PAT ALTVATER Is This Idea a New Opportunity or a Diversion? Elite Experts Network AFP Marketing PatAltvater.com We entrepreneurs by nature are ideas people, aren’t we? We are innovators who like to think big and are willing to take risks to put our plans into action. I’ve noticed that when we have a new idea for a product, service or program, there’s excitement that comes from the creation process; it consumes our thoughts, and we push forward with vigor. It takes our mind off the current state of affairs in the world and gives us hope. However, the marketplace is being flooded with new online courses and/or new programs being advertised on Facebook and some never gain any traction. Many people are busy creating because they have time on their hands right now and think this is the best way to move their business forward. I caution you to not rush something to market right now unless you have carefully crafted a launch process. So how do you discern if what you are doing is a distraction or a real opportunity for you? Here are some suggestions: 1) ask amentor or coach, 2) ask your board of advisors, if you have one, or finally 3) trust your gut. Quiet your mind and ask yourself, why am I interested in this opportunity, what will it do for me and is it in alignment with my vision. Use the 5 whys technique to keep delving deeper into it until you are at the place of understanding your real motivation. That’s when you’ll know if it’s a true opportunity or a distraction, in which case, you could find something else to do with your time, like reaching out to clients, meeting new people on LinkedIn, taking a course to improve your skills, etc.
Personal Growth Strategies SOAR to SUCCESS CONTENTS Magazine 04. 10. 16. 18. 14. 12. 32. 30. 34. 36. 38. 21. 29. 22. 24. 26. 40. 42. Core Business Strategies Business Acceleration Strategies Three Steps to Making This Year Your Best Year Ever By Holly Kile The Power of Vision By Janet Kendall White Consider This Date Point When Restructuring Your Sales Organizations By Mark Roberts Help! I Can’t Do This All Myself By Megan Patton The Healthy Way to Employee Engagement By Lisa Ryan Is Better Business Health Part of Your New Year’s Resolution? By Melanie Rembrandt Walk Your Customer’s Journey By Diane Helbig Tax Consequences of Crowd Funding By Jim Fisher, CPA/PFS, TC The Top Opportunities for MSPs in 2022 By Jeanne DeWitt You’ll Find It Easier with a Map By Jack Klemeyer Soar to Success Podcast Book Recommendation Is Your Mindset Helping or Hurting Your Business Success By Fred Altvater How to Be a Comeback Leader By Karen Cupp Life’s Everyday Obstacles - Gotta Love ‘em By Joan Washburn Our Favorite Videos Our Contributors Cover Feature: Jen Earle & NAWBO Help Women Entrepreneurs Soar to Success
The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) has been providing women business owners a place to connect and share ideas since 1975. It is the only organization that represents the interests of women entrepreneurs. With chapters across the country, it wields a far-reaching impact as a one-stop resource to propel women business owners to greater economic, social and political power worldwide. NAWBO Strives To: STRENGTHEN: wealth-creation capacity of ourmembers and promote economic development. CREATE: innovative and effective changes in the business culture. BUILD: strategic alliances, coalitions, and affiliations to grow influence. TRANSFORM: public policy and influence opinion makers. Jen Earle &NAWBO Help Women Entrepreneurs Soar to Success
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Feature Article NAWBO is a respected voice for women business owners with elected officials in Washington, D.C and state capitals across the country. Media recognize NAWBO members as thought leaders forwomen’s business issues. The organization also joins with corporate partners and other non-profits, who share their mission and help expand their reach. NAWBO is the country’s premier women’s business organization. Jen Earle came to NAWBO in 2008 as part of a team hired to guide the organization through a transition from an outsourced management structure to an internal staffing operation. She was hired as NAWBO’s CEO and continues to be amazed by the women that make up the vibrant organization. She was a business owner herself and understood the challenges of women entrepreneurs. “I know what it’s like to be an entrepreneur, be on your own, and have to figure things out by yourself.” Asked about her proudest moment at NAWBO, Jen replied, “I really believe that ‘Teamwork makes the dream work.’ We have accomplished so much as a team, and that is what I appreciate the most. I am proud of the work we do internationally, as well as of advocacy programs with elected officials that make positive change for women business owners.” The NAWBO model is based on the interaction between members within the local chapters
“The amazing thing about NAWBO and the women business owners is the variety of skills they love to share with our members. We quickly used our best asset, our members, to maintain the conversations our members needed. We were able to flip on a dime. Our members are rock stars, all the time!” Jen is continually learning from NAWBO members. “Working primarily with women is such an inspiration. When there’s a problem, everybody comes together. Women are natural problem solvers and can quickly find a way to make things work in a beautiful, collaborative way.” When asked about managing a team of mostly women, Jen said that when disagreements and the national organization. Still, when COVIDputanabruptendtoin-personmeetings, they adopted a virtual meeting strategy to stay relevant and positively impact themembership. “The virtual meetings helped alleviate the isolation of running your business at home with only your computer as your friend. It also provided the opportunity to share frustrations and successes with other members during a very trying time. That connectivity was just so important to our membership and to everyone who was experiencing that overwhelming business interruption.” Jen freely admits that adapting quickly and continuing serving the NAWBO membership would not have been possible without the members themselves.
