OffBeat Business Magazine Special Veterans Issue by OffBeat Business Magazine

Special Celebrating Veterans Issue May | June

JUSTICE FOR ALL?

Finish BIG

Off BeatMagazine | MAY 2015

MAYBE DISNEY HAD IT RIGHT

Off BeatMa CONTENTS

04-05 Justice For All? A Call To American Business Leaders By Mindy Moser

06-07 Honoring Our Nation’s Best

By Chef Idalee Cathcart

08-09 Are You Ready to Sell Your Business? Dr. Paul Chafetz

10-12 Planning to Change for the Golden Years By Jim Blythe

14-15 What Do We Gain By Giving Up? By John Carroll

16-17 Finish BIG By Jeff Klein

25 A Priceless Gift By Taylor Kay Stephens

18-19 Family Friendly Vacation Destinations

26-27 The Wisdom of Mary Poppins

20 The Problem With Sales Tax: Use Tax

28-29 What Do You Give a Mommy That Has It All?

By Shari Voigt

By Christi Rains

21 Light Up Already By Clint Fuqua

22-23 Fund Your Dreams By Marian LaSalle

By Monica Cornetti

By Veronica Olivo

30 Honoring Mom By Amy Hayes

31 Don’t Judge: A Lesson From My Uncle

By Eva Danino 24 Celebrating Veterans in 34 Business Ownership Susansays By R. Shawn McBride

by Susan Hamilton

agazine OFFBEAT BUSINESS

Susan Hamilton

susan@offbeatbusiness.com

SHOW & MAGAZINE

EDITOR’S NOTE We had so much growth this month, it actually put us behind! Has that ever happened to you? We’re getting the teams in place to move faster, but didn’t want you to miss the amazing content in our first ever Celebrating Veterans In Business Month - a theme we’ll be repeating with slight variation every May, July, September and November. If American business owners are grilling out with their families, we want to join them remembering our service veterans who have put their lives and families on the line because freedom isn’t free.

Learn where you can take your kids over summer vacation, and how to make sure you keep Mom happy while you do!

Editor

Susan Hamilton

In addition, we’re sharing our favorite podcasts, feature sponsors and May lineup on The OffBeat Business Show.

Art Director

As always, we can’t improve without your feedback! Please send us your requests and comments to Info@OffBeatBusiness.com. We sincerely hope you enjoy every page,

Jonathan Bodnar

~ Susan Hamilton Inside, you’ll find lessons from veteran family members who have impacted us deeply in business and in life. You’ll find spring / summer fashion, budgeting advice, and patriot endeavors. We’re calling all business owners to rally around the fact that many of our service veterans get into trouble when they haven’t managed transition well, and we could use more hands in veteran’s court.

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Jonathan Bodnar

Graphic Designer Manager

Susan Hamilton

Marketing

Dream Casters Marketing

Web editor

Dream Casters Marketing

Are you thinking about selling your business? You’ll discover what you should be focusing on to make the best decisions. Coaching, legal and money advice is inside - short, actionable tips you can use right away.

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JUSTICE FOR ALL? By Mindy Moser

A CALL TO AMERICAN BUSINESS LEADERS

It is an honor and privilege to be asked to write an article about the work that I do with our past, present, active and retired military for The OffBeat Business Magazine.

aily, I read many articles on the topics of our serving military, veterans and military family members - from why you should hire veterans, to how to handle PTSD of a loved one, to their suicide rate. You name the topic, and if it has to do with our serving military, veterans and military family members - I read it. The one thing I see lacking are the stories of those who we serve through SMVMF. This article Is dedicated to them.

met their family members and listened to their stories and in the end resolved as many legal issues for them as I could. The day I walked into the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Dallas, Texas is a day I will never forget. It was a hot summer day in July. I had a dress on because of the heat. Our VA is complicated to say the least and getting lost at the hospital is a rite of passage. One I passed with flying colors. I asked for directions 5 times!

I began being of service to our Serving Military, Veterans and Military Family (SMVMF) members in January 2013. It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t until July 2013 I met the faces of those I was of service too. I

I finally found my way to the correct room, and from the getgo there were lots of problems. The room was too small to accommodate those in need of legal help. I remember thinking it

OffmyMagazine BeatMagazine brought it to us. They heard there was low/no cost legal service for low-income veterans and they flocked to us in droves. It broke my heart every month, looking into their eyes, knowing the organization wouldn’t be able to help them all, but a very few. Helping those few is what kept me coming back for more. My world stopped spinning for the veterans clinic. I got to be with them only 12 times a year, and almost no activity was worth the sacrifice of not being at the clinic. I was fortunate to spend almost 24 clinics with them. The faces I got to see were rough, wrinkled, and angry. They weren’t there because things were going good in their lives. They were there because they were in trouble.

strange so many family members came with the veterans. They were there to help pass the time. They knew it would be a long wait, and that day they waited and waited. Anything that could go wrong did go wrong that day. What was supposed to take three hours took six. The room wasn’t big enough to hold everyone so they were waiting in the hallway, downstairs, and in any spare room we could find. We couldn’t find enough side rooms for the attorneys to counsel clients, and we were processing their paperwork on the floor. I would say there were at least 80 people there that day, not including attorneys and support staff. Did I mention the A/C was almost non-existent? On a 102 degree day in July in Dallas, Texas A/C is necessary! This was the experience they had always known. It was hard to accept, but being my first time to work the VA Clinic I didn’t know any better. Thank goodness the clinic was moved the next month to the Veterans Resource Clinic down right down the road. What a difference it would make in being able to meet with those in most need. Talk about a transformation! We would now be able to see, talk and counsel our veterans in the new location. I was able to greet them with a smile and shake their hand and have a seat with them while I listened to their needs. Those needs ranged from changing a discharge status from fifty years ago to eviction and home foreclosure notices. You name the legal issue, they

We had to triage the issues they brought to us, because it wasn’t only legal issues they needed help with, it was housing insecurities, and what broke my heart were the addiction issues. Some were so high they couldn’t write their name and they were renting a room from a friend. One veteran slept in a barn with horses because she was so afraid of people and lost complete ability to trust. Some were homeless, and we had those veterans who were out of touch with reality. I developed a “Code Word” for those working the clinic in case there was an emergency so as not to alert the entire room and have panic. The hardest part for me was knowing when we got the cases back to the office, they would mostly be closed with no help. The hope in their face was gut wrenching. I use to tell them “I can’t make any promises, but I’ll ask.” As a volunteer, I truly did try to resolve their issue any way I could. Again, they weren’t there because things were going good in their lives … they were there because they were in trouble and in desperate need of help. And now, as my work with our Serving Military, Veterans and Military Family members shifts to justice-involved veterans, peer recovery coaching, suicide awareness, education and housing - I still think about those faces I don’t get to see on a monthly basis. I wonder … who is helping them?

