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September 2024
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THE TRUE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING Why I Look on the Bright Side
We’ve all met someone who zaps all the energy out of something. You know who I’m talking about. These are the people who can’t fathom a silver lining or whose comments veer toward the bad parts of a situation rather than the good. Heck, I’d wager to say sometimes we all can be that person, but we all have to admit it’s a draining way to live. Sept. 13 is Positive Thinking Day, and given the world’s recent events, I can think of no better mindset for us all to embody. Personally, I try to make a habit out of positivity. When something bad happens, or a situation doesn’t go as I had hoped, I try to look for the good. Most of the time, something can make a bad situation seem less horrible. Even better, sometimes, positive thinking can completely reframe how I see an event. Sure, things may not have gone as planned, but maybe I learned something new, or something even better took shape. Regardless, that’s a better memory to hold onto than a bitter one. Of course, this isn’t a perfect system. We all have bad moments and events in life, and it’s completely natural to feel overwhelmed or upset. However, positivity can still be a tool. Instead of fixating on the negative parts of what happened, look ahead. Take it one day at a time and focus on what you can do. In time, you will find your way through whatever painful or difficult moment you are experiencing, and you will come through it with a stronger mindset. You may even find that a positive outlook saves you time and energy. Think about what you could devote your thinking to if you didn’t fixate on negativity. Think about the progress
you could make if you saw bad situations as opportunities for growth or changes. A simple shift can completely change the outcome of what happened. Moreover, positive thinking may actually be good for you! According to a report from Johns Hopkins, people with a family history of heart disease who generally had a more
positive outlook on life were one-third less likely to have a heart attack within 5–25 years when compared to their peers who also had a family history of heart disease but tended to think
negatively. Generally speaking, positive people tend to have a 13% lower risk
of having a heart attack. While the direct link between heart disease and positive thinking isn’t fully known, many medical professionals believe this link is connected to stress. Those who tend to be more pessimistic take on greater amounts of stress, while the opposite is true for those with a more positive outlook.
Simply put, positivity could save your life! How’s that for good news? The bottom line is that positive thinking is a powerful way to impact your life significantly. I suggest starting small. When you feel overwhelmed, frustrated, or sad, try to think of something positive to say or think in that moment. Make this a habit, and soon, you will notice positivity seeping into other parts of your life.
Just try it. What have you got to lose?
–Craig Hanson
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Revolutionizing Adulthood The Realworld App Can Be Your Ultimate Companion
Technology has come a long way in recent decades. The software and smart devices kids have access to now are light-years ahead of what many of us had growing up. Nowadays, if you have a pressing question, you can ask Siri or Alexa, or look it up yourself on any number of connected devices. But even with modern conveniences, we still missed out on many practical lessons while growing up, whether we have a college education or not. That is where the Realworld app, created by Genevieve Bellaire, comes in handy: It’s the tool we wish we had growing up because it answers many questions young adults have. Genevieve’s Reprieve Even after earning her bachelor’s degree from Princeton and her MBA and law degree from Georgetown, Bellaire entered adulthood with glaring gaps in her knowledge. Despite her impressive education, Bellaire experienced challenges managing her finances, health care, and living arrangements. Although well-studied, she was not well- prepared for life — and she wasn’t alone. When she talked to friends about these difficulties, they could all relate. Everyone felt they did not know enough about filing taxes,
managing a 401(k), building credit, how insurance works, or many other critical facets of adult life. Bellaire saw a gap in the market for people like her, which inspired her to create Realworld, an app aimed at simplifying adulthood.
Designing Demonstrations Realworld provides resources that make it easier to
understand major “adulting” topics not covered in formal education — things like balancing a budget, filling out employment paperwork, setting up a credit card, etc. When setting out to create the app, Genevieve interviewed more than 1,000 people — from recent college graduates to business owners — to understand the problem areas and then identify and create “playbooks” for dealing with them. Playbooks contain step-by-step lessons that guide users through the topics and their myriad intricacies. The app now has nearly 100 instructional playbooks to prepare its users for many tasks. The app can help provide a refresher or identify other facets of adult life you may want or need to know about. Community of Peers Since Realworld is a platform meant for the next generation, it is focused on building a community. After all, learning is easiest when you have other people to bounce ideas off of. The users, along with the team of researchers, writers, designers, and educators working on the app, all benefit from its lessons. During COVID-19, Bellaire changed its pricing model and made the app free. Since then, the app has grown exponentially, amassing over 1.7 million users as of 2023. More people than ever have access to the resources they need to face adulthood head-on. The Realworld: Simplify Adulthood app is available now for free on Apple’s App Store. Bellaire told Forbes magazine that the app’s objective is to empower young adults, especially recent graduates and minorities, with its resources. “This is the reason we made the decision to make the platform free. We want to be part of leveling the playing field for everyone and provide our members the opportunity to set themselves up for success,” she said.
