It's 4th Quarter! Do you know where your bookkeeper is?

WOW! - where did the time go?

Can you believe that October is already here? In a few short months we will, literally and figuratively, close the books on 2020.

From a bookkeeping standpoint there are numerous things that the business owner can do to assist with the end of year bookkeeping close out task.

Time and space won’t allow us to look at all of them and to be honest, many of them are best left in the hands of your bookkeeper or accountant.

 So let’s just look at what can be considered to be the top 3 things that you can do right now.

This year has been anything but ordinary. COVID -19 has resulted in many changes. One of those changes that has had quite an impact on businesses are PPP loans.

Have you started on the forgiveness process yet? -- Yes.

That’s probably not a bad thing. You do want this liability off your books before it turns into a loan.

 I would wait before actually submitting the application however…at least until a final decision is made on automatic forgiveness.

 It’s looking more and more likely that one won’t be made until after the elections so breathe.

 You can find the application as-well-as instructions for forgiveness here but remember to breathe. You have some time.

 In a related note are EIDL loans. Did you get one?

 If so, they like most loans must be amortized or tracked.  Having a separate bank account for these funds makes this task so much easier.  

There are 2 other related things you can do that would be helpful and hopefully your bookkeeper... you are all working with one right...please say you are 😊

 I jest, not everyone needs a bookkeeper - at least not all the time. It’s wise to have one look things over, at least once a quarter, though.

 As I was saying, hopefully your bookkeeper has been able to assist you throughout the year in making the financial decisions that will enhance the growth and profitability of our business.

 At the very least, he or she should have you prepared for taxes.

 The mad rush and the headache that often comes with it need not be some yearly rite of passage. It can and should be a time of strategic planning and, believe it or not, anticipation... No I am not joking.

 Getting down from my soapbox.

 Two other super helpful things that you could do right now would be to make a quick check on your accounts receivable (AR) and Accounts Payable (AP). Run an aging report on both these items. It should allow you to catch all the problems.

 If you are uncomfortable running the aging report, simply do a visual of your overdue by 60 and 90 day AR & AP figures and correct any issues – have you already collected on some of those receivables…do you need to resend some invoices…have you already paid some of those bills?

 You do want to have everything correct and up to date because, to a large degree, this is what your financial statements and ultimately your taxes will be based on.

 Why not set yourself up to win?

Mike Coombs – Flawless Bookkeeping Services

Flawlessbookkeepingservices.com

mikeyourbookkeeper@gmail.com

301-821-0076  

The day after the first day of school

 Hi there!

I wanted to wait til today because it was the first day of school to finish writing my newsletter, because I want to say this.

That first day of school is always bumpy.  I know what you're going to say.

"Megan, you don't have school-aged children.  You have no idea what this is like with distance learning and working at the same time."

I don't, but I feel you.  I feel you right here.  You're in my heart.

That's why I've put such a special newsletter together this month for you.  I have wonderful associates.  I love them!  They inspire me, and I inspire them.  

The Eyes Have It by Brandie Bates  Look gorgeous from the nose up!

Three Easy Ways to Get Your Home Ready for Fall by Shaun Leway  So easy!

An Easy Way to Keep Yourself - and Your Kids - Focused and Productive by James Scott  It's brilliant!

Vision by Cheryl Cage  Look at the Day!

Listen.  I know it isn't easy.  It isn't easy at all.  It's never easy.  But... it's worth it.  Five years from now, you'll look back at this time in your family's life, and you'll discover that when you went through the super-hard times, they really were the best times.  It was the times that helped you to grow and progress.  It was the times that you learned to lean on each other.  It was those times that got you where you are now (of which we're speaking of five years in the future).

Embrace this time.  Cherish your kids.  I know it's hard, and it's ok to feel that way.  

You're in my heart.

Bee in love with the heartwork of your life.

September 2020: What's Coming Up

 

What's going on at Honey Bee Photography?

Plenty!

Halloween

We know that Halloween is going to be very different this year; however, that doesn't mean that you still can't celebrate.