Mindy Moser assists our Serving Military, Veterans and Military Families (SMVMF) as the Managing Partner with We Six Who See 360 Degrees. The firm works on veteran legal issues, peer recovery coaching, education, housing and employment. She can be reached at mmoser@ wesixwhosee.com or visit the firm’s website at www.wesixwhosee.com

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On January 20th, 2015, my dear friend and mentor, Eddie Deen, invited me to join him in Austin to help cater the Governor’s Inaugural. He asked me to bring 300 of my “Idalee’s of Texas” truffles to give away to the dignitaries.

By Chef Idalee Cathcart

his was a tremendous honor, and Eddie has been so supportive of my efforts. He is a huge proponent of my “Allnatural Cole Slaw Sauce” and he loves the truffles. The event was amazing. We served over 13,000 people in 30 minutes time. I got to schmooze with the dignitaries, which was wonderful - but it was so very special to me to connect with the veterans that were present. That was awesome! I am a passionate patriot. Two of my uncles served in WWII. We lost one of my uncles there. My brother was named after him. My brother was also in the Army and did a tour in Vietnam. My father did consulting for the military and Nasa. I am currently working very closely with the HCC/22KILL. HCC stand for Honor, Courage and Commitment. 22Kill brings attention to the 22 documentable veteran suicides that happen daily in America with proactive engagement and support. I help them with fundraisers to advance their cause in helping veterans transition to civilian life, often struggling with the after affects of war. They give amazing support and guidance 24/7 for these people. I want to get the word out there because I think our society would be so

much healthier if they had a better understanding of our veterans. We need the rules, boundaries, and limitations in our lives because that is what breeds success. Without rules, boundaries, and limitations, you are like a ship without a captain or a light bulb with no electricity. I recently introduced John, who is one of the HCC people, to Mike, who is a Master Parachutist who takes veterans on jumps. It is wonderful therapy and the guys love it. I proposed that we get some Chefs involved. We will do an MRE (Meals Ready to Eat) Cook-off event where the parachutists and the HCC people do a jump holding a mystery basket of food. When they land, they team with a Chef to do a cook-off with the rations that were in their basket. They love the idea! We are going to be putting that together as well. It is such an honor to be a part of this and I will do my best to help their cause. Chef Idalee is an award winning Certified Executive Pastry Chef. Her passion is helping people achieve their goals by connecting with others who have the same vision. She is not in the confections business serving people. She is in the people business serving confections. Discover more about her award winning cole slaw sauce and other goodies at http://IdaleesOfTexas.com.

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HONORING OUR NATION’S BEST

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ARE YOU READY TO

SELL YOUR BUSINESS? Dr. Paul Chafetz

usiness owners are a breed of their own. One characteristic of business owners is that their identity is closely tied to their business. Most working adults derive much of their identity from their work, but business owners put this approach onto steroids. While many men, in particular, feel that they are their job, business owners feel that they are their business. Since they identify with their business so completely, they gauge their sense of success, worth, and significance as a person by the success, worth, and significance of their business. The successful businessman has demonstrated to the world that he has outstanding business skills. But how skilled is he in

other areas of life? How developed are his personal relationship skills, and his leisure skills? How well rounded is he as a person? His business is profitable and stable. Can the same be said for his marriage and his childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s development? Does he have hobbies? Can he dance, or ski, or play bridge? When did he last read a novel, or take a vacation? Does he know his neighbors, or go to church regularly? How often does he laugh? Could he happily spend a week in the mountains with his family? Ironically, successful businessmen are often quite lopsided in their skill set. On the one hand, it might seem just fine to be skilled in business but less so in personal life. After all, the money is coming in, the owner and his family members all have a stable routine. The owner is enjoying the stimulation, challenge, and prestige of his daily work life. Everyone in his family is fed, clothed, housed, educated, etc. Since running the business is so rewarding, why rock the boat? Why fix what isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t broken? On the other hand, though, businessmen achieve success by being realistic about the world, clear- and open-eyed about trends, about the future, and about known patterns in the world. Isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it obvious to the owner that, with the passing years, there will be changes in his abilities, his needs, his desires? How can a practical, realistic person like a business owner fall victim to an illusion of immortality or to an illusion of an eternal present situation?

 Being the ‘boss’  Having control over one’s destiny  Achieving personal goals through the business

creation process  Enjoyment of influencing and empowering others  Personal wealth creation (Salary, equity, and the business pays a lot of personal expenses!)  Personal guarantees tied to business loans  Personal promises and contracts made with co-owners and partners  Recognition as a ‘a successful owner’ in one’s community

Further, even when the owner does start to realize that selling the business and moving on to the next stage of their life (which business brokers like to call “the afterlife”) should happen sooner than later, why do many of them do such a poor job of diversifying their skill set and creating a updated fabric of healthy relationships and challenging activities that will give meaning, purpose, significance to every day? When this task is not accomplished, the afterlife generally proves truly painful. The name for this challenge, this task, is “psychological readiness to sell.”

us. Third, the behavioral aspect consists of the real time and focused effort that must be spent to successfully transition. It is vital that any business owner engaged in selling his business understand this basic three part anatomy of life stage transitions. It is but one of several concepts and skills what can help the business seller create a smooth and successful transition to his ‘afterlife.’ I offer a five session consultation package to help business sellers keep building upward in their own life. Through reading assignments, writing assignments, and structured exploration, my clients acquire the cognitive, behavioral, and emotional tools to create an individualized, updated fabric of challenging activities and healthy relationships that will give meaning, purpose, and significance to every day.

As a psychologist, I believe that we grow our way through life, and we do it in stages, which are somewhat uniform across individuals. Stages are bridged by transitions, and transitions between stages have similar features. Selling one’s business, the product of decades of one’s personal investment of creativity, time, passion, fortune, sacrifice, identity, integrity, etc., is obviously a monumental transition in life. Yet, it still consists If the time is right for you to approach this transition, talk to a of the same psychological tasks as every other transition in life, professional in this area. however small. First, the emotional aspects often include, for example, grief over the loss of pleasant parts of the past, and joy over the anticipated gains and reward that lie ahead. Second, the intellectual aspect refers to the fact that the new stage will require us to learn new skills. Think of skills like toileting, homework, safe sex, keeping a job, or planning a kid’s wed- Dr. Paul Chafetz, Dallas, TX Psychologist, Author, ding. We are always breaking new ground, and hopefully have Speaker, Talk Show Host some guidance from those who have gone through it before www.paulkchafetz.com