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Feature Article arise, she appreciates the willingness of her team and the membership to get the job done. “Things become a bit trickier when disagreements come up, and everybody thinks they’re right. We have to put on our referee hat and say, ‘Okay, we can’t all be right here, we have to choose one option, and everyone has to move together.” As NAWBO heads into the future, Jen’s vision sees an even more diverse and inclusive group of women business owners, including more entrepreneurial women from rural markets. “With the continuous improvements in internet access, we can now help women in rural communities access the support necessary to compete with their urban sisters.” NAWBO is also continuously evolving and becoming more diverse. “Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging is crucial for us. We want every member to feel like she belongs and is appreciated. We want every woman business owner to feel that her voice is heard. We have set a goal to be the most inclusive and diverse group of women business owners by our 50th birthday in 2025.” Jen never wants a woman to leave NAWBO because she didn’t feel comfortable or say NAWBOwasn’t the right fit for me. “I would hate for that to happen to any of our members.” When Jen was a business owner, she did not even know NAWBO existed. Being a mother, wife, and entrepreneur is a juggling act that requires a lot of balls in the air at one time. A little help and understanding can go a long way.
“I’ve been an entrepreneur since I was 24 years old. I had no idea that an organization like NAWBO existed. I was doing it alone. I would have appreciated the opportunity to ask likeminded women business owners, ‘How do I best balance my working time while tending to a brand-new baby?’ ‘What is the best procedure to add a new employee?’ ’How do I set up payroll?’ ‘How do I figure out what’s next?’ When you join a group like NAWBO, you’ll find a group of women who have either been there before or are right there alongside you. It’s just so impactful; it really makes a huge difference.” NAWBO mentors can help new business owners with several basic business principles. They call it the “4 C’s.” Capital: NAWBO helps educate members on avenues to access the necessary funds to make their businesses successful. Confidence: When women business owners get involved in a local chapter and participate, it helps build confidence, their personal brand andvisibility,whichareall critical toasuccessful business. Community: NAWBO excels at doing things together so that no one feels like they are on an island with just their business. Congress: As a group of women business owners, NAWBO’s voice is stronger, with political leaders eliciting positive change. Their collective voice ensures that lawmakers address business owner concerns. NAWBO also conducts leadership training events. The organization held its most recent leadership boot camp experience in Tempe, Arizona, at the end of January. They followed all COVID guidelines with on-site testing, mask requirement, and social distancing. “We had several discussions about whether or not to hold a live training session, but in the end, felt it was very important for us to get back to a live meeting.” The organization will meet in the nation’s capital in June for their Annual Advocacy Days, and a national conference has been planned for the Fall of 2022 in Louisville. Hopefully, it will also be able to be held live rather than virtual.
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Feature Article 4 Keys to Soar to Success When Soar to Success asked Jen what three personality traits she found in most successful people, she provided three and a bonus one: 1 2 3 4 Have Empathy “I feel it is important to be able to stand in someone else’s shoes. To be able to understand why they may be reacting a certain way and ultimately understanding their issues is valuable to work together.” Have Courage “When I first started in business, I had very little knowledge, but I just took the leap and made it work. Have the courage to do something outside your comfort zone.” Be Resilient “With resilience, when hard times come, you just keep pushing through. With resilience comes recognizing when it’s time to restore and reset so you can rebuild to keep going. That’s a crucial balance.” Exhibit Forgiveness “Instead of holding on to angst for somebody else who’s maybe micromanaging you, or treating you in an unproductive manner, just forgive and move on. You have to give yourself permission to forgive and not let people take advantage and hold power over you. Forgiveness can free the mind and open the way to more success.” In her personal life, Jen just sent her child off to college and is dealing with an empty nest. She enjoys cooking, baking, and travel. As a California girl, she loves to go to local beaches and restaurants, although COVID has limited out-of-the-house activities. Board games at home have become the standard family fun. Jen’s goal for NAWBO is to continue on the upward path they have enjoyed over the past 47 years. NAWBO has earned many awards, and she is determined to continue the rich history of success its thousands of members have enjoyed. To learn more about NAWBO and how it can help your business succeed, visit: NAWBO.org. We enjoyed our interview with Jen, which you can listen to on iTunes or watch on YouTube.
