Jan-Feb-Mar-Cover(LoRes)
It’s time to take a closer look!
Something to ponder — something to honestly examine!
Why is it that there are government workers, public servants who can draw outrageous salaries and benefits for a minimal amount of “work”. And how can so many of them choose not to pay their taxes, enjoy the luxury of travel, parties and time off while standing behind and supporting a political group that preaches “fair share”. How can they possibly look in the mirror and feel they are acting ethically?
How can that over compensated government worker face the person who has been working two or three jobs just to feed their family and keep the rent paid? How can they honestly say they work hard or that they deserve all the perks they receive as a public servant/government worker? Now I’m not speaking of the first response public servants — I’m addressing the army of paper pushers in the thousands of government offices across this country who guard their turf as if it were their new born baby.
I’m sick of hearing the cry by these self-absorbed, self-appointed guardian angels of the underprivileged masses. Talk about an oxymoron!!! They skate through their work days with little stress (other than worrying about what will happen to their job if the “other” political party takes over) and collect their nice salary, paid vacations and sick days, retirement funds and expense accounts while the “masses” they vow to protect and oversee struggles. And these self-appointed guardian angels have the gull to call themselves a member of the 99%.
Wouldn’t it be interesting to do a fact finding activity to reveal how many of the angels have actually paid their taxes — or have reported all their compensation.
Creative thinking can boost your business!
What ignites your creative candle? And don’t tell me you are not creative! Maybe you just haven’t tapped into it. Most people haven’t. Actually brainstorming, story boarding and mind mapping are examples of using your creative power.
Being able to add a little creative thinking to resolving a challenge works wonders. Stretching your normal reasoning powers beyond and outside the proverbial box can help you arrive at amazing solutions to very complex challenges.
You don’t have to be an artist, musician or sculpture to employ your creative brain. Think about it! Are there times your answers or solutions come more easily than others? What were you doing at that moment? Were you in a relaxed state of mind, maybe doing something you love to do? Were you in the shower, on your daily “run”, at the gym or like me — digging in the dirt?
This past weekend I was in heaven working in my rose and herb gardens. And for almost four straight hours I literally dug in the dirt uprooting the stubborn torpedo grass. As the minutes and hours ticked off, I attacked the garden intruder with relentless determination and the garden claw. Then I methodically pick out the bits and pieces of grass and roots.
The ideas were flooding into my head. Solutions and plans for several challenges that surfaced and disturbed me last Friday, leading into the week-end. I got so excited about the next steps I couldn’t wait for Monday to arrive. And today, Monday, I implemented those great ideas that grew from my garden. Wow! It’s been a great day.
Sooooo—tell me. What ignites your creative candle? Please share it as it just may help someone else discover their creative power.
Would our founders be proud?
Stop!
Think! Really think about this! Your freedom depends on it!
If you are reading this blog post, you are among the fortunate who can afford to have a computer; you have the freedom to search and read anything you want; you are a “thinking” person whether you are exercising it or have chosen to let someone do your thinking for you.
Maybe you are fed up with politics. Maybe you are active in politics. Maybe you hope that “someone else” will take care of it for you. Maybe you are liberal. Maybe you are conservative. Maybe you are a woman. Maybe you are a man. However, my sincere wish is that your “maybe” is a thinking maybe, a reasoning maybe with a clear vision that assists you in
making prudent decisions.
If you are American and many years from high school graduation, most likely you may have forgotten some of the important things we learn about our country’s origin and the Constitution. And I have to admit that at age 60, I too had forgotten or at least had filed those lessons deep into the ol’ gray matter.
Last Friday, as I sat at a luncheon and listened to the guest speaker deliver a presentation on the US Constitution, my thoughts took me back to American History with Mr. Brocket and US Government with Mr. Malone at Alliance High School.
Please take a few minutes to brush up on your history and even more time to “think” about your freedom. This short video is not liberal — it’s not conservative — it is simply a refresher and reminder of the true definitions of the five forms of government —- and after watching it —– my question — what form of government was America founded on and “how we doin’”.
Would our founders be proud?
Would you follow someone off a cliff?
What if they told you that you had nothing to worry about because
there was a strong, soft safety net that was going to protect you?
Would you not at least go to the edge and look over to see if
there was in fact, a safety net? Wouldn’t you question the fact they had
a parachute strapped on their back but insisted you didn’t need one?
These questions are not meant to insult your intelligence. They
are meant to illustrate the absurdity of such a thing.
