Sunday, February 28, 2010

Brian Tracy Quote of the Day

The most critical thing I think business leaders and future business leaders need to understand is to stay focused on the things that you can control and influence, and then execute, execute, execute.
~ John Chambers, Cisco CEO

Saturday, February 27, 2010

how to: make a homemade pillowcase


Standard Pillowcase

Fabric requirements:
body requires 1 1/2 yard (54" long)
band requires a good 1/2 yard (18" to 18 3/4")
border requires 1/8 to 1/4 yard

Directions for a set of pillowcases:
Preshrink fabric. Cut out body of pillowcase 27" in length by 21 1/2" in width. Cut out band 9 3/8" in width by 21 1/2" in length. For border cut a strip 1 1/2" up to 4" in width by 21 1/2" in length, or use trims and cut 21 1/2" in length. Repeat for second pillowcase.

Sew a 3/8" seam on body and band together on one edge. Serge seam. Press seam towards body. Topstitch to seam edge. Beginning at the band edge, with right sides together, sew a 1/2" seam at side edges. Backstitch at the beginning of the seam and 1/2" or so at corner before rotating the seam. Backstitch 1/2" or so also at the beginning of the rotated corner seam too and continue stitching a 1/2". At end of seam, backstitch again. Serge pillowcase seams. Trim corners off at an angle.

(Next time I make these, I will take pictures and add to the post.)

Enjoy the cute creation you have made!  Have any other pillow ideas you wish to share with me?

Friday, February 26, 2010

What is your criteria for hiring out services?

I have been reflecting on qualities I want in people I do business with and pondering the question:  "What is my criteria for evaluating these people?"  In a nutshell, how do I go about determining "who" I want to do business with? 

You meet some nice people and you meet some pushy people that are no way on the same page as you.  You sort them out by talking to them on the phone and getting intial feedback on how they respond to your questions, how thorough they are at understanding your needs and giving you adequate information in return, what their fee schedule is like, waht policies they have and how they do business with their customers.  You then proceed to make an appointment to go over details in person and iron out the final issues.  When you part ways, you leave with only a smidge of an idea of how they do business.  How do you know you want to work with them?  Did they just give you a great feeling or did they really hit the nail on the head?  How do you know they will do the job the way you want it done? And when I say done, I mean accurately?  professionally?  efficiently? cost effective?  In some ways, the little window of time you have with them is your only chance at making a good summary of what their production will be like, but the proof will be in the pudding when they do the job.  Sometimes, thats a lot to risk.  What questions do you ask to get the knowledge you need to make the assessment conclusion?

Now that you know my thoughts in general, let me get specific.  I have been interviewing CPA's. 

The first CPA made a good impression on the phone.  He was recommended by a financial guru that I have deep respect for.  But when I saw him in person, I wasn't so impressed.  To begin with , he was severely overweight.  Now, don't mistake me, I know that that can't change and should not be a deciding factor, but to me its a sign that shows something is out of control and not in balance with the whole wheel of life.  He was candid and a bit arrogant in his response to my questions about how many clients he had  and how much he charged his clients and would not give me a price, somewhere between $25.00 - $7000.00.  After telling me that, he said that most of his clients have told him that he doesn't charge enough.  Huh?  You have my previous years tax return to review and see exactly what I made and what my itemized deductions were, on top of all that I have prepared for you all my data for year to date (which was 11 months worth, so the year is pretty close to final in figures) and you are telling me its gonna range from what to what?  I don't think so.  Then to top it off, you handed the stuff back to me and said after year end, fax me your stuff and I will give you some numbers.  You did nothing to "earn" my business while I interviewed you.  You gave me no data.  You never followed up with me to see if I had any other questions.  You were ruled out.

The second CPA I interviewed was recommended to me by the place I have my business checking account at.  He was a bit of a cowboy, but not a redneck, just not a business man look (if you know what I mean).  He talks slow and is not in a hurry to move you out of his office.  He honestly listened to all my questions andreally tried to answer each one.  He gave me his advice and provided me some data to review to one of my big questions regarding tax filing status (Sole Proprietor vs S Corp) for businesses and the effects of each.  He did estimates in what I had paid in thus far for the year and what my 4th quarter payment should be.  This guy worked on behalf of me!  He spent over an hour and a half talking business details and tried to help me, not just flap his mouth like the first guy did.  In talking with me about what I do I learned that they started their own Medical Billing Agency out of a need a client had.  Would this be benefit to me? or would it be drawback possible conflict of interest?  Could I deal with difference in his personality being I tend to live on the run and in a hurry, almost literally? Was I willing to be charged an hourly rate for a tax return vs a flat fee?  I wasn't sure.  That means I asked for references from friends to interview one more CPA.