Are you one of those people who start every year feeling that “This is my year”? And then it ends and you’re in the exact same place you were a year ago? It doesn’t have to be that hard every time. Today, you can take control and make this year your best year ever. Not by changing things that happen to you or the circumstances, but by changing what everything means to you. To change your life, you don’t have to spend another year wishing things were different or being disappointed in yourself for not taking any action to achieve your goals. Let’s get started on how to make this year your best year ever. 1. Set SMART Goals Before you set any goals, start by evaluating and reflecting where you are at the moment. Three Steps to Making This Year Your Best Year Ever By Holly Kile The things you have done and your experiences this year can help you plan for a better year. Take time to reflect on where you are now. Most of the times we forget to do this. Another year passes by, and we don’t look back because we’re too excited to start the New Year. Reflecting and evaluating the last year will determine how you plan for the next year. Look at your life and ask yourself where you want to be in the future. What do you want to change? And what do you want to achieve? Set your goals by deciding how you want your life to be and where you want to be. However, when setting your goals, make sure they’re measurable and have a deadline. For example, if you want to be healthier, you can
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Business Acceleration Strategies set a specific goal such as, “I want to lose 30 pounds by July 1st.” That’s a good goal because it’s realistic, measurable and has a deadline. To set realistic goals, make sure they scare you a little but also that they are achievable. 2. Create an Action Plan Creating an action plan will help you turn your goals into reality. And it will increase efficiency and accountability in your life and business. An action plan describes how you’ll achieve your goals through detailed action steps that describe how and when you’ll take these steps to achieve your goals. To create your action plan, your action steps or change should include: * What actions you’ll take. * When the action steps will take place. * What resources you need to make the action steps happen. * Communication (who should know about the action steps?). To create an effective action plan, take your goals and break them down into small habits and routines that you’ll achieve daily. Slowly grind away and make incremental progress. For example, if you want to lose 30 pounds this year, develop a habit and a routine of exercising at least one hour daily. List down the workouts you’ll do each day to achieve your ideal weight. By breaking down your goals into a daily action plan, it won’t be so overwhelming. 3. Take Action Remember, big action plans are just excuses for procrastination. You only need to focus on doing what will make you achieve your goals and get to where you want to be. Instead of creating a 40-page action plan, take one action step daily. Making meaningful progress towards your goal will make you happier, and you’ll be more confident. However, don’t stress toomuchabout achieving every goal; your focus should be to make progress in your life. So, set SMART goals, take action, make progress and celebrate what you achieve. Remember, what’s scheduled gets done. So, invest up to 45 minutes every day for five days to go through these three steps. Put your goals everywhere; this will help you remember to take action daily. Doing so will make this year the best year ever!
The Healthy Way to Employee Engagement By Lisa Ryan Sometimes business leaders focus so much on the health of their company that they overlook the health of their employee and perhaps even themselves. Employees are looking to their employers to provide opportunities for health and wellness. If they don’t find them with your organization, there’s a good chance they will look for them elsewhere. The wellness industry is a $4.2 trillion dollar market and growing. Not only are employees interested in healthy habits and lifestyle choices, but they are also looking for employers that understand their need for better physical and mental health.
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Business Acceleration Strategies Here are three ways to incorporate more wellness into your workday. Survey your employees. Before you create a program that you THINKwill work for everyone, ask your employees for their ideas, suggestions, and recommendations. Because they are the ones that you want the buy-in from, asking them to share what they want will help to increase overall participation rates. Offer incentives. Motivate your employees by offering prizes such as a Fitbit, smartwatch, PTO, gift cards and more. Participation generally goes up when there are incentives or prizes. Over time, momentum will build and employees will have the motivation they need to continue. Promote health. Provide healthy snacks in the breakroom. Encourage standup or walking meetings – preferably outdoors. Make it okay to talk about mental health. Offer yoga and meditation classes. Keep a consistent message of wellness and you’ll encourage your employees to take part in the fun. When you pay attention to the health and wellness of your employees, the health and prosperity of your business is bound to increase!
Help! I Can’t Do This All Myself! By Megan Patton As small businesses grow larger and more complex, company owners are universally faced with how to level up the growth of their people into positions of increasing complexity, including leadership. Many times, we see client companies where the CEO or owner is acting as a “hub” with many direct reports, or “spokes”. This hub and spoke model works in early days, however, it is not a sustainable feature in companies focused on aggressive growth. At some point, the CEOwill need to have leadership TEAMS who help manage the rest of the organization. The big question that many CEOs face, is “howdo I get to this next level of leadership?” Hiring at the leadership level can be prohibitively expensive, and it is always a roll of the dice to bring in outside talent to lead a group of veteran employees. Relief can be found when a CEO identifies that employee with high potential and takes steps to develop that individual. Many larger companies are able to invest in solid management training programs that lead promising individuals through all areas of the company, giving them a chance to spend time in each of the business areas and focus on line and non-line responsibilities over the course of several years. However, most small to mid-sized companies do not have the resources or ability to create such an experience for their potentials. All
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Business Acceleration Strategies companies, however, can identify promising individuals and craft experiences for them throughout their career. Here are a few great ways to develop an emerging leader: • Give them supervisory responsibility. • Involve them in industry specific groups to keep them growing in their field. • Pair themwith a mentor, either within the company or out. • Explore individual or group coaching to focus on leadership development. • Enroll them in a cross-industry facilitated peer group. • Provide challengingwork assignments that are just beyond their current skill level, and coach them through. Anext step is topass asmuchof the planning anddecisionmaking as is practical down to the individual you have identified. Start small but involve them in higher-level strategic planning as you are able. As you do, identify areas that need improvement to round out that person’s skill set. Where are they strong? Which competencies still need development? Investing in a leadership assessment tool can result in additional insight and target specific areas to develop. A 360 Leadership Assessment involves subordinates, peers and supervisors and can provide a detailed and well-rounded assessment of the individual’s competencies. Thekey is to identifythe individual or individuals, thenfocusonprovidingacombinationofexperiences and coaching to develop their leadership capabilities.
