June 2020

JUNE 2020

COVER STORY

A Guide to Virtual Health Care: Four Common Telehealth Myths Debunked, pg. 16

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Contents Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Kuanita E. Murphy, PhD

7 Pandemic Spurs Innovation for Small-to mid-sized Businesses

Rural Leader Magazine, LLC is a digital publication that highlights every day people doing extraordinary things nationally and abroad. www.RuralLeaderMag.com www.GetRuralLeaderMag.com

9 Powerful Tool for

About Us

10 What We’ve Learned from Working at Home

Launched in March 2014, Rural Leader

Magazine, LLC is a digital publication with a mission to highlight every day people doing extraordinary things in business, education, music, community, art, sports, and leadership nationally and abroad.

Rural Leader Magazine honors exemplary individuals on a variety of levels, such as the 20 under 20 Honors, 40 under 40 Honors, Best Small Town Restaurant, Small Town America’s 100 Most Influential People, the Scholars of Collegiate Distinction, Fifty under Fifty, and the Eagle Elite Club.— Reproduction in any manner, in whole or in part, in English, or other languages, is prohibited without written consent.

Send editorial ideas to Kuanita Murphy, PhD, Editor-in-Chief editor@ruralleadermag.com Contact Us info@ruralleadermag.com editor@ruralleadermag.com

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Small Businesses in the New Normal How Small Businesses can Adapt to the New Normal

13 Be the Change: Registered Nurse Rejoins Frontline Caregivers in the Fight Against COVID-19 15 Top Things To Know About Economic Impact Payment Cards COVER STORY 16 A Guide to Virtual Health Care: Four Common Telehealth Myths Debunked

Tell us what you think about our publications, if you have a great idea for a story, or to just share. We may print your comments in Rural Leader Magazine. By sending us your comments, you’re giving permission to call you for an interview. Please be sure to include your name, address, email address, and phone number so we can reach you. Write to us at info@RuralLeaderMag.com— SUPPORT OUR VISION

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Editor’s Note Dear Readers, Inside this issue, there are a number of great articles about leadership best practices, building positive self-esteem and productivity! We hope you enjoy this issue.

As always, I hope you enjoy this issue and continue to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google +, and LinkedIn. Thanks again for your continual support!

Sincerely, Kuanita E. Murphy, PhD Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

What you do matters. @RuralLeaderMag

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Pandemic Spurs Innovation for Small-to mid-sized Businesses As COVID-19 continues to disrupt normal dayto-day operations of small- to mid-sized businesses and nearly half of the U.S. workforce hangs in the balance, employers are taking creative measures to reset their go-to-market strategies and offerings. By changing their operations to meet the demands of their customers, businesses can not only stay relevant but keep their staff employed and thrive in the new economy.

This pandemic offers business owners, investors and solopreneurs the opportunity to take a critical look at their overall business model, offerings and operations and reset the entire business structure, creating new opportunities to serve and prevail. This is the perfect time to explore new legal solutions to the most common business obstacles to help companies preserve and protect their brands and prosper for generations to come. There are great examples of resets happening within many industries.

With the pandemic closing summer camps throughout the country, ACA-accredited Adventure Links, a 23-year-old summer camp in Virginia, has found a way to replace its usual summer adventure camp programs with The CampCloud(TM), an experiential online alternative. The company is now offering its virtual camping programs to individuals and employers to assist employees working from home by keeping their kids engaged, learning and delighted all day from virtually anywhere. The program is being offered to other camps as a customizable, online option for their campers.

Ensuring the health and safety of employers when stay-at-home orders are lifted, and business resumes, is critical. Thanks to a team of entrepreneurs, Disinfect & Shield(TM), an FDA-registered, EPA-approved and eco-friendly disinfectant used in surgical suites for the last decade, is now available to businesses worldwide to kill SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 and other dangerous organisms.

It works by creating a permanent anti-microbial shield, preventing the virus from attaching to surfaces where it has been applied without risk to humans, animals or crops. With Disinfect & Shield(TM), employees, customers and visitors can feel safe knowing that their space has been properly disinfected and

treated for optimum health and safety.

Clint Coons, founder of Anderson Business Advisors, offers 5 financing and entity creation tips to help entrepreneurs and small business owners: * Know how to use loans: CARES Act loans have specific guidelines like having to use at least 60% of the loan within 24 weeks of receipt for payroll expenses. Concerned that money would dry up, many small business owners applied with no way of utilizing them because their business cannot reopen under the strict guidelines imposed on the industry. * Alternate cash sources: Borrow from a 401(k) or IRA to keep businesses afloat, as it does not need to be paid back for at least 3-6 years. However, pulling money out of a retirement plan comes with some risk, such as if the business does not see profitability, then retirement funds were wasted on a failed business venture. * Beware of increasing liabilities: Because insurance will not cover claims brought under COVID, reopening comes with risk and business owners are wondering how they will operate under strict COVID-19 related guidelines and still make a profit.