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It is not mysterious at all that a business owner loves running his business. Paid work in general, and far more so running one’s own profitable business, is an amazingly good way to meet many powerful, universal psychological needs. Tripp Braden lists a few of these:

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PLANNINGTO CHANGE FORTHE

GOLDEN YEARS By Jim Blythe

hat is the vast majority of seniors’ biggest concern? After talking to thousands of people and reading countless articles, without a doubt, is it money. The majority of retirees are living at or below the poverty level on meager Social Security income. In 2008 we watched the financial world fall apart, again, and leave many without their savings. There are studies that have been published by the Society of Certified Senior Advisers that point out that 85% of the people turning 65 every day aren’t prepared. Just to give you an idea there are about 10,000 people turning 65 each day. That’s 8,500 a day that are headed for trouble and to put that into perspective that is 3,102,500 people a year. Sure, many have pensions and retirement accounts, that accounts for 15%; the rest typically don’t. I like to ask the question, “why?” because I think if I know why I can identify the problem and solve it. I am called into many homes to talk about financial matters. I’m a specialist in reverse mortgage lending. As a result, I see firsthand the results - and I ask the questions to help them come up with solutions. While this sounds overly simple, the biggest problem I see is lack of planning. People have lived their lives day to day without regard for the future. When the future hits them in the face it’s a harsh situation. First of all very few people live on a budget and have a plan. Most of the people I have met with that were born before 1935 remember the great depression and the results of that economic devastation. My grandparents and parents lived in a strict budget and very conservatively. Those values have really stood the test of time and families who live with smart money management are generally in better shape. But they still have problems, and those fears and problems really stem from a childhood of fear and doubt about money. Let’s start with a simple discussion of budgeting. I work with people all the time and get them to do a budget as we discuss their financial options. Everyone knows what a budget is … the question is can you live on one? Do you set standards and keep them? I sat in a bank’s conference room a few years ago and a widow came to me seeking help by getting a reverse mortgage. I started asking her questions about her income and expenses. Obviously she was broke and wanted to pull funds out of her home. The reason she was broke became so simple, and yet so painful. Finally, in a near rage, she exploded at me and told me her husband had wanted her to live on a budget and she had no intention of doing so. My answer was simple, you will go broke and eventually lose your home and everything you have. She got the message because she was already experiencing that. I asked the banker to pull up her bank accounts. What a shock to us all. ATM charges at the casino. Debit card charges every day at local restaurants. Charges for clothes and other shopping trips were everywhere. She had gone through all of her husband’s funds that he had left her and piled up a lot of credit card debt. When we laid it all out and how she was spending way more than the $1,850 she received from Social Security, it became clear. In three years, she had spent over $250,000.00 and had nothing to show for it, except more debt. She had lived like so many I see, not just one day at a time, but burning up those days and spending like there is no tomorrow.

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What did we do? She began to see she had many problems and needed counseling. She was lonely and spending money made her feel good. Now that addiction was killing her. We started working with a credit counselor and started working a budget and prioritizing her expenses. She then did something very smart. She reinvented herself and went to her church and went to work in the nursery day care center taking care of children. She didn’t make much, but it all helped. She negotiated through the credit counselor with the credit card companies and reduced her debt load. She was really happy working with the children and way too busy to go shopping. And the kids loved her. She got herself back on track, and we did use a reverse mortgage to provide a line of credit to be able to pay her taxes and insurance, and have reserves for emergencies. She lived within her income and began to start saving a little money. Is this typical? Unfortunately, no. I wish it were. What is the key to helping the lady? It was putting down on paper her expenses and income. In black and white right before her eyes, it told the story. Show me your bank statement and I will show you the patterns of your life. So start with a simple budget. What is your income and what are your expenses? Look at your bank statements for the last year, twelve full months, and tell me what you sent and where. What are your priorities. Let me tell you another great story. Mrs. B in Oklahoma City was sent to me by a banker friend. Her husband had been selfemployed and was a carpenter. He had built them a nice home. Also, Mrs. B made the best lemon drop cookies I have ever had, I mean the best. Her husband had left no life insurance and her social security was only $675 per month. There was a mortgage on her home and guess what, the payment was $675 per month. She was surviving on the welfare of friends and family and was terribly struggling. She had managed for about three years by scrimping and saving and taking care of children babysitting. We set out to build her a plan to be successful. First of all, we did do a reverse mortgage which paid off the mortgage and ended her monthly payment expense. She was left with about $4,000 in cash proceeds from the loan. What she did next was really great. She had already enrolled in a local junior college and was learning medical billing. She used the funds to buy a computer and the things she needed and pay off the school. She started doing medical billing a few months later and was making more that her husband had ever made. She still made the best lemon drop cookies and gave them away at church, and I suspect, at the doctor’s offices she worked with. When I talked to her a few months earlier she was happy and saving money. She loved having money in the bank. What a great feeling. How do you do a budget? You need to be honest with yourself and not only put down your income but all your expenses. Once you see what you have spent then you can began to see what you need to spend and there is a huge difference. Learn to live on a budgaet. The budget is the first tool in your financial tool kit you need to use. It is key to understanding your past, present and future.

Let me tell you another story, and I don’t have any way to verify it. I was told the graduating class of a major ivy league college was asked to participate in a study. They were asked to write a business plan for the next five years, complete with goals, plans and budgets. In five years at their first reunion they were asked present the results. An amazing thing happened. 3% of the class did the project, 97% did not. Can you guess the results? The 3% had amassed more wealth and success and had less debt than the 97% put together. Little wonder that a lot of planning and budgeting can make a difference. Planning and budgeting are the keys to success. Do you want to be successful? Life has a way of throwing us curves and it’s ups and downs. Funny but the people who I have experienced as happy and successful had a plan and they stuck to it. Persistence and dedication go a long way to turning dreams into realities. Do you want your Golden years to be Golden, or are you headed for a tarnished future? If you knew the living rooms I have set in listening to family stories of financial distress you would cry. Sometimes I want to. What is the answer? Simple and effective planning is the answer. Writing down a budget and sticking to it. Focus on what you have and can do. Be enthusiastic, be involved and be active. Not only have a budgetary plan but have a physical plan, exercise and eat properly. Don’t let the aches and pains of old age get you down - be active, dance and participate in life. The more you do the better off you are . These are real simple solutions. The gardener at a local church mows and trims every week and rakes the leaves in the fall and winter. He is 96. My Father is 94 and reads everything he can get his hands on and plays golf once a week. Ready to get up off the couch? Write a simple, effective plan for budgeting and for having an active life, then do it. `

Jim Blythe is a Certified Senior Advisor, Dallas area native and third generation Navy Veteran. He served three tours in Viet Nam on aircraft carriers from 1967 to the end of 1970. Currently Jim serves on the board of Heroes House, a non-profit providing housing for homeless and low-income veterans. Discover Jim’s radio show, get his book Planning to Change and more at JBlythe.net. Better yet, give him a call at 214-502-4600 or you can email him at JBlythe@AAG.com.

