Bob Norton Consulting- November 2020

Bob Norton Consulting- November 2020

NortonAccountingServices.com 985-640-6072 [email protected] NOVEMBER 2020 NORTON NEWSLETTER EASE OF MIND • AVAILABILITY • FLEXIBILITY • INDIVIDUAL APPROACH • EXPERIENCE • TAX SAVINGS OPPORTUNITIES THE REAL ESTATE TAX PRO ™

Several months ago, I wrote a quick list of 10 lessons from COVID-19 for business owners and real estate investors. So, I thought I share a few of these in this article. 1. Need to build reserves. Reserves can be cash savings or lines of credit. Many businesses and landlords have discovered that their reserves were not adequate. So, take a look at your financial situation during this crisis and determine what level of reserves would have been best for you and strive to build yours up to that level in the coming months. 2. Need a customer list. Most businesses do not have a list of their customers, especially their regular customers. Those businesses who contact their customers regularly and directly have fared much better during this crisis. So, develop a process to collect your customer’s contact information and contact them on a regular basis (like a newsletter!). 3. Opportunities are Everywhere. The businesses that have thrived during this crisis are the ones that focused on how to serve their customers better. They have found ways to add products or services to their offerings to grow their business. They should continue doing this so that their businesses continue to grow once the crisis abates. FROM THE DESK OF Bob Norton

WHY ISN’T THERE A MAGIC WAY TO ACCELERATE METABOLISM?

Your metabolism is constantly running, like a car engine. Even at rest, your body needs energy to survive. However, your energy needs are fairly consistent and difficult to change. So, what determines your metabolism rate? There are three major factors: body size and composition , as some people require more calories to function; sex , as men usually burn more calories; and age , as muscles decrease with age. Because the structure and functions of your body play such big roles in how you metabolize food and therefore gain or lose weight, it’s imperative that you know what your rate actually is. Excess calories that your body can’t expend will turn into fat cells. When we starve ourselves, however, our metabolism slows down so we burn less food at a time. We need to give our bodies an appropriate amount of food for the energy we expend.

There are many reasons why so many companies claim to make products that boost your metabolism, but the main reason is that these products are attractive . Quick metabolism solutions are presented as convenient and simple, and our lives are busy enough that we’re often looking for the quickest fix. However, weight loss products that “improve” your metabolism operate under false assumptions. A slow metabolism is rarely the source of excessive weight gain. So, before you invest hundreds of dollars in metabolism stimulating supplements, learn what this mystical biological process is. What exactly is metabolism? Metabolism is a complicated biochemical process in which your latest slice of pizza or salad, after it has been digested, is combined with oxygen and dispersed into your body to release the necessary energy you need to function. While this seems fairly simple, there are a couple things that people aren’t usually aware of.

–Bob Norton

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How can I increase my metabolism? The main way you can control your metabolism—which extends to losing or maintaining weight — is increasing the amount of calories you burn through physical activity. The first and most efficient way to burn calories is through consistent aerobic exercise . Thirty minutes of daily walking, running, bicycling, or swimming can make a huge difference in your metabolism. You could even do 10-minute chunks throughout the day. Secondly, strength training is absolutely necessary for combating muscle loss due to aging. Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat, which is why your muscle mass is key to cutting down fat. Third, add extra movement into your day wherever possible . Wash your own car instead of driving down to the nearest car wash or park in a distant parking spot next time you go to the store. Even if it means doing more regular activity, increasing how often you move every day can improve your calorie consumption. Don’t fall for products that claim to make your weight loss journey any easier. Make sure to do your research first and ask yourself whether or not a product will help encourage you to be extra active throughout the day. Ice, Ice, Lawsuit Sometimes, there is such a thing as “too much ice.”You’re sipping your cold beverage when suddenly, it’s gone far quicker than you expected. All you’re left with is a cup full of ice. It’s disappointing, for sure, but is it so disappointing that you would want to file a lawsuit against the company that supplied the beverage? That’s exactly what Stacy Pincus did in 2016. She ordered an iced coffee from Starbucks, only to find “too much ice” in her drink. The lawsuit, filed in Chicago, alleged that the drink was advertised as a 24-ounce beverage, but once the ice was factored in, Pincus and her lawyers claimed the drink was really only “14 fluid ounces.”

WOMAN SUES STARBUCKS OVER ‘TOOMUCH ICE’

“Starbucks’ advertising practices are clearly meant to mislead consumers when combined with the standard practice of filling a cold drink cup with far less liquid than the cup can hold,” the suit claimed. NBC News reported that Pincus sought damages to the tune of $5 million against the coffee chain. “The plaintiff would not have paid as much,” her lawyers stated in a court document, “if anything, for the cold drinks had she known that they contained less, and in many cases, nearly half as many, fluid ounces than claimed by Starbucks. As a result, the plaintiff suffered injury in fact and lost money or property.” Starbucks’ response: “Our customers understand and expect that ice is an essential component of any ‘iced’ beverage. If a customer is not satisfied with their beverage preparation, we will gladly remake it.”The company also reaffirmed that you can order any iced beverage with “light ice” and receive half the ice normally included. Interestingly, a second lawsuit against Starbucks popped up in Los Angeles a few months later, but both cases were thrown out. Pincus never saw a cent of that $5 million, nor did she recoup her attorneys’ fees. The case went on to be called “one of the most frivolous lawsuits of 2016.”

