Sampson12
Is our society denying laborers corporate ...

An article was recently published by Business Insider titled “Southwest asking corporate employees to work at airports; staffing”. https://www.businessinsider.com/southwest-asking-corporate-employees-to-work-at-airports-staffing-shortages-2021-12?op=1

It seems that the article is implying that operational employees no longer want to work at Southwest Airlines. In a free market society laborers usually don’t want to leave the stability of their workplace unless there is a reason. I don’t know why Southwest Airlines employees are leaving but based on reasons people typically do leave their employment it could be because of things like hostile working conditions, unfair compensation policies, or a threat against their safety.

So we know that something is causing a mass exodus of employees at Southwest Airlines. And it is a big enough issue that people who would otherwise remain in a stable, employed position are willing to disrupt their lives because of it.

From a corporate accountability standpoint, where consumers hold publicly traded shares in the company, this mass exodus should probably trigger some sort of corporate policy reform. There should be corporate accountability for how executives are directly causing employees to leave in mass at a publicly traded company.

But instead, according to the article, corporate executives are instead asking mid-level employees to “volunteer” to work for free. And yes, this DOES sound like a massive overstep of power. We have no way to know that the “volunteers” are not being coerced to “volunteer” out of fear. This fear might be driven from fear of losing their job, fear of not getting a promotion, fear of executive leadership choosing to run the entire company to the ground rather than reform their policies, or other reason.

I am curious though if the CEO “volunteered” to work any of these 8 hour shifts.

So here are some interesting things to consider. Southwest airlines is a publicly traded company and average middle class U.S. citizens do hold some of those shares. I’m sure that employees of Southwest Airlines also own shares of the company’s stock. So according to how our capital markets are supposed to be working, Southwest’s executive leadership should be aligning corporate policy with the best interest of its shareholders. But the shareholders (i.e. employees) are leaving, possibly being censored in the media, and the remaining employees are working for free.

In a world where corporate accountability was paramount, don’t you think the ideal response of a publicly traded company to be:

  • That it changes it’s policies that are making operational laborers uncomfortable?

  • That it changes it’s leadership which is pushing policies that operational laborers are uncomfortable with?

In a society where corporations were held accountable, I believe the results would be dramatically different. Mid-level employees would probably be paid for the work they are performing instead of “volunteering” to work for free over the holidays. Operational laborers would be able to keep the financial stability of the job they have held for however many years. And middle class consumers wouldn’t see the value in their investment decline as the company loses money over unpopular policies.

Is our society denying laborers corporate accountability? Thoughts on the recent Southwest Airlines labor exodus.
financial planning
Sampson12
5 steps to create your 2022 financial plan

Katelyn here! Earlier this month I shared with my followers in my private FB community “the Savvy Boss Club” the December 2021 financial planning calendar. This calendar is based on the same financial planning calendars that I used many times before at large multinational corporations.

This time every year you can expect your finance partners to be busy finalizing the draft version of the 2022 financial plan by using estimated Dec'21 results (because the full-year results won't be available until January when December has officially closed).

Technically though, I had my business unit dialed in and we had our plan mostly done all the way back in September. Which means that I started sending my team their planning templates back in March.

And I did that because if my team had any hope of getting the money they wanted approved by executive leadership in October, I had to start the negotiations back in July.

Keep in mind I was negotiating for a minimum of $400M.

I am very proactive when it comes to planning for a lot of reasons. One reason is because my dad is a real estate developer. I grew up hearing about how in order to make a profit, first you have to invest in all the resources you need. If you don't have the resources you need then you can't make the thing you want to make and you certainly can't sell it.

And those pesky finance folks can get in the way of allocating the right amount of budget to get those materials and build those houses!

I really do have so many stories of my internal battles with finance coworkers and leadership to advocate for my business to get the budget they requested.

But I couldn't advocate for anything if I didn't have my team dialed in working with me to create our financial plan at the right time.

It is critical for the success of your business to have a financial plan for 2022. And that's just in general, not even counting the sky-rocketing inflation, supply chain crisis, labor shortage, and a ridiculous list of current events that are currently taking a toll on people.

So here are five steps you can take today to create your 2022 estimated financial plan:

Step 1: Download your bank statement into csv or excel format.

Everything should always tie back to your bank statement! Now keep in mind that cash flow is not the same as profit and you have to take extra steps to correctly recognize revenue and expenses.

Step 2: Categorize your revenue and expenses in broad categories.

You can do this easily directly in the csv or excel sheet that you downloaded. Just pick a column next to the data and in the same row each transaction add common category.