I amteaching the entrepreneurialmindset right nowandhave really been struck by the section onVision. I havebeenreminded justhowoften it is not taught to leaders or encouraged and how critical it is for accomplishing goals and success at the individual, team, and organization level. “If you are working on something exciting that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision pulls you.” Steve Jobs That quote applies at all levels! I think the past couple of years have brought so much uncertainty that inmanyways individuals and organizations have been concerned about putting a stake in the ground related to their visions. We have all beenmore in survival mode than success or significance. Vision is so critical for personal, professional and organization growth. Time to step back and dust off or develop a vision that is compelling, that pulls you and others to it. When the vision, the why, is clear, the how gets figured out. If motivation and en-gagement are lower for you personally, your team or organization, find By Janet Kendall White The Power of Vision out if the vision is clear and compelling. Make sure that it is inspirational and aspirational. Use words that paint pictures and imagery of the desired future. If it is an individual vision, read it often and fine tune it. If it is an organization vision communicate it and reinforce it through words, actions, and decisions. Without a clear sense of direction, it is easy to go astray sometimes without even realizing it. The vision serves as the true north guiding light. Vision gives meaning to the day to day, the sometimes mundane. When you combine the day to day, with a clear vision you get purpose, meaning and momentum. Think about an emergency situation and you can see howthe vision todeal with it canquickly transform normal into extraordinary. You don’t have to have an emergency to develop that energy. Marry a compelling vision with clear goals, strategies, actions and timeframes and you get momentum. A clear vision brings focus and can cut through confusion and chaos. Remember that if a
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Business Acceleration Strategies ship, plane, or organization is just 1 degree off as it moves forward very quickly, it ends up way off course. That means that we all need to be reminded constantlywhat the vision is so that we are not even 1 degree off course. To assist you in developing a vision using pictorial language, listen to some visionary speeches like John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., Steve Jobs, or so many others…google that. “Everybody ends up somewhere in life. A few people end up somewhere on purpose. Those are the ones with vision.” ~Andy Stanley Have fun reenergizing around a vision for 2022 and beyond! To learn more about how to create a compelling vision reach out to me at janet@ berkshiregroupinc.com Everybody ends up somewhere in life. A few people end up somewhere on purpose. Those are the ones with vision. ~Andy Stanley
Business owners, Private Equity firms and Venture Capital firms are all having discussions on how to reduce costs but not hurt future performance. They are wondering: “How do I save the business today and not set it up to fail in the future?” There is one critical Data point everyone must consider when reorganizing and restructuring organizations but sadly most management teams will not gather this data. In this article I will reveal what this last piece of critical information is you must capture to strategically pivot, reset, retool and reorganize your sales organization to survive today and thrive post Covid-19. What makes this current disruption so unique and hard to navigate? Covid -19 was not a single event we experienced andworked through. It is anongoingeventwithnew information daily. We also see not all businesses have been impacted the same. Some customers are having difficulty paying their bills on time not to mention the emotional toll this crisis has had on Information You Must Have to Adjust and Position Your Business for Growth in the New Normal. By Mark Roberts Consider This Data Point When Restructuring Your Sales Organizations employees, their families and coworkers. There is one major data point I always consider when retooling and reorganizing sales teams that adds tremendous insight to your sales strategy. What is this illusive data point most teams are failing to consider? Your customers! (and how they want and need to be served) This sounds so logical, so intuitive that many struggle with the thought that something so simple could have such a large impact on your bottom-line.
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Business Acceleration Strategies Now is the time to intimately understand your customers and be able to answer questions like: Why do customers buy from you? Why don’t customers buy from you? How are your buyers buying? Have your buyers’ buying journey changed in the last 30 -90 days? Do your buyers have newbuying criteria they did not have 90 days ago? In a Harvard article recently released titled: The Most Important Metric You are not Tracking Yet, the author shares how most organizations consider themselves to be customer centric, but they are failing to take into consideration how their customers’ needs and expectations have changed since Covid. What’s a CPI? CPI is Customer Performance Indicators. What are some increments that are important to customers? Time Convenience Options Dollars Saved Value Delivered We not only need to gather internal data and customer voice insights but we also need to do so quickly. Companies who will survive and thrive post Covid -19 will gather data quickly, capture the voice of their customers and establish current CPI’s. If you would prefer my help providing unfiltered, unbiased customer voice data quickly, lets schedule a call and I would be honored to serve your team and position your team to become stronger today and a market leader in the future.
