Yolofsky Law - December 2019

Yolofsky Law - December 2019

THE HERO I N S I DE R GOT THE BUSINESS BLUES? Change It Up!

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

From the Yolofsky Office

In the inimitable words of countless Warner Bros.

characters, “That’s all folks!”The countdown to the end of 2019 is upon us, and it has gone by quickly. Did anyone get the license plate of the year that just passed? For us at Yolofsky Law, it’s been a remarkable year. Our practice and team grew and we’ve learned an enormous amount. The questions and problems our network brings to us have increased in complexity. Solving those problems is one of the most rewarding parts of this practice. We’re looking forward to an even stronger 2020. How about you? Was your year what you planned it to be? Will you improve or grow in 2020? What goals will you set for yourself? Before we close out the newsletter for 2019, please make sure you step away from the office, put down the phone, and give 100% of your attention to your loved ones. Go on a family adventure. Smell the roses and smile.

The end of another year is rapidly approaching, and we sincerely hope all your business endeavors have been fruitful and promising. But if your business has been struggling to climb out of the red, then the end of the year is a great time to consider changing up your operations. Change can be unsettling to think about, and it takes hard work to achieve, but it’s a necessary step toward keeping your business growing. Here are some essential steps to get the ball rolling so you can start fresh in the new year. DEFINE YOUR GOALS Before you spend any time or money on implementing changes, you need to know what results you’re aiming for. Having clear-cut goals in mind, whether it’s one or a dozen, will set the stage for change. Spend time examining what your business needs to be more successful. If you know where you need to end up, it’ll be easier to figure out how to get there. DECIDE ON CHANGES Once you’ve got your goals in place, it’s time to figure out how best to achieve them. Don’t fall into the same patterns you’ve been following — that’s what got you here in the first place. Old habits don’t lead to new results. Consider re-assigning roles to employees, changing your management systems, or exploring new clientele and opportunities. Keep in mind what’s best for your bottom line and the longevity of your business.

From AJ, Veronica, Anna, and Mitch, best wishes for the new year! Until 2020!

Continued on Page 2 ...

Give Us a Call! (305) 702-8250 • 1

... continued from Cover

COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY Be open about why and how changes are happening. You don’t have to spill every detail, but you should share your vision with your employees so they can embrace and contribute to the changes. No one likes to be left in the dark, and if you have team members who are, they won’t understand their role or be able to effectively support the business going forward. TACKLE BIG PROBLEMS FIRST This might seem obvious, but if there are major problems hindering the advancement of your business, then you should resolve them first before moving on to less-threatening issues. The smaller issues may seem like the easiest place to start, but your business is only as strong as its biggest weakness. Working to eliminate your largest issues first will clear the way for other problems to be resolved and allow your business to flourish. E MBRACE TECHNOLOGY Many businesses that fail to implement change are also unwilling to update their

always challenge yourself and others to do better. As you check items off your list of accomplishments, add new ones to make sure your business is always improving. Whether you’re looking to revamp a few dusty avenues or you’re ready to implement an overhaul in operations, always remember that change is inevitable. Will you embrace it so your business can grow, or will you shy away from it and allow the possibility of decline? We think the choice is pretty clear: In a world where change is the only constant, learning to roll with it is the best way to keep yourself in the game.

existing systems. There are dozens of proven business tools and softwares available for communication, accounting, digital storage, and other business necessities. Technology changes every day to adapt to what businesses really need to succeed. If your technology is out of date, other elements of your business likely are too. KEEP IT UP Once you’ve done all the hard work and implemented change, you’ll still need to monitor and maintain it. Review progress reports, adapt your strategies as necessary, keep the lines of communication open, and

DELEGATE TO ELEVATE The Secret to Being a Great Leader

Teachable: Is there a task only you know how to do? If so, teach someone else to do it, and step in for the last quality check when it’s done. Terrible At: It’s okay to be bad at some things. Great leaders know when to pass tasks off to someone who is more skilled than they are. The task will get done faster and at a much higher quality. Time-Sensitive: These tasks need to get done right now but are competing with tasks of a higher priority. Just because it has to get done immediately doesn’t mean you have to be the one to do it. Sure, some tasks only you can accomplish, but these are extremely rare. As the Virgin Group founder Richard Branson warns, needlessly resisting delegation is the path to disaster. “You need to learn to delegate so that you can focus on the big picture,” Branson says. “It’s vital to the success of your business that you learn to hand off those things that you aren’t able to do well.”

If your answer is no or you aren’t sure, then you’re probably too involved. No one person should be the cog that keeps everything in motion, no matter their position in the company. Luckily, HBR has created an audit using the following six T’s to identify which tasks can be delegated. Tiny: Small tasks that stack up can undermine the flow of your work. Registering for a conference, putting it on the calendar, and booking the flight are all small tasks someone else can handle. Tedious: These tasks are straightforward but not the best use of your time. Someone else can input lists into spreadsheets or update key performance indicators for a presentation. Time-Consuming: These important, complex tasks don’t require you to do the first 80% of the work. Identify what they are, pass them to someone else, and step in for the final 20% to give approval.