I remember that, as a child, it was a very important decision as to what I was going to be for Halloween.  I loved putting together my costumes, and feeling myself becoming that person.  When I was 7, I was a princess, with a gossamer gown and the most beautiful sash and golden paper crown.  When I was 8, I was an "old fashioned girl" aka Laura Ingalls Wilder.  When I was 11, I was a bum for fun.  When I was 12, I was a witch with a black, pointy hat and a borrowed college graduation cape.  

For weeks before, I would think about my costume, and if I were really that person, how would I be?  What would I sound like?  I would wax philosophical and do what I could to become the person in the costume.  In my mind, I was the effervescent princess, the pioneer girl crossing the prairie, the bum hopping on a train, or a witch, ready to ride her broomstick at midnight against the full moon.

These days, though, kids get their costumes much earlier, and then they find ways to "try them on".  As parents, if we purchase them, we get them early, like in September, after back-to-school shopping is done, so that we make sure they get that costume.  Or, we start buying fabric in September to have their costumes ready by October 1, to make sure they fit and all of that good stuff.  

"Mom, I want to try on my costume, to make sure it fits."

"Daddy, can I be a princess in my Halloween costume for a little bit?"

By the time Halloween comes around... the costume is a hot mess between the trying on, the playing in, and the costume parades and parties.

Again, this year is going to be different, but the desire for the cool costume will still be there.  We here at HBP have a fun family activity for you!

We are having a food drive on Sunday, Sept 27, and Saturday, October 3!  It's so easy to participate.

1.  Schedule which hour you're going to come.
2.  Come with 10 cans of food.
3.  Get your photographs done.
4.  Receive a complementary photograph, 1 per family, and purchase extra digital photographs with volume pricing.
5.  These will be studio photographs, and you'll be able to choose a themed digital background for your photographs.  Your digital photographs will be perfect for greeting cards, decoration around the house, and to show off on social media!

Not your regular photographs, we'll have all kinds of fun photographs from which to choose, so be prepared to want them all!

No cameras or cell phones may be out while the session is taking place.

We will be observing COVID protocol with social distancing, sanitization, and masks/gloves.  You'll be able to view and order your photographs shortly after your session on the porch.  We will have a team to assist you on that day.

Your digital photographs will be sent to you, retouched, within the week.

Fall Sessions

Due to COVID this year, parks in the area are coming down hard with how we can use them for photography sessions.  That's why I'm doing some things a little bit differently.

Who do you know who, 1. loves fall... 2. has the prettiest backyard... and 3.  would love to earn incentives for purchasing family photographic artwork for themselves, while inviting their friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, acquaintances, and the dog walker down the street to be photographed as well?

The DATES:  October 24 and 25, November 1, 7, and 8th.  

WHEN:  In the morning and early afternoon time between 9 and 2 pm.

WHAT:  Each family will receive a lite version of our photography experience, which includes excitement and discovery calls, the session, and a Zoom-based ordering session, plus delivery of artwork to your home, and help with installation.

We will have special incentives for purchasing, and help you and yours make wonderful memories and help you relive those beautiful emotions for years to come.

Interested?  For more information, call Megan at 240-766-8966 or email at megan@honeybeephotography.com.

Recent Happenings!

I had the opportunity to work with Jen Mabe of Rommell Harley Davidson for their 22 for 22 rally, which is for suicide prevention for Vietnam Veterans.  Here are some photographs from that day.

Did you know that here at HBP, we specialize in helping you combine the love you have for your family with the activities in your life that are dearest to your heart?  If you have a specific lifestyle, like riding cycles, horses, or 4-wheelers, or you love to boat or fish, or hike, or shop, or ski... any of those things, we can create artwork of your family that will make an emotional impact on your entire family for years to come.

Until October, Bee You, Authentic!

The Eyes Have It

 The Eyes Have It

Once upon a time, the lips were having a field day.  Everyone wanted to find ways to love their lips.

And then COVID-19 happened, and masks became the style.

The lips were hidden.

Now, all the attention is back on the eyes.  Let’s talk about Mary Kay’s Liquid Eyeliner Pen.

First of all, I hate mess, especially messy eyeliner.  I also hate not being able to control my makeup, so it does what I want it to do.  Finally, I hate wearing masks… but that’s for another conversation.

Eyelashes are fantastic, and I love wearing fake ones.  I also love our different mascaras; they are able to build lashes from the bare minimum, like what I have.

There’s something really wonderful about a great liquid eyeliner, though. 