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Soar to Success Podcast Patrick Ungashick Patrick Ungashick is CEO of several companies, including NAVIX Consultants, a service that helps business owners plan for and achieve happy exits. Patrick has been helping business owners plan and create successful exits for nearly twenty-five years. He has worked with business owners in a variety of industries, with revenues ranging from several million to half a billion per year. Patrick is the author of A Tale of Two Owners and Dance in the End Zone: The Business Owner’s Exit Planning Playbook. He has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Financial Week and other print and radio media. He also speaks to several dozen business groups per year on working towards a successful exit. Connect with him at: https://www.navixconsultants.com/ Patrick Ungashick, owner of NAVIX Consultants and author of the books, Dance in the End Zone, The Business Owner’s Exit Planning Playbook and A Tale of Two Owners, Achieving Exit Success Between Business Co-Owners, was recently on the Soar toSuccess podcast. It was an enlightening conversation about how to get a business ready for a happy and successful outcome when the owner exits. Patrick shared that adopting Stephen Covey’s Habit 2: Begin with the End In Mind is something that business owners should think about at minimum five years out from their projected exit date, but what would be even better, is to form their business with that end in mind. We discussed some of the things business owners should consider when preparing for their exit, such as to: 1. Structure the company so that it thrives without them– Patrick called it owner independence 2. Know what value means to their business 3. Be able to identify the exit magic number In addition, we had an informative conversation about the additional considerations when the business is family owned as well as when it’s important to have a business valuation. There are many free resources available at Patrick’s website, NAVIX Consultants , be sure to take advantage of those. You can listen to our podcast on iTunes and purchase Patrick’s books on Amazon. Patrick Ungashick Shares Business Owner Exit Plan Strategies on the Soar to Success Podcast
Sergio Garcia had to change his mindset to finally win a major championship and don the Green Jacket at the 2017 Masters. We can take a lesson from Sergio to adopt the correct mindset to achieve greatness in our businesses. Sergio Garcia has been playing in major championships since 1996. Prior to his win at the Masters, he had played in 72 majors and although he had finished inside the top 10 on 22 occasions, including four runners-up, he could never get over the hump to win. Who can forget the youthful, exuberance of the 19-year-old Garcia, as he carved a shot from behind a tree and dashed across the fairway to watch it run up on the green at the 1999 PGA Championship to finish runner-up to Tiger Woods. Back then, he was a can’t-miss kid, sure to win majors by the bunches and follow in the footsteps of his idol and fellow countryman, the legendary, Seve Ballesteros. 70majors and17 years later, he still did not own a major championship trophy and was tagged with the dubious title of “Best Player to Have NeverWon aMajor.” A title professional golfers do not appreciate, to be sure. The years, countless scars fromnearmisses and the continual questions from the media about the drought, had placed added pressure on the Spaniard and caused him to doubt even himself. By Fred Altvater Is Your Mindset Helping or Hindering Your Business Success
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Personal Growth Strategies dictate our mood, we will become depressed and feel it is our fate to lose the next sale or not be successful in our business endeavor. Like Sergio, business owners need to accept what has happened in the past and enact a plan to perform better in the future. Attitude is something that can be changed. We cannot allow outside distractions or disappointments to affect our performance in our businesses. Take a lesson from Sergio Garcia, accept business setbacks, learn from them and take a positive attitude into your next business meeting or presentation. Maybe you will win that Major Client you have been trying to land for many years. The problem was, he did not have complete confidence in himself and would become upset at a bad bounce or poor shot and let those unfortunate circumstances lead to yet another loss. Sergio started working with a mind coach and learned that he needed to accept the bad bounces on the golf course. He learned to concentrate on each shot at hand and perform his best in that moment. He could not allow past failure to dictate future performance. He had to learn to accept the past and strive to be better on the next shot. Isn’t business the same? Every day can be a constant battle with fellow employees, clients, vendors, missed shipments, higher prices, your competition and even COVID-19. If we allow these distractions to
Every setback can be a setup for a comeback if we embrace the belief that setbacks, which we endure, help us to succeed. Our world was built to develop character through the struggles we face. Every great leader embodies this philosophy, so today Covid-19 provides the opportunity for you to join the ranks of exemplary leaders. By Karen Cupp How to Be a Comeback Leader How will you diagnose your setback, identify the comeback, and engage the proper tools/ skills you need to stage that comeback? As you emerge from your pandemic hiatus what tools and skills will you use to help stage your comeback? What have you done to build yourself up during this time? Some of the
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Business Acceleration Strategies ways you can improve yourself as a real estate investor is to take online seminars to perfect your craft. A second way is to build skills in promoting your business using technology such as zoom, podcasts and Facebook live. Grace and patience are tools that I encourage you to incorporate into your comeback plan. This comeback takes time and dynamic input so that you grow you. Who are you willing to become? Are you willing to learn new skills and approaches? I had an aversion to technology but during the last year I have determined that I will grow. Today I am preparing to launch a podcast called a Cupp of Wisdom to help others to navigate life and business. Covid-19 catapulted me to act. Growth takes a dedication to filling your mind and time with positive input from leaders that you admire. Discipline yourself through podcasts in your field and those that youbelieve will strengthen you. Protect yourself from the mediawhichdoes not provide any fertile soil for your growth. Arm yourself with a mantra that will make fertile soil for you to soldier through. Below is an example of a mantra that I use. I must say that I have never felt so alive as I do right now. I believe that these challenges are there to make me stronger. I will focus on the solutions and call upon others that will give me assistance and insight. I refuse to allow negative or fearful people speak into my life. I am excited about who I am becoming. Perseverance is one of the greatest tools to help you move forward. Leaders in all walks of life embrace the faith that ultimately everything would turn out alright. Your strong will can be put to excellent use as you determine for yourself that youwill be stronger and more equipped after this event in your life. Commit that you will refuse to give up and keep committed to your purpose to lead others.
