August 2020
THIS TOO SHALL PASS
Dave, suited up for Post Falls High School in his #75 uniform Carson, suited up in his #76 uniform for Bishop Kelly High School
We are often told to study history so that we might not repeat it. As I look at the picture of my son Carson (#76) and me (#75) in this month’s cover photo, I have to conclude that history can’t be all bad. I’m not sure if we will even be “suiting up” for football this month or, for that matter, in the fall. However, we have to trust that history also reminds us that this too shall pass, or at least improve. I love looking at old photos. like the one of Carson and myself, and thinking about what was, what could have been, and what might happen again. COVID-19, civil unrest, and whatever else you might be dealing with makes 2020 a year you may like to forget or, depending on your perspective, one to remember for a long time to come. I believe the Great Depression made my grandparents strong as visionaries and as survivors. For my parents, living in the midst of the Vietnam War and the recession of the 1980s built incredible strength in them. At the time it occurred, I had no idea how 9/11 and the economic collapse of 2008 could affect my own family and the world at large, but I know that we, too, are stronger because of those events.
Today feels nothing like anything most of us have ever experienced. Social distancing, masks, and quarantine are concepts that are now part of the fabric of our daily lives. I’m not telling you this is enjoyable. However, I am telling you that it is an opportunity. Here is your chance to redefine what you want your life to look like. Focus on what you can control and limit the amount of television and social media you take in each day. Protect your mind and maintain your focus.
A quote I read this month says, “If you have not learned a new skill during this pandemic it’s not a case of having enough time, it’s a lack of focus .”
This month I am going to focus on a couple high school football players. Yes, we might not have football this August or even this fall. But, in my mind’s eye, #76 and #75 are stronger because of what we did have, not because of what we are missing out on right now. During this difficult time, don’t get so focused on tuning your instrument that you forget to play your music. And remember to enjoy the pictures.
-Dave Tester
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FINDING THE TRUTH IN THE PAST HOW HISTORY CAN HELP YOU ANALYZE COVID-19 DATA AND PLAN FOR A BETTER 2021
This spring, scientists and local governments asked citizens to “flatten the curve” by staying home and limiting the spread of COVID-19. While the economic shutdown had many businesses scrambling to make up for lost profits, it could also provide more pivotal information for making wiser data-driven decisions, according to Columbia School of Business professor Oded Netzer. The pandemic skewed data that many business leaders rely on to make decisions about future marketing practices. How can you make valuable marketing moves when your data is undercut by a crisis and marred by unprecedented closures and business decisions? For Netzer, the answer lies in the past. In an article published by Columbia Business School, Netzer explains using data, which cannot provide the full story of the circumstances to make a marketing plan, requires human foresight and conceptualization. It’s our job to pick up on the patterns data from the past has given us. He explains, “Humans are good at pattern recognition; computers are good at data processing. At times like these, when data are limited, we need to combine both.”
Netzer recommends analyzing the market crash of 2008, previous fallouts from past pandemics — such as MERS or even the Spanish flu more than 100 years ago — and changes or data pulled from countries further along in the COVID-19 fight. Because of the limited information experts have on COVID-19 and the lasting implications of the pandemic, Netzer believes those who look to the past to conceptualize current data will have the best idea of how to move forward. With this thinking in mind, Netzer recommends businesses run simulations and test marketing strategies now before fully deploying them in 2021. This can provide real-time data and identify pain points. In addition, Netzer advises businesses to establish multiple variations of their marketing plans so businesses can easily adapt as the times do. Now is the time to examine your skewed data, compare it to the past, test your 2021 marketing strategies, and create simple, effective hypothetical scenarios so you can be better prepared for marketing your business in the new year. This year’s data may be incomplete, but it can still be a powerful tool in building your future.
TESTER-
MONIAL
Are you ready to better yourself and your business? Have Dave secret-shop your front desk today! Call 208-707-9807 or visit GoDaveTester.com for more details.
“Hey Dave, I wanted you to know that I stole a page from you on this last email I sent out to my advisors. This is a testament that your training has value. I took a risk sending this out … one thing I do know is that the folks who talk to me are great Southern folks who enjoy family and are not afraid to speak truth. Well, in this email, I dipped my toe into that. I ended it with, ‘What is your why?’”