Now is the time to pivot and reset. * Consider restructuring: Set up your business in the right entity and state. Mistakes in formation or taxation can have a lasting negative impact on business growth and viability. Before starting a new business, consider the best structure for asset protection and tax minimization. For example, a limited liability company (LLC) gives business owners time to operate at a loss for the first few months and write off the loss on their individual 1040 forms against other forms of income. There are different entity funding options with protection ramifications. * Utilize Privacy Shield Protection by creating anonymity with trusts.

COVID-19 has shown that many businesses aren’t prepared for worst-case scenarios and make common mistakes that can affect their ability to grow and borrow money. If approached strategically, small- to medium-sized businesses can take this time to implement changes and help their operations succeed and thrive.—

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Going Digital is a Powerful Tool for Small Businesses in the New Normal How Small Businesses can Adapt to the New Normal If you own a small business, or frequently shop at one, you know that COVID-19 has instantly changed everything. As brick-and-mortar shops have had to temporarily close to customers, the need to adapt has never been greater.

For small businesses willing to reinvent themselves, going digital - or ramping up your digital operation if you already have one - can help weather the storm. There are plenty of tools available to help your business survive - and even thrive - through the pandemic and beyond.

“Helping small businesses find fast paths to recovery as they navigate an overnight move to digital commerce is a top priority at Visa,” says Jack Forestell, Chief Product Officer, Visa. “Using our network, partners and products, we help sellers get online easily and maximize their digital experience to reach more customers.”

Forestell details six insights about today’s current landscape including ways your business can pivot and master the strategies to move forward.

Consumers are going digital in this remote world, you should too.

Millions of new buyers are shopping online, some for the first time, and many more are shopping for items they never thought they would buy outside of their local businesses. To keep them shopping with you, your business should provide a convenient, easy-to-use online shopping experience, along with a marketing approach to boost your digital presence.

Use your existing customer email/mailing list to let customers know they’ll be able to find your business online soon - even if you’re not yet ready to launch.

Reminding loyal customers of your business is key during this transition period, before their new shopping habits have solidified.

Strengthen your digital toolkit to meet customers in new ways A study conducted by Visa in 2018 found that less than half (46%) of U.S. small businesses had an online presence of any kind.[1] If your business doesn’t yet have a website, or if you don’t have an eCommerce platform, your first priority will be setting that up. Using an eCommerce platform like Shopify can help you pivot to an online business quickly.

If your business does have a website, find out if your web hosting service has an eCommerce plugin you can add. You could also research using an eCommerce plugin that connects to your point of sale (POS) system, if you have one.

Other tasks on your to-do list may involve figuring out how to manage your inventory and product pickup and/or shipping.

Once you’re ready to launch your online business, reach out to customers and make use of social media to get the word out that you’re open for business.

Offer contactless payments - avoiding contact while buying is better for health and safety for your employees and customers With many businesses eager to welcome customers back into stores, their return also will bring new protocols and procedures. Offering contactless payment options in-store means customers can tap and go, avoiding the need for them to touch the checkout terminal.

Not only is tapping to pay a reliable solution, contactless transactions are secured with dynamic EMV® Chip security technology that has already shown to drastically reduce counterfeit fraud.

Using an established leader in contactless transacting, like Visa, helps you and your customers have a seamless experience. Visa works with partners worldwide to support secure transactions, with capabilities that are constantly updated to help meet today’s challenges.

Send money digitally instead of using checks Build your business and pay employees securely by partnering with an experienced financial network.

As circumstances quickly change, employees and customers need and expect quick and secure access to their money digitally. For example, Visa offers fast and secure money movement options. Through Visa Direct, companies can pay employees or gig workers quickly by moving money to Visa debit cards in real time.[2] It can also make transactions easier for small business owners who need funds for their business.

Access data to drive real time business decisions Partnering with Visa can help provide businesses of any size with useful data and analytics to inform critical business decisions as you deal with the new influx of online activity. Insights from that data can help you assess purchase risks and understand the wider marketplace as your business adapts to the “new normal.”

Protect your business and your customers. Due to the many disruptions caused by the pandemic, there has been a significant increase in disputes between buyers and sellers. The need for transparency - plus protections for both buyers and sellers - has never been more crucial. Through Verifi, Visa offers serGetRuralLeaderMag.com | jUNE 2020 9

vices to help prevent and resolve disputes before they become chargebacks.