Poor delegation is the Achilles’ heel of most leaders, who often confuse being “involved” with being “essential.”To determine if you’re holding on to work you should delegate out, the Harvard Business Review (HBR) recommends asking this simple question: “If you had to take an unexpected week off work, would your initiatives and priorities advance in your absence?”

2 • www.yolofskylaw.com

THE JOY OF A GINGERBREAD HOUSE Everything You Didn’t Know About This Holiday Tradition

THE LARGEST GINGERBREAD HOUSE

money for a local Level II trauma center. To construct the house, builders created a recipe that required 1,800 pounds of butter, 2,925 pounds of brown sugar, 7,200 eggs, 7,200 pounds of flour, 1,080 ounces of ground ginger, and a few additional ingredients.

Of the many seasonal traditions that sweep our nation, few are as creative, delicious, and satisfying as building your very own gingerbread house. Whether you’re looking to create a simple table decoration or bake a tasty treat to nibble on, everyone can enjoy this holiday activity! Ginger was first cultivated in ancient China, then traded into medieval Europe. There, Europeans incorporated it into culinary traditions and used it to bake cookies into elaborate shapes and works of art, including figures of animals and people. The gingerbread house first appeared in the early 19th century in Germany. Although historians don’t know an exact date, it’s speculated that it gained popularity around the same time that “Hansel and Gretel,” the popular fairy tale recorded by the Brothers Grimm, was published. THE ORIGINS OF GINGERBREAD

In 2013, the world record for the largest gingerbread house in the world was broken. The house, topping out at 21 feet and covering 2,520 square feet, was built by Traditions Golf Club in Bryan, Texas, to raise

BUILD YOUR OWN!

While you don’t have to challenge yourself to beat the Guinness World Record, you can still have fun creating your very own gingerbread village. Starting your gingerbread house from scratch can be a fun activity for the whole family to enjoy. Give the kids a chance to mix the ingredients, roll out the dough, and set out plenty of candies and frostings to use, and remember to have fun! If you’re looking for unique gingerbread house ideas, take a look at 20 gingerbread house ideas at TasteofHome.com/collection/ gingerbread-houses.

Take a Break

Inspired by Food & Wine Magazine

Cranberry Gingerbread

Gingerbread is a holiday classic of the very first order, but it’s often a construction material rather than a treat. This recipe, on the contrary, is purely for eating.

Ingredients

Directions 1. Heat oven to 350 F. 2. Grease a loaf pan with canola oil. 3. In a large mixing bowl, mix

•

1/2 cup canola oil, plus more for greasing 3/4 cup unsulphured molasses 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped 2 large eggs

• • • •

together 1/2 cup canola oil, molasses, brown sugar, eggs, ginger, and cranberries. In a separate bowl, sift and combine flour with baking powder, baking soda,

•

cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients until blended. 4. Scrape batter into loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes. 5. Transfer to a rack, let cool for 20 minutes, slice, and serve.

• • • • • •

2 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

SOLUTION ON PAGE 4

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Give Us a Call! (305) 702-8250 • 3

(305) 702-8250 Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. www.yolofskylaw.com One Financial Plaza 100 SE 3rd Avenue, Suite 1000 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33394

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Yolofsky Office PAGE 1 Changing Up Your Business Model PAGE 1 What Great Leaders Have in Common PAGE 2 Building Your Own Gingerbread House PAGE 3 Take a Break! PAGE 3 Cranberry Gingerbread PAGE 3 Yurts: Glamping at Its Finest PAGE 4

TREEBONES RESORT, CALIFORNIA For those new to the glamping scene, this is a great choice for an easy transition. With picturesque views of the Pacific Ocean, the Treebones Resort in Big Sur has an array of spaciously comfortable yurts to choose from. The resort has heated pools, a cozy lodge, and even a sushi bar. About an hour up the coastline, you can find a few shops, restaurants, and art galleries if you decide you’ve gotten your dose of nature for the day. Yurt Sweet Yurt Glamping in Beautiful Locations

SPRUCE HOLE YURT, COLORADO Nestled in the San Juan Mountains about 10 miles north of NewMexico, this yurt is a snow- lover’s paradise. Skiing, snowshoeing, and hiking trails are plentiful in this backcountry location. At the end of a chilly day, come home to comfy beds, cooking supplies, and decor made to feel like you’re camping—but with sturdy walls to keep out the cold. FALLS BROOK YURTS, NEWYORK For the glampers who truly want to get away, hike just under 1 mile into the woods of the Adirondack Mountains to discover rustic yurts beckoning you to cook over a fire or bundle up with a book. At night, the yurt’s domed skylight offers excellent stargazing. For those keen on winter activities, skiing and snowshoeing trails start right outside the front door. In the summer, enjoy hiking, fishing, and swimming.

The allure of the great outdoors calls to many, but pitching a tent and cooking over a fire isn’t for everyone. If that describes you, consider the yurt: a small, permanent structure often outfitted with electricity, plumbing, and other modern amenities. Expertly nestled in remote locations, they provide comforts of home in the midst of nature. Here are just a few around the United States available for rent.

4 • www.yolofskylaw.com

Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.newsletterpro.com