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“Choose wisely and keep Jane Goodall’s quote in mind when life gets hard, or fear and self-doubt start to creep in. “You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” Enjoy the journey!

WHAT DO WE GAIN BY GIVING UP? By John Carroll “If we don’t start, it’s certain that we can’t arrive.” – Zig Ziglar Far too often, we give up before we ever reach our destination. It is not so much a matter of starting as it is of finishing. In our disposable society, we’ve become quite adept at giving up. You see this illustrated by rising high school drop-out rates, escalating divorce rates and the alarming number of new business failures. Now I’m a firm believer that in order to succeed, you must overcome a significant failure and have one of those ‘aha moments’ of clarity. My aha moment helped me move away from self-limiting beliefs and a ‘give up’ mentality, after two major setbacks in early adulthood. What I learned was that I had not only been holding myself back, but also hurting other people in the process by not giving my best effort.

So, back to the original question, what do we gain by giving up? The short answer (always) is, it depends. Sometimes quitting is the best option, particularly if continuing is no longer appropriate, impedes our progress, or has adverse consequences. The problem with giving up, however, is that many of the things we decide to discard can and do come back (i.e. weight loss) or if made in haste, lead us to regret our decisions later in life. Before deciding to give up something important in your life today, ask yourself these three simple questions.

What got you to this point? Will your life be better if you give up _______? How will your decision impact others? For further clarity, I would also encourage you to read Lori Deschene’s article, ‘10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Giving Up on Your Dream.’

“Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run there’s still time to change the road you’re on.” – Led Zeppelin If you are not happy with the direction of your life today, then change the narrative. My life began to dramatically change for the better when I discovered that in order to become the person I wanted to be, the thing I had to give up was the old me. In order to develop and evolve, both personally and professional, something has to continually change and in many instances that something is us. Never, ever give up on yourself. You have the power to choose the direction of your life (and the people in it).

John Carroll is a business and leadership strategist who works with business leaders to help them ‘achieve the results to move beyond their vision.’ He is a best-selling author, educator, blogger and speaker. Email John at john@trescoach.com or learn more at http://www.trescoach.com/.

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Finish BIG By Jeff Klein

ay is a month of finishes: The checkered flag at The Indy 500, the first leg of the Triple Crown, the Kentucky Derby, and the end of spring to name a few.

How are you doing in your business on finishing and finishing big?

You’re not ready to finish your business? Of course not! That doesn’t mean you don’t need big finishes in an ongoing business. The first one that comes to mind for me is one so many people struggle with: Closing Sales. That’s a finish we all want to go our way. Some thoughts on Closing Sales:

Don’t Be Afraid to ASK.

When you’re having a sales conversation, isn’t asking for the order the obvious way to get to the end of the conversation? There are many ways to close. All of them work. Do some reading or training and work on which ones feel best to you. There are many more, but here are a few: ºEither Or Close.  If, Then Close.  Bonus Close.  Daily Close.  Yes-set Close.  Assume The Yes. If you solve a problem your prospect has, they why wouldn’t they want to be your customer? Start by assuming there are no obstacles. Then, BEFORE your sales meeting, list their possible objections and plan your responses.

Learn to Shut Up.

Samson killed 10,000 Philistines with the jawbone of an ass. A million sales a day are killed the same way. This hung on the wall at my first retail job at Kinney Shoes at Mall St. Vincent in Shreveport,

LA. I won’t bore you with the year, but the fact that it was faxed should give you a clue how long ago that was. This advice holds true today. When you prospect tells you they want to become your customer, STOP TALKING and take their payment.

“No” is the Second Best Answer.

How much time have you wasted with someone on your call list who refuses to say, “Yes” or “No?” These are the two best answers. Yes starts you doing what you do best. No frees you to seek other prospects. When someone makes it clear they are a “No,” take them off your list and move on. Let’s talk about another finish, achieving a goal. Of course, you have to set goals in order to check them off. I have 4 business and 2 personal goals for 2015. I also have short term objectives that will help me reach those goals. For example, one of my goals is to be paid to travel and speak internationally. One of the objectives to help me reach that goal is to renew my passport. Another objective was to reach out to International Conferences, which I’ve been doing.

or two, maybe three. Those could come from a Chamber of Commerce membership. Then when you’re ready, join a service organization like Rotary or Lions. By ready, I mean you have the means and free time for volunteering regularly. Finally, some of you are planning a Big Finish for your business. What is your exit strategy? Are you planning to sell your business some day? You should be working towards creating a marketable entity. Get some advice from a business broker on what that looks like. Or, are you building something to leave to your heirs? Make sure you check with an attorney to make sure you’re not just creating a burden for them. You might be waiting for the right protégé to come along you can trust turning your business over to. Be prepared for some disappointments along the way. I never plan to retire. I do plan to work a lot less someday. I’m working towards a business entity that runs itself more and more. I’m putting systems in place that can be replicated by the right people. So, go out there finish BIG!

Another finish to discuss is finishing projects.

Are you efficient in getting your work done for your clients? I’m been visiting with several business people recently who are spending more time prospecting than delivering products and services. That’s not a sustainable model. Don’t schedule too many events. I do not recommend daily networking. I recommend belonging to ONE category specific networking group. Usually, that means a weekly meeting. And, you must commit to an hour or two each week for 1-on-1 networking meetings with people from that group. Add a monthly meeting

Jeff Klein teaches Business Networking inside companies, to sales teams, at meetings, and at National and International Conferences of Salespeople and Business Owners. As the Founder of Speaker Co-op, Jeff also teaches the Art of Speaking to Market Your Business. Speaker Co-op holds Lunch & Learns monthly in DFW & Houston. Jeff@SpeakerCoop. com

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FAMILY FRIENDLY We’ve uncovered so many hidden gems at state and national parks as we travel across the country. Some parks are remnants of a distant era with roads and lodges built by the Civilian Construction Corps (CCC) during the Great Depression. Look closely and you’ll get a history lesson in addition to the natural beauty. By Shari Voigt

VACATION DESTINATIONS O

ur most recent mobile adventure took us to DeSoto State Park atop Lookout Mountain in northeast Alabama. It’s just a short drive from Fort Payne Alabama. This park was developed in the late 1930s as part of the national CCC program.

