing trade at nearly 72 per US dollar.

    Outside of India, the gold price seems to be finding a floor.

    2018 hasn’t been great for gold prices, though they remain in a long-term channel between $1100 USD and $1400 USD per ounce. The last months of the year are generally a good time for the gold price, but this year could be different.

    The Gold Price Could Trade Sideways

    Gold is generally strong heading into the new year. Festival buying in India is a key factor in the global physical gold market. This year’s Diwali gold buying looks lower than normal, as broader consumer habits in India seem to be softening.

    India Today pointed out last week that

    “Demand for gold on (Monday’s) Dhanteras was sluggish across the country, (only) Delhi and Mumbai (are) swimming against the current.”

    If Indian consumers aren’t planning on buying up gold this year, the price could flatten out as the end of 2018 approaches.

    According to P.R.Somasundaram, who is the World Gold Council’s managing director for India,

    “The recent sharp increase in (Rupee gold) prices could weigh on the consumer wallet, limiting purchases during this season.”

    At nearly 88,000 INR per ounce, the Rupee gold price is approaching the upper edge of a trading range that has been in play for nearly a decade.

    Changing Buying Habits

    Rural purchases account for around 60% of the gold that is sold in India. The ongoing monetary reforms that began in 2015 may be changing rural gold buying habits.

    There are other factors that also could be influencing gold buying trends outside of India’s urban centers.

    The chairman of the All India Gem & Jewellery Domestic Council, Nitin Khandelwal, says that,

    “Rural (gold) sales may not see a significant increase over last year, as farmers are yet to get (a minimum support price).”

    Saurabh Gadgil of PNG Jewellers, and a director of the India Bullion & Jewellers Association, thinks that smaller jewellers could be seeing reduced sales this year. He added that,

    “But there is a marked shift in customers from the unorganised to organised sector. People prefer to buy from stores that offer better quality…a variety of designs, certification, after sales (service) and buyback.”

    Global Risks Could Support Gold

    While Indian demand for physical metal seems muted, there are numerous geopolitical factors that could support the gold price in the medium-term.

    The risks of a disruptive Brexit are rising. Theresa May has lost at least two cabinet members over the last week, and if things don’t settle down, there could be more problems for the British Pound.

    The gold price could be a beneficiary of safe-haven flows in the event of more Brexit drama, among other assets that insulate against fiat currency turmoil.

    Over the last week, both the Syrian and US government have launched new operations in the ongoing Syrian war, and the war of words between Moscow and Washington DC has escalated.

    For now, it appears to be business as usual, but things could change in an instant.

    Featured image from Shutterstock.

  • Want to Be Richer Than a Millionaire? You Can Do It!

    Want to Be Richer Than a Millionaire? You Can Do It!

    In today’s Instagram world lots of people seem to think that showing off expensive things is the same as being rich. Nothing could be further from the truth. Getting rich is all about saving money, not spending it. If you want to make it to millionaire status, it’s time to figure out how to save!

    According to research from Credit Suisse’s Global Wealth Report, today there are 42.2 million millionaires out there. Over the last year, that number has grown by 878,000 in the USA, which is around 40% of the new global stock of millionaires.

    Millionaires Aren’t the Only Ones That Matter

    Becoming wealthy isn’t as difficult as many people think. Younger people have it easier and have more time to gain valuable skills that can make them millionaires.

    Entering the ranks of the global wealthy might be easier than you imagine.

    Credit Suisse says that to qualify for the richest 10% of the global population, a person needs to have $93,170 in net assets. A person’s net assets are defined as the total value of private assets, which includes real estate, minus any debts.

    Entering the top 1% is a little harder, and would require a person have new assets in excess of $871,320.

    If this all sounds like a lot of cash, don’t worry. To be in the wealthiest half of the global population, a person only needs assets worth $4,210, which should be pretty easy to come by.