Step 3: Make adjustments.

Be sure to add to the end of the data any additional revenue or expenses you expect to incur by the end of the year that are not yet reflected in your bank statement. An example would be if you are running Facebook Ads and the ad is running and you are incurring a liability but Facebook hasn’t charged you yet. Add this expense at the bottom of your transactions list with an estimated amount.

Step 4: Total everything up according to the categories in a P&L format.

If you need help with a P&L format comment below “P&L”.

Step 5: Duplicate the totals and use a multiplier for each category.

Take your 2021 estimated results and use that as the base for your 2022 financial plan. Then multiply each category by a growth multiplier. Especially when there is high inflation, you need to include the impact of expected higher expenses in the future.

If you want to see my live training on these 5 steps you can view it here: https://fb.me/e/4mQunQeoc

Comment below “financial plan” for help creating a custom 2022 financial plan today!

5 steps to create your 2022 financial plan
Commercial Real Estate
Sampson12
Is there trouble brewing for commercial real ...

On February 19th, 2021, the federal reserve issued its semiannual “Monetary Policy Report” (1). A report that I am particularly interested in because it mentioned that “commercial real estate prices remain at historically high levels despite high vacancy rates and appear susceptible to sharp declines, particularly if the pace of distressed transactions picks up or, in the longer term, the pandemic leads to permanent changes in demand.”

I’ve been anticipating this sentence since the beginning of the pandemic as the governors of many states shut down the profitability of many commercial buildings. I fear, however, that readers may not be sure what the federal reserve is talking about or why one could interpret it with concern.

So in this article, I will paint a fictional but relatable and realistic scenario of why there might be concern for the commercial real estate market.

Let’s pretend that there is a yoga studio, owned by Sally, operating profitably in January of 2020. The previous year, the business had the following:

Is there trouble brewing for commercial real estate? (part 1)
Financial Health
Sampson12
Don’t make business decisions based on how you ...

During one of my roles at a large multinational corporation, my business partners asked me to look into the tax benefits of donating material. You see, the team had already bought the material (so it was already expensed, aka “written-off” for tax purposes) but they did not need to use it anymore. They wanted to know if there was any reason for them to donate the material as opposed to just throwing it away. Throwing the material away would be easier so they were looking for an incentive to donate the material.

Since I am a business financial planner, I create and analyze financial budgets and forecasts compared to actual results, I reached out to a tax accountant for an answer. Similarly, in a corporate world, a tax accountant would not answer questions from business partners on planning out the financial impact of future business decisions. Those questions would be deferred to me.

When I reached out to a tax accountant I explained the situation and he answered that since the material had already been written-off (or expensed) there was no further tax benefit that could be gained. When something is expensed then the full value of the item is reduced from taxable income, simplified meaning: you don’t pay taxes on it. Then he said something which embodies so much of what we KNOW in corporate finance but that is not well-known to the average person outside of finance:

Please tell your business partners not to make any business decisions based on how they think it will impact taxes.

Why did he say that? The short of it is that taxes are complicated and a good tax accountant can do your taxes well whether you are making billions of dollars in profit or negative profit. Companies who are making BILLIONS of dollars in profit are paying a relatively small amount in taxes and are using the same tax code that you are as a small business owner. That means that the tax savings are in the tax code and are not based on the business decisions you make. You should make business decisions based on what is best for growing and improving your business not based on how you think it might impact taxes.

And it is something your tax accountant should be saying to you. Similarly to what highly paid tax accountants for large corporations say to their business partners.

Don’t make business decisions based on how you THINK they may impact taxes
Tips
Sampson12
Tips on Attracting Airbnb Customers

I was so excited to start working at a large Tech Company in the Bay Area, but I didn’t want to MOVE to the Bay Area. My family and community all lived a few hours away and I had just gotten out of a traumatizing lease in San Francisco. So I decided instead to commute to the Bay Area during the work week and stay at various Airbnbs or hotels. Needless to say I have quite a few thoughts on Airbnbs and hotels in the Bay Area and have picked up some tips based on my background and discussions with Airbnb hosts.

Let me tell you a little more about the kind of Airbnb guest I try to be:

  • Always try to pick up after myself even during the week that I am staying there

  • Mostly keep to myself especially after long workdays

  • Usually ate dinner at my company, at a restaurant, or lived off snack bars, cheese sticks, and pita chips since I didn’t like cooking in other people’s homes

  • Value cleanliness

  • Faith-centered so I try not to break or damage other people’s things and also not to steal

If you are an Airbnb host and you are looking for customers similar to me I have some tips on how to attract customers like me. And just so you know, if you are new to Airbnb I have heard from Airbnb hosts who have had some really tough customers who weren’t clean and did damage some things in the room. Everybody is different and I’m willing to share what I looked for when choosing an Airbnb room.