What we have is so easy to use, even Megan can use it, and she’s extremely near sighted!  It’s so easy to apply with its pen-like tip for ultimate control.  Those cat eye swoops have never been easier.

The color is a rich, dark black that doesn’t flake off.  The high-definition formula stays on all day.  Best yet, it’s waterproof, so go ahead and cry when your kids go back to school. The waterproof formula is perfect for drama-free wear.

Now that we’re wearing masks, making your eyes as expressive as possible is so important.  Wearing our waterproof eyeliner is a sure way to express yourself.

I recommend as companions to the purchase of our Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner, is our Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover, and our Lash Love Waterproof Mascara.

Until next time,

Brandie Bates
https://www.marykay.com/bbates5766
https://www.facebook.com/brandiebatesmarykay/
808-383-1338

Three easy ways to get your home ready for the fall!

Shaun Leway, owner of Core Value Property Management, is a contributing author to our blog and newsletter.

As the owner of Core Value Property Management, I get to see a lot of issues with homes.  From clogged drains, to dead trees, to flooded basements, I've seen quite a bit in in the last year.  Maintenance costs money, so here are some things you can do to improve the functionality of your home and help it run smoother for longer.

1-Replace your air filter. This is one of the biggest issues for homes.  Not only is it necessary to change your air filter to help your HVAC work better/last longer, but it's also key to improving the air quality in your home.  You can improve your over all health, as well as the functionality of your home's equipment.  Here's a short Youtube video about chainging your filter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGYrVgFSzV4. If it's been a few year, or if you don't know if it's ever been done, we'd recommend you get your ducts cleaned as well.

2-Clean your gutters.  This is my number one fall home maintenance item.  Clogged gutters can lead to roof issues, siding issues, and even damage to wall and windows of your home, not to mention potential water intrusion cause by pooling water next to your foundation.  I know gutters may not be an easy DIY project for everyone, but it is absolutely one of the essential home maintenance issues, and we should all be thinking about it this fall.

3-Drain hoses, and turn off exterior spigots. This is one of those small items that may not cause you an issues right away, but can really be a big hassle if not appropriately managed.  A burst spigot in the middle of winter is not something anyone wants to deal with. That's why this one makes our list of essential fall home maintenance.

Honorable mention: Clean/inspect your Chimney.  Not every home has a chimney, so it's hard to recommend this to everyone.  But if you're planning on enjoying a nice cozy fire when it starts snowing this winter, you definitely should make sure your chimney is cleaned and inspected. According to the latest statistics available, there are over 25,000 Chimney Fires per year in the US that are responsible for over 125 million dollars in property damage.

Core Value Property Management is a veteran owned & operated company serving customers in Anne Arundel Co, Howard Co, and Prince Georges Co. We love managing property, and we would love to serve you.   Check us out @ www.corevaluepm.com or www.facebook.com/corevaluepm.  

v/r,

--

Shaun Leway

301-857-CVPM (2876)

An Easy Way to Keep Yourself—and Your Kids—Focused and Productive

James Scott is a certified hypnotist who has helped many people over the years to reduce stress, stop smoking, and change many other habits and behaviors.

As school season starts, many parents may find themselves beginning to stress about how they are going to keep their children—and themselves—focused and on task without getting burned out. Have no fear, I’ve got an easy solution for you: The Pomodoro Technique.

I discovered this amazing tool back in 2014 when I was finishing up my undergraduate degree in communications. Previously, I had always been one of those people who would spend hours studying or doing homework without breaks. When I finally closed the books and crawled into bed each night, I found it hard to turn my brain off and go to sleep—even though I was exhausted.

After hearing me complain several times about being so tired after doing schoolwork, a colleague recommended The Pomodoro Technique. I was hesitant at first to change my routine, but I decided to give it a go. I’m so glad I did! Suddenly, I was able to complete tasks in less time and not feel drained.

So, what is this magical technique and how does it work? The Pomodoro Technique is essentially a time management system created in the late 1980s by Francesco Cirillo, a university student who had been looking for an effective way to focus on his studies.

Cirillo developed a system of working in 25-minute increments, without interruption, with five-minute breaks in between. Using the Italian word for tomato­—a reference to the classic, red, vegetable-shaped kitchen timer—he named his method The Pomodoro Technique.