The third CPA was recommended to me by a doctor I am really impressed with.  I never got to talk to him ahead of time on the phone so I had no initial impression of him to work off of.  His assistant had to schedule me two weeks out to even get an appointment to interview him.  This might have been a clue to me that he is a bit too busy if I had given it thought, but being the time of year it is, I really didn't let that stop me and it certainly wasn't what I was thinking at the time.  When I met with him, he was much more of a professional individual, but not stuffy in any way.  I was impressed with his answers and how he told me he tries to work the deal the best for the customer.  In reviewing my data, he was familiar with my place of employment and stated he used to be a patient there until the split between owners and new office was built.  I dected a bit of sarcasim and partiality, but wasn't sure how to respond.  I replied by, are you referring to so and so? and he said yes.  I didn't comment further, I didn't work there then and the details of the split don't matter now, and ultimately it has nothing really to do with me.  He did not try to sell me a filing status I don't need yet as a small business owner with the amount of net income I have, which I found intriguing.  But at roughly 25minutes into the conversation, he was ready to be done.  He asked, Did I have more questions?  If not, it was up to me if I wanted to leave my stuff for them to copy (though he needed two things I had not brought with me that no other CPA had yet asked for - backup copy of my Quicken, plus a Balance Sheet and P&L report) but he would not be able to get to my return for probably 2 more weeks.  At this moment, I went from being impressed to being turned off...how can that happen so quickly?  I was sad.  If I still went with him, at a later date when I have questions, would he be too busy to take the time to explain them or did he resent my knowledge that I came in with from online research?  His assistant had told me to bring my stuff with me and I decided to proceed with them he would do my return then, or at least get it started.  Was it a communication break down or did she not know his schedule and the way he really does things?  Overall, I liked this guy and his honest evaluation of business growth and what is necessary and what is not, but I felt he really didn't need my business if he was going to make me wait 2 weeks. I don't want to wait another 2 weeks when I have been ready for 3 weeks.  I need and want to finalize 2009 now so that I can be ready for my 1st quarter estimated tax payment by the April 15th deadline.   Doing both of these within a short time frame of each other isn't how I want to do it, even though I have the money in the account.  This is not really "his problem" but it affects my decision process. 

So I am left with a decision...do I proceed with CPA #2 that spent time with me and answered all my questions but didn't fit my total cup of tea? or do I go with CPA #3 who is slightly more expensive and a bit more to my liking but in reality is too busy for all the questions this entrepreneur has who wants to learn and do all she can herself to save money? I know this weekend I will be making a list of pro's and con's and determining what I think is the best option for me, but I think the signs are all pointing in one direction...I will be looking at finalizing a deal with CPA #2.

Will you share with me, what your qualities are that you look for in a person and how you determine who to hire for the job?  I would love your insight. 

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Quotes

Do what you can, with what you have, right where you are.
~ Theodore Roosevelt

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Sunday, February 21, 2010

company for lunch!!!

It is February, and to keep to my goal of having company for lunch once a month, I made plans to have company for lunch today!  A week ago, I invited Steve & Betty (who had to cancel on me once before when I invited them), Jon & Tracy and Terry.  All seemed to be going pretty smooth as I rushed around this morning getting things ready and put together, until I cut my finger deeper than I have ever cut it with my lovely knives...I could not get the bleeding to stop, wasn't sure if it would ever quit, but I had no time to stop and go to a clinic for it to get stopped...I did my best to wrap it in gauze and paper tape several times.  It greatly prevented my speed at finishing my preparations before meeting, and did I tell you that it stung and hurt awful???

Menu: Minestrone Soup with Avacado & Tomato Provolone Cheese Melts and mini Banana Splits for dessert.

We had a nice time eating and visiting...I enjoy having company and am looking forward to next month.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

book review ~ Switch by Chip Heath & Dan Heath

When I launched into Switch, I could hardly put it down.  The ideas and thoughts expressed in many ways were so simple and yet had profound impact on me in the way I view change, recoginizing the issue at hand that needs change, how I / others process the thoughts and action plan on implementing change, and the way that change is apart of every aspect of life.  The book held my attention for the most part, though there were a few spots I felt it seemed to get bogged down in trying to make a point. 