Imagine– you’re on a basketball team, and before a game your coach announces the other team couldn’t make it, but you’re going to play anyway. The game begins, you have the ball, run down the court and make a basket – easy when there’s no one blocking your shot. This happens over and over again. How long before you are bored to death? No one wants to lose, but we do want a challenge. Winning and scoring are great, but if we dig a little deeper we realize that the thrill is in Life’s Everyday Obstacles- Gotta love ‘em By Joan Washburn developing our skills so that we can win despite the obstacles. Obstacles are at the heart of every interesting and worthwhile game. Yes, obstacles – those objections and disruptions intent on blocking our progress. We try to be prepared, but sometimes they just pop up out of nowhere. They’re expected when it comes to sports, but in the game of life the single most noted reason we don’t begin to play for what we truly want “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” -Christopher Reeve
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Personal Growth Strategies is fear of the obstacles we know, or even just suspect, we’ll encounter. Or – we give up when we run into an unexpected one. Can you imagine being a basketball player, getting blocked by an opponent, and then stopping on the spot andwalking off the court because there wasn’t supposedtobeanyopposition? No! Obstacles are an integral part of the game. It’s the same with life. Obstacles are often deflating frustrating events. They can causeus toquestionourselves, our abilities and even the goal itself. But what if we saw that what happens when we’re challenged is exactly what is supposed to happen? What if we saw obstacles as a sign that we’re doing something right, not something wrong? With this understanding, wouldn’t we be encouraged to keep going: to develop the needed skill to master the obstacles? Think back to a peak experience in your life. Weren’t you required to learn something new or otherwise stretch yourself beyond your comfort zone? Here’s my QUICK TIP: Stop thinking of these events as obstacles and start thinking of them as invaluable opportunities to grow. No obstacles = no growth. Remember that they are at the heart of every interesting and worthwhile game and keep just playing to win! This article is an excerpt from Joan’s best-selling book, You’re Busy. I Get It. Quick Tips to Accomplish More with Less Stress. Available on Amazon and at www.joanwashburn.com.
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Book Recommendation The Referral of a Lifetime The networking System That Produces Bottom-Line Results By Tim Templeton Your Best Prospects Are Referred Prospects! Nobody likes cold calls. And nobody really needs to make them. The Referral of a Lifetime teaches a stepby-step system that will allow anyone to generate a steady stream of new business through consistent, qualified referralswhileretainingandmaximizing business with existing customers. Tim Templeton emphasizes the importance of applying the golden rule in business—putting the relationship with your customer first, rather than just making the sale. This second edition adds a technique for creating a profile of your ideal customer and explains how to reach the tipping point on online reviews and testimonials so you can expand your business 24/7. Your customers, colleagues, and friends already know every new contact you will ever need to succeed. When you apply Tim Templeton’s system, they will naturally refer those potential new customers to you. What I enjoyed about The Referral of a Lifetime is that it is a parable book; it’s short, easy to understand and offers exercises, that when followed will make a tremendous difference in business success. If you are interested in generating more referrals and increasing client retention you should grab a copy of this book. By Pat Altvater About the Author Tim Templeton is a veteran executive, entrepreneur, consultant, international best-selling author and speaker. He is the CEO of Consulting Gold, a consulting firm based in San Diego. A life-long learner, Tim has found his passion serving Consulting Gold’s clients and has incorporated his unique abilities into his daily duties. He has presented to and motivated sales professionals throughout the United States and abroad to a higher level of personal and business productivity. Templeton is an experienced, engaging storyteller who reduces complex processes to understandable business and life applications. His ability to relate on a personal level with audiences through humor, humility, and his extensive business experience has delighted and motivated sales professionals everywhere. Berrett-Koehler published Templeton’s The Referral of a Lifetime, as the lead publication in The Ken Blanchard Series. Templeton’s business processes and storytelling magic are highlighted in this best-selling book which has been translated in twelve languages. Learn more about Tim at http://consultinggold. com/.
Have you ever walked the path your customer walks when engaging with your company? And when they tell you their experience are you listening? How your customer experiences your company is farmore important than the experience you think you are providing. Somany companies streamline their processes because it’s what is best for them internally. They are looking for ways to improve efficiency thinking those improvements will positively impact customer service. It’s important to test those efficiencies to ensure there isn’t a negative impact to the customer experience. Walk Your Customer’s Journey By Diane Helbig Example: Company ABC sets up autoattendants to answer customer service calls. With the increase in AI a lot of these bots are designed to deal with the customer’s issue quickly. The benefits to the company are ostensibly, quick resolution to customer issue and the need for fewer customer service representatives. The company probably identified the top issues their customer service department has been dealing with and then developed solution journeys for the automation to handle. This can be highly effective – as long as the customer is experiencing one of those issues exactly.