    Building Up Your Net Worth

    William D. Danko and Richard J. Van Ness co-wrote, “Richer than a Millionaire: A Pathway to True Prosperity,” which shares some of the ideas that help the rich grow their fortunes.

    According to a previous work by William D. Danko and Thomas J. Stanley:

    “Most people have it all wrong about wealth in America. Wealth is not the same as income. If you make a good income each year and spend it all, you are not getting wealthier. You are just living high. Wealth is what you accumulate, not what you spend.”

    Being happy with your own financial position is a big part of building wealth.

    When people show off expensive possessions, like cars or jewelry, they aren’t doing anything to build up real wealth. In fact, the opposite is true.

    Are You Really Getting Ahead?

    Saving money that can flow into investments is one secret to becoming rich. A big paycheck is meaningless if it is eaten up by rent, high-priced meals, and expensive toys.

    Danko and Van Ness found that people who are able to grow their wealth, and become millionaires know how to save their earnings. Surprisingly, some people who have normal jobs are able to build wealth, because they live frugally and make wise investments.

    The Mental Game Matters

    Developing healthy habits also make a big difference when it comes to making money grow. Think about why people want to “flex” expensive items on the internet. The social media “flexers” are showing-off for other people and ignoring their own happiness.

     

     

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    Convincing the social media crowd that you are rich isn’t a good wealth building strategy. It costs money, time, and distracts from activities that could help a person to develop habits that make long-term financial success a reality.

    Shift Your Habits for the Better

    Great habits don’t happen on their own.

    James Clear is an author and researcher. His book, “Atomic Habits,” deals with creating great habits, and sticking with them for the long haul.

    For most people getting their habits going in the right direction is the first step in creating wealth and happiness. People struggle to get rid of negative habits, or even realize they have them.

    There are many things we can learn from a young age that become almost automatic, and realizing that we are holding ourselves back can involve changing how we view ourselves.

    Surprisingly, according to Mr. Clear:

    “The greatest threat to success is not failure but boredom.”

    This might seem counterintuitive, but his research has demonstrated the need to create positive reinforcement for great habits that are already paying off.

    Everyone will have a different set of life-habits that need to be reviewed, and possibly changed. It all starts with looking at how you live and deciding who you want to be.

    If you’re spending your time and money trying to impress other people, you probably won’t ever build up wealth, or find happiness.

    Featured image from Shutterstock.

  • Rob Kardashian Dumps Failing Sock Company on Mom, Blames Blac Chyna

    Rob Kardashian Dumps Failing Sock Company on Mom, Blames Blac Chyna

    Rob Kardashian’s ‘Arthur George’ sock brand is apparently $300,000 USD in the hole. According to a slew of reports, his mother just jumped into the fray and bought up half the company.

    The reason his socks just won’t sell?

    A temptress named Blac Chyna. At least according to Rob.

    Last year Rob Kardashian decided to post nudes of Blac Chyna on social media and earned a restraining order from her for his efforts. She has been demanding $20,000 USD a month in child support payments from Rob, which he says is part of the reason he can’t move his socks.

    Rob Kardashian Has to Pay 20K (a Month) for a Kid?

    If a man helps make a baby, he should have to pay child support. No decent person would debate that. How that turns into a $20,000 USD monthly payment is something of a mystery.

    What does Blac Chyna’s spawn eat?

    It’s hard to imagine how Blac Chyna would need thousands of dollars, a month, to support a toddler. Even with private daycare and a trip to Whole Foods every-other-day, she would have a hard time going through a few thousand in a month.

    If she was just spending it on the kid.

    Is it out of line to speculate on how nearly a quarter of a million dollars is spent on a child annually? Given the circumstances, I think it is fine.

     

    This All Seems Excessive

    The average household income in the USA is a wee bit north of $50,000 USD. That means Rob Kardashian has to pony-up FIVE TIMES the amount of money that an entire family survives on for one child.

    Blac Chyna clearly has a tremendous legal team and is probably skimming that child support like a fiend.

