Yolofsky Law - January 2019

Yolofsky Law - January 2019

THE HERO I N S I DE R 3 BUSINESS INITIATIVES To Propel You Toward Your Best Year Ever

www. yol of sky l aw. com (305) 702-8250 JANUARY 2019

FROM THE

Yolofsky Office

In 2019, we will make more people heroes to their family, their business, or both! This is an all-year task, not just one for January. The difference between making resolutions and achieving them is commitment. Did you write down your goals? Who holds you accountable — family or co-workers? Are you just dreaming? Our 2019 goals are ambitious. Achieving them means we’ve helped dozens of families in our community. We keep each other accountable for our personal, team, and firm goals. The more we improve, the better we are able to serve our clients. We will hit the finish line at the same pace, if not faster, than when we started. Making a daily 1% move toward goal achievement means that you could actually hit a goal 3 times in a year! We want to help you to hit and surpass your goals in 2019. Let’s make it a project together. C’mon, it will be fun!

It’s the time of year when business owners and their leadership teams sit down to draft up their plans and goals for the coming year. Some businesses use this exercise as a chance to nail down their trajectory, while others engage in the process simply because they feel they have to. If you fall in the latter camp, you could stand to devote a little more time and energy to determine how the coming year will look. After all, it’s hard to guide your teams forward when you don’t have a destination in mind. As a business owner, it’s up to you to set the tone for how the next 12 months will look for your organization. While every company’s goals will be unique, there are a few universal aims that will affect nearly every business in 2019. With that in mind, let’s take a look at three New Year’s resolutions that you should consider adopting. According to benefits-consulting company Hodges-Mace, millennial employee turnover costs the American economy upward of $30 billion per year. The number is so big because recruiting, hiring, and training new team members is an expensive and time- intensive process. Holding onto your talent matters regardless of the economic climate, but it’s especially crucial when the job market is strong. When good people walk out your doors during a talent shortage, you’ll struggle to replace them with candidates of equal caliber. Don’t assume that your staff’s eyes will never wander. According to Fortune magazine, 86 percent of currently employed workers are actively looking for better opportunities. To help keep valued staff in place, you need to provide them with competitive pay, RESOLVE TO RETAIN EMPLOYEES

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appealing benefits, and a sense of career and personal development. Focus on creating programs that reward tenure and make employees feel acknowledged and appreciated. Otherwise, you can expect to spend large chunks of the year rehiring for roles that have been left vacant. In today’s marketplace, it’s almost impossible for your company to offer something your customers can’t get anywhere else. Every product in the world is just a few clicks away, so articulating what makes your company different is a matter of defining your values. If you haven’t already formulated a unique selling proposition (USP), the time to start is now. A USP provides customers with a brief, compelling snapshot of what makes your business different than your competitors. “Think of a USP as your secret sauce — the special ingredient your business uses to prevent becoming a ‘me too’ company,” says RESOLVE TO DIFFERENTIATE YOURSELF

Brad Sugars, founder of ActionCoach. “It’s something that’s truly unique. It grabs people’s attention. It can’t be easily copied. And it offers a clear-cut, marketable benefit to your customer.” Understanding and communicating

that rise and fall with the market from those that excel no matter the broader economic climate. Here’s a word of caution: When looking for weaknesses, don’t let them overwhelm you or turn you into a pessimist. If your company is doing well, you can fix inefficiencies without making them life-or-death issues. That’s the advantage of proactively solving these problems rather than waiting for them to metastasize. There are countless resolutions that will help spur your business to greater heights in 2019. While these are excellent starting points, they’re by no means a black-and-white guide to the best resolutions. You know better than anyone else what will help your business this year, but you have to take the time to think about it and express it throughout your company if you want maximum results. AND THESE ARE JUST THE START

your USP will increase your chances of attracting new customers this year.

RESOLVE TO LOOK FOR WEAKNESSES

This one is especially important for businesses that are doing well. If you’re struggling, you already know to look for problem areas and attack them before they cause too much damage. But if you can analyze those weaknesses while you’re growing, you could stop a downturn before it starts. Too many business owners use growth as validation that they’re doing everything correctly. The truth is that no business — not Amazon, not Google, nobody — is firing on all cylinders all of the time. Taking the time to assess where you’re weak when you’re feeling strong is what separates the companies

SGT. FIELDY COMES HOME Reuniting Brothers in Arms

There are around 2,500 military working dogs currently in service, and their efforts help save the lives of countless soldiers and civilians every day. One of these brave military dogs is Sgt. Fieldy, an 11-year-old black lab who was trained to locate the No. 1 threat in Afghanistan: IEDs. Sgt. Fieldy was deployed to Afghanistan with his handler, Cpl. Nicolas Caceres, in 2011. Early in their deployment, their vehicle struck a pressure plate while they were on patrol. Fieldy and Caceres were all right, but one of the other Marines in their company was badly injured in the explosion. The injured Marine could not be evacuated by helicopter until the landing zone was secured. Fieldy found another IED in the area and alerted Caceres. The bomb was quickly disarmed, and the injured soldier was taken to safety. This wasn’t the only IED Fieldy found. His sharp nose and dedication helped save thousands of lives. After his deployment, Caceres returned home, but Sgt. Fieldy served several more tours without him. While

Fieldy continued to protect soldiers and civilians by tracking down IEDs, Caceres worked tirelessly to make sure he could bring Fieldy home when his service was over. Military working dogs can be adopted by former handlers, law enforcement, or qualified civilians when they retire. After three years apart and a total of four tours served, Sgt. Fieldy was reunited with Caceres. In 2016, Fieldy received the K9 Medal of Courage Award, and in 2018, he won the American Humane Hero Dog Award for his service. “These dogs are out there with us,”said Caceres when he and Fieldy accepted the Hero Dog Award.“The dangers we face, they face them too. They deserve to be recognized. We ask so much of them, and all they want is to get petted or play with a toy. They’re amazing animals, and Fieldy is just an amazing dog. I can’t begin to express the gratitude I have for him.” If you are interested in supporting our nation’s working dogs or would like to adopt a retired working dog yourself, you can learn more at Missionk9rescue.org.

