If your error was very serious, or if you are well-known and hold a big position, you might want to think about your online presence when rebuilding your reputation. Don’t underestimate negative online info. To start, you will need to take stock of the situation.  You can get a quick sense of your online reputation by checking Google’s autocomplete. Just go to the Google homepage. What appears when you type in your name, or your company name? When you enter your name, for example, do you get something positive or neutral like “Harold Bing Brew Co. CEO” and “Harold Bing business award”? Or is it damaging, like “Harold Bing mugshot”? Look at online news stories or reviews about you or your company, if applicable. Check local sites or other social media. Set up a Google Alert in your name, so that you’ll be notified any time something new is posted. Programs like Google Suggest reflect real internet searches and should give you an idea of how people associate your name and reputation online. Did you find something unwelcome in your results? There are some things you can do.  Do not try to manipulate the results. While some people suggest this approach, using techniques like crowdsourcing, you might end up causing more damage. You might try acquiring the search term and building an optimized page to tell your viewpoint. That way, when someone types “Juliette Page embezzler” she is directed to your side of the story – that the charge is false, misunderstood, or not reported right. You can also request that the search engine take down the autocomplete. This is hard and usually only works with results that suggest hate or violence, porn, or personal information. Still, it may be worthwhile to try. Your online reputation could get out of control. Don’t despair, however. There are people and agencies who can help you manage this kind of situation, like Reputation.com or BrandYourself.com. The work will be pricy, but it may just salvage your working reputation.  Reputation managers won’t always be able to get rid of negative content from the web. But they should be able to highlight positives about you. For example, their services might include setting up a domain in your name for a page presenting your side of the story. They can also respond to negative comments or reviews and manage your online presence on sites like Facebook, Twitter, or Youtube. The goal is not to eliminate all negative info about you, but to tip the balance in your favor whenever someone searches for you online.  Keep in mind that management services don’t come cheap. Expect to pay between $20 to $200 per month.

Summary: Check your online metrics. Deal with Google defamation. Hire an online reputation manager.


Kidney stones are small bits of calcified minerals and salts that form in your kidneys. Some kidney stones stay in your kidney, and some detach and pass in your urine. While passing the stones can be painful, they usually don't cause lasting damage. You might pass small stones without realizing it. Or, you may have difficulty passing larger ones. You'll probably feel severe pain in your sides and back, below your ribs, near your groin and lower abdomen. Since kidney stones are moving, the pain can come in waves and vary in intensity. You may have some of these symptoms as well:  Pain when urinating Pink, red or brown urine that's cloudy or smelly Nausea and vomiting Constant urge to urinate and urinating more frequently (although small amounts) Fever and chills (if you also have an infection) Struggling to find a comfortable position (i.e. sitting, then standing, then lying down) Men are more likely than women to develop kidney stones and non-Hispanic white people tend to develop kidney stones more frequently. Being overweight, obese, dehydrated, or eating a diet high in sugar, sodium, and protein can also increase your risk. You're more likely to develop kidney stones if you've already had them or someone in your family has had them. Your doctor will perform a physical and test your blood and urine. The doctor is checking for calcium, uric acid, or minerals which could could cause stones to form. You may also get imaging done (like x-rays, CT scans, or ultrasounds). This way, the doctor can visualize if there are kidney stones. Your doctor may want you to collect the kidney stone after you pass it. This way, the stone can be analyzed and the doctor can determine what's causing your kidney stones, especially if you frequently pass them. If you have small stones, you should be able to pass them at home by drinking plenty of water, taking over-the-counter pain medications, and possibly by taking prescription medication to help muscles in your urinary tract relax.  If you have larger stones or stones that are damaging your urinary tract, a urologist may use shock waves to break up the stones or will surgically remove them.  If over-the-counter medications are not enough, your doctor might prescribe you some other medication for the pain.

Summary: Recognize what kidney stones (nephrolithiasis) are. Watch for symptoms of kidney stones. Consider your risk factors. Get a medical diagnosis. Follow treatment recommendations.


As long as you keep up with your payment plan as spelled out in your promissory note, you are on track to successfully repaying your loan. Even if you are able to meet the payments without difficulties, you and the lender might prefer to put a buffer up so that you are not the ones handling the payments directly.  Consider hiring a loan manager to deal with the payments and send any reminder notices, annual reports, and other documents. Having an outside person dealing with the everyday administration of the loan can help you have a more normal relationship with the borrower. A major factor in a successful private loan is your ability to maintain clear communication and honest transparency with the lender. The lender should make herself available to talk, and hear you out if you have run into temporary financial difficulty. The borrower has a responsibility to be direct and honest with the lender from the start and throughout.  If you are anticipating having problems making a payment, speak to the lender as soon as possible and be prepared to offer a sensible alternative. You might like to set up regular meetings or conversations so you can both keep track of the loan. This gives you a formal forum to discuss any issues and work together to find mutually beneficial solutions. If you run into financial difficulty, and are struggling to make the payments, you should be prepared to work hard to make accommodations which ensure the borrower gets repaid. Treat the loan as you would a loan from a bank, and work with the lender to come up with an alternative payment schedule.  This could mean increasing the duration of the loan from ten to fifteen years, or altering the repayment schedule so a greater proportion of the loan is paid off in later years. Remember that you have to make an offer that benefits the lender as well. If you’re asking for a significant extension to the duration of the loan, be prepared to marginally increase the rate of interest. A big part of treating the loan as a professional agreement is keeping it isolated from your day-to-day interactions. Try to avoid talking about the loan at family occasions or when socialising. Keep it something you discuss at specific times, and try to contain it. This will be a lot easier if all the agreements are clear, and everybody is sticking to them.
Summary: Repay the loan as agreed. Keep the lines of communication open. Be open to restructuring. Keep the loan separate from your relationship.