The initial concept (that really was the punch line of the book) is the concept of The Rider and The Elephant and how it takes both of these emotional and rational aspects to be able to change behavior because knowledge alone does not.  For behavior to change you have to influence not only the/their environment but the/their heart and mind.  To do this, you can cajole, influence, inspire and motivate.  The situation must change for change to happen.  It's an attempt to change the culture, the linchpin of successful organizational change  You must find bright spots; "successful efforts worth emulating" and be savvy at reinforcing these behaviors.  This illuminates the road map for action and sparks hope that change is possible.  This creates a destination postcard - a vivid picture from the near-term that shows what hard work can make possible.  Ask whats working not whats wrong.  Clarity dissolves resistance.  Decision paralysis disrupts decisions and affects you; you become overloaded and choice no longer liberates, it debilitates.  Change brings uncertainty and is a process.  Any successful change requires a translation of ambiguous goals into concrete behaviors which means you have to "script the critcal moves".  Progress is precious.  It takes patience, focus and reinforcement every step of the journey.  Small successes can be extremely powerful in helping people believe in themselves.  Big changes can start with very small steps, which tend to snowball.  All this is stregthened with practice and an inspiration to endure to make the necessary change.  Motivation will be your hardest struggle as you try to make the switch.  Change follows a pattern, embrace it!

I tried to put myself in each story and realized that I acted as The Rider and The Elephant differently depending on the circumstances.  I found this an eye opener and a learning tool for me.  I want to spend more time studing The Rider and The Elephant attributes and how they affect each other so that as I focus on change I know what needs cultivating and tweaking so that I have a clearer Path.  I also thought the simple point of checklists was a great concept for building consistent habits.  As the book states: A scholar is someone who lives to learn and is good at it.

Thank you Daniel Tardy for giving me a chance to be a scholar!

(due to scheduling and work conflicts, I did not post this book review on time, it was due yesterday 02.16.2010)

Monday, February 15, 2010

Quotes

We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.
~ Aristotle

Sunday, February 14, 2010

song ~ as long as you are glorified

As LongAs You Are Glorified
by: Mark Altrogge


Shall I take from Your hand Your blessings
Yet not welcome any pain
Shall I thank You for days of sunshine... See More
Yet grumble in days of rain
Shall I love You in times of plenty
Then leave You in days of drought
Shall I trust when I reap a harvest
But when winter winds blow, then doubt

Oh let Your will be done in me
In Your love I will abide
Oh I long for nothing else as long
As You are glorified



Are You good only when I prosper
And true only when I’m filled
Are You King only when I’m carefree
And God only when I’m well
You are good when I’m poor and needy
You are true when I’m parched and dry
You still reign in the deepest valley
You’re still God in the darkest night

Oh let Your will be done in me
In Your love I will abide
Oh I long for nothing else as long
As You are glorified

So quiet my restless heart
Quiet my restless heart
Quiet my restless heart, in you



Oh let Your will be done in me
In Your love I will abide
Oh I long for nothing else as long
As You are glorified

Friday, February 12, 2010

BIG Texas Snow!!!

Texas has been having record snow fall yesterday and today! 
It is so pretty as it covers every little thing.  I love watching the snow fall...just wish my office had a window so that I could enjoy the pretty flakes as they delicately find their place to stack up ontop of each other.  I loved the trees, they were gorgeous!!! The first few our ones in my yard and the other ones at the bottom of the post are neighbors right around my place.
I can't help but reflect how this is really a vivid picture of the verse:
"Though your sins be red like crimson, they shall be white, like snow!"  

I share with you some photos from my place that I quickly snapped before work this morning...yes, we are open.  We closed early yesterday, and opened late today.  The plan is to stay open as long as possible.  We still have to work, no slacking just because it snowed. :)  Would have loved to have gotten more good shots...


















P.S.      My photos for some odd reason defaulted to the year of 2008...its not, it really is 2010!!! The last pictures I took were accurate over New Years so what made it go crazy on me???  Who knows!

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Quotes

Never lose a chance to say a kind word.
~ William Makepeace Thackeray

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

February 2010 Adult Verse Night

At the time, discipline isn’t much fun...later, of course,
it pays off handsomely, for it’s the well-trained who find themselves
mature in their relationship with God.
Hebrews 12:11 (The Message)

Monday, February 1, 2010

Quotes

Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.
~ Will Rogers