However, if the customer’s situation is more complex, or doesn’t fit the system parameters, there should be an option to send them to a live person who can listen to and help resolve the issue. Imagine the level of frustration the customer will have if they can’t get their point across to an automated attendant, and they can’t get to a human. The initial problem may have been relatively small. The handling of that problem could expand the level of dissatisfaction with your company and lead to the customer leaving you for your competition. We shouldn’t underestimate the importance of our customer’s experience with our company. Something as simple as contact information being hard to locate on a company website can cause someone to seek an alternative source. While it can be difficult to prepare for every possibility it is easy to listenwhen customers talk. SOAR TO SUCCESS / Core Business Strategies If you are lucky enough to have a customer tell you about their bad experience, take it seriously. Consider what they are actually telling you. Think outside of your process because they are trying to tell you the process is broken. And empower your people to think outside the process. Imagine how frustrating it is for a customer who can’t get resolution to their issue and can’t get their point across towhoever theyaredealingwith. Themost dangerous is if their only connection is a chatbot or auto attendant. These programs aren’t set up to deal with out of the norm comments or issues. No problemwill be resolved this way. The best way to ensure a positive customer experience is to walk their path and to listen to them when they try to tell you something. This is easier, and less costly than ignoring the customer journey. ©2022 Helbig Enterprises
Hopefully, you got some rest and relaxation at the end of 2021… and had some fun, too. And if you’re like most people, you may notice that your clothes fit a little tighter from all of those holiday goodies. It’s a new year, and you’re ready to lose weight and get in shape! This may be top of mind, but what about the health of your business? By Melanie Rembrandt Is Better Business Health Part of Your NewYear’s Resolution? Quick Tips to Boost Your Happiness and Success Factor in 2022
3 Questions to Ask About Your Business Health in 2022 Now! 1. Do you still love what you do? If it’sreallytoughforyoutogetupinthemorning because you just don’t have the “spark” for your business any longer, it’s time to stop, look at your situation and see what you can change. Set new goals and take action for improvement. Otherwise, you will be in the exact same position next year, and life is too short to be unhappy at work all day. 2. Are your teammembers really part of the team? Do they really care about the success of your business? If not, they may be hurting your sales, reputation and more. To remedy this, create a positive work environment where people feel comfortable giving suggestions and feedback… and get rewarded for their actions. Communicate with your employees regularly and get rid of negativity as it arises whenever possible. 3. Who can help you get to the next level of success? If your business is at a standstill, maybe a mentor, mastermind group, conference, or experienced experts can give you some fresh ideas? Ask associates for recommendations and conduct online research for solutions to your unique problems. SOAR TO SUCCESS / Core Business Strategies Perhaps you just need more hours in the day to work on your business rather than in it? If so, there are helpers available at all levels and price ranges including college interns, freelancers, part-time employees, and more. Just make the effort to find the right people for your specific needs and then delegate. Time To Get Your Business in Shape! Set aside a few hours to stop and review all of your activities. Figure out how you can make improvements for you and your team members, set goals with deadlines and take action. Positive things will happen, and at the beginning of 2023, you can celebrate all of your new successes! Positive things will happen, and at the beginning of 2023, you can celebrate all of your new successes!
