DeVries Law Firm - June 2021

DeVries Law Firm - June 2021

www.devrieslegal.com (904) 467-1119

June 2021

Back to Basics Work ON Your Business — Not IN It!

Why did you become an entrepreneur? Really think about this beyond the circumstances that led you to where you are today. Many business leaders ascend into entrepreneurship because of family lineage, while others see a problem and aim to fix it. But that’s not really why you become an entrepreneur. You’re a business owner because you thrive on building something great. You’re a creator who’s passionate about elevating to that next level. That takes guts, and in order to succeed in business, you have to care about it enough to really dig into the monotony of it all. You have to care about quarterly sales numbers and the response rate you get from marketing campaigns. The minutiae of owning a business has to excite you, even if it can feel exhausting or overwhelming at times. When you’re focused on your business, you’re poised to grow. That old saying, “Work ON your business, not IN your

business,” is the best-kept secret to success that most early entrepreneurs need hard lessons to learn, and it’s often a tried-and- true method of successful longtime business owners. But the pandemic changed everything. Business owners were forced to get in the trenches and once again do the work they normally hire employees to do. Because of the unprecedented nature of 2020, more business owners found themselves working in their business rather than on it. It’s difficult to climb out of a rut, but you won’t be sustainable if you are having to process orders, solve client issues, or make service calls on a regular basis. You have to trust your employees to stabilize the foundation of your business so you can work on progressively elevating it. I recently read an article by Dennis Hammer, who highlighted this idea in three easily digestible steps for Medium in his article

“Work On Your Business, Not In It.” As Hammer explains, you have to figure out how to eliminate, automate, and delegate so your focus is on your business growth, not the monotony of tasks you have hired your employees to do. Eliminate : Be honest with yourself. Ideas, systems, processes, and other components of your company that no longer suit its growth need to be cut out. Remove these immediately and focus on the next two actions for the pieces you don’t eliminate. Automate : There are software programs that can do a lot of work for you, but you may not be using these programs as effectively as you could be. In what ways could you improve your use of your CRM or marketing management tool? Furthermore, look at your systems as a whole. What steps in the process could be condensed or eliminated? Is there an easier way to do something? ( Pro Tip: Use the third and final action on this list to discover which systems are no longer serving your business.) Delegate : Stop doing it all. Find employees who can manage some of the many, many tasks on your list. For example, you don’t have to craft social media posts, blog posts, or other marketing campaigns. Instead, hire or recruit someone to manage that for you and utilize your skills somewhere else. Working ON your business is a powerful method that has created many successful entrepreneurs. Don’t forget this vital piece of advice as we transition into our post- pandemic world.

— Shawn Devries

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Explore a National Forest for Free

On National Get Outdoors Day

Many people in the U.S. and across the world have a national park trip on their travel bucket list. While Zion, Yellowstone, and the Great Smoky Mountains are all awesome locales, outdoor enthusiasts often overlook a resource that is less busy, less expensive, and usually right in their backyard: national forests.

interactive map tool that prospective park-goers can use to learn more about the forests in their area, amenities and activities, and accessibility. Visit FS.fed.us/ivm to access the map and see what’s near your hometown!

If you’re dreaming up travel plans beyond your state’s border, consider visiting these notable U.S. national forests.

All but 10 states have a national forest (or more than one!), so if your home state doesn’t have one, it’s very likely a neighboring state does! And there’s no better time to hike, bike, forage for mushrooms or berries, or camp at a nearby national forest than this month. The tree-filled landscape will provide shade and help you beat the summer heat, and to further incentivize visitors, the U.S. Forest Service (the organization that oversees the national forests) is offering a fee-free day on Saturday, June 12, in honor of National Get Outdoors Day! While parking and day-use fees to access national forests tend to be relatively modest, fee-free days open up the opportunity to all visitors. The U.S. Forest Service has a great

• El Yunque National Forest: Located in Puerto Rico, El Yunque is the only tropical rainforest in the United States.

• Tongass National Forest: Spanning 16.7 acres and several islands across Southeast Alaska, the Tongass is the country’s largest national forest. • Salmon-Challis National Forest: This Idaho forest is the largest contiguous wilderness area in the lower 48 and contains the Frank Church–River of No Return Wilderness. • Cibola National Forest and Grassland: Spread across north- central New Mexico, west Texas, and Oklahoma, this forest and grassland area is notable for its diverse ecosystems and wildlife. The Sky Islands portion of the park is also home to over 200 rare plant and animal species.

Are Grocery Subscription Boxes Worth It?

June is National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month, so let’s explore one popular way to get more fresh produce into our lives: subscription-based delivery services like Full Circle and Imperfect Food. Are these services actually worth it? Do they save money and provide what they promise? Here’s what the research turned up. CAN THEY SAVE YOU TIME? The Verdict: Yes, without a doubt. Subscription-based grocery delivery services appeal to consumers because they save time. With somebody else doing your grocery shopping, you don’t have to think about when you’re making a trip to the grocery store this week. Someone else is doing it for you! Plus, some services even offer meal kits if you can’t decide what to make. There’s no argument here — these services definitely save you time. CAN THEY SAVE YOU MONEY? The Verdict: Sometimes, since it depends on your existing shopping habits. If you find yourself making impulsive purchases while strolling down the aisles at the grocery store, then a set (but customizable) weekly list of delivered groceries might be a great way to stick to your budget. Unfortunately, not many grocery subscription-box delivery services offer nonfood items like toilet

paper or cleaning products, so you may still have to make a trip to the store every once in a while.