DeSoto State Park’s scenic trails take you along babbling brooks and rushing waterfalls. On our visit, Spring leaves on the trees were accented with blooms in shades of white, pink and deep red, and tiny wild flowers bloomed along the trail. It was a bit of a workout, either going up or down; there’s not much level ground here. Many families were out enjoying the day together. With huge boulders to climb and interesting wildlife this is a kid’s paradise. Some brave souls were even in the water, but dipping my fingers in was enough for me. Brrrr! Another northeast Alabama location known for its beauty is Little River Canyon, a National Forest Service preserve. Although we merely draw drove along the rim, stopping frequently for photos, more adventurous folks scaled the cliffs, went caving or kayaked down the Falls. Apparently, I’m drawn by massive cliffs, boulders and rushing water because other favorite family friendly parks include High Cliff State Park near Sherwood, Hartmann Creek near Waupaca, Devils Lake near Wisconsin Dells, and Peninsula State Park in fabulous Door County, all of which are in our home state of Wisconsin.

High Cliff, Hartmann Creek, Devils Lake, and Peninsula State Park all feature great hiking trails, scenic vistas, camping, fishing, boating and swimming. Each of these parks are also near popular tourist destinations, so there’s plenty to satisfy just about any interest. In the west, Custer State Park is known for its herds of wild buffalo, deer, wild burros, and prairie dogs. On two-week long visit there in September 2013, we had hoped to also spot an elk, but that animal eluded us. The buffalo are what I enjoyed the most. Traffic comes to a complete stop as massive herds move across the park. We were completely surrounded by the powerful beasts on each drive thru - so close that had I wanted to, I could have reached out to touch them. At one point, a huge bull raced across the road ahead of us to challenge another. Sheer power - impressive beasts! Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado is the largest in scope of all the parks we visited - 415 square miles of spectacular mountain views and magnificent wildlife. Following Trail Ridge Road to the top, we encountered elk twice: once, when two bulls sparred for hours alongside the road, and another time happening across a small herd, complete with cows nursing their young calves and a big noisy bull. That was the first time I ever heard a bull elk bugle. As we ascended its 12,000 feet, the terrain changed from thick forest with large meadow valleys to Subalpine with evergreen

Off BeatMagazine forests and mountain lakes. Continuing up, we passed the treeline and encountered the Alpine Tundra. Air is thin above 10,000 feet and it’s cold … very, very cold, and windy! Although you’d think nothing could survive in this climate, the Alpine meadows are full of dainty-looking wildflowers clinging to life with roots that extend two feet or more beneath the surface. We were surprised to find hummingbirds at this level. Other wildlife spotted during our visit included close up views of Bighorn Sheep, fat Yellow-Bellied Marmots, industrious little Pikas and an abundance of birds. This is a photographer’s paradise. Rugged hiking trails abound through the park, but before you go make sure you understand how quickly the weather can change in the mountains and how to protect yourself from the park’s natural predators. As you consider your next family vacation, I urge you to look beyond the obvious theme parks and tourist traps. Explore a State or National Park and make memories that will last a lifetime.

Shari Voigt and her husband Gerald are business owners on the move! Discover more about their experiences on USA-RVNomads.com, and connect with them on Facebook/RV-Nomads.

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THE PROBLEM WITH SALES TAX: USE TAX By Christi Rains

ast month we spent some time talking about the pitfalls and idiosyncrasies of sales taxes, specifically here in my home state of Texas. This month I want to talk about one of the most confusing parts of sales taxes, the Use Tax. A Use Tax is placed on an item or service when the seller of that item does not charge sales tax. The buyer is then responsible for remitting payment to the state at the same rate as the sales tax of the jurisdiction in which they bought the good or service. In other words, the state is going to get theirs, one way or the other. Allow me to give you some examples that are the most frequent issues people get tripped up on. Online purchases frequently do not charge sales tax. So a purchase over the internet, from a company in Kansas, wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have sales tax on it, but once you receive that item here in Texas you are required to pay a Use Tax on it. Another example of a common mistake people make is on international purchases. If you travel to Mexico and purchase items, you will be required to pay

a Use Tax on them when you return. The final example can, and does, trip up the most people. If you are purchasing an item from within the state, and you live in a jurisdiction with a higher sales tax than the seller, you are required to pay the difference. The bad news for everyone, is that most of you have probably made one of the mistakes that we have discussed in the past two articles. The good news is that now you know the problem, and knowing is half the battle. What can be done, in this case, can be undone. Start today in finding a professional that you trust to help you with your accounting issues. It will not be easy and you will need to be prepared to pay fines, but the alternative could put you out of business.

Christi Rains, President Alpha Omega Consulting & Bookkeeping, LLC - sensiblebusinessowner.com. Contact Christi@AOBookKeeping.com for more information.

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LIGHT UP Already By Clint Fuqua

iving is living and can build business better than any slick marketing strategy to just sell a product or service. I’m not talking about giving away samples at events and giving discounts during holiday weekends, rather giving time and energy to the very things you care about. I’m talking about giving something of yourself to the world that makes you shine brightly. I’m talking about using your talents to improve the world instead of increasing your bank account. I’m talking about creating ways to give back through your business to serve even more people and love what you do even if it’s not what you are passionate about. Passion is all about the story, the why, the thing that makes each of us tick, think the way we think, and do the things we do. We have all heard that facts tell and stories sell, and nothing makes for a better story than the reason behind a person’s passion. Finding a cause you are passionate about and putting your business behind it is a great way to serve the community and build community within your business. Nobody cares how good your business is until they know how much your business cares about them and the world around it. Share your passions with the world and they will share their loyalty and gratitude with you and your business. Pulling your own weight is easy when you can carry the loads of others. Just as you can get stronger and healthier

through exercise and nourishing yourself properly, day after day and year after year you can build a stronger business by doing the extra work others can’t - or at least help them so they can do more. Provide your business services for local charities to do the very same. Strengthen your business and help support organizations that have need for more than money. These are the real bonus hours that pay major dividends down the road because of the lives touched by your generosity. These very people may be new customers, employees, or your next CEO. The strength of your business only matters if it can help lift the burdens from others long enough for them to become strong themselves. Pursuing your own passion only keeps the fire going until burn-out happens. Your fire is best rekindled by lighting the fire of your passion and sharing it with another person. Mentorship is the greatest position and the most rewarding experience any of us can ever attain in this life. This is more than just teaching someone how to do something; this is cultivating the passion and spirit in another person so they can live a truly fulfilling life. Share your passion so it can continue for generations keeping the world alive, joyful, and rewarding. Flames of passion can either light the world up or burn the world down. As we pass the flames down through the generations, it’s the mentors that control the fires of the inexperienced. This is awesome responsibility and honor in life.

Visit me at www.ClintFuqua.com and contact me with any questions, comments, request, recommendation, proposals, fan mail, or hate mail at Clint@ClintFuqua.com.

