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RING, RING… I picked up the phone. “Mary, we can barely pay the bills. We haven’t gotten paid in three months. We have worked so hard and invested all our money into this business.

As the year is coming to a close, it is time to think about taxes. As a Business Owner, you put blood, sweat and tears into your business every day. Now is the time to understand your unique tax situation and how to minimize your tax bill.

There are the common fears – fear of failure, fear of acceptance, fear of dying, fear of public speaking. Then there are the phobias of flying, heights, snakes, bugs, etc. that list is endless.

I just came back from a two-week vacation in Kenya. I was out of contact, exposed to wild animals, faced COVID and was flying half way around the world. This poses a risk to my business. What happens if I got sick or had an accident?

Life throws obstacles in my way all the time. I am coming to the conclusion that my best plan of action is to be as resilient as possible. To be as capable as possible to bounce back from crisis.

My first high school math test I got a D.  I later passed Calculus 1 and Calculus 2 in college.  I didn’t let that first bad grade hold me back from math. I learned to overcome.

Richard Branson anticipated his 1.5-hour flight to space for 17 years.  He announced his intention to make a space plane in 2004.  Jeff Bezos founded Blue Origin in 2000 with the goal of human spaceflight. 

Occasionally a small business owner will ask how much is my business worth? That is a loaded question. It all depends. In a divorce your soon-to-be ex will say it’s worth $10 million and they want half. Whereas you may treat is as just a job and there is no value without you being there.

At Toastmasters we open our meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance. I also have it hanging in our lobby. I need the reminder. I do take my freedom for granted. I feel safe and every day I exercise my rights and obligations as a citizen.

My first thoughts of leaving a legacy goes back to the will. How much money will you leave to family, friends or charities once you die. However, another more intimate definition of a legacy is the impact you leave on the world once you do pass away. Looking back into history, for some their legacy can be so special that the world is remarkably changed.