IS THE FOOD QUALITY GREAT? The Verdict: Yes, but it depends on your area. You have a higher chance of getting better grocery items if you buy from an organic grocery box service, like Imperfect Foods or Farm Fresh to You, since these companies work closely with your local farms. Keep in mind that some services, like Imperfect Foods, are designed to deliver fresh foods that are a little “imperfect” in size, shape, or color to help prevent food waste — but, as a benefit, it’s more affordable! However, we’ve found some services, like Full

Circle, will prepackage their boxes from warehouses that may not be local to you, so do a little research before picking one. All in all, we’ve been pleasantly surprised to find that these boxes aren’t such a bad idea. Consider looking into it if you’re tired of the weekly grocery store time crunch!

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TAKE A BREAK

ARE ‘RESORT BUBBLES’ SAFE? What You Need to Know Before Booking Your Tropical Trip

As vaccination numbers continue to climb and experts gain a better understanding of COVID-19, more industries are adapting. Tropical resorts in Hawaii and the Bahamas have started to host visitors in “resort bubbles,” requiring travelers to complete a series of tests before full admittance. BUT ARE THESE TRAVEL OPTIONS SAFE? That depends on your comfort level and a resort’s adherence to the rules. According to Forbes, each resort that offers this travel package may have different rules, but the gist of each experience is the same. Each resort still requires masks, unless the visitor is in their room, dining, drinking, sitting at the beach or pool, or swimming. Then, at check-in, sanitation and temperature checks are required. After the checks, tourists are directed to an on-site clinic, where nurses ask a few questions and perform a rapid COVID-19 test. Guests are then sent to their rooms, where they must await the results. If the test comes back negative, the tourist will receive a key card and can commence with their vacation. (Some resorts set the price of lodging so that if test results are positive, then the required flight home is part of the original cost, so it’s already paid for.) Other resorts require visitors to wear tracking bracelets for 72 hours upon arrival and a negative test result. After 72 hours and a second negative test, the guest is then permitted to leave the hotel grounds. This allows the hotel chain to track potential COVID-19 cases. These resort bubbles offer a potentially safe alternative for travel, but they don’t come without risks. A traveler could potentially contract COVID-19 while en route to the destination, and resorts that allow guests to leave the premises risk exposure. Furthermore, these precautions may not be 100% effective. However, if you are vaccinated, have COVID-19 antibodies, or feel safe to travel, resort bubbles offer a travel alternative that can be safer than traditional vacation stays. Perhaps no industry was hit harder during the COVID-19 pandemic than the travel and hospitality industry, but with the addition of resort bubbles, the travel industry looks to return to a new normal.

Adventure Camping

Hiking Juneteenth Park Picnic

Pride Sandals Sunburn Swimming

Father Gemini

GRILLED CHICKEN SHAWARMA

Ingredients

Inspired by FeastingAtHome.com

• 2 tbsp ground cumin • 2 tbsp ground coriander • 2 tsp kosher salt • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper • 2 tsp turmeric • 1 tsp ground ginger

• 1 tsp ground black pepper • 2 tsp allspice • 8 garlic cloves, minced • 6 tbsp olive oil • 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Directions

1. To create marinade, whisk all spices with the garlic and olive oil in a medium bowl. 2. Add chicken to the bowl, coat well with marinade, cover, and let sit in the fridge for at least 20 minutes — or up to 48 hours. Strain off excess marinade before cooking. 3. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Grill thighs for 10–12 minutes on each side, or until a meat thermometer reads 165 F. 4. Serve with rice, vegetables, or pita bread with tzatziki.

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE 644 Cesery Blvd #250 Jacksonville, Florida 32211 (904) 467-1119 www.devrieslegal.com

Don’t Work IN Your Business; Work ON It

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Have You Explored a National Forest? Are Grocery Subscription Boxes Worth It?

Grilled Chicken Shawarma Are ‘Resort Bubbles’ Safe?

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Why It’s Illegal to Sell Exploding Golf Balls in Massachusetts

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EXPLOSIVE SWINGS ARE ALLOWED ON THE GOLF COURSE

Explosive Balls (at Least in Massachusetts) Are Not

With the U.S. Open coming up in June (barring any major COVID-19-related developments), the participants are sure to leave audiences in awe of their explosive drives. While “explosive” in this context doesn’t mean anything is actually exploding, there is a precedent for golf balls that literally explode. In fact, that precedent led to the creation of a pretty interesting state law in Massachusetts: No one is allowed to sell exploding golf balls. According to Chapter 148, Section 55 of the General Laws of Massachusetts, “Anyone who sells or knowingly uses … a golf ball containing any acid, fluid, gas, or other substance tending to cause the ball to explode” can be fined $500 for the first offense and up to $1,000 or imprisoned for a year for any offense after that. You would think that the existence of this law means that at some point, people were just

smacking exploding golf balls around the Bay State before the lawmen kiboshed it. However, the truth is a little more nuanced. While it’s unknown what exactly prompted the legislation, there are a few clues as to what sorts of incidents Massachusetts governments were trying to avoid. The first clue is that prior to the late 1960s and early 1970s, golf balls were actually manufactured with a caustic liquid at the center. This led to the unforeseen injury of a boy named

William J. in 1912, who, while “dissecting” a golf ball, ruptured the rubber fluid sack at the center. Some of the liquid got in his eye and caused permanent damage to his sight, despite multiple visits to the doctor. Even though golf ball manufacturers stopped using caustic liquids in the centers of their golf balls in the 1920s, the liquid centers of golf balls made in the following decades could still cause harm. If someone dissected a golf ball and ruptured the fluid sack of one of these later balls, the crystalline material within could still cause injuries. Fortunately, solid core golf balls became common during the 1970s, removing liquid core golf balls from the course for good. However, even though they’re gone, their legacy lives on in this strange Massachusetts law.

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