ACTION STEPS: 1. Find an activity that gives you joy and feeds your passion for life the more you give of yourself to it. It may be a hobby from childhood or a cause to make the world a better place. Find that thing that makes your heart beat and soul stir and make it a part of your life. 2. Get involved with a local organization that supports this cause. Many charities and non-profit organizations have local chapters to host events and need volunteers. Volunteering and giving time to the things you love is the best donation you can give and enrichment your life can get. 3. Become an inspiration by either taking on a leadership or educator role. The only thing better than feeding your own passion is passing it on to others by either leading them into it, or educating them to grow their own passion shared with you. The only way to keep a fire from going out is to light other fires with your own and teach others how to light up the world rather than burn it down.

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FUND DREAMS

YOUR

By Marian LaSalle

Do you have a dream for a new business venture? Do you have a passion to get your message out to the world? Never say I don’t have enough money to create what your heart desires again. I’m going to show you some fantastic tips and strategies that will allow you to see that everyday people have the power to give life to new their passion, new business or non-profit.

ere are two ways that you can raise the money and the help you need to fund your project. Crowd Funding and Sponsors. Let’s look at Crowd Funding this month and next month will deep dive into Getting Sponsors. Your job is to pick one and GO FOR IT! Crowdfunding has launched a plethora of dreams that might not have come to fruition through traditional financing methods. It’s unrestricted and beautiful. Planning ahead is the key here. Learning from other successful campaigns and getting organized is going to make a huge difference in the outcome. You will need to plan out a marketing campaign. Here’s a great quote from Clay Hebert, the founder of Crowd Funding Hacks “Successful Crowdfunding is Successful Marketing” Here are some tips that will help you get started 1. Start with your research. Did you know that popular crowdfunding companies don’t take down their campaigns after they ended? Check out the successful ones and model after them. Pick out what you loved from their project and map yours out step by step. You should start working on this 6-8 months before you hit the GO button. 2. Next comes your design. You know your friends and family will back you no matter what your campaign looks like, but when you are trying to get others to give their hard earned money, you’ll have to give them confidence that you and your project are trustworthy and dependable. Plan for in your budget, the money you will need for a good website and logo.

Off BeatMagazine 3. Get comfortable with video. You’re going to need two, one before the campaign takes off and one for when the campaign is live. For video one the ending will be different than video two. In the 1st video you will be creating a BUZZ. You will be inviting people to sign up for email updates and sharing it with everyone and everywhere you can think of. Posted on your company’s website, shared on social media, in your blog posts, sent out to your e-mail subscribers, on post cards and business cards. Include a QR code to make it easy for them to sign up. The ending of the 2nd video will be posted on your campaign site; inviting people and companies to give, donate or invest in your project.

with a valuable incentive that is free to distribute like a fun video, useful tips, cool graphic or photo of your team. Engaging your audience with your concept is powerful.

4. Create your content. Remember to write your thank you emails, description for the campaign, blog posts, social media posts and tweets ahead of time.

GoFundMe.com KickStarter.com RocketHub.com IndieGogo.com Crowdrise.com Teespring.com

5. Set your funding goal. If you should decide to launch your campaign on Kickstarter, be careful of not setting your goal too high because it’s an all or nothing platform. If you want to raise $800 and you set as your goal at $800 and you raise that of more, then you get to keep the money. If you raise $300 but your goal was $2,000, you walk away empty handed. In your planning stage be sure to estimate what you need to make to cover expenses, including the money the platform takes and the payment processor charges you. 6. What will you offer your backer? Don’t leave anyone out! Start with the lowest donation possible and then reward them

Word of caution. BEWARE of crowdfunding sites claiming to be ‘100% Free’. They will charge your donors instead and you will collect less donations as a result. Fees always exist when accepting payments online. Here is a list of some of the more popular sites, this list covers just a few of the many available for you and your projects!

Marian LaSalle aka ‘By Your Side Guide’ is an author, speaker, trainer and show host. She is co-owner of Painted Path Designs, a web design and internet marketing Company and Tools Tips and Technology. Marian is the author of Affiliate Marketing for Fun and Profit and a Director for the Public Speakers Association. Contact Marian at 713-826-4942 for more information.

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CELEBRATING VETERANS IN

BUSINESS OWNERSHIP By R. Shawn McBride

Why Veterans Make Great Business Owners and Have an Advantage.

A percentage of our law firm’s clients are veterans. We find they tend to have a distinct advantage over some of their nonveteran counterparts. Many people point to what they think is ‘obvious’ – namely government programs that might be helpful to veterans. And some of those programs might be of help to veterans. However, our experience has shown that it is other skills of veterans that make them so powerful as business owners. As a foundational issue, the military embraces order. It also embraces systems and repeatability. We find that this is where our veteran clients shine, having taken lessons from their training in the military as part of their thinking. Those very lessons in turn help the business grow. With many of our clients one of our first steps is to introduce them to business management concepts, such as those shown in Traction, by Gino Wickman. Veterans already know many of those foundational concepts and a quicker to embrace systems. This is a key advantage. Why So Different? Running a business takes a lot of organization. It is no simple task to take care of all of the daily demands, keep accurate records and think of the future of your business. Veterans, whether they spend time in the line of fire or in other situations, seem to have internalized the need for order in a way

that many of their civilian counterparts have not. They also tend to focus on getting things done. Why Is This Important? The ways in which organization benefits a business cannot be overstated.  First, it manages risk. Having good records means lower possibility of challenges to past transactions because accurate records exist. Also, wanting to be organized tends to cause veterans to think ahead more about transactions.  Second, it is good for the growth of the business. Having systems and records helps the business operate better.  Third, it helps position the company should the owners desire to sell later. There are also countless other benefits. Celebrate Your Status. If you are a veteran celebrate your status. And think about how your training and knowledge gives you a leg up on your competition! R. Shawn McBride is the Managing Member of The R. Shawn McBride Law Office, P.L.L.C., a boutique corporate law firm whose mission is to protect business owners by helping clients in legal issues such as those related to starting companies, joint ventures, raising capital from and negotiating with investors. Shawn is a frequent speaker on legal topics and blog contributor on this law firm’s website. You can learn more about Shawn at www.rsmlawpllc.com.

