Good thing we didn’t have to catch our own turkey this holiday – wild turkeys run 25 miles per hour, a little faster than the fastest human, Usain Bolt, at 23.35 miles per hour! We hope you enjoyed turkey, the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade, football games and family time this Thanksgiving, and we want you to know how thankful we are to know you!
If you’re in the transportation industry and plan to be in El Paso or the surrounding area, you are invited to an event at our El Paso office on Thursday, November 29 at 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sam Johnson, senior safety consultant from Parker Services, will talk about the latest FMCSA/DOT safety rules and regulations and the benefits to staying in compliance. Food and drinks will be provided. Join us at our new location: 1560 Goodyear, El Paso, TX 79936. If you would like to attend or have any questions, please RSVP at 888-598-6811.
We had an opportunity to spend a few days with our banker friends in New Orleans at a recent Texas Bankers Association Conference. We applaud the association for trying to help banks navigate this tough banking environment.
Here’s our two cents – which ironically can apply to more than just banking.
- Scale has not always related directly to performance, but having a little bulk will not hurt as compliance and other costs increase across the board. The tradeoff will be low returns and diminished franchise value.
- For those that have an aversion to acquisitions (either as a buyer or seller), you better have a strong niche game plan. We know we are biased, but the last and strongest Mohicans is likely doing some form of business lending. Smaller players can out-maneuver the big guys. At the same time you “gotta act big and bold.”
- Don’t accept average in anything – no average products, no average people, no average compensation, no average systems and no average tracking. If you give a little – give with customers and markets. Everything else should be the best.
- Don’t try to be the cheapest. Surely you can figure out a way to provide more than price.
- Community banks still have a place, but the old community-banking model might need a facelift.
Speaking of Mohicans – when people say the “Last of the Mohicans,” they are generally referring the 1992 movie. Actually, Mohican’s still live today and share a reservation with the Munsee Tribe in Wisconsin. The Mohican’s were pushed from their native land around the Hudson River in New York. This picture is not actually a Mohican, but we like the picture so much we wanted to share it with you.
Xplore Technologies, a valued client of Far West Capital, rang the closing bell at NASDAQ on Thursday, November 15, 2012!
We did it Austin! We survived our first Formula One weekend! The champagne flowed, music was enjoyed, pedicab drivers were worn out, hotels and car rental companies saw record business, streets were closed, and traffic seemed mostly tolerable. We were proud to welcome thousands of out-of-state and international guests to our city for a fun new tradition. The buzz began last Wednesday and the last guests are trickling out of the city by the time you read this. Overall, organizers are calling the event a success!
We are all for exercise and saving energy, but when we see this guy on a major freeway in Austin, we think “Come on, man!” Wonder what the guy in the truck behind him is thinking?
Despite the devastation from Hurricane Sandy, and the confusion and outrage following the cancellation of the New York Marathon, thousands of runners arrived at Central Park in New York City on race day for an unofficial marathon. Before the race, runners shed their jackets and outer clothing into donation boxes for Hurricane Sandy victims. As the runners finished the 26-mile journey, spectators gathered, cheered, and passed out water and snacks. Runners raised millions of dollars for charity and were lifted up by the celebratory atmosphere as they completed the race.
At Far West Capital, we love entrepreneurs! We get excited when we meet business owners who turn their passion into a viable business. Recently, we discovered Emy Mack shoes which has been referred to as the next Manolo Blahnik or Jimmy Choo.
SMU graduate, Emily Mack Jamison, started the Emy Mack shoe line. The heels, flats, boots, and sandals are all made in Italy, and the quality and workmanship is unprecedented. And, because of this, the shoes are timeliness, which means they will last longer.
Emy Mack offers a variety of sizes and widths and are designed for real women with real lives. A former InStyle Magazine editor recently wrote about them on a fashion blog saying, While they’re fashionable enough for a fashionista in NYC, they’re also practical enough for a lawyer working in San Francisco or Omaha. That’s why I love the new line of Emy Mack shoes because it fills a huge void that is missing in the women’s shoe market.
We have, no doubt, Emy Mack shoes will be known worldwide. Remember, you heard it here first!
Check out the winter and full collection and at www.emymack.com.
Living in the Live Music Capital of the World, there’s rock ‘n’ roll, country, blues, funk, jazz, Latin, pop, and many other genres playing every night of the week. You can find musicians playing at bars, record stores, bookstores, grocery stores, museums, wineries and dozens of other locations. Well-known performers such as Shawn Colvin, Fastball, and Stevie Ray Vaughan were discovered here. The music scene is so big the Recording Academy® has a Texas Chapter in Austin.
Everyone knows someone who is an aspiring musician, plays in a band or wishes they did. And, because the music scene is so big here, the competition is fierce and the talent can vary. There’s always a twinge of nervousness when a friend or colleague invites you to hear them perform – you never know if they’ll be good or not. That’s why when we were invited to hear Cierra Jesperson’s perform at her CD release party last week, we were thrilled! This petite lady has quite the voice! It’s been described (and we agree) as a catchy blend of pop, soul, funk and dash of blues and her passion for singing shines through every performance. But don’t take our word for it, listen and decide for yourself.
Our team attended Commercial Finance Association’s Annual Convention in Phoenix last week and enjoyed networking with peers and learning from speakers. We even got to rub elbows with Former VP Dick Cheney.
Looking for an affordable place to live? Texas is famous for lifestyle, weather, southernisms, and y’alls – and now the Council for Community and Economic Research just released 2012 data ranking 304 urban areas and announced Harlingen, Texas as the #1 most affordable city in the United States.
We attended the Risk Management Association’s National Conference last month. While the mood there was trying to be upbeat, the regulatory environment has been suffocating for the last couple of years and with the focus shifting to compliance, bankers are tiring of the uncertainty. We found it very interesting that there was a panel discussion called “Developing a Risk Appetite,” risk managers telling each other to get out there and take some risk, isn’t that what got us in the mess in the first place?
We’ve heard it before – 30 days to change a habit, 30-day fitness challenge, 30 days of… what? It’s the time of year when we begin to think about our lives, our purpose, and our future. We recently shared this inspired TED talk with our team about what can be accomplished in only 30 days. Seem too good to be true? Listen for yourself.