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of paying thousands of dollars per post, you’re probably only going to spend a few hundred dollars at most, which helps keep your social media strategy within budget. Why should your business hire a micro-influencer? You might think that an account with a few thousand followers isn’t worth your time and money, but building a platform is incredibly challenging. You’ve probably already experienced this with your personal or business social media accounts. These individuals have already amassed a following, and now, you can take advantage of their hard work. Additionally, most micro-influencers have a targeted audience that aligns with their views and words. If their
what you want to gain from this social media campaign. Search keywords and use filters to find the perfect account for your business. From there, you need to search for influencers who fit your brand and then inform them of your campaign goals so they can create the proper content. Once you’ve found the perfect influencer, determine which platform is best for your campaign. Each platform provides unique advantages. The influencer may be able to guide you through which option is best depending on your goal and content idea. Remember that you’ll likely have to give content direction to the influencer to ensure you get the content that fits your brand’s
targeted audience shares the same circle as your potential customer base, you have a recipe for boosted sales and growth. How to find the right micro-influencer for your business. Finding the right influencer to represent your brand will take some effort. If you hire someone whose audience doesn’t relate to your business, you’ll be wasting time and money. Start by determining
image and accomplishes your goals. This includes promo codes, product samples, or information about your business. Influencers can be a powerful tool for driving business and growing your brand. Consider using a micro- influencer if you’re struggling to find new clients through social media. It might be the best thing you can do for your business this year!
HAVE A Laugh
Many past careers weren’t glamorous, and some are the worst professions in history. Let’s look at four foul jobs that no longer exist (and we couldn’t be more thrilled about it). Purple Dye Makers Back in ancient times, the hue of the royals was made by crushing thousands of snails, extracting their glands, and then heating the material being dyed in a pot full of brine for 10 days in an incredibly odorous process! Dripping Men A dripping man back in Victorian England would go to homes and businesses to collect their fat drippings to sell to the public. Childbed Linen Warehouse Keepers According to an 1842 book of trades, a job involved supplying, collecting, and cleaning bed linens specifically used for birth. Honey Dippers, Toshers, and Purefinders Honey dippers collected waste from homes, toshers scavenged sewers for valuable items to sell, and purefinders collected dog poop (to be used in the process of tanning leathers). An interesting question to ponder: Which jobs of our era will be considered weird history in the future? UNMASKING SOME OF HISTORY’S WORST JOBS Careers You’ll Be Glad Are Extinct
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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
905 James Ave. NE • Jamestown, ND 58401 (701) 252-6190 • CraigHansonCPA.com Inside This Edition
Have tax problems? Unsure what to do? Our Free video reveals what you should and should NOT do when you receive the dreaded letter from the IRS. CraigHansonCPATaxResolution.com
1.
Why There’s Power in Positivity
2.
The App Every Adult Needs
3. Bizarre Jobs That Time Forgot 4. A Guide to Micro-Influencer Marketing
SMALL FOLLOWING, BIG IMPACT How Micro-Influencers Can Drive Business Growth
Social media has changed the way businesses market themselves and their products. Instead of relying on word- of-mouth or spending exorbitant sums of money on television, radio, or print advertising, businesses can now create social media pages, giving customers a direct line to everything going on with the company. Many businesses focus on amassing more followers on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. However, having an account isn’t enough to bring more attention to your business. You must utilize a carefully crafted social media plan to maximize your presence and potential. With the rise of social media came influencers, people with large social media followings who used their platform to drive attention to ideas, businesses, and products. Influencers aren’t anything new; companies have used celebrities to advertise
their products and services since the 1800s. These days, hiring a well-known celebrity to showcase your product or service costs an astronomical amount, likely more than the average business owner can pay. That’s where social media influencers come into play. Social media influencers are everywhere; you can’t scroll through Instagram for more than 10 minutes without one of their sponsored posts showing up in your feed. Some of these influencers have hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of followers, but you don’t need to hire the most prominent influencer to connect with potential customers and promote your brand. Realistically, you only need to find the right micro- influencer to get the most out of your social media marketing efforts. You’re probably wondering, “What is a micro-influencer?” They’re lesser-
known influencers with followers between 10,000 and 100,000 across various platforms. While they might have a smaller audience pool, micro- influencers often have a much more engaged following, with many followers commenting, sharing, and reacting to their posts regularly. Businesses wanting to hire micro- influencers for their marketing efforts will be pleased to learn that they charge significantly less than a well- known influencer or celebrity. Instead
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