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3 Easy Ways to Recover Quickly From a Cold

Eucalyptus If you’re suffering from congestion or can’t stop coughing, eucalyptus may offer the relief you’re looking for. Available in several different forms, including syrup, oil, and dried leaves, eucalyptus can be used as an expectorant or as a way to relieve a sore throat. When you’re at home and sick, try adding a few drops of eucalyptus oil to the water in a humidifier. The results are remarkably soothing! Zinc While many people turn to vitamin C to hurry through a cold, that’s not the supplement you should be focusing on. In fact, an overwhelming number of studies show that vitamin C does absolutely nothing to help shorten a cold. Instead, take zinc. You can find it as a nasal spray or lozenge, or even as part of a vitamin C supplement. One study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that those who took zinc reduced their recovery time from a cold by half. Cold symptoms among those taking a zinc supplement lasted about four days, while symptoms among those taking a placebo lasted about eight days.

During the winter months, colds and the flu can spread like wildfire. Getting sick at least once during the season can be hard to avoid, and once you are sick, you want nothing more than for it to be over and done. While there is no way to completely avoid getting sick, there are ways to speed up your recovery. Next time you’re suffering from a cold, try these remedies to get back on your feet a little bit faster. Elderberry Syrup Also referred to as elderberry extract, this syrup is made from a plant called European elder. It can be purchased at many health food stores or made at home (but use caution when doing this, since raw and undercooked elderberries are toxic). Many people swear by the berries’ ability to ease congestion and relieve a number of other cold symptoms. Plus, elderberry syrup is known for having anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, making it an ideal tool for fighting the common cold. Some research even suggests that it can shorten flu symptoms by up to three days.

Take a Break

CITRUS AND AVOCADO SALAD

Ingredients

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1 blood, cara cara, or navel orange, sliced 1/8-inch thick and deseeded 1 Meyer or regular lemon, sliced 1/8-inch thick and deseeded

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1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

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1 bunch arugula

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1/2 cup freshmint leaves

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4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

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1 avocado, cut into wedges

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Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Heat oven to 425 F. 2. In a rimmed baking sheet, toss citrus slices with 1

lemon juice. Season with salt and let sit for 5 minutes.

4. Add citrus, arugula, and mint to onionmixture. Drizzle with remaining oil, season with salt and pepper to taste, and toss thoroughly. 5. Add avocado, combing very gently to not crush avocado.

tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast citrus until lightly charred

and caramelized, about 10–15 minutes. Let cool. 3. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine onion and

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Yolofsky Office PAGE 1 3 Resolutions Every Business Should Make in 2019 PAGE 1 What Happens to Military Service Dogs? PAGE 2 Have a Cold? Recover Faster! PAGE 3 Take a Break! PAGE 3 Citrus and Avocado Salad PAGE 3

Put MLK Jr.’s Message of Love Into Practice PAGE 4

A Message of Universal Love Commemorating MLK Jr.

Inmany of his speeches and sermons, Martin Luther King Jr. spoke about love. Hewasn’t talking about the romantic kind, though. King often used the term“agape,” anAncient Greekword used to refer to the unconditional love of God forman, to talk about universal love for all people, regardless of race, religion, or circumstance. We commemorate King on Jan. 21. It’s a celebration and aNational Day of Service, so take the opportunity to honor King’smessage of universal love. Here are threeways to put agape into practice. 1. PAY A VISIT TO A HISTORICAL SITE. Immerse yourself in King’s message this month by visiting the places where these historic events occurred. Our nation is full of 2. EDUCATE YOURSELF AND OTHERS ABOUT THE STRUGGLES PEOPLE HAVE FACED.

someone else’s shoes, like Maya Angelou’s“I KnowWhy the Caged Bird Sings,”or Rebecca Skloot’s“The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.” 3. SHARE THE MESSAGE OF NONVIOLENCE AND GIVE BACK TOYOUR COMMUNITY. At the center of King’s message was the principle of nonviolence. Consider how you can advocate for nonviolence in your community. You could donate your time or money to a local shelter for victims of abuse, or volunteer your home to foster abandoned pets. If you’re part of a PTA or another school organization, encourage students to put an end to bullying. The Mix It Up program has anti-bullying lessons and activities that support King’s message. Take some time to reflect on Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision this month and take part in the universal message of love. Don’t we all want more of that?

Learning about the experiences of others cultivates empathy. When you interact with someone across cultural or subcultural

opportunities to become better acquainted with the birth of the

civil rights movement, from the King Center in Atlanta, Georgia, to Selma, Alabama, where protest marches were held in 1965. After all, if we don’t know our past, we are doomed to repeat it.

boundaries, it helps to reduce prejudice. Promote positive

interactions in your community by hosting a film night or book club focused on the civil rights movement. You can feature a movie like“Selma”or“13th.”For a book club, select an autobiography or biography that puts yourself in

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