Taylor Mungia Senior Internal Marketing Specialist Benefit Bank Distributors, Cedar Park, TX
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MANAGE CASH FLOW WITH ‘PROFIT FIRST’ MIKE MICHALOWICZ SHARES WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Running the day-to-day operations of a business while also managing the money can be difficult to juggle for many small-business owners. Even if they have systems and processes in place, these methods don’t always work as well as they should and can easily become difficult to navigate. When you hit this kind of wall, it can be hard to keep your focus on growing a profitable business. Enter Mike Michalowicz and his book “Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine.” The book was published in 2014 but was updated in 2017. It’s been a huge hit, garnering rave reviews from the business world due to its simple yet innovative profit-first formula. The book has been so successful because Michalowicz has faced these types of challenges before, and he used these experiences to develop principles that make life (and business) that much easier for small-business owners. You’ll get the scoop on Michalowicz’s profit-centered approach and how his innovative system flips traditional accounting on its head, making money management more streamlined. If you find yourself struggling to manage the financial side of your business, then he has you covered. His tips are especially useful for businesses that have cash flow that varies from month
to month or that have a peak season. Michalowicz’s insight is even more valuable in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, as business owners and entrepreneurs everywhere look to get back on track in the second half of 2020, boost their businesses, and recover lost profits. If you’re a seasoned business owner and are already money-minded and exceptionally organized, this book will likely serve as a quick refresher, but if you’re a startup business owner and want to improve your accounting systems and catapult your profits, then “Profit First” is just what you need.
Mediterranean Tuna Salad GG Gretchen’s Kitchen (My mom’s secret recipes)
Take a
BREAK
Ingredients
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3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and diced
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1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
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1 6-oz can tuna, drained
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2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
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2 tbsp red onion, finely chopped 1/4 cup pitted kalamata or black olives, sliced
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1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
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Freshly ground pepper, to taste
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4 cups mixed greens
Directions 1. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, tuna, onion, olives, and feta cheese. Set aside. 2. In a small bowl, combine olive oil and vinegar; whisk until well blended and add to the tuna mixture. 3. Season with pepper to taste and divide into four servings. Serve over mixed greens.
Corner Post MINISTRY
If you would like to listen to Dave’s spiritual podcast, visit CornerPostMinistry.com.
“Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
Matthew 25:40
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This Too Shall Pass
How History Can Help You Understand COVID-19 Data
Tester-monial
What Small-Business Owners Can Learn From ‘Profit First’ The Story of Zen Buddhist Chef Jeong Kwan
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
The Incredible Story of Zen Buddhist Chef Jeong Kwan
One of the world’s greatest chefs can’t be found in a restaurant. Instead, she serves fellow nuns and occasional visitors in a Zen Buddhist monastery in Korea. To fully describe the incredible success of Jeong Kwan, you must first consider a factor that Western cuisine has ignored for millennia. While most people would assume Korean food is all about its famed barbecue, another pillar of the culture goes largely unacknowledged: Korean temple cuisine, which originated in the country’s Buddhist monasteries. A philosophy of Zen Buddhism is to not crave food and satisfy yourself only enough to be prepared for meditation, so you might think that flavor would be of little consequence in a monastery’s kitchen. However, you’d be wrong. The West’s perception of Korean temple cuisine was challenged shortly after Eric Ripert visited Kwan’s monastery and experienced her cooking during a trip to Korea. Ripert invited Kwan to New York City to prepare food in a private room at Le Bernardin, where she sent global shockwaves through the entire fine cuisine community. New York Times writer Jeff Gordinier described her plates as “so elegant, they could’ve slipped into a tasting menu at Benu or Blanca” and her flavors as “assertive,” all while being vegan. More and more critics realized that Kwan’s combination of foraging, fermenting,
dehydrating, and cooking by season was not a modern practice. In fact, Zen Buddhist monks like Kwan mastered cooking in this tradition hundreds of years ago. “With food, we can share and communicate our emotions. It’s that mindset of sharing that is really what you’re eating,” Kwan says at the start of her titular episode of Netflix’s documentary series “Chef’s Table.” She continues, “There is no difference between cooking and pursuing Buddha’s way.” Whether for enlightenment or simply connecting with friends and family, sharing home-cooked meals can be an emotionally restorative experience as much as it is nourishing. This month, indulge in something special and homemade or try your hand at Korean temple cuisine by Googling some of Jeong Kwan’s recipes.
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