Whether a business is new to online, experiencing an influx of customers and/or rapidly revamping an online presence, our new normal is causing businesses to pivot and prioritize digital. Visa can help

businesses shift to an online-led selling strategy that works wherever you are in the world. To help your small business adapt, visit Partner.Visa.com.—

What We’ve Learned from Working at Home The recent transition to widespread working from home has shown that the experience has been both educational and eye-opening for many. Working at home means learning to cope with distractions, space constraints, managing time with family and learning new skills. And, according to new consumer research, it has also meant reassessing what is most important.

A nationwide survey conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of LG Electronics reveals the many ways working from home has challenged and surprised Americans.* Connecting with loved ones. The most striking survey results show the importance of close relationships. Social distancing has caused many to reassess 10

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who is most important to them, and how much they may have taken friends and family for granted.

The global health crisis has turned socializing into a more deliberate act. More than half (53%) of homebound people said they felt closer to loved ones than before the outbreak, and 27% even said that they felt much more connected than before.

When asked what they want to do first when the crisis is over, the top answer was to visit loved ones, followed by going out to a meal.

Managing work-life balance. For many people, juggling priorities and obligations was difficult even before the switch to remote working. But having to work at home has shined a brighter spotlight on how we cope and find a healthy work-life balance.

Here are some of the tricks people have discovered: * Half said they take frequent short breaks to balance work and home responsibilities. * 37% are starting work earlier, while 17% are starting work later to manage schedules better. * 35% are learning to keep their whole household to a schedule. * 23% use visual cues (like signs) to let others know when they’re working.

Mastering technological challenges Most people affected by the crisis say they have had to master (or learn from scratch) how to complete their work entirely from home, including the new norm of conducting video conferences from somewhere in their home.

Technology has been crucial to this adaptation. Almost half (47%) have discovered a new app or service they say they now can’t live without - especially video chat apps that have helped them learn how to communicate better with colleagues and loved ones.

As one might expect, a majority of respondents admitted to making conference calls from a common area in their house. However, some said they were stuck calling from a makeshift workspace in a lesser-used part of home. One-fifth of respondents admitted to calling from a basement or attic, while others said they took work on the go. The research shows 18% have called from their cars, and perhaps most surprisingly, 12% admit taking work calls in the bathroom.

For many, the time they’ve spent working at home has helped them appreciate how successfully technol-

ogy has kept them connected on all fronts, including their work and personal lives.

Reevaluating life’s priorities. Overall, the experience of working from home has had everyone reassessing what - and who - is most important to them.

Among those who said they’ve discovered new apps, digital services or technology, many said that they were spending significant time using it for family or relationship management.

An overwhelming number of survey respondents said that they plan to continue at least one of their new practices even after returning to a “normal” work situation, including: * 39% plan to do more cooking. * 43% said they’re likely to arrange more family dinners. * 39% also said they would do more video chatting.

As a result of spending some more time at home, many have been rethinking their priorities, with nearly half considering buying or using fewer things.

Some (16%) have thought about beginning a new career, and others are considering starting their own business (14%).

No matter what your work-from-home experience has been, chances are it’s changed your attitudes about work and family life - and how to balance the two - in ways that will stay with you long into the future. *The LG WFH Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research among 1,000 U.S. adults, working from home due to COVID-19, between April 10 and April 15, 2020, using an email invitation and an online survey. — GetRuralLeaderMag.com | jUNE 2020 11

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Be the Change:

Registered Nurse Rejoins Frontline Caregivers in the Fight Against COVID-19 It’s early afternoon on a Thursday when Donna Portscher walks through the doors at a DaVita dialysis center in north Georgia. It is a familiar setting - the faces, the clean smell of a medical center and the sound of dialysis machines in the background. She pays visits to dialysis centers like this one countless times a year as an employee of DaVita, one of the largest providers of kidney care in the U.S. But this time is different. She’ll be treating her first patient in more than eight years - he’s recently tested positive for COVID-19.

“I wasn’t nervous because this patient was COVID-19 positive,” says Portscher. “I was nervous because for the first time in many years I was working shoulder to shoulder with one of our nursing teams to deliver life-sustaining care that would keep him as strong as possible to fight the virus.”

Before joining DaVita as a clinical services manager where Portscher enjoyed facilitating new hire trainings, she worked as a registered nurse. Even as she made the change to supporting clinical teammates from a business office instead of a dialysis center, her passion for direct patient care never left. When the first dialysis patient in her area was hospitalized due to COVID-19, Donna heard the call for volunteers willing to provide care to patients with COVID, returning to the outpatient setting. “I said yes because I knew I could help,” she shared.