Tax Consequences of Crowdfunding With the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, crowdfunding websites such as Kickstarter and GoFundMe have become an increasingly popular way for small business owners to stay afloat. The upside is that it’s often possible to raise the cash you need; the downside is that the IRS considers that money taxable income. Let’s take a closer look at how crowdfunding works and how it could affect your tax situation. What is Crowdfunding? Crowdfunding is the practice of funding a project by gathering online contributions from a large group of backers. With the onset of coronavirus, small business owners have turned to crowdfunding to raise cash to continue operating their business. There are three types of crowdfunding: donation-based, reward-based, and equitybased. Donation-based crowdfunding is when people donate to a cause, project, or event. GoFundMe is the most well-known example of donation-based crowdfunding with pages typically set up by a friend or family member (“the agent”) such as to help someone (“the beneficiary”) pay for medical expenses, tuition, or natural disaster recovery. By Jim Fisher, CPA/PFS, CTC
Reward-based crowdfunding involves an exchange of goods and services for a monetary donation, whereas, in equity-based crowdfunding, donors receive equity for their contribution. Are Crowdfunding Donations Taxable? This is where it can get tricky. As the agent, or person who set up the crowdfunding account, the money goes directly to you; however, you mayormaynotbethebeneficiaryof the funds. If you are both the agent and the beneficiary, you would be responsible for reporting this income. If you are acting as “the agent”, and establish that you are indeed, acting as an agent for a beneficiary who is not yourself, the funds will be taxable to the beneficiary when paid - not to you, the agent. An easy way to circumvent this issue is to make sure when you are setting up a crowdfunding account such as GoFundMe you designate whether you are setting up the campaign for yourself or someone else. However, money donated or pledged without receiving something in return may be considered a “gift.” As such the recipient does not pay any tax. Up to $15,000 per year per recipient may be given by the “gift giver.” Let’s look at an example of reward-based crowdfunding. Say you develop a prototype for a product that looks promising. You run a Kickstarter campaign to raise additional funding, setting a goal of $15,000, and offer a small gift in the form of a t-shirt, cup with a logo, or a bumper sticker to your donors. Your campaign is more successful than you anticipated it would be and you raise $35,000 - more than twice your goal. SOAR TO SUCCESS / Core Business Strategies Taxable sale. Because you offered something (a gift or reward) in return for a payment pledge it is considered a sale. As such, it may be subject to sales and use tax. Taxable income. Since you raised $35,000, that amount is considered taxable income. But even if you only raised $15,000 and offered no gift, the $15,000 is still considered taxable income and should be reported as such on your tax return even though you did not receive a Form 1099-K from a third party payment processor (more about this below). Generally, crowdfunding revenues are included in income as long as they are not: • Loans that must be repaid; • Capital contributed to an entity in exchange for an equity interest in the entity; or • Gifts made out of detached generosity and without any “quid pro quo.” However, a voluntary transfer without a “quid pro quo” isn’t necessarily a gift for federal income tax purposes. Income offset by business expenses. You may not owe taxes however, if your crowdfunding campaign is deemed a trade or active business (and not a hobby) your business expenses may offset your tax liability. Seek Professional Tax Advice If you’re thinking of using crowdfunding to raise money for your small business, call a tax and accounting professional who will evaluate your tax situation and help you figure out a course of action that will help your small business succeed.
When you’re running a managed service provider business, it’s easy to get lost in the forest of opportunities that abound. Which ones should you ignore, and which ones should you jump on to make sure that you’re staying on top of your client’s needs? Here’s a quick rundown of some of the top opportunities for MSPs to get in on during 2022. Adopting the cloud After the COVID-19 pandemic began, businesses realized more than ever the value that cloud provides them. Instead of having to have By Jeanne DeWitt The Top Opportunities for MSPs in 2022 employees takeodd shifts through theoffice, they could work from home on the cloud, continuing to get their job done without risking their health. This also provides significant flexibility in scaling, as well as when workers are on business travel and need to access their office’s digital assets. Capitalizing on increasingly digital client workspaces Does your client need help with their digital workspace? Are there options that you can add or integratethatwillmake itmoreeffective for them, such as screen sharing and video conferencing
within the workspace itself? Options such as these can provide exceptional benefits for your clients, options you can capitalize on to help grow your business far into the future. Building security and addressing cyber threats Cybersecurity threats are growing every year. Increasing your offerings and sophistication will help improve your sales with your clients while providing them with a much stronger layer of security than they may currently enjoy, giving them better protection against cyber criminals and the threat they pose. Streamlining processes to benefit both in-person and remote workers With strong labor shortages and people who want to remain at home to work rather than return to the office, being able to streamline your client’s business processes for both remote SOAR TO SUCCESS / Core Business Strategies workers and those who choose to come back into the office will help you increase your bottom line significantly this year. By taking advantage of these opportunities and adding them to your offerings for your clients, your MSP is providing them with the technology they need to continue operating efficiently and effectively. Don’t forget to look at complimentary services as well, such as providing both softwareas-a-service as well as setting up workflows to help improve their efficiency. Not only will you win more add-on sales, but your customers will come to youwith their issues time and time again. Partnering with an experienced cloud service provider that has you, the MSP, in mind can make all the difference in the world for your clients’ ongoing success. Here at Cloud Services for MSPs, we are proud to provideMSPs with superb services that benefit you and your customers’ cloud and business strategies. Give us a call today to find out more.
You’ll Find It Easier with a Map Remember way back in the day when you wanted to take a trip, you sought out amap or an atlas to find out the best way to get from where you are now to where you wanted to go. Now we use our smart device, but the strategy is still the same. To get from where you are to where you want to go… you need a map and it’s true in business too. Before us lies an most of an entire year of opportunity. The slate can be completely blank to begin anew or to continue By Jack Klemeyer year at a time? Set short-term goals to create a business plan that really gets results. All you need do is follow these steps. There are some key questions about your business you need to answer. For example, ask yourself, “Why am I creating this business plan in the first place?” or perhaps you might ask, “What is it specifically I want to accomplish?” Every business plan needs a purpose and a set of goals. When you know that purpose, you can be sure to meet the goals in the plan itself. on with what you started in 2021. Either way, it’ll be much easier if you have a map or plan to follow. Contrary to popular belief a business plan isn’t only used to get financing from a bank or investor. It really should be a map of what direction you want your business to go. These days it’s common knowledge that a business plan can be a great asset to any business or company, particularly if you are just starting up. But have you considered creating one for a
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