Love Law Firm - July 2018

BUILD. NOT BILLED.

SM

JULY 2018

BUI LDING BLOCKS

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T HE DOG DAY S OF S UMME R

LET PEOPLE KNOW YOU’RE HAPPY TO SEE THEM! While you might not do a dance and wiggle your behind to show joy and affection (though I highly recommend it), let people know how you feel. Whenever Francine gets home, I do my ritual and she tells me I’m handsome and that I’m a good boy. When she tells me that, it just makes my doggone afternoon. My human seems to have learned this from me. I hear her tell her clients that she’s happy to work with them and glad they’ve entrusted her with their legal needs. I hope it makes them happy like me. DON’T STAY MAD AT ANYONE! There are times when my little sister, Zeppy (short for Zeppole because she’s normally so sweet), likes to bite my ears and jump on my back. I’m not a fan of this trick and I let her know. But after a moment or two, we’re pals again. I don’t have time to hold grudges. I need to get on with my life and take my afternoon nap. Besides, being mad only makes me feel upset — it never seems to much bother whomever I’m mad at. NEVER RUSH INTO A DECISION! Sometimes, I may look like I’m snoozing and it sounds like I’m snoring away, but actually, I’m deep in thought. Very deep. I’m trying to figure out all the angles of my next move. Should I make the effort to move from my warm dog bed to climb up on the couch? It’s a leather couch; it can be a little cold. Do I want to be a little cool? There are pros and cons to consider here. You can ask yourself the same question when you’re faced with a decision. Does it make sense for you and your business? Is it worth your time and money? Thankfully, as a dog, I don’t have to worry about that last point. I have no concept of money at all! ACCEPT YOURSELF! I know I’m a handsome good boy — I’ve been told so all my life — but there are some people who may disagree. Those people are, of course, wrong. I know who I am and what I’m all about (sweet nuzzles, naps, treats, etc.) and that’s what really matters. I know my “why,” and because of that I know what to do and with whom. GET SOME SUN! This will be my last point, mostly because I want to get some sun myself. There isn’t anything better than lying in the sun for a few minutes. As a bulldog, I’ll admit I don’t do super great in the heat of the summer, but I still love it! There are some days when I plop down on the

Hi! Please excuse any inadvertent typos in this month’s column. I’ve got big paws and the keys are small. My name is Satchmo and I’m filling in for my favorite human, Francine, this month. Did you know that bulldogs can type and

proofread content? I didn’t either until recently. It’s so true what they say — you never know until you try!

I’m filling in for Francine to give her some more time to recover. She and my other three favorite humans were in a car

accident. Some other driver wanted to see how fast her car could go, and she didn’t care that my people’s car was in front of her, stopped at a red light. Francine has a bad concussion and is sleeping a lot. (I wonder if this means I may have had a concussion all of my life. I should get that checked out.) Since the laptop was free, I decided to handle this month’s column. I’ve been a part of the family for over eight years now, and I’ve been able to teach Francine a few valuable life lessons that I would like to share. These are lessons you can use in life and in business, or wherever you may need them. BE PERSISTENT! If you really want something and you aren’t getting immediate results, you gotta be persistent. “Win or learn,” that’s my motto. For example, there are times when I want to go outside. I’ve learned that standing and barking by the door doesn’t work. But sitting by the door with a sad look in my eyes, and gently tapping the glass — that does work. I kept at it, tried a new way, and became successful. Persistence!

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STEPHANIE LARKIN’S ‘WRITE THAT BOOK!’

As a business owner, you are always looking for ways to promote yourself and make yourself stand out from the rest. One of the most unique ways to self- promote is by writing a book. Yes, writing a book. Adding “author of” to your list of redeeming qualities is sure to set you apart from other business owners. There is a reason many successful people have published books. Writing a book is not only a great personal accomplishment, but it will increase your number of clients, as it will give you a better reputation in your field of work. A book that you wrote also acts as a biography and business card in one. Give them out to prospective clients or loyal clients that you already have — people are sure to remember you! The financial and professional benefits from writing your own book are endless, so why doesn’t everyone have a book out with their name on it? It’s hard. It’s not just simply sitting and writing. If it were that easy, everyone would do it — but then again, you are not everyone. You create and stick to your goals all the time and see everything through to the end. Although writing a book is different from running the daily ins and outs of a business, you have help by your side: Stephanie Larkin. Stephanie’s book, “Write That Book!” is your personal companion for book writing. Stephanie recognizes that, out of the many people who want to write a book, very few actually do, and she is about to change that for you. Stephanie breaks her book down into short, easy-to-read chapters, and each paragraph offers tremendous value. Here is what Stephanie taught me in the few days I spent with her by reading her book. THE 5 W’S The 5 W’s that we all learned in grade school are more important then ever. Knowing who your target audience is, what you want to write about, where you will do most of your writing, when you will find the time to write, and lastly, why you are inspired to write will help you stay on track. ‘IF YOU FAIL TO PLAN, YOU ARE PLANNING TO FAIL’ True. This quote by Benjamin Franklin is the first sentence of one of Stephanie’s chapters. She emphasizes that planning is crucial, because life gets in the way and motivation is not always as strong as it was when you first decided you wanted to write. Mark a calendar, stay on track, and schedule when you are going to write. Do not leave it up to when the mood strikes you. It may not strike some days, and that is okay, but the best motivation is self-motivation. You will not write a book if you do not actively plan to write a book. NOTEBOOKS, NOTE CARDS, AND BUBBLES Speaking of active planning, always carry around something for when inspiration arrives. Carry a notebook and pen with you; jot ideas down. Technology is growing, and

Stephanie also recommends bringing voice recorders, laptops, and anything else that helps. We may all think that we will remember a genius idea we had later on, but it rarely happens that way — we can attest to that. Writing down ideas helps you to remember them; writing down ideas also leads to the writing down of more ideas.