Dialysis nurses must receive special training and education to care for the complex needs of patients with kidney disease. Portscher spent the week following the initial call attending training sessions, completing the required courses, and demonstrating the skills necessary to rejoin her clinical teammates. Finally, the day came that the patient was healthy enough to be discharged from the hospital and return to an outpatient treatment center.

“Once I met the patient I would be treating, I was overwhelmed with hope,” she says. “He looked strong and I knew this was the start of his recovery.”

COVID-19 poses a hazard to the health of over 37 million patients with kidney disease in the U.S. They are more often immunocompromised compared to the general population. In general, they are some of the sickest and most medically complex patients in the health care system.

Maintaining the ability to treat kidney disease patients in an outpatient setting is a twofold benefit: It helps limit their exposure to the virus and it limits the potential hazard of over-burdening hospitals that have recently seen an influx of COVID-19 patients. For kidney disease patients recovering from COVID-19, regular dialysis treatments help support overall health and reduce the risk that they will be rehospitalized for kidney-related complications.

“I know that the work I’m doing now is helping my community,” says Portscher. “Without us, our hospitals would be overwhelmed with patients.”

Donna will continue caring for patients over the coming weeks until the number of COVID-19 positive patients levels off. Since the onset of the virus, over a thousand clinicians have rejoined the heroic care teams at DaVita centers nationwide.

“I felt a tremendous sense of duty to return to patient care during this crisis,” she says. “At DaVita we have a saying, we ‘Give Life.’ That strikes me now more than ever.”—

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Top Things To Know About Economic Impact Payment Cards As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to change our lives in unprecedented ways, more and more consumers seek secure, reliable solutions for making purchases in-person, online or over the phone. For the millions of Americans who receive government payments, including emergency relief funds from the U.S. government, one such solution is Government Payment Cards, or prepaid Visa debit cards.

What Are Economic Impact Payment Cards and How Do They Work. Recently, nearly 4 million prepaid Visa debit cards were mailed to eligible Americans as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). These prepaid Visa debit cards are pre-loaded with Economic Impact Payment (EIP) funds and are sent in a plain envelope from “Money Network Cardholder Services.”

EIP cards offer a fast, convenient, safe way for Americans to receive government and emergency relief benefits. These prepaid cards look and work like traditional debit cards; however, these cards arrive preloaded with funds and are not linked to a bank account.

Using an EIP card is quick, easy and secure. It can be used to: * Pay for purchases online, in-person or over the phone everywhere Visa is accepted; * Pay many bills and get cash back at participating merchants; * Withdraw cash from an ATM or a bank/credit union teller * Transfer funds to a personal bank account How To Get Started. The first step when you receive your EIP card is to activate it by calling at 1-800-240-8100. During activation, you will be asked to validate your identity by providing, at minimum, your name, address, and last 6-digits of your social security number. You will also be asked to create a 4-digit PIN required for ATM transactions and automated assistance and to hear your balance. For your Account security, do not use personal information as your PIN. For Cards with more than one name, only the primary Cardholder (listed first on the Card) may activate the Card.

Keep your PIN number handy for automated telephone assistance and secure future transactions.

For example, when withdrawing cash from an ATM - preferably an in-network, surcharge free ATM that carries the AllPoint® brand - enter your 4-digit PIN and select “Withdraw” from “Checking”.

Discarded or Destroyed Cards. If your EIP card was accidentally discarded or destroyed, you can call the Customer Service number at 1-800-240-8100 and report it “Lost/Stolen”. Your EIP Card will be deactivated to prevent anyone from using it and a new replacement card will be ordered. You do not need to know your card number and your first reissued EIP card is free. Any additional reissued cards are subject to a replacement fee, so review the Fee Schedule and Cardholder Agreement at EIPCard.com for more information.

How To Keep Your Card Safe and Secure. It is important to know that the IRS, MetaBank, Money Network and Visa, like other financial institutions, do not contact cardholders directly requesting their personal account information. That said, cybercriminals and fraudsters are constantly counting on individuals to be distracted and let their guard down.

If successful, they can trick people into handing over personal or financial information using a tactic they call phishing.

Here are some common forms of phishing that one may encounter and warning signs to look out for: Phone Call Phishing * Consumers should look out for a phone call from “your credit card company” or “financial institution,” the caller will typically identify themselves as some who works in the “Security and Fraud Department.” * They will note that your card has been flagged for suspicious transactions and will ask for you to prove that the card is in your possession. You may then be asked to provide the three-digit security code on the back of your payment card, your pin, or a verification code that was just sent to you.

