Soto Law Group - April 2021

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Soto’s Chronicles

April 2021

DeDe Soto

Protecting your most valuable asset — your family

FROM THE DESK OF

DeDe Soto

Welcome SPRING!

Happy spring, happy Passover, and happy Easter!

How to Hire Emotionally Intelligent Employees And Why Your EQ Matters, Too!

I hope you are moving along this spring. This year will certainly be a time for celebration as California starts to open up and people ease into the community again. What are some of the first things on your list? I cant wait to travel. Although, it looks like domestic travel is first on the list for now. Make sure and get your estate planning documents in place before you take off to your favorite destination so your family is protected and you have peace of mind.

It’s not news to anyone that you can’t have a successful business without having a great team, and that starts with hiring the right people. Resumes are useful tools in helping hiring managers evaluate a candidate’s education, skill set, and experience, but as you likely know, that’s only part of what makes for a valuable employee. There’s increasing evidence showing that employees with high emotional intelligence (also known as EQ or emotional quotient) are more productive team members who are better at handling conflict and stress and avoiding burnout. This not only makes for a more pleasant work environment, but it’s also good for your bottom line. Maybe you’re like the 71% of hiring managers who said in a recent study with CareerBuilder that they value EQ more than IQ, or the 75% who said they are more likely to promote candidates with high EQs over those with high IQs. But how do you move from valuing EQ to assessing it? When it comes to hiring, how can you get beyond the bullet points of a resume to really understand a candidate’s emotional intelligence? How do you hire for a high EQ? According to the U.S. Department of Labor, “the average cost of a bad hire is up to 30% of the employee’s first-year earnings.” So hiring well pays, and making poor hiring decisions will cost you. You probably already have a great repertoire of interview questions, so Justin Bariso of Inc. Magazine suggests keeping those and looking for five things from prospective employee’s answers .

Stay healthy and safe. Until next time,

Many Blessings,

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1. Are they a know-it-all or a ‘learn-it-all’? Bariso notes that you want to have confidence in an employee’s knowledge, but even more importantly, you need to know they are willing and able to learn. As Bariso succinctly says, “A great team can accomplish much more than a single person, no matter how talented.” 2. Are they growth-oriented? Learn-it-alls and those with high EQs are not only willing to learn, but they also value this as part of their overall growth. 3. Do they think before they speak? Look for candidates who are willing to pause and consider their response. As Bariso says, “Most job candidates try to answer every interview question right away. They're afraid that if they pause before answering, they'll appear unqualified or stupid. But you know what's really stupid? Trying to answer a difficult question without thinking it through.” 4. Are they relationship builders? Those who are will mention how others have helped them in their past achievements and are likely to stand out by writing a thank- you letter after the interview.

about your company, values, and current team members. By asking questions, they are showing you that they are looking for the right fit and have reflected on what that entails. If you aren’t already doing so, follow this final tip from Forbes Magazine: “Use open-ended scenario questions to help identify candidates who already demonstrate the four core competencies of emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, social management.” Hiring right is a great place to start, but don’t write off your existing staff, either! Remember that emotional intelligence can be learned and cultivated, and much of that starts at the top when you model and value emotional intelligence.

5. Do they ask you questions? Interviews should not be a one-way street. Look for candidates who are eager to learn

Until next month, happy hiring!

Finances in 60 Seconds They say money makes the world go round — so, then, why are so many people financially illiterate? According to a study that examined 150,000 people across 140 countries, only 57% of Americans were financially literate as of 2015. Other studies, like those done recently by the National Financial Educators Council, have found that only 16% of Americans ages 18–26 are hopeful about their financial future.

bad advice. Plus, the short length allowed on each video means video creators have to boil down complex market advice into short sound bites. The bottom line is that TikTok personal finance accounts are great introductions to financial literacy, but they cannot replace expert advice and information. If you want to check it out or offer the Gen Z in your life some quick finance tips, check out these well-established influencers. Humphrey Yang — @humphreytalks Yang is verified by TikTok, which means he’s been authenticated as an online public figure, and he’s amassed more than 21.8 million likes. His advice ranges from breaking down the latest trends in the market to highlighting common financial ideas in simple terms. Rahul Rai — @thelaymaninvestor Any investment advice should always be properly vetted, so Rai’s videos feature him performing “duets” with other personal finance accounts to critique or promote their advice. Delyanne Barros — @delyannethemoneycoach Pulling from her personal experience and candidly sharing her best practices, Barros has amassed nearly 173,000 followers and offers insights into how the market works. Barros’ goal is to retire by 45, and followers can watch along as she pursues that dream. HOW TIKTOK IS INFLUENCING PERSONAL FINANCE (AND HOW TO USE IT APPROPRIATELY)

TikTok influencers are hoping to change that.

TikTok was launched in 2016 and slowly grew before booming in 2019 and becoming a household staple in 2020. Personal finance experts, like advisors, teachers, and economists, saw an opportunity amid the dance crazes and lip-syncing. Today, personal finance TikTok creators are becoming increasingly popular on the app and offer quick tips about common financial mistakes, saving for retirement, and understanding weird market trends, like the insanity with GameStop, Reddit, and the stock market in January 2021.

