Take a look at the latest edition of The Roz Report!
The Roz Report
MAR/APR 2023
AUTHORIZED MEMBER 2023
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Level Up Your Tax Resolution Business BY STEPPING OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE
Exactly three years ago, Roslyn, the Roz Strategies team, and I were busy preparing for our three-day August in- person Tax Resolution Success Summit in New Orleans. We’d booked the hotel, sold 180 tickets, and spent thousands of dollars on marketing and preparation. Then 2020 COVID-19 hit, and everything went crazy. Roslyn, who is in charge of planning all our events, was on the phone with the hotel constantly for the next several months. In the beginning, we were told events were not allowed to take place at all due to city ordinance. Eventually, they were allowed to have gatherings, but we were told we couldn’t set out order forms or books because it would risk cross-contamination. We also were told we couldn’t hand out our swag bags and could only serve prepackaged food. Not great, but I could live with it. In all fairness to the hotel, they had to follow city guidelines and laws that were ever changing due to COVID-19 infection rates.
After that, they moved us to a space five times bigger than initially planned — our guests would have to sit 6 feet apart. During these months, Roslyn and I kept thinking this COVID-19 thing would be over by August. Then we started to notice our other entrepreneur friends who were hosting in-person events in the spring started making a pivot to hold their events virtually. Finally, when the hotel informed Roslyn that we would need to hire one COVID-19 compliance officer for every 50 attendees, we decided we couldn’t put on our event. It was two months before the summit, and with the encouragement of our entrepreneurial friends, Roslyn and I decided to pivot: We went virtual for our three-day event for the first time ever. This was a huge, scary change, but we hired one of the premier event companies in the country to help us make it happen. With their expertise, they showed us how to host our first Virtual Tax
excited to show up, and how to keep them interested to stay for three days online. We also learned people really like attending our Success Summit virtually, and every year since 2020, our turnout has been bigger than the year before. I’ve always believed that to succeed in business, you must be open to pivoting, trying new things, and getting out of your comfort zone. Our experience with the Virtual Tax Resolution Success Summit proved me right. During that first virtual event, we also created a new program called the Founder’s Mastermind. We already had our monthly Diamond membership and in-person smaller Platinum Mastermind, but by August 2020, we weren’t sure when the world would open up and people would attend in-person events. So, we made another pivot, took another risk, and built a studio in our office so we could have a virtual Mastermind program! The Founder’s Mastermind is a one-year program from August to August, and enrollment opens for the 2023–2024 season at our Virtual Tax Resolution Success Summit on Thursday, Aug. 24– Saturday, Aug. 26. You might be wondering why am I telling you about this now in March, since you can’t enroll in the program now. The reason is because I recently realized a lot
Resolution Success Summit, and it was a huge success! Going virtual was a big risk, but it paid off. Part of the reason is because our event company showed us how to get attendees
Parham Khorsandi and Michael teaching at a Founder’s Immersion Day
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT Who Are You Grateful For?
If you were to write out a list of people you’re grateful to have in your life and you’re a boss or a business owner, would you write your employees on that list? I’m lucky enough to say that I’m very grateful for the group of people who work for Michael and me. Before I share how Michael and I got so fortunate to have the great group we call the Roz Team, let me share that luck is only a tiny part of it. I learned a simple secret to hiring the right person, and that plays the biggest role. I hear it all the time: It’s a challenge to find the right person to fill a position. I’ve attended many conferences and seminars and heard speakers talk about the best ways to find the right employee. I’ve also talked to many people I know and asked what works for them. The most important factors I keep in mind when I hire someone are ones I learned from a coaching program Michael and I belonged to several years ago called the Entrepreneurial Operating Systems® (EOS). The EOS philosophy of hiring is three- fold: Does the person you’re considering hiring get it, want it, and have the capacity to do it? New hires need all three of these elements, but there is one exclusion to this rule. If the person doesn’t “have the capacity to do it,” meaning they don’t already know how
to do the job, but they “get it” and “want it,” they can learn the job and be considered. If they “get it” and “have the capacity to do it” but don’t “want it,” don’t hire them. The EOS method has more components to hiring, but “get it,”“want it,” and the “capacity to do it” is the main thought I keep in mind when I hire someone. In the nine-plus years that I’ve been a boss, