Professional Equities - August 2020

Professional Equities - August 2020

- FROM THE DESK OF U.S. JUNE JOB GROWTH: SURPRISE! Passive Residual Income THEULTIMATEPASSIVERESIDUAL INCOME TM AUGUST2020 The Bill Moist Insider

E very day, it becomes more obvious that the COVID-19 pandemic has radically changed how many businesses operate. Public safety measures made working from home the norm for several months, but even for those businesses whose workers are still trickling back into their communal office spaces, the lessons from working remotely are proving to have long-term effects, the most prevalent of which is to company culture. The ways work and personal life intermingled has brought new priorities and necessities to light, leading to more empathetic practices. Employee concerns were global concerns, which provided the opportunity to foster understanding and build great relationships. Healthy company culture has been, and is still being, reshaped. Leaders can embrace and influence the positive changes that have emerged by doing the following: COMPANY CULTURE IS BEING RESHAPED Leadership for Positive Change

The April U.S. job loss of 20.5 million was the worst month since the Great Depression. Unemployment rates rose to 14.7% from just 4.4% in March as the treatment for COVID-19 crushed the global economy. Now comes May. The economist “experts” forecasted that 7.25 million U.S. jobs would be lost in May just a few weeks ago. That could have pushed the unemployment rate to 20%. Now wonder economics is called the dismal science. However…the actual employment figures for May showed a net job gain of 2.5 million pushing the unemployment rate down to 13.3%. Then the greatest employment gain ever in U.S. history followed in June. June saw 4.8 million jobs added, pushing the unemployment rate down to 11.1% according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The jobs added in May and June were a result of all 50 states beginning to reopen after the economic shutdown. States are reopening at different rates depending on local and state leadership. In summary, so many of the COVID-19 predictions were far graver than actually experienced in much of America, so it should be no surprise that the economists totally missed this resurgence of our economy.

Provide Support

Technological support may be the key to keeping a remote workforce functioning at a high level, but it became clear that emotional support is the key to keeping that workforce happy and efficient. If leaders create a culture of mutual support, then they’ll cultivate employee happiness, which leads to a higher quality of work from each person. Not every single chat or email needs to relate to business, and encouraging employees to look out for each other by checking in on each other’s mental well-being can provide the necessary emotional reprieve to push forward with work.

Communicate Freely

Team leads and employees working from dozens of different locations have already led to a stronger emphasis on better and more consistent communication. In some instances, over-communication is becoming necessary in order to keep operations afloat, but it has now created cultures open to videoconferencing, extra telephone calls, and better ways to stay in

–Bill Moist

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constant touch via chat or messaging apps. Communication keeps everyone connected, which increases responsiveness, attention spans, and collaboration.

Embrace the Personal

Working from home personalizes the workplace and there’s simply no way around that, so find ways to embrace it. With the imaginary line between work and family essentially dissolved, team members are coming out of their shells and becoming more relatable. Colleagues are sharing family moments on video calls — whether accidental or not — and instead of causing disruption, those moments can build team bonds that are stronger than ever before. A glimpse behind the curtain that reminds team members that the people they work with are more than cogs in a business machine leads to increased empathy. The blending of personal and professional can be liberating, not hindering.

when teams have to take extra steps to work together, solve problems, and be proactive during difficult times.

Encourage Collaboration

Fighting a common enemy — COVID-19 in this case — created a new type of bond within a team. When people work together in the face of the same challenge, they bring a new level of connection to both colleagues and customers. Studies have also shown that during isolation, collaborating via videoconference can actually improve workers’ moods and work ethics. Enthusiasm for teamwork increases

These fundamentals have always been in place, but working remotely proved just how effective and positive they are. The pandemic has provided a pivot point for company culture, whether you and your employees are still at home or are back in the office. The shift has been sudden but profound, and businesses are still making major changes that are leading them to see their work environment differently.

SKIPTHE STUDENT DEBT 3 Ways to Pay for College That Aren’t Loans

Work-Study

Depending on your child’s financial need, their college or university may be able to set them up with a part-time position with an hourly rate on campus. Work-study positions are often community-service oriented and/or matched with the student’s field of study, and the jobs in these programs may be on or off campus. Alternatively, students can also look for other on-campus jobs that aren’t part of a work- study program. Before the school year starts, many schools post job openings for positions like computer lab assistants or event caterers. Private Scholarships There is no shortage of private scholarships. The challenge is finding and applying for them. This can take time, but it’s often worth the effort. If you can’t find any scholarships your child is eligible for online, then try using an app like Scholly. It’s designed to help students and parents find and apply for scholarships without having to search all over the internet. Another great resource is your student’s high school guidance counselor. They often have resources about local and regional scholarships that may be worth looking into.

We all know how expensive college can be. The bills can pile up fast, and in many cases, paying that debt off can take years, if not decades, especially if private loans are involved. That said, if you have kids who are getting ready to graduate high school, then don’t let the cost of higher education scare you away. If you can’t pay out of pocket, you can help your child apply for loans, but if you’re looking to mitigate debt, or eliminate it entirely, here are some other popular options. Grants Grants are similar to scholarships in that they don’t need to be repaid. Many colleges, states, and other organizations award grants based on a number of factors, like academic standing and the income of one or both parents as reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, better known as FAFSA. A great starting point for parents who are helping their kids look for grants is the Federal Student Aid website: StudentAid.gov/understand-aid/types/grants.

