Concierge CPAs July 2019
July 2019
8221 Brecksville Rd., STE. 205 Brecksville, OH 44141
Borbala@ConciergeCPAs.com
(440) 340-1030
ConciergeCPAs.com
7 Ways Travel Can Change You for the Better
“One’s destination is never the place, but a newway of seeing things.”
our eyes need a break from staring at a screen 18 hours a day. As much as we love our jobs, we need to get away sometimes! 2. It gives you a new perspective. Travel teaches us a lot about ourselves and who we are. I love seeing how our family dynamic changes after being together 24/7 for a few weeks and howwe grow closer and learn a lot about each other! There are things we just can’t learn from a book. Travel can bring out a different side of us, and it helps us become more rounded. 3. You’ll become more adaptable and flexible. Things seldom
I saw this quote by Henry Miller at JFK International Airport while waiting to board our flight to Budapest, Hungary, on June 4. It echoed my wish for my four kids, my husband, andme that we would, at least in a small way, see the world—and ourselves in it —differently after this month-long trip to three different European countries. Yes, I believe that traveling is one of the most powerful and transformative experiences in life, and the earlier you do it, the better. Here are a fewways I believe travel changes you for the better. 1. It recharges you. Let’s be honest: Our brains need a break from the constant work, our bodies need a break from sitting at a desk, and
The island of Capri and the Mediterranean Sea
go exactly how we expect them to while we’re traveling. Flights get delayed, the rental car that we reserved months ago is not available, the kid loses his new reading glasses, or there is a mosquito invasion. But through all these ups and downs, we learn how to handle whatever situation is thrown at us. We learn to adapt and find a new solution, and we might even laugh about it at the end of the day ... or maybe next year. 4. You’ll break out of your comfort zone. By removing ourselves from the comforts of our American life and all the things we are familiar with— like the language, the weather, the food, and even the people —we start to see the world and ourselves in a newway. Things that used to seem scary or uncomfortable won’t seem so scary anymore.
In front of the Colosseum in Rome, Italy
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1 (440) 340-1030
BORBALA’S SCHEDULE
Client Advising and Coaching Days July 10, 17, 24, and 31
FACEBOOK LIVE SESSIONS OnMondays this month, starting at 3 p.m. The dates are July 15, 22, and 29.
Search for us at @ConciergeCPAs.
To schedule a time, go to Borbala.AcuityScheduling.com Prospective client inquiries: Borbala@ConciergeCPAs.com
Client of the Month
Liz Hersh from Hersh PR and Marketing
Q: How long have you been in business, and what prompted you to go out on your own?
It’s always exciting when we help a client reach that level. It means we’ve done our job!
A: I had one “real” job after college! But I quickly went out on my own because I knew I could create and execute a better approach to attracting clients and customers. That was 10 years ago. A lot has changed in my industry, and it can be challenging to keep up with everything. Thankfully, I have a small team, and together, we keep tabs on the latest trends. Q: What advantages do businesses that outsource their marketing have over the ones who try to figure it out in-house? A: When you’re building momentum and starting to scale your marketing efforts, you’ll need outside help in the form of a consultant or agency. They will know things that you likely don’t know: what tools are best, what
There will be opportunities for us to partner with that client again because the umbrella of marketing is big. Unless you are a multimillion-dollar corporation with a 50-person marketing department, you don’t have all the expertise you need in-house. Over time, you’ll understand what you excel at internally and where you still need help. For example, you might do the bulk of the marketing in-house but outsource the media buying or the blogging. A: We are seeing a new trend called no-click searches, meaning consumers search for something on Google but don’t click on any results. They scan the search results page and quickly find the answer they are looking for. As a result, Google doesn’t generate advertising revenue and websites that rank organically don’t generate clicks. It’s too soon to tell what changes Google might make, and the data still shows that SEO is alive and well. But this is a big change in consumer behavior that we’ll keep an eye on. Q: What are some lessons about running a business you learned that you can share with a reader who may be in that start-up phase right now? A: Learn to embrace failure! I know that’s easier said than done. Very early on in my business, I was so concerned with being perfect. There was no way I’d be able to grow the business if I kept that mindset. I’ve learned that it’s better to publish a landing page or a blog article and start collecting feedback … even if the messaging or the graphics aren’t perfect! You can learn and adjust as you go. Q: What are the current trends in digital marketing?
strategies work, and how to put good systems in place specifically for marketing and lead generation. Trying to build your marketing department in- house with no experience can take years, so working with external help can help shorten that process. Once you get a little larger, you can bring some of that expertise in-house.
Thanks, Liz!We wish you the best in continuing all your hardwork!