Essentially, the process consists of 6 steps: choose a task you would like to get done; set a timer for 25 minutes; work on the task until the timer rings (avoiding all distractions); when the timer rings, put a checkmark on a piece of paper; take a short break (5 minutes of activity that is not work-related, such as taking a walk or grabbing a cup of coffee); after 4 cycles, take a longer break (20-30 minutes). It’s just that simple!

The key thing to remember is that during those 25-minute segments you only work on that one task. Don’t answer a call or text (trust me, it can wait), don’t check your email (unless that is the task you are working on), and don’t look for memes on Facebook (you know you waste way too much time doing that). By staying on task for 25 minutes, you avoid distractions and maintain focus.

Also, when you take breaks, don’t think about the task. Do something that has nothing to do with work. This will allow your brain to reset, preventing burnout.

For me, that was a major a-ha moment. After using The Pomodoro Technique for only a few days, I found myself being much more productive and having much more energy. It was easy to see why productivity experts all over the world have adopted this system.

Try this technique yourself and teach it to your children. You’ll be amazed at the results!

To learn more about The Pomodoro Technique, visit https://francescocirillo.com/pages/pomodoro-technique. Also, you can find a convenient online timer to use with the system at https://tomato-timer.com/.

That’s it for this month. Until next time, keep thinking good thoughts!

By James Scott
Board Certified Hypnotist
Director, Chesapeake Bay Hypnosis

 

James Scott is a world-renowned professional hypnotist, comedy stage hypnotist, mind reader and influence trainer. For more than 25 years, he has been entertaining audiences all over the world with his mesmerizing hypnosis and mind reading shows.
 From corporate boardrooms and hotel ballrooms to private parties and school events, James brings both charm and expertise to bear to captivate, educate and motivate groups all over the world. 
 A 20-year Navy veteran, James began performing in 1993 while stationed in Hawaii. Now retired from military service, he travels the globe demonstrating the awesome power of the human mind -- often with hilarious results!
 Offstage, he has used hypnosis to help countless people overcome fears, bad habits and negative behaviors in order to take back control of their lives. James is a board-certified hypnotist and a certified trainer of Neuro-Linguistic Programming.

Vision by Cheryl Cage

 

Cheryl Cage of MyCore is a contributor to our newsletter and blog.  She is an expert about the benefits world, an educator, and loves who people are.

In order to have a super successful business, you must first have a clear vision of your business. Know who you are and be clear on your messaging. Marketing to your target audience through your website, marketing, social media, and other sources of advertising is of extreme importance. Incredible pictures of your company, it's vision & mission, are equally important. Megan with Honey Bee Photography can use her expertise in storytelling through pictures which will carry a uniformed message throughout all marketing platforms.

Now, for under the hood. We have to strengthen small businesses before we are living in a cookie cutter world! Big box companies threaten the existence of small business in this country.

There is value in being confident and knowing your numbers to run your business and to focus on the future of your company. Ponder these questions for a moment:

1) Are you the only person in your company who can run your business?

2) At the end of a successful day, what are the three things you have accomplished?

3) Running your business should be able to be done quickly and successfully in cloud-based technology. If you had a team of people helping you vet the best providers,who will keep you running smoothly while staying in compliance, and then manage those relationships, is there value in that for you? Especially, if they weren't on your payroll?

4) If you have an office manager who takes care of running the business for you, would their time be best spent bringing in new clients and making sure their experience is superb?

Having clarity in the vision of your company will give you freedom to grow, duplicate and have the financial and time security you look for as an entrepreneur. 

MyCORE is a company impacting lives, blessing & helping people, and serving the small business community.

We bring an All-In Subscription of Payroll, Benefits, HR, Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Taxes to businesses with 1-100 employees. If growing your company and creating a legacy is the vision of your company, let MyCORE help you stay on top of the changing times; keeping you compliant, taking you to a cloud-based way of running your business, all without the headache of figuring out how by yourself. 

I would love to help you fine-tune your vision. Reach me at cheryl.cage@leadwithmycore.com; or by cell phone: 443-481-8027

Best Regards,

Cheryl

        

CHERYL CAGE

Head of Business Development

443-481-8027

leadwithmycore.com