Email Phishing * Be on the lookout for spelling and grammar errors in the subject line or body of the email. It also may be a warning sign if the email does not address you by name or if the email address does not match the organization (e.g., irs.net).

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* Scammers will also sometimes include deadlines or threaten account suspension to add urgency and override your normal sense of caution. If the sender does not provide contact information, or if something feels suspicious (e.g., asking you to click a hyperlink) please contact the card issuer at 1-800240-8100.

Text Message Phishing *Be aware if the sender sends a link rather than a phone number to call. Scammers may also ask that you log onto your account to verify a transaction by providing your pin or three-digit CVV code.

Website Phishing * It may also be a red flag if there is something slight-

ly off about the website or the address or if there are misspelled words or odd logos. * Look out for unusual pop-ups on the site that request you enter personal account information.

Also be wary of HTML links that do not match their destination. * If you are unsure about a link, you should manually enter the full website URL or address into your browser instead of clicking on a link provided to you.

Social Media Phishing * Warning signs include friend requests from someone you do not know, or a post asking you to click on a link and provide personal information. For more information on Economic Impact Payments, visit EIPcard.com.—

A Guide to Virtual Health Care: Four Common Telehealth Myths Debunked Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, the adoption of telehealth services has been on the rise and people are turning to digital technology more than ever to address their personal health care needs without having to leave their homes.

But while many have begun to embrace telehealth offerings as a new way to connect to care and address their personal health needs, myths surrounding what 16

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telehealth services are intended for and how they compare to in-office visits continue to prevail.

To help determine how digital care can best meet health care needs during quarantine and beyond, here are the facts behind four common misconceptions about telehealth: MYTH #1: Telehealth is only for basic or urgent care needs.

FACT: Telehealth can often be the first stop for

preventive, primary care and other health and wellness needs. Patients can connect with a doctor or nurse practitioner to receive care for a range of acute, preventive and chronic care needs, including illness and injury, mental health services, and management of conditions like asthma, diabetes and more.

Whether patients live in a rural area or simply want an easier way to manage their health, telehealth can adapt to their needs.

MYTH #2: There aren’t any telehealth providers in the area.

FACT: Many trusted local and national health care systems provide telehealth services across the nation.

Today, more than half of providers in the United States currently offer some form of telehealth service, according to an April 22, 2020 Merritt Hawkins survey, “Physician Practice Patterns Changing as a Result of COVID-19.” Additionally, recent government, health system and reimbursement policy changes have improved patient access to telehealth services and are encouraging use as a safe way to access care during the pandemic.

In fact, locating telehealth providers is easier than ever before with platforms like Walgreens.com/FindCareServices which helps patients access care when and how they need it from providers they know and trust. Patients can choose from more than 30 telehealth providers treating over 100 conditions in one place, while searching from the comfort of their own home. Available through an app and online, the platform makes it easy to find and compare available providers by location, preference, insurance coverage, services and price.

MYTH #3: Virtual care isn’t as good as in-person care.

FACT: Telehealth services can offer high-quality,

convenient access to care. Much like face-to-face office visits, telehealth visits can facilitate a trusting, open dialogue with a doctor or nurse practitioner.

Most providers have a web-based interface or mobile app, making it easy to log onto and use secure, quality video for consultations and to visually help communicate about injuries or conditions.

Telehealth also reduces time spent in waiting rooms and commuting to appointments, putting more power in the hands of patients. It can be particularly valuable for enabling remote monitoring and regular check-ins for patients with chronic conditions.

While telehealth can be a convenient alternative to in-person care, there are still instances where in-person appointments are recommended, such as in the case of a medical emergency. To consider the best option for care needs, check with a doctor.

MYTH #4: Telehealth is too expensive.

FACT: Telehealth and other services can help save money while expanding access to care. When looking for a telehealth provider, it can prove cost-effective to compare options based on pricing, insurance coverage, preferences and services provided. Look for telehealth options that list transparent pricing information to help guide the search.

If a consultation requires a prescription, Walgreens also has 24/7 pharmacy chat capabilities through its app and Walgreens.com/SaveOnRX with discounted pricing to help save money on a wide range of medications.

Telehealth is more accessible than ever as more providers evolve and adapt technologies to meet patient needs at a safe distance. But even as social distancing constrictions lift, digital wellness offerings will present greater flexibility and convenience in meeting individual health care needs.— GetRuralLeaderMag.com | jUNE 2020 17

Four Outdoor Cleaning Tips That Could Help Save You Thousands 18

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