Note cards, specifically color-coded ones, help with separating ideas out into sections and subsections that will belong to the chapters of your book. Every note card should have one idea on it, or one quote. This method is not for everyone, but it really does help, which is something else Stephanie helped me remember from grade school. Bubble charts are a great way to separate large ideas into smaller, digestible ones. In her book, Stephanie has pages of examples of her physical bubble charts she made when writing. They are beyond helpful for writer’s block. Start with a main idea as your big “bubble,” and then create smaller “sub-bubbles” around it with key details, points, or anything you want to get across in this idea. After you are done with the charts — or even before — the notecards will add extra detail and help with filling in areas of chapters that you are going to be writing. DRAFT, RE-DRAFT, AND DRAFT AGAIN Stephanie goes into great detail about drafting. She suggests making something Cloud-based, like a Google Doc. This way, your draft can be edited from any device, in any location. Google Docs also separates thoughts into their own sections with headings, which makes it much easier to visualize chapters and subsections. Do not be afraid to change something as many times as you need to feel that it’s right, but do not throw out anything you write — it can end up being just what you needed. Stephanie’s “Write That Book!” is truly a gift to anyone who aspires to write a book. She breaks what seems to be an overwhelming task into easy-to- follow, concretely defined steps that yield great outcomes. As the author of

your own book, the possibilities of networking are endless. You know about the benefits, and now you have Stephanie, so what are you waiting for? Go write that book!

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bricks outside and bake in the afternoon sun. While I don’t recommend doing that all the time, I can tell you that a little sunlight goes a long way. It’s a great way to get into a better mood. You get some much-needed vitamin D and a burst of energy. Just don’t stay in the sun too long! Oh, and don’t forget the sunscreen! I see humans forget to get outside and enjoy the beautiful world we have, and that’s a real shame.

And that’s it! These are a few of ol’ Satchmo’s life lessons. I have more, for sure, but that’s all I could fit in this newsletter. Anyway, I hope you, like my human, get some sun and have some fun this summer, and maybe I’ll see you again soon! –Satchmo

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THE POWER OF THE WRITTEN WORD MEET STEPHANIE LARKIN

Stephanie Larkin, the author of “Write That Book,” knows what business owners need to find success. She knows because she’s lived it. Stephanie is the founder and president of Red Penguin Books (RedPenguinBooks. com) and Red Penguin Web Solutions (RedPenguinWeb.com), companies that specialize in book publishing and web development, respectively. Stephanie has dedicated herself to helping business owners, authors, and creators get their words out into the world, whether those words are on the printed page or a webpage. She’s done a lot of work specifically with business owners, entrepreneurs, and a bevy of other professionals to help them use the “power of the pen” to further their brands, develop deeper business identities, and connect with clients and prospects. She recognizes how crucial books and the written word are in the business world, and how they can be used as highly-effective marketing tools. Stephanie is also the host of “Technically Speaking,” an award-winning television program that airs in Queens and throughout Long Island on Cablevision Channel 18 and Verizon Channel 28. The program was developed to help make technology more accessible to anyone

who considers themselves

technologically challenged. You can learn more about this series at RedPenguinWeb.com/ technically-speaking-television- series.

I’ve been fortunate to get to know Stephanie over the last several months, as she’s joined our Long Island Business Forum lunches. I’ve found her to be one of the smartest and most strategic marketers and business owners I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing. I have sent — and continue to send — clients to her to increase their authority by becoming published authors.

To contact Stephanie, email her at [email protected] or call 516-448-4993.

AROUND THE FIRM

July 3-4 - Offices Closed. Happy birthday, America!

July 13 - LIBF Women’s Lunch - ask me to attend.

ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. The purpose of this newsletter is to provide information about Love Law Firm, PLLC’s qualifications and experience. The information provided in this newsletter does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. Any prior results described in this newsletter do not guarantee a similar outcome. Love Law Firm, PLLC’s distribution of this newsletter is not intended to create, and will not create, an attorney-client relationship with you.

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We’re Going to the Dogs! INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1 2 3 Stephanie Larkin’s ‘Write That Book!’ Leveraging the Power of the Written Word

Around the Firm

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Think You Have the Cutest Dog Ever?

Cutest Dog Ever Contest DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE THE CUTEST DOG EVER? PROVE IT!

Send a photo of your dog to [email protected] before August 24th for a chance to win one of 3 prizes.

THE WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER!

1st place - $100 Target Gift Card 2nd place - $30 Target Gift Card 3rd place - $20 Target Gift Card

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