I want to preface these tips with the understanding that for many people and Airbnb is an alternative to a hotel room. Here are the accommodations I can usually expect from the hotel rooms (*pre-covid) I would consider as an alternative:

Tips on Attracting Airbnb Customers
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Bell Pepper Spinach Wrap Recipe

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Bell Pepper Spinach Wrap Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes

Serving size: 1 wrap

Ingredients

  • 1 sandwich wrap (flour or corn)*

  • 1/4 cup of organic spinach

  • 1/4 of an organic bell pepper (any color of your choice)

  • 1/8 of an organic onion (red, yellow, or sweet)

  • 2 organic mini bella mushrooms

  • 1 clove of organic garlic

  • 2 tablespoons of organic olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon of organic balsamic vinegar

Directions

  • Lay the spinach on the sandwich wrap.

  • Cut the bell pepper, onion, and mushrooms into thin slices and lay on top of the spinach.

  • Crush the clove of garlic, take off the skin, mince the garlic, and then add to the other ingredients on the wrap.

  • Drizzle the olive oil and balsamic vinegar on the wrap

  • Roll the wrap around the ingredients and enjoy!

*Check the ingredients and try to avoid synthetic ingredients

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Kick Start Your Morning

Kick Start Your Morning

Over the years I have made small tweaks to my morning routine and found that these often overlooked habits make the biggest difference in my mood and physical well-being. Let’s look at two examples of almost identical morning routines:

Example 1 – typical morning routine

  1. Wake up

  2. Drink coffee

  3. Shower, change clothes, and get ready for the day

  4. Eat breakfast

  5. Drive to work

  6. Start work

Example 2 – typical morning routine with lifestyle tweaks

  1. Wake up

  2. *eat a piece of fruit

  3. Drink coffee

  4. *Jump rope for 1 min to 10 mins

  5. Shower, change clothes, and get ready for the day

  6. Eat breakfast *with a high quality nutrition supplement

  7. Drive to work

  8. Start work

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Indoor Cardio – Jump Rope

Indoor Cardio – Jump Rope

On the west coast we are seeing a surge in wild fires and smoke covering our skies making it difficult for those of us used to exercising outdoors to get quality cardio exercise. If you are interested in getting a cardio exercise indoors to reduce exposure to poor air quality outside, jump rope is a great option. According to Science Daily (1), jumping rope “can achieve a "burn rate" of up to 1300 calories per hour of vigorous activity, with about 0.1 calories consumed per jump” and “ten minutes of jumping rope can roughly be considered the equivalent of running an eight-minute mile.”

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Support Ethical Operations

Support Ethical Operations

I recorded a new online workout video wearing brand name clothing that I was about to publish and distribute when I found a report on forced labour practices among various companies’ (including the company whose clothing I was going to wear) suppliers (1). The report titled “Uyghurs for sale ‘Re-education’, forced labour and surveillance beyond Xinjiang” was published by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (“ASPI”) on April 24th, 2020. It discusses modern forced labour practices in China that have impacted the integrity of global companies’ supply chains.

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Protect Your Immunity - Now Selling Nutritional Supplements Made in U.S.A.

Protect Your Immunity - Now Selling Nutritional Supplements Made in U.S.A.

A friend of mine recently sent me an article in IG Living titled “Factors That Can Impact Immunity” by Matthew D. Hansen, DPT, MPT, BSPTS which is relevant to Sampson12’s core philosophy that health and wellness does not have to be hard. Stretching is so critical in our daily lives and simple lifestyle changes can make a large impact on health. Additionally, many people (including myself) turn to nutritional supplements to help with metabolizing important vitamins and nutrients. I am excited to announce that you can buy my favorite nutritional supplements directly at https://sampson12.com/shop-products.

My favorite products are from a company called NeoLife that has been around for about 60 years and has the amazing “made in U.S.A.” label! I am so happy that these products are made in the U.S.A. and I hope this never changes. The company also uses GMO-free ingredients in its products which is another big plus! I am relieved to sell nutritional products that strive for quality and that support U.S.A. manufacturing.