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5. It makes you more independent. We enrolled the two older kids (ages 10 and 8) in a week-long sleep-away sports camp in Hungary, and they do not speak the language. Not only did they have to work through the language barrier, but they also had to take care of themselves, like putting on clean clothes every day and eating unfamiliar food. Each was a small step toward building stronger independence. 6. You learn to value experiences over things. When we stood in front of Rome’s towering Colosseum or drove through the amazing Amalfi Coast in Italy, we were reminded that life is about the things that we do, the experiences we share, and the memories we make rather than the things we can buy.
7. You’ll gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of other cultures, people, and ideas. When we’re surrounded by people who have different values, traditions, and ways of thinking than we do, we realize that there is so much more to the world than just the small part we come from. We’ll start to see things from a different perspective and be able to understand different ways of living. Do yourself a favor: Take advantage of the opportunities you have to travel! You’ll never regret taking an adventure!
–Borbala Banto, CPA
View from the Fisherman’s Bastion to the Danube River and the Hungarian Parliament in Budapest
INGREDIENTS • Watermelon Cucumber Skewers Skewers are a Fourth of July favorite, but these are not your classic kebabs. They’re a fresh, light, and fun way to start a barbecue. Oh, and they don’t require any actual cooking. 1 medium-sized watermelon, cubed • 2 cucumbers, cut into 1/4- inch rounds 1 block feta cheese, cubed • • •
1 bunch fresh mint leaves
Salt, to taste
Equipment •
1 packet of bamboo skewers
DIRECTIONS 1. Assemble skewers by placing one watermelon cube, one cucumber round, one feta cube, and one mint leaf on skewer in that order. Repeat until skewer is full. 2. Lightly season with salt and chill in fridge until right before serving.
Inspired by CookingLight.com
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INSIDE How Travel Changes You Page 1 Borbala’s Schedule Page 2
Client of the Month: Liz Hersh Page 2 Watermelon Cucumber Skewers Page 3 ConciergeCPAs.com Borbala@ConciergeCPAs.com
8221 Brecksville Rd., STE. 205 Brecksville, OH 44141 (440) 340-1030
La Dolce Vita
P icture yourself at an osmiza , or “eight-day tavern,” overlooking the Adriatic Sea on Italy’s Carso coast, near the Slovenian border. A guitarist serenades you and your companions with local folk tunes. Your server treats you to heaping platters of house-made meats and cheeses. There’s plenty of local vino , of course, along with bottles of crisp prosecco. Off in the distance, you catch glimpses of a seaside castle. Now, think about everyone who made this experience possible: There’s the farmer raising the pigs for your prosciutto, the farmer with the cows giving milk for your cheese, and there’s the viticulturist growing grapes for your wine. Finally, there’s the tax law that lets the tavern operate in the first place!
sign letting customers know they were taking advantage of the law. Since then, the region’s governments have seen more than their fair share of despots, dictators, and strongmen — the kind of thugs you’d expect to crush the osmize just because they could. But the scrappy little taverns just keep on keeping on. Even now, most open just a few weeks each year, and they still display the centuries-old red branch. The whole osmiza culture fits beautifully in the “farm-to-table” movement that dominates dining out these days. Imagine impressing your Instagram friends with dishes of savory stewed pork shoulder or white Vitovska wine lovingly served from a rustic pitcher.
So, would serving up the usual range of income, sales, and VAT taxes spell the end of the osmize? Of course not. The hordes of tourists who’ve already eaten and drunk their way through the Cinque Terre and Amalfi coasts are dying for new seaside cliffs and castles to explore. The local farmers would just stir in the extra costs for customers to pay. It’s fascinating, though, to see how a centuries-old tax policy still gives visitors even more reason to fall in love with Carso. The point here is that taxes affect every financial choice you make — even where you eat on vacation. That’s why we’re here to help you pay less!
Last month, the Wall Street Journal published a piece on osmiza culture in the Carso region. And while they focused on the food, the wine, the conviviality, and the sheer dolce vita that so many of us would jump to enjoy, a single throwaway sentence caught our attention. “As long as the osmize sell only products made onsite — sharp Istrian cheese, say, or chocolatey Teran wine — these cash- only businesses can operate tax-free.” How exactly did such a loophole come to let locals offer their bounty? Back in the late 1700s, the Dowager Empress Maria Theresa had hit the region’s peasants with harsh taxes. The peasants naturally rioted, so the empress threw them a little bone. From that point on, they could open eight days out of the year to sell their surplus wine, meat, cheese, and produce without paying the usual tax. Her only condition was this: They must display a “red branch”
–Liao (Amy) Xiong Staff Accountant, Concierge CPAs, Inc
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