    While I have no evidence to support this, her propensity to spend thousands of dollars on athletic footwear may suggest that she isn’t the best custodian of her child’s money.

    She is also the reason Rob Kardashian seems to feel shy on social media. This seems more like a cop-out on his part, because he’s the reason he hasn’t been able to use social media to pimp socks (according to him).

    If he didn’t post those nudes, she never would have taken out that restraining order.

    Think before you post guy!

    Mommy Jenner Saves the Day

    According to court documents, Kris Jenner:

    “infused it [Arthur George] with capital… and from her infusion gained a 50% share in the company.”

    That is an extremely nice way to say that Rob Kardashian made a string of terrible decisions, both personal and professional (if these people even make that kind of distinction anymore), and needed his mother to bail him out.

    Now that mom is on-board, she may be able to turn the failing luxe sock brand around. She has been somewhat successful in doing a similar thing with another one of her children’s companies.

    Last year she took over Kylie Cosmetics, which had been founded by her daughter. She spruced up the brand with flashy Kris Jenner pics and renovated the brand identity.

    All of this begs the question: is Kris Jenner the mother of a family, or a shrewd venture capitalist?

    Featured image from CCNLA.

  • Rapper Tee Grizzley Is Off Parole, Ready to Make Millions

    Rapper Tee Grizzley Is Off Parole, Ready to Make Millions

    Like most artists, rapper Tee Grizzley had dues to pay. He is a native of Detroit, Michigan. For those of you that don’t know, places like Detroit have been discarded by the US economy. Now they resemble a mix of movies like ‘Escape from New York’, and ‘Children of Men.’

    Tee Grizzley was able to transcend his surroundings to a greater degree than most. Although he was convicted of robberies in both Michigan and Kentucky, he has gotten past a rough patch in his life.

    He was released from prison in 2016, but he has been on parole until recently. This made putting a lot of time into recording difficult. It also severely limited his ability to do shows for his growing fan base. Now Tee Grizzley is off parole, and has been granted a US passport!

    Tee Grizzley Is Going International

    In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Tee Grizzley mused that:

    “There was a time when I couldn’t get booked in my city,”

    Today he is getting invitations from all over the world. Tee Grizzley has the ability to travel, and give his fans what they’ve been waiting years to experience.

    There does seem to be a rising tide of interest in Tee Grizzley’s music from far-flung locations. According to him:

    “I can go to other places and touch base with my fans. I’m excited to go to the places that hurried up and booked me! I feel like that’s where the fanbases are at China, Dubai, Paris, Australia.”

    The internet and digital recording technology have created opportunities for musicians that simply didn’t exist a generation ago. As Tee Grizzley pointed out:

    “People don’t make it out of Detroit. Labels don’t come to Detroit and get people. Or they wasn’t before I came along.”

    Well, don’t tell Eminem that!

    Now it doesn’t really matter if a label wants to back an artist.

    Pretty much anyone can record great sounding audio with a small amount of equipment, and distribution is simple with platforms like YouTube or Spotify. This changes that game for music and is a big part of why talented artists like Tee Grizzley were able to beat the odds.

    Being Positive Helps Anyone

    Tee Grizzley made it a point of saying that his friendship with Chance the Rapper is about more than music.

    He told Rolling Stone that:

    “We linked up just on some cool stuff; he was a real positive guy. He’s like a big brother. I feel like Chance is a positive dude and I be needing that because I’m around so much negativity.”

    Most successful people will be glad to share the secret that positivity is a big part of getting ahead. Negativity won’t help get things done, which is how almost every business makes money. A positive attitude also means better performance, and a greater degree of resiliency when setbacks do happen.

    Tee Grizzley seems to be turning a corner in his career. Now that he has the time and freedom to develop his music, his earning power should rise. Paying your dues is never easy, but once they are out of the way, amazing things are possible!

    Featured image from Static1.