By Taylor Kay Stephens One of the greatest lessons I ever learned was from a dog. Several years ago I’d become very attached to a friend’s lovable dog, Katie, so when Katie’s health started failing, I was very upset. Her back legs became paralyzed and the vet said she probably had one to two weeks left, so I volunteered to help take care of her. I wanted her to feel loved and her last days to be as comfortable as possible. I’ve noticed that dogs seem happy most of the time, because they live in the moment and offer unconditional love. I believe if people treated their mates like their pets treat them, there would be fewer divorces. This November was beautiful with autumn leaves floating gently to the ground. Every afternoon I carried Katie outside to the back yard where we would lie on her favorite blanket underneath two big oak trees. She was in squirrel heaven, sniffing the air in search of a four-legged, bushy-tailed creature. She’d look at me as if to say, “Thank you,” then lay her head in my lap while she drifted off for a short nap. We communicated so much without ever saying a word. I wondered in amazement, “How can she be so content and peaceful when she’s dying?” I wanted that same inner peace and happiness. Wow, this was what it was like to “live in the moment “where nothing else in the world really mattered, except right then! Two weeks later, she gave us “the look” and we knew it was time to let her go to dog heaven. When we buried her beneath the oak trees, I said my tearful goodbyes in silence; “My sweet Katie, thank you for all the joy you brought to my life. I’m so grateful for everything you’ve taught me these last two weeks and my hope is that the last days I spend on this earth will be as wonderful as yours.”

Taylor Kay Stephens, speaker, author and transformational life coach, is no stranger to tragedy, adversity and obstacles. She teaches people how to get out of overwhelm, change their bad habits and stop self-defeating behaviors. She has developed her own easy and practical techniques and systems so simple a child can do them. Discover more at TaylorKayStephens.com

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A PRICELESS GIFT

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THE WISDOM OF

MARY POPPINS By Monica Cornetti

t work, our brows stay furrowed all day long, focused on efficiency and productivity. We often lament the loss of playfulness, laughter, and good old fun. Who said that work and fun have to be mutually exclusive? I prefer the wisdom of Mary Poppins: “In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun and ‘snap’, the job’s a game.” Mary Poppins (1964) Play is not the opposite of work – we can find fun in the things we do every day. When I do my daily treadmill run (I don’t really like running, but I do it), I make it fun with a stadium-size fantasy of fitness, fame, and fortune. Instead of J.Lo, Beyonce, or Shakira on stage wowing the crowd, it’s me, with my awesome voice, incredibly toned physique, and extraordinary dance moves. Sometimes I’m enjoying it so much I start to sing

along, out loud, (much to the chagrin of my fellow treadmill runners). Or when I’m working on a project and about to abandon it because either I’m not getting anywhere or I’m just plain bored – I start playing the game of “Just 5 More…” I say to myself: “I will stick with it for ‘just 5 more minutes’ and then I will give up or take a break.” At the very worst I get 5 minutes more work done and at the very best I become focused, and may just reach that breakthrough I’ve been trying for. Plus, I’m choosing to do it. No one is making me do it – which puts me in control. We respond strongly to game elements, such as competition, gaining status, goal achievement and play, and ‘just 5 more…’ motivates you, encourages you, and can make a boring task just a little more fun.

Games are great practice for real life. Specifically, they are a good training environment in organizations where collaborative problem solving is an essential element in how work gets done. The world of games, which looks like a ridiculous waste of time to many in the Boomer Generation, may actually be a valuable boot camp for the future of business.

Off BeatMagazine Research shows that it is tougher than ever for businesses of all shapes and sizes to engage and get results from their employees. Gallup’s long-running studies on employee engagement reveal that on a global scale, only 13% of employees are engaged.

In other words, 87% are not engaged or actively disengaged, going even as far as sabotaging the company. What if there were a tool for fusing play with work to help organizations teach, persuade, motivate and develop meaningful relationships with both employees and customers? The good news there is! The strategy is proving to be very successful in engaging people and motivating them to change behaviors, develop skills and solve problems - even

if the name sounds like child’s play – gamification.

play can make the medicine go down in a most delightful way.

Have you ever played your favorite game for hours? The feelings that you experience in that lost in time experience are precisely the things that make up a model employee – an urgently optimistic, idealistic team worker who is blissfully happy to create, innovate, and work away all day and all night.

Game On!

The rule that says that work has to be serious is actually counterproductive. The workplace should be fun. What if you could find ways to make work and your work environment more relaxed and fun, would you also have happy employees who look forward to coming to work each day?

A gamification speaker and designer, Monica Cornetti is rated as the #1 Gamification Guru in the World by UK-Based Leaderboarded. She is the author of the book Totally Awesome Training Activity Guide: Put Gamification to Work for You, writes The Gamification Report blog, and hosts the weekly Gamification Talk Radio program.

She is a professional consultant and known for being one of the leading players in thinking differently to create different results. In fact, as an early adopter, she has been designing

It’s easier than ever to make the mundane – a bit more magical. Combining the elements of games and the principles of

and delivering gamification programs for her clients since 2008. http://entreprenowonline.com

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What DoYou Give a

MOMMY THAT HAS I W

hat do you give the mom who has everything? Over the years moms have collected many a handmade ashtrays, art, macaroni necklaces, and of course flowers. Yet, the one thing we long for is time, time with our family, by ourselves, and the one day a year where it is ALL about MOM. I wonder if I became a mother just for this day in spring to feel extra special.

as long as they are remembered. Personalized gifts are a great idea. There are many companies that offer bags, organizing, and travel items that can be personalized. It is the opportunity to also acknowledge a momâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hobby, business, kids, or accomplishments. Consider personalizing jewelry with charms, birthstones, and memories represented to reflect each moment.

When thinking of gifts, most moms are happy to get something â&#x20AC;Ś ANYTHING,

You want to make a mom feel appreciated, honored for being a mom, and

most of all beautiful. Beauty comes from within, so when a mother feels beautiful she can nurture that; it can then be passed on tenfold.

Also, consider the gift of time together. Join mom on a day of shopping and pampering, pedicures, manicures, and massages are some ideas. These can also be sent via gift card with a small gift for those families separated by miles. When mailing off a gift be sure to go the extra mile for that smile. Fill

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ters, friends, who should be honored.

By Veronica Olivo

IT ALL?

Any gifts momâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s receive will be love, but time with you is what she will treasure. Life is short, time is precious, and any person in the role of supporter, nurturer, giver of unconditional love, should be remembered. Make time, give from your heart, and be beautiful always.

the package with her favorite items or things you know she loves such as photos and hand-written notes.

Some other ideas are cooking classes, wine tastings, a local home tour, personal shopper, or an outdoor spring photoshoot. These ideas are not limited to your mom. Consider any person in the role of supporter, nurturer, giver of unconditional love, even if they have not given birth. There are many men and women, grandparents, aunts, sis-

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Veronica Olivo, owner of Styled by V.O, and fashion editor for The OffBeat Business Magazine. I am a mom, wife, daughter, sister, friend, and wild child at heart. After growing up and working in a corporate environment for almost 15 years, I feel a freedom working for myself like I have never felt. I am doing what I love and being my true self. Beauty comes from within, and I would be honored to help you show the world your very best YOU.