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Additional Fee Charged by Tax Filing Software Providers

Additional Fee Charged by Tax Filing Software Providers

Intuit may have been able to increase revenue per customer by charging more customers a “Refund Processing Service Fee” 3 of $40**. Intuit’s description of this fee is: “The Refund Processing Service is an option for paying your TurboTax fee by deducting it from your federal tax refund. It's a convenient way to pay for TurboTax if you don't have (or don't want to use) your credit or debit card.” 4 A $40 fee for the convenience of staying seated and not being able to enter another payment method seems expensive.

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The Simple Healing Practice of Reflexology

The Simple Healing Practice of Reflexology

This brings me to the subject of reflexology: the simple practice of regularly pressing on tender “reflex points” to remove blockage that is slowing circulation and reducing energy flow in the body as described in the book “Body Reflexology Healing at Your Fingertips” by Mildred Carter1. According to Carter, “The reflex points are energy junctions that relay and reinforce energy along meridian lines of the body, passing energy toward the organs and nervous system.” (20) By pressing on reflex points you may remove the blockage described by Carter as interrupting your nervous system.

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Can non-essential businesses re-negotiate contracts because of the Government’s response to COVID-19?

Can non-essential businesses re-negotiate contracts because of the Government’s response to COVID-19?

What options do small businesses have then? According to a lawyer I recently spoke to there may be an option to negotiate existing contractual obligations using “impossibility of contract”. Impossibility of contract may be interpreted that, given an impossible market driven event the contract is now void and unenforceable. One should consult with a lawyer to determine eligibility, the cost of which will hopefully will be less than the downstream negative effects of halting and/or diminishing operations.

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Shout Out to Your Beauty Pantry

Shout Out to Your Beauty Pantry

I would like to thank Your Beauty Pantry for the article on Sampson12’s online fitness program!

At yourbeautypantry.com you can find all kind of helpful tips and tricks for your daily beauty regimen. Check out this article on “Most Effective Skincare Ingredients for Instant Results.” I can spot a few ingredients that I try to use on a daily basis for my beauty routine, what about you?

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Make Timely Mortgage Payments Even with CARES Act Relief Options

Make Timely Mortgage Payments Even with CARES Act Relief Options

On April 6th, 2020 the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau updated their blog article titled “Guide to Coronavirus Mortgage Relief Options.”1 This article recommends that “if you can pay your mortgage, pay your mortgage” and if you can’t pay your mortgage you may qualify for a “protection” under the Corona Virus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. The article specifies that the provisions are limited in scope and it does not imply that participants will be protected from a negative mark on their credit history or FICO Score if they are late for a mortgage payment.

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Remember to Clean your Cell Phone to Help Prevent Spread of Sickness

Remember to Clean your Cell Phone to Help Prevent Spread of Sickness

We have been watching through various news organizations worldwide information about the spread of a viral infection which may spread by touching your face with your hand after touching the virus. Even if we wash our hands when we come home from the grocery store we may forget to wipe down everything that we touch with our hands then put up to our face.

In one hypothetical scenario, I may go to the grocery store and grab a cart with both hands then text someone with one of my hands or adjust my headphones or glasses while shopping. When we get home, we wash our hands but may forget to wipe down or wash our cell phone, head phones, glasses, scarf, or other object that we put up to our face.

I like to use alcohol-free baby wipes to disinfect objects that I can easily wipe down and I try to be careful and, as frequently as possible, wash all of the clothing I wear outside. Be especially careful if you have to borrow a cell phone, head phones, glasses, or anything else you put up to your face. Try to wipe things down and stay safe!

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Improve your Flexibility and Learn How to do the Splits

Improve your Flexibility and Learn How to do the Splits

Are you a dancer, gymnast, yogi, or just interested in improving your flexibility? Flexibility is important in training, overall athletic performance, and releasing stress build-up from sitting too long in one position. Flexibility may improve with a commitment to stretch your muscles regularly along with your workouts and exercise. Follow along with Sampson12’s video library of stretching and toning exercises designed to improve flexibility including building up to doing the splits.

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Why Organic MCT Oil?

Why Organic MCT Oil?

A few weeks ago I heard from a friend about Dr. Steven Gundry’s book titled “The Plant Paradox” and at some point I learned about adding MCT oil to coffee for health and wellness (see the 3rd paragraph on what is MCT oil on Dr. Gundry’s Site).

I tried this out by adding a small amount of Organic MCT Oil to my regular coffee drink, which includes: coffee, organic sugar, and a small amount of organic heavy whipping cream and I was pleasantly surprised by the seeming after-effect! I feel as though the MCT oil boosted my mental well-being somehow.

The website link also has an interesting Cappuccino recipe to try!

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