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May 2025
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Lessons From Lifetimes A Salute to Older Americans
When times get tough, look to the past for guidance.
Life is a series of lessons that shape how we view and experience the world, so it makes sense that older people know more than we do. May is Older Americans Month, a time to honor and celebrate those who have experienced things we haven’t. One way we can show our appreciation for older folks is to listen to their stories and appreciate the value of their words. In my opinion, older Americans typically aren’t shown the care and respect they deserve. Giving them our time helps them feel heard and understood — and may even provide insights into how we can make our own lives better. My grandmother, whom we lost when I was still in grade school, remains one of my biggest inspirations. Despite having gone through many tough times, she was a strong lady. After divorcing her first husband, she remarried, moved to Washington, and had four children — my mother being the youngest. Sadly, my grandfather passed away when the children were still young, so my grandmother had to drive back to North Dakota with four kids — including my 1-year-old mother — in the car. Through it all, she never gave up. She was quiet, but knew what she was doing and set her mind on succeeding in life. You knew she was always thinking, even when she didn’t say much. When she got cancer later in life, she moved in with us during her treatments, eventually passing away in her mid-70s. I’ll never forget our conversations and the perspectives she shared with me, and I’ll always miss her dearly. Fast-forward to today, I serve as my 86-year-old mother’s makeshift caregiver whenever circumstances demand. The role can be tricky at times, as she usually needs to be driven to a city 100 miles away whenever she needs to go to the doctor. I take time away from work to do this for her, as my brother — who also does all he can — lives far away in Billings, Montana. My guess is that Mom will come to live
with my wife and me at some point … and then I’ll again be the one to sit at home and listen to amazing stories from an extraordinary older woman. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my experiences with my mother and grandmother, it’s to listen more often and deeply. The memories we share with others are our best shots for achieving immortality in some way, and the things we’ve seen, learned from, and loved throughout our lives should never be forgotten over time. This thought is important for members of my generation to remember as we begin to hit the older section of life ourselves. I wish my senior clients — or anyone reading this who has the gift of still having one or more of their parents in their lives — a very happy Older Americans Month! If you’re older than me, know that the stories and advice you share genuinely
matter to this world, and we appreciate you and your history. If you’re my age, I wish you well in becoming the same source of support, guidance, and inspiration we had when we were younger.
–Craig Hanson
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Turning Tension Into Trust
SMART STRATEGIES FOR HANDLING TOUGH CUSTOMERS
According to the Society for Human Resource Management, more than 70% of workers experienced or witnessed acts of incivility daily during a three-month period in 2024, potentially damaging productivity and morale. Customers and clients who display challenging, disruptive behavior are clearly an increasing problem. Many business owners just chalk it up to the costs of striving for growth and success, but more than a few wonder if some customers create more problems than they’re worth. Is it ever okay to “fire” a customer? The decision requires business owners to weigh the costs of serving that customer against the toll on productivity. Here is a deeper look at the tradeoffs involved. Seize the Opportunity Challenging customers can serve as an incentive to learn and train employees in new interpersonal skills. The first step is to listen carefully and discern the customer’s motives. Some people complain because they want you to recognize their wants and needs as important. Some behave aggressively to cover up their anxiety or irritation with life in general. Others claim to know more than you based on a need to control others or show off. It’s equally important to realize problems that have nothing to do with your company may have triggered the customer’s difficult behavior. For example, someone having trouble paying expenses might blow up over a small billing problem. Business owners should consider the possibility that the
avoiding distractions, and signaling your understanding by verbally confirming you hear their concerns. Dispel the Tension Show empathy by acknowledging the customer’s anger or frustration. And never, ever descend to the customer’s level by abandoning your professionalism, politeness, or respect. Repeat a description of the customer’s complaint to show that you understand. You might say, “If I understand you correctly, you’re upset because the product you received arrived too late for you to use.” This shows the customer you’re paying attention and also validates their emotions. Even if your business is not to blame, it can be helpful to apologize for the distress they are experiencing, such as, “I’m sorry this has caused you so much frustration.” Then, engage with the customer to find a solution. Ideally, present more than one option for them to choose from. Then, follow up later to ask whether the solution was helpful. How you handle the problem demonstrates to the customer that you are committed to excellent service, which will, ideally, lead to a trusting relationship. Let Go If a customer’s behavior crosses a line into abuse, it may be necessary to end the relationship. Threatening language, aggressive behavior, or insults are unacceptable. Keep notes on such behavior, and
set limits by saying, “I would like to help solve this problem, but I cannot help if we aren’t able to have a polite conversation.” If you decide to terminate the relationship, do so politely. Express your regrets honestly, and explain that another provider would likely better serve their needs. However, this step should only be a last resort. Given the power of online reviews and social media, finding a resolution is nearly always worthwhile.