My point is … do you accept what “they” tell you without checking
the facts personally? And an even more important point ….
can you afford to accept what the spin masters feed you?
If you have 20 minutes to spare — I would like to suggest you
read a thought provoking and a bit scary book by a friend of mine, NYT
best-selling author, Andy Andrews. If you love your country, if you love your
freedom this 20 minute investment may inspire you to take more responsibility
for your own destiny!
Are You Lazy? I Don’t Think So!
Raise your hand if:
- You have reviewed and re-prioritized your expenses in the last 6 months
- You have difficulty sleeping because you are worried about supporting your family
- You have become a coupon clipper for the first time ever
- You have investigated additional streams of income to meet your financial obligations
As I sat at my computer working, long after 5:00 PM this evening and listening to the TV and various news programs streaming in from the living room—-I was shocked to hear the all-inclusive statement that we “Americans are lazy, soft and have lost our drive for success.” If you heard these outrageous statements tonight, I hope you were as offended as me.
There is no doubt that we have a sizeable segment of population in America who are lazy, opt to have the government support them and that is a very sad reality. We truly have enabled a society of malingerers through our government entitlement programs.
It seems rather comical that people, who insist on more government control, that only encourages laziness and lack of responsibility, should now suddenly blame the failing US economy on our laziness.
Correct me if I’m wrong, we the working class, pay our fair share of taxes while about ½ of the population sits at home and collects government checks with no strings attached. Of that population, there are people who truly need help, however there are many more who spend their days “working on a way to get more money” from entitlement programs rather than working for a fair wage.
When there are people from other countries coming to America because they see the opportunity to better their lives and build a legacy through personal commitment and hard work, it’s very difficult to have sympathy for the American who brags about getting free housing, groceries, fast food vouchers and free child care because the enabling government programs have taken away their self-esteem and drive to reach their potential.
We work very hard for our money, our privileges and we pay our fair share of taxes. I would wager that no one reading this newsletter would ever begrudge the taxes that protect our freedom and free enterprise. However, I’m also fairly confident that most of you grew up learning the importance of responsibility and were taught that everyone needs to pull their own weight.
As a business owner speaking to other business owners and business leaders, I ask you to really stop and think about the burden you are asked to carry. You are expected to not only be a contributing member of society but to also create jobs for others who can be contributing members of society. You are asked to relinquish the major portion of your profits to the government to support a malingering society. You are asked to relinquish the control of your own business through outrageous government sanctions and rules. And for all that——you are labeled “lazy”!
Bevv’s 10 – 10 – 10 Business Plan
This is America and the Land of Opportunity! Right? That’s what I was taught. That’s what I experienced growing up in an entrepreneurial family. I was taught that if you work hard, study, tell the truth and respect others, you will reap rewards. Call me old fashioned or silly, but I still live by those lessons and have passed them on to my own daughter.
What happened? Where has America gone? Where are the people who stand up when the National Anthem is played, fly the stars and stripes proudly, and believe we live in the best country in the world? Are you still out there? Have we become so “politely, politically, religiously, racially and gender correct” that we’ve lost our voice totally? Have we given up, given in and retreated, turning the country over to a socialistic, communistic and misinformed mob of sheep, driven by a force to destroy free enterprise, in this great capitalistic country?
Wake up! Stand up! There are no jobs without employers. There are no employers if they turn their profit over to the government. There is no money for non-profits if their benefactors cease to have profits. If you are reading BABM, you are a business owner, a business leader or entrepreneur, and we must unite and take back our country.
We can regain our strong economy, one community at a time, with the 10 – 10 – 10 plan beginning with Tampa Bay.
InTENtion: Our intentions are simply our goals. They must be crystal clear. Do you want to launch a new product, increase your market share by 5%, hire 10 people in the next 6 months, or finally initiate the profit sharing plan you’ve been contemplating?
InTENsity: Intensify your focus. Read, study, brainstorm, and spend every spare moment thinking about how you can improve your product, service or marketing. Turn over every file, open every drawer, closet or back room and examine the contents. What’s obsolete? What’s wasteful? What have you been neglecting?
TENacity: This is where you protect your business as if it were your newborn child. You fight the financial foes with a tenacious resolve to restore and retain your just reward for a job well done. This is where you join with other business owners to speak up and vote for free enterprise and less government.
We, as small business owners, are the foundation of this country’s economy and only we can heal it. Raise your head high, unite and confront the insidious, infectious movement to destroy our hopes, dreams and aspirations.
God Bless America!