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THE POWER OF DIRECT MAIL

The digital world is still very influential. We may be tired of staring at our screens, yet we find ourselves pulled to social media, streaming services, and blogs even after we log off work. Businesses need to have a diverse online presence, whether that’s on social media, a blog, or your website, but you don’t have to adhere to one platform over the other. In fact, it’s best if you use direct mail to disrupt your online campaigns and use your online campaigns to disrupt your paper marketing. Relationship marketing that directly targets your consumer works every time. Direct mail has always disrupted the flow of standard marketing, and if you’re focusing your efforts solely on the digital platform because of the pandemic, then you’re making a big mistake. Direct mail is one of the easiest ways to connect with your consumers and stand out while doing it.

you some money, but the returns could be well worth the investment and time spent in developing the route. As an entrepreneur, though, the only risks you can take are calculated ones. You have to be sure there will be some reward, no matter how small. Direct mail marketing is nothing new, yet it has been proven to work time and time again. Why? When you boil it down, direct mail marketing works because it’s based on an idea that has always stood the test of time in business: the power of relationships. In order to reel consumers into your brand, you need to reach them in diverse ways. Enter direct mail marketing. It disrupts the noise from your digital platforms while connecting with people in a real, personal way. Today’s consumer takes months before making a purchase. When your voice has been consistent, loud, and diverse, you’re more likely to stand out. And today’s target millennial audience is also looking at print and direct mail before making a purchase. In fact, more millennials learn of products through direct mail, even in a digitally focused world.

In an ever-growing digital landscape, one disruptor in advertising and marketing stands out: direct mail. That’s right — classic print and paper mailers shipped directly to your customers’ doors are pushing beyond the noise to give consumers an outlet they actually pay attention to. It may be brash to endorse direct mail marketing on a newsletter that we directly mail to you , but your reading of this article should be proof enough: Direct mail works, and you need to try it. If you’re still not convinced, allow us to explain why this is a secret we just have to share. In a world where most of us work and attend meetings, classes, family gatherings, church meetings, and other get-togethers through our screens, don’t you want to be the voice that stands out and appears in their mailbox instead? We have screen fatigue, and people likely aren’t paying too much attention to the advertisements they have been seeing for months. In business, you have to change and develop new marketing tools. Experimenting with direct mail or special offers may cost

Want to learn how we produce our direct mail campaign? Just ask!

Take a Break!

Inspired by WellPlated.com

This butternut squash, oven-roasted and caramelized to perfection, could almost pass for dessert. You’d never guess it’s a dish loaded with vitamins and antioxidants! Sinfully Sweet Butternut Squash

Ingredients

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1 3/4 tsp kosher salt

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1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes

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3/4 tsp cinnamon

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1/2 tsp black pepper

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1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

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1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped

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1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F, placing the two oven racks at the top and bottom of the oven. Then grease two baking sheets. 2. In a large bowl, combine squash cubes, olive oil, maple syrup, salt, and spices. Toss to coat, then spread mixture in a single layer over the baking sheets. 3. Place both pans in the oven and bake 15 minutes. Turn the cubes with a spatula and return them to the oven, swapping them to different racks. Continue baking 10–15 minutes until tender. 4. Sprinkle with rosemary and serve!

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Norton Accounting Services, LLC

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of Bob PAGE 1 Why Isn’t There a Magic Way to Accelerate Metabolism? PAGE 1 Woman Sues Starbucks Over ‘Too Much Ice’ PAGE 2 Want to Stand Out in a Digital World? Focus Offline PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Sinfully Sweet Butternut Squash PAGE 3 Top 5 Healthy Life Hacks to Have an Awesome Morning PAGE 4

to Have an Awesome Morning Top 5 Healthy Life Hacks

Start with green tea, then coffee. A cup of coffee at 7 a.m. can leave you burned out by 10 a.m. Try swapping it with green tea for a more gentle wake-up call. After that, you can brew your favorite coffee to keep you going strong. This practice also might help you consume less caffeine overall! Take a quick morning walk — and have your meetings on the go. Morning meetings can make us want to fall asleep again. Don’t spend all of them sitting down if you don’t have to! Not only will morning walks help you wake up, but they can also add some extra physical activity to your day.

Write in your journal. Who says you have to journal at the end of the day when you’re tired and ready to sleep? You can journal in the morning about what happened yesterday and the things you’re looking forward to that day. Journaling can remind you of your daily goals and motivate you to stick to your commitments. Pack your lunch (or snacks!). Staying on track with your goals starts with having the energy to do them. Plan a healthy balance of fats, vegetables, carbohydrates, and proteins. This can be as simple as assembling dips, carrots, wraps, and salads each morning.

Getting your day started with coffee isn’t always enough. Sometimes, you need to give yourself an extra boost, especially when you have little energy or trouble focusing. For an awesome start to your day, here are five tips to get you going right off the bat. Wake up 5 minutes early. What’s the power of five minutes? It can be more than you think. Spend this time doing simple breathing exercises or a quick meditation so you can get focused for the rest of the day. If that’s not your style, you can prepare a quick to-do list for your day ahead. Either way, it’s always nice to have a little extra time for yourself without losing too much sleep.

It’s time to try these tactics to superboost your day!

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