Patrick and I have been married 28 years. In that time, I have started four businesses and my husband started two. Each time we tried to keep one predictable paycheck while allowing the other to grow a business. If you’re an entrepreneur, thank your wage-earning spouse today for providing a steady baseline income.
Last Friday my husband, Patrick, asked where I wanted to go for date night. After 27 dismally gray days through December and January, my answer was Florida! Anywhere warm and sunny that’s not Pennsylvania in Winter! During vacation, we sit down, enjoy the sunshine, spend time with our family, and see sites we want to experience.
Perhaps in our grandparents generation, retirement looked like quitting your job or selling your business, then having a retirement party before proceeding to a new phase. That phase consisted of watching TV, yardwork, travelling to visit friends and generally being helpful to the extended family. In the generation of clients that I’m working with now, there are as many individuals approaching retirement as I have clients. I’ll share a few of their stories to spur your imagination about your own possible vision for retiring.
By now, the kids are back in school, Summer vacations are over, and you have four months to make your business shine to the end of the year. We here at Goodlife just moved our offices, which vastly disrupted business for most of the Summer.
On the other hand, our move provided some great catalysts for building business through the end of the year. Using the new positive energy and progress people perceive through our beautiful remodeled building, we have opportunities to remind and reinforce what great partners we are in helping with your financial life.
Every business has ebbs and flows. Some are seasonal, like landscapers, busy all summer with little income in winter. Other businesses are more tied to the economy, like dentists whose clients think teeth work is optional in a recession. There will be times when income is growing and your company is profitable and times when conditions for growth are not so good. The astute business owner tries to get ready for the next downturn. While some of these ideas may be quite simple in concept, the real trick is developing the discipline to put them into practice.
Recessions are normal, and when they occur your business might incur a downturn along with many others. Thankfully, most pundits are not expecting one anytime soon. Let’s hope they’re right. That makes now a great time to orchestrate your emergency reserve buckets so that you can strive to be prepared when the next recession or potentially other unexpected business downturn occurs.
The new tax law that went into effect December last year has many changes. What an understatement. Some changes are simple to understand while some have tax preparers still scratching their heads working to puzzle through. Now that we’ve had a few months to digest, let’s see how it might be possible to use some changes to your advantage.
In February, we’ve just seen big intraday price swings in the stock market that we have not seen for a number of years. On Groundhog Day, (February 2nd) the Dow dropped 670 points. Then on Monday, February 5th, dropped 1175 points. Then Tuesday, up more than 560 points from the beginning of the market that day. As I write this article, swings continue.
While remarkable, those large swings barely made it to a ‘market correction’. Investopedia defines ‘market correction’ as:
Or should we say a winter-related slow down? Many businesses have a slow season in winter, not just landscaping or retail, but also contractors and other types of businesses. If you expect your business to slow down over the winter, here are a few great ideas for using your time wisely to help you grow your business the rest of the year.
• Get caught up on your sleep — Always my first response! Arranging your business to start an hour later or close up an hour earlier to spend time with your family can help restore your energy and focus later in the year.
My favorite time to review my financial plan has always been right after Christmas and into the New Year. When I was a corporate employee, employers encouraged us to take off that week. As a small business owner, those clients who want to meet also suggest year-end as a good time for financial assessment. Take a little breather from the business pace to reflect what you’ve accomplished this year and want to accomplish next year for your family’s financial wellbeing.
You set out to build a business, not a 70-hour a week job. You love your customers and work really hard for them. But, do you find you are working for employee wages, not business owner profits? Here are the items you can review and improve upon every year in striving to grow your profits and your life. No kidding. I know you’re busy, but if you want to pursue the life you have dreamed of, set up a system to build on these key areas every year. There is a good chance your main competitor is!
As a CFP® (Certified Financial Planner™ Professional), much of my time is spent helping people pursue a very comfortable retirement as well as addressing their other lifetime goals. A comfortable retirement means having enough money to pay all your bills sustainably plus money for the fun things once you no longer need, want or are able to work. Goals along the way typically include paying for college and getting rid of all debts and sometimes second homes, gifting or other personal desires.
By now, your summer vacations have faded away into fond memories. You’re seeing the leaves start to change and probably realizing that the year is quickly marching on. With several months left in the year to work on achieving our goals, now is a great time to launch renewed efforts to finish the year strong. Since we’re all in business to build our own financial well-being, let’s use the rest of the year to help ourselves and our businesses. Here are some financial goals you still would have time to achieve before the end of the year.
Even though I was a tech genius in the ‘90s, I no longer pay attention to any technology trend unless it really makes my life easier, less stressful and better able to serve my clients. In serving my passion of helping small entrepreneurs have an amazing life way beyond merely making a living, I want to share a few productivity tools. While I hate technology that slows me down, I constantly search for tools that just plain work. Here are a few worth mentioning, if you have not already discovered for yourself. Not free, but will pay for themselves many times over.
Patrick and I have been married 25 years. In that time, I have started four businesses and my husband started two. Each time we tried to keep one predictable paycheck while allowing the other to grow a business. If you’re an entrepreneur, thank your wage-earning spouse today for providing a steady baseline income.
Business owners are some of the busiest people I know. They often start early and work late, juggling phone calls, emails, employees, projects and finances. Sometimes the only time that business owners get to sit and look at our personal big picture is when we finally go on vacation. During vacation, we sit down, enjoy the sunshine, spend time with our family, and see sites we want to experience. Whether it’s the mountains, the beach, or sightseeing; we get to enjoy the life we’re aspiring to build.
Most parents planning for college are familiar with the mainstream ways of saving and paying for college. These include 529 plans, savings accounts and life insurance among other common methods. Awesomely, business owners have a few additional tools in their arsenal. Here are a few ways savvy business owners can save and pay more easily for college.
Spring is in the air. Warm weather is approaching. Time to clean out any sluggish parts of your business so you can create growth and possibly more profits. Here are some items you should review and improve upon every year if you want to grow your profits and your life. I know you’re busy, but if you want the life you dreamed, set up a system to build on these key areas every year. You’ll be happy you cleaned up!
