Year: 2014

Wild women DO, – interview with Marie Milligan

Published by Oxana a.k.a. Merenlin

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” ― Nelson Mandela The human beings are strange in the defining the place that we call “comfort”. We need to have stability and diversity of new possibilities. Some of us are living the life with a wish of a stable family, life in peace and when they finally reach that, – they are still not satisfied. Some of us decide to climb to the top of the career ladder while sacrificing our private lives, and the day they become the CEO/CFO/COO they do not feel happy anyway. We decided to talk to Marie Milligan – a motivational speaker and coach from London, UK, who helps women to define their goals and plan their life in balance with the their ambitious goals and wishes.   Actual Marie holds a one-day free workshop for women in tech in collaboration with PyLadies STHLM “Define your purpose & build a …

Investing in Jewelry — is it a Myth or a Dream Come True?

Published by Anna Kazakova

While travelling in Russia, I noticed how consumers influence different industries.  Take for example the jewelry industry. It amazed me to see how many jewelry stores were in business, and the variety of international brands that were available. The ‘girly girl’ side of me was charmed, but at the same time, my rational side, influenced by a financial background, held its ground firmly. I thought to myself that there must be a way that would allow women not just to buy jewelry, but also to INVEST in jewelry. This way she can enjoy it and not feel guilty about the purchase because it’s an investment, or is it? Margo Raffaelli To work out if this idea is a possibility I met with independent jewelry consultant at one of the most glamorous galleries in Moscow situated in Red Square – GUM. We took a short tour of the Square, taking notice to the different varieties and brands. Eventually, we landed at Bosco Café.  Margo, a young and attractive businesswoman, has over 10 years’ experience in the jewelry industry. …

How Much Does a Triathlon Cost? Part I: Swimming

Published by Anna Kazakova

A triathlete – is a person who doesn’t understand that one sport is hard enough. So… congratulations! You are one of them! Being that you’re here, you’re probably on your way to completing your first triathlon. And I’m sure you already noticed that this hobby/sport/lifestyle is pretty expensive. Read-on and learn useful tips on how to minimize costs of triathlon equipment as a beginner. Follow the links and click on images to easily shop the equipment you need for the best price we could find.  If we consider the sports associated with a triathlon—swimming, biking, and running—the expenses triple. Instead of one sport, it’s three—making it more difficult to train. Before buying equipment, consider some options. Everything started in water – Life on the planet Earth began in water, and so does a triathlon. In this article we will try to cover all possible expenses you might have during the preparation and participation of a triathlon race. Swimming Triathletes wear everything they need from the get-go. After all, transition-time counts! Wetsuits If you’re competing in …

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How does candy relate to your future financial independence?

Published by Anna Kazakova

 (on the main photo Evelyn Rose, // photo by J. Adam Fenster)  In 1970, Stanford University Walter Mischel and Ebbe B. Ebbesen conducted an experiment that they called the “Marshmallow Test”. They gathered about 600 kids (avg. age 4.5) and basically tempted them with a marshmallow, or some form of candy or cake.  It went something like this: a child is left alone in a room having no distractions whatsoever. A marshmallow is then placed in front of him/her and the child is given two options: to eat the marshmallow straightaway or wait fifteen minutes and receive a second marshmallow as an award. So, what does it have to do with financial independence you would ask…   Guess how many of them waited?  Many of you who follow Life as an Investment either dream to achieve financial independence, or are already on their way. According to Robert Kyosaki (read about his books here), “You are wealthy as long as you can live the lifestyle you’re used to—without having to work.” Basically, Kiyosaki is trying to tell us that …

How I crossed Bosphorus

Published by Anna Kazakova

At 20:45 I arrived at St Görans Hospital emergency entrance. I took a number, registered myself then had a seat. That evening I was supposed to be at my place relaxing and sharing my emotions after the Bosphorus Cross Continental Race. It’s been a week since the event and I still couldn’t find the energy and inspiration to write about it. That’s right my friends, your brave life advisor landed herself in the hospital. A taxi cab swerved into me while biking to the gym. Not my lucky day! Suddenly, at 21:00 and still waiting for a doctor to examine me, I was hit with a rush of inspiration – so I broke out my laptop and began writing. BOSPHORUS  I don’t know about you, but I have a Bucket list* and every summer I try to cross off at least one event. Last year, for example, I went sky diving over St. Petersburg, Russia as well as deep-sea diving in the Atlantic Ocean in Spain. This year I planned to swim from Asia to …

Wish me luck: Crossing the Bosphorus Today

Published by Anna Kazakova

Today is the race day. Today is a big day. Not every day we have an opportunity to swim from Asia to Europe. So hello, the 26 th Bosphorus Cross-Continental Race, I have been waiting for you for a year! As you already know, I have been in Istanbul for a few days already, preparing for the race. Follow my adventure on Instagram @lifeasaninvestment and @angelwithoutwing and cross your fingers for good luck at 10 a.m. (Istanbul time).           And don’t forget to check up for updates on the blog or our facebook page.  