However, there is a caveat to those relying on TikTok for financial advice: Don’t. While the good influencers creating the videos do offer sound advice worth considering, there are plenty of uninformed “experts” that spout

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4 CELEBRITIES WHO WERE STUDENT-ATHLETES From College Sports to Superstardom

April 6 is National Student-Athlete Day! Many students play sports in addition to their studies in high school and college, and many famous people also spent much of their youth playing sports while going to school. Here are four stars who were also college athletes. Singer Garth Brooks From a young age, Brooks loved sports and hoped that his athletic abilities would make him famous. He earned a track scholarship to Oklahoma State University as a javelin thrower and spent most of the 1980s perfecting his technique. In 1999, he played left field for the San Diego Padres, and he continued to play baseball in the early 2000’s, signing with the New York Mets and Kansas Royals. Today, the famous country singer provides children with health and education assistance as well as recreational and sporting opportunities through his foundation, Teammates for Kids. Actress Emma Watson When Watson enrolled at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, she joined the field hockey team. She loved the sport as a child, and as an adult, her passion for field Take a Break!

hockey continues to motivate her. She occasionally travels to elementary schools for a few friendly games in hopes of encouraging young players. Watson has also worked with Hockey Futures, an organization that promotes the sport to British youth. Actor Steve Carell Much like his character Michael Scott in “The Office” once said, Carell too has “been pretty much skating my whole life.” Carell is a fantastic ice skater and has played hockey since he was a child. He was a goalie for Denison University, a Division III school in Granville, Ohio. Today, Carell still plays in a Los Angeles recreational league whenever he has the opportunity.

TV Broadcaster Robin Roberts Roberts began her career in broadcasting as a sports director at Southeastern Louisiana University’s radio station. She also played on the school’s basketball team, the Lady Lions, between 1979 and 1983. During her career on the court, Roberts scored 1,446 points and had 1,034 rebounds, which earned her a place in the

Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and on the NCAA's list of most influential student-athletes.

Spring Vegetable and Chicken Pasta Bake

Inspired by TheSeasonedMom.com

Ingredients • 1 cup cooked chicken, diced • 1 14-oz can artichokes, drained and quartered • 1 cup fresh asparagus pieces • 1/2 cup carrots, grated • 1 1/2 cups uncooked penne pasta • 1 3/4 cups chicken broth • 1/2 cup fresh chives, chopped and divided • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped and divided • 2 tsp minced garlic • 1/4 tsp salt • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Directions 1. Preheat oven to 425 F and grease an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. 2. In the prepared dish, stir together cooked chicken, artichokes, asparagus, carrots, uncooked pasta, chicken broth, half the chives, half the parsley, garlic, salt, and 2 tbsp Parmesan. 3. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes. 4. Uncover and stir. At this point, check the pasta to make sure it is al dente. If it’s undercooked, cover the dish and return to the oven until pasta is tender. 5. Remove from oven and garnish with remaining Parmesan, chives, and parsley.

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of DeDe PAGE 1 How to Hire Emotionally Intelligent Employees PAGE 1 Young Viewers Are Learning Financial Literacy With TikTok PAGE 2 4 Celebrities Who Were Student-Athletes PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Spring Vegetable and Chicken Pasta Bake PAGE 3 How to Craft the Perfect Follow-Up Email PAGE 4

Craft the Perfect Follow-Up Email

The (Not So) Secret Recipe

can leave potential leads annoyed and unwilling to look into your business. According to several studies, the ideal number of follow- up emails is no less than three, but no more than seven. Time your follow-ups right. You don’t want to space your emails so far apart that leads forget about you, but you also don’t want to spam their email box so often that they get annoyed. A good rule of thumb is to wait at least 48 hours before sending a follow-up email after the initial email. After that, wait 2–4 days before sending another. Craft appealing content. This point is worth its own article, but briefly put, your follow-up email content is incredibly important. Create a subject line that will grab readers’ attention. Then, be polite, direct, friendly, and personable in each email. As you send out more follow-ups, become more specific about the deal you’re offering and make it more enticing. Above all, you should constantly tweak your follow-up content and overall strategy as you gain new information. As you continue to create follow-up emails, you’ll learn what works best.

When it comes to securing leads, the follow-up email is hard to beat. One study found that a 12% response rate from two emails increases to 15%–16% with a third email. If you play your cards right, the success of your email marketing could, in large part, depend on your follow-up emails. So, how do you create ones that maximize positive responses from leads? Know your goals. You should have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish with your email campaign. Which metrics are most important to you? The number of times recipients open your follow-up email? That they click a link in the text? That they reply? Maybe tracking total conversions resulting from follow-up emails is important to you. Whatever the case, knowing your goals is a good first step. Find the ideal number of follow-ups. Obviously, not following up at all is a recipe for abandoning several potential leads. However, sending too many follow-ups