customer is having difficulty understanding instructions or having a bad day. Figuring out the underlying issue can help you respond most effectively, even empathically. To understand the customer’s problem, allow them to voice their complaints completely without interrupting. Practice active listening by making eye contact,
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The platform uses the same AI-powered applicant- screening technology used by life insurance companies to assess surrogate candidates, including social media analysis, public records, and financial data. Nodal claims the efficiency of that process allows the company to increase the supply of surrogates.
Much of the media and film dealing with surrogacy focuses on traditional partnerships, in which the mother’s egg plays a role in fertilization. Nodal arranges gestational surrogacy relationships, which use eggs from other sources. The pregnancy is created from the intended parents’ sperm and egg or a donor embryo and implanted in the surrogate via in vitro fertilization. Once the baby is born, parental rights are assigned to the intended parents. These arrangements are legal in 48 of the 50 states. Nodal launched 2 1/2 years ago and claims to have matched 108 parents with surrogates. The company has raised $8.7 million in venture
Prospective parents pay Nodal $500 monthly to create and post a profile and $15,000 to complete a match. The company also can provide a case manager for an additional $10,000. As expensive as that is, it is a bargain compared with the $100,000– $200,000 prospective parents usually spend through traditional intermediary companies. The average waiting time is 45 days, compared with the 9–18 months required to make matches using traditional methods. Levine also partners with fertility benefit companies, including Carrot, Maven, and Progyny, to arrange fertility care at reduced costs.
funding and is expanding its partnerships with fertility clinics to increase referrals. “We have saved our intended parents over $5 million in fees,” Levine told TechCrunch in a recent article. “You can have a baby on the Nodal platform before you get off the waitlist at a Nodal competitor.”
HAVE A Laugh MONSTERS LOST TO TIME Weird, Wild, and Once Feared
History is full of strange creatures. Some may not haunt our imaginations today, but their stories provide a fascinating glimpse into the fears of the past. Bycorne The Bycorne was a cow-like beast with a human face that thrived on “patient husbands” for food. His spouse, Chichevache, ate patient wives but was always lean. The Bycorne’s legacy reflects how folklore blended humor and fear with cultural commentary. Lamia In Greek mythology, Lamia was a beautiful queen who became a child-devouring monster. Her name later became synonymous with witches and female demons.
Snallygaster A reptilian-winged beast, the Snallygaster emerged in early 20th-century American folklore, inspiring public hysteria before fading into obscurity. However, its name survives in “snollygoster,” a term for an unprincipled person. Though these monsters vanished from everyday discussions, their stories remind us that legends and the words used to describe them are constantly evolving.
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905 James Ave. NE • Jamestown, ND 58401 (701) 252-6190 • CraigHansonCPA.com Inside This EDITION
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1.
The Power of Past Perspectives
2.
Savvy Ways to Handle Difficult Customers
3.
The Monsters History Tried to Forget
4.
New Tech Platform Links Surrogates With Wannabe Parents
CONNECTING HOPEFUL PARENTS WITH SURROGATES SWIPE RIGHT FOR PARENTHOOD
To couples who want a baby but are unable to carry a pregnancy, finding a surrogate can be a heart-wrenching journey that costs up to $200,000 and takes months or even years to complete — with no guarantee of success. To Dr. Brian Levine, a New York infertility specialist, that dilemma reflects a supply-and-demand problem he is
working to resolve with technology. Levine is the founder and CEO of Nodal, an online surrogate-matching marketplace that screens and connects surrogate mothers with intended parents. After more than a decade spent working with couples struggling to have a child, he claims the idea for the company sprang from seeing the frustrating hurdles faced by couples and gestational surrogates alike. Dr. Levine’s business model borrows technology from other fields to provide surrogate mothers and prospective parents more transparency and control over the matching process. Nodal can also cut tens of thousands of dollars in costs for intended parents by eliminating the surrogacy agencies that serve as go-betweens. The Nodal platform resembles the dating app Bumble, enabling the surrogate to make the first move toward finding a match with a set of parent applicants. Nodal claims this gives surrogates greater control over the process than agencies offer and produces better matches.
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