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HONORING MOM M

ay is the month we honor mothers. The ones who gave us birth, nursed or fed us, changed our diapers, cared for us when we were sick, cooked and cleaned for us, drove us to and from, and cheered us on from the stands. Moms are the ones who cried over us when we were troubled, worried about us when we didn’t come home on time, stood up for us when we were weak, and fought for us when others gave up on us. Mothers are the ones we ran to when we were hurt, the one who washed our wounds, bandaged our booboos and kissed our bumps and bruises. The ones who planned our birthday parties, made holidays special, got up early to make our favorite breakfast, helped us with our homework and taught us oh so many things from tying shoes to ABC’s to how to cook. They read us books, took us for walks, pushed us on the swings and slid with us on the slides. They sung us to sleep and held us close when we were scared. They took us to church, taught us to be good, showed us how to love and care for those less fortunate than us. They taught us to be ladies and gentlemen. Above all, mothers are the ones who will forever be praying for us now and into eternity.

By Amy Hayes

What do moms really want for Mother’s Day? They want their children to know how much they will always love them. They want to know they did or are doing a good job raising their kids. They want to know you appreciate them. They want to be able to lay their head on the pillow at night knowing that when the time comes, you have their back. As mothers age, they need to know their children haven’t forgotten them. A mother never stops thinking of, worrying about and hoping the best for their children. They need to know their children are happy and healthy. They need to know their efforts aren’t in vain. Let your mom know how much you appreciate and love her. If your mom is no longer with us, perhaps visit a nursing home this Mothers’ Day and give back to a forgotten or lonely mother. Your own mother will appreciate it too. God bless our mothers!

Amy Hayes is the Parenting in Business contributor for The OffBeat Business Magazine. Amy is the mother of 8 children, from grown to adolescent, and coaches business owners, church groups and others to improve effective communication for parenting success. You can reach her at profparent@gmail.com.

By Eva Danino

A Lesson From My Uncle

he world would be such a better place if we could all love each other and not judge each other. We all come from different backgrounds and we all have different opinions and different ideas. It can be easy to think we all have it right. Since Memorial Day is coming up I wanted to write an article about my uncle Norman Beauregard who served in the navy for 5 years. Norman has been an inspiration to me for many years and one thing that amazes me is his ability to listen fully, understand, give advice but never judge. I lived with my uncle for three months and every day I would get home and sit down with him for 10 to 15 minutes and tell him about my day, my ups my downs, the good, the terrible and everything in between. If I came to him with a problem, he would listen, take everything I said, take the emotion out of it, and repeat back to me the facts of what I told him. Then instead of judging and telling me what to do, he would just say, “Well, it sound like you have a lot of decisions to make.” And that was perfect for me. sometimes Its so

important just to have someone listen to everything you say, and not be judged. Veterans have great stories and a ton of life experience, there is so much we can learn from them. These men and women have put their lives on the line to protect our country. So many American’s have experienced great loss when they did. Our cookouts and 3-day weekend celebrations will be fun for so many, and others will remember those they have lost. We still have those serving overseas, in wartime and in peacetime recovery. Let’s remember to thank those veterans we’re blessed to know, and thank their families for their willingness and active support of their military and civil service family members - they could experience great loss one day, but still choose to do what they do. Every day they get up and move forward because they believe in our great country, and know freedom isn’t free. If you want to take it a step further, there are a lot of places around the country where you can volunteer to help out vet-

erans in your area. One of those places is Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston. You can donate or find out more about volunteering at http://www. houston.va.gov/giving/ . If this one isn’t close enough for you, you can google volunteer for veterans in your area and I’m sure you can find something close by you. Enjoy your Memorial Day, but most of all, let’s put the things we’ve learned from our veterans into practice every day. That is the biggest honor we can give to them.

Eva Danino is our neighborhood contributor, bringing real life from the street to our real lives in business and community. We applaud her fresh eyes! Discover more about Eva on her Facebook page, Facebook.com/SaveTheWorldHouston.

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SUSANSAYS So many things to do, so little time, right? I tend to look at time as though I never have enough of it, and I think most people do. It presses us. It wrings us out. It leaves us in the dust. But then I have to remind myself that time is merely a dimension, and while I’m not guaranteed tomorrow and I can’t change yesterday or even the last 30 seconds, what I can do is decide to make the most of every moment I have. This moment. At this moment, my 9-month old granddaughter is fussy as I try to start my day and my son has not arranged daycare yet. He wants her mother to watch her, but she is routinely unavailable. I have told him I’d help him with a daycare up the street, but he hasn’t taken the step to set her up. I feel squeezed for time, because 3 of the 5 guests I’ve invited and spoken with about appearing on The OffBeat Business Show have not confirmed with me and we are scheduled to record this afternoon. I have to make phone calls and finish client projects and arrange for all the details of this magazine’s each issue - and she’s not feeling well, slopping up my clothes with her wet nose while my son gets his shower. My head wants to pop off, but I know she can feel my tension so I relax and play with her still unsatisfied sweet self. So am I doomed to a rotten day? There are many times in my life I’ve felt like I was. Women might call this hormones, but I don’t believe men are free from this frustration. People don’t do what

Time, Curse or Gift? we think they ought, and we feel directly imposed by it. But what if I flip the switch? Without my faith in something bigger, I could not. I trust that the big things in my life are the things most easily regarded as distractions. Like many of you, running a business while helping or raising your kids, grandchildren or parents - we don’t have a corporate-looking life. AND what’s worse, we think we want one. I am determined not to miss my moments. That does not mean I’m irresponsible if I don’t have all the pieces in place yet to run like a well-oiled machine. I does mean the raised hair on the back of my neck each time she squeals I will have to decide to put down. Because I can. Because I don’t do it alone. And because I can choose to count this time as a gift. A precious gift that will not come back once the moment has passed. One day I will look back at the early stages of this magazine and remember her little playpen, boogernose and high pitched squeal - but it will fade as I see her sweet, trusting smile - anticipating my attention, which is more often the case, yet forgotten in the squeeze cursed time puts on me. I will choose to take off cursed time and put on precious time. I take my gift and smile, won’t you take yours? ~ Susan

Susan Hamilton Susan Hamilton is your host and editor of The OffBeat Business Show & Magazine, showcasing businesses through video, audio and magazine content for maximum exposure. Susan believes that by sharing great business and entrepreneurial lifestyle tips and advice in an easily digestible format, businesses can grow to become a significant influence within their communities, causing progressive improvement on legislative and community levels for our children, seniors, veterans and businesses.

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