It is time to cross continents: preparing for Bosphorus

Published by Anna Kazakova

This year (2014) on the 20th of July, 1809 crazy but INSPIRING people will try cross the 6.5 km long Bosphorus strait. Bosphorus is the world’s narrowest strait, which is separating Europe from Asia. Every year the National Olympic Committee of Turkey organizes this swimming race in Istanbul. The competition started in 1989 with 68 swimmers. Now, 26 years later there are thousands of participants from different parts of the world.     Life as an Investment could not miss this opportunity to participate in the swim, especially among all those crazy, happy swimmers. I am already in Istanbul and getting ready for the event! So, follow my journey on Instagram @lifeasaninvestment and cross your fingers for good luck on Sunday morning July 20th 2014 when I’ll be swimming across the strait!

Top 5 Swedish apps that help you save money

Published by Oxana a.k.a. Merenlin

If you’re like me, a young professional making a decent income and living in Scandinavia, chances are you’re not as clever as you think; that is, with your finances. You’re probably hitting the nearest convenience store on your way to work and picking up a yummy latte, or heading out for lunch on occasion. In any case, you probably also consider the money left over from your salary as “savings.” The reality is that “savings” should be invested wisely and grow, grow, grow. Eating out and consuming lattes do not pay off. For instance, you would save roughly 7000 SEK per year (about 760 EUR) “if” you didn’t stop for that latte everyday. At ten percent annually, that 7000 can grow to 10,000 SEK in only five years. How many “obvious” saving methods can you accomplish? Let’s not kid ourselves, saving is hard work. Unless you’re an accountant, and love being one (who in their right mind would do this anyway? :-), you most likely hate spreadsheets. Imagine constantly hunting for a better price, or entering all your receipts onto a spreadsheet every month. Or, evaluating your budget goals every time you make a purchase. It can be time-consuming and frustrating. Investing, on the other hand, is another …

Money Spending Habits — Take the Leap and Make a Change

Published by Anna Kazakova

How many times have you eaten that LAST burger? Millions of people promise themselves a new start on Monday, but typically nothing happens and the promises continue week after week—sounds familiar? Old habits are hard to kick. Admit it—life is crazy. Having two arms is not enough to carry and operate those devices we so much rely on to get us through the day. No doubt, it depends on what we do to earn a paycheck. Personally, I write at least 20 emails and answer about 15 telephone calls per day. I cannot begin to tell you the amount of social media applications I maintain per day. If you are like me, then we need a solution…and FAST! When we are under such demanding circumstances, we get lost and find it hard to ACT AND STRATEGICALLY MAKE CHANGES WITH POSITIVE END RESULTS. It isn’t difficult remembering to call somebody back or to put together a list of things to do. Challenging is to make overall changes in your lifestyle, behavior, etc. Ok, so you made …

New Sushi Roll Concept Hits Stockholm

Published by Anna Kazakova

We all have busy lives and there is no changing that perception until retirement. It’s just a plain fact that today’s society demands everything in an instant, so who really has the time to wait, especially when it comes to grabbing a “quick” healthy bite to eat. Here in Stockholm “grab-and-go” meals are limited. Even worse is that many Stockholmers may have food allergies, be vegetarians, or even diabetic and simply cannot eat what is available   Sushirullen STHLM AB  Founded 2012 -10- 01 Launched 2013-11-02 Founders Johan Falk (32 years old) and Margarita Falk (30 years old) First investment 400 000 sek Locations Drottninggatan 70, Stockholm, Sweden Nybrogatan 18, Stockholm, Sweden (grand opening 13-06-2014) Sergels torget (stay updated, coming soon) Amount of employees 12 http://www.sushirullen.se/ Do not miss free sushi rolls on 13 th of June from 12:00 till 16:00 at Nybrogatan 18.   Meet the Falk family—two young and inspiring entrepreneurs who’s Sushirullen (the sushi roll) concept has become a great alternative for thousands of on-the-go Stockholmers. The fast food industry is ready to be changed! …