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PRIVATEWOJTEK, HEROIC BROWN BEAR OF WWII

M any brave soldiers answered the call to bear arms during WWII, but one Polish artillery supply company took things a step further and armed a bear. That’s right — among the countless animal heroes of WWII was a full-grown brown bear from the mountains of Northern Iran namedWojtek. Wojtek first joined the Polish soldiers as a cub. A young Iranian boy found him after a hunter most likely shot his mother. Then, when a group of Polish prisoners of war, recently released from Soviet gulags to join the Allied forces, passed through the town where the boy and the bear cub lived, they traded some of their rations for the cub and took him with them. The soldiers loved the cub and named himWojtek, which means “happy warrior” in Polish. They nursed him with condensed milk from a vodka bottle and fed him some of their limited rations. Over time, the bear grew to be 6 feet tall and over 400 pounds, but because he had grown up around humans, he was a gentle giant. He learned several mannerisms from his human friends and even took a liking to beer and cigarettes. For the many soldiers who had lost or were separated from their families, Wojtek was a welcome boost to morale.

When the soldiers reached the coast of Egypt, where they were to embark by boat to Italy, British soldiers wouldn’t let Wojtek on board because he wasn’t a soldier. So naturally, the Polish soldiers gave Wojtek a service number, and he officially became a private in their company, complete with a rank and a paybook.

Private Wojtek’s moment of fame came when his company fought in the Battle of Monte Cassino. The bear

saw his human counterparts carrying crates of artillery shells, and he began mirroring their actions. Throughout the entire battle, he calmly carried crates of ammo, which would have required four men to lift, to his comrades. In honor of Wojtek’s service during the battle, the company changed its emblem to an image of a bear carrying an artillery shell, andWojtek was promoted to the rank of corporal. After the war, Wojtek was moved to a zoo in Edinburgh, Scotland, where he lived until he was 21 years old. There is now a bronze statue of Wojtek in Edinburgh’s West Princes Street Gardens, ensuring that this brave bear will not be forgotten.

Inspired by The New York Times

RESTAURANT-STYLE FETTUCCINE ALFREDO

Ingredients

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Salt

•

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

2 tbsp butter

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Freshly ground pepper, to taste Fresh parsley, chopped, to taste

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 lemon wedge

1 large egg yolk

1 lb fresh fettuccine

Directions

1. In a large pot, bring 6 quarts of generously salted water to a boil. 2. In a large, deep skillet, while the water heats, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant and sizzling (about 2 minutes). 3. In a bowl, whisk heavy cream and egg yolk until blended and pour into garlic butter. 4. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir until hot, not boiling. Keep warm on low heat. 5. In the large pot, cook pasta until al dente. (The pasta will float once it’s done.) Reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water and drain pasta. Pour hot pasta into creammixture and toss to coat on low heat. 6. Add Parmigiano-Reggiano and keep tossing gently until cream is mostly absorbed. If the sauce is absorbed toomuch, toss with extra pasta water. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 7. Serve with parsley and a squeeze of lemon.

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of Bill PAGE 1 How COVID-19 Is Reshaping Company Culture for the Better PAGE 1 How to Pay for College Without Loans PAGE 2 Private Wojtek, Heroic Brown Bear of WWII PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Restaurant-Style Fettuccine Alfredo PAGE 3 The Protein That Holds Us Together PAGE 4 Professional Equities, Inc. BILL 7CF

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ALL ABOUT COLLAGEN THE PROTEIN THAT HOLDS US TOGETHER

Even if you have heard of collagen, chances are you don’t know much about what it does for the human body. Collagen makes up a third of the body’s proteins. In some ways, it is the glue that holds our bodies together (the first part of “collagen” comes from the Greek word “ kolla ,”meaning “glue”). Getting your body

to produce more collagen can have amazing health benefits, particularly for those who are aging and noticing more wrinkles. There are around 16 types of collagen proteins in the body, but type 1 collagenmakes up roughly 90% of a person’s collagen count. Type 1 collagen gives structure to our tendons, bones, connective tissues, and skin. When we’re younger, our bodies produce enough collagen to keep our skin tight and strong. However, as we age, our bodies naturally produce less collagen, which contributes to thinner skin and wrinkles. Fortunately, there are certain foods and nutrients you can consume to boost your collagen production and keep your skin smoother and stronger for longer. Collagen begins in the body as procollagen, which is created when two amino acids, glycine and

proline, combine. Vitamin C aids this process, so any foods with high concentrations of these nutrients help your body produce more collagen. Egg whites are a great source of proline, along with foods like asparagus, cabbage, and dairy products. Additionally, pork skin, chicken skin, and gelatin all have high levels of glycine. If you want to get your vitamin C levels up, citrus fruits, bell peppers, and strawberries are tasty choices. Watch out for foods and habits that can damage your collagen production, like eating lots of refined sugar, exposing your skin to too much sunshine, and smoking. By adopting habits and diets that enhance collagen production, you can keep yourself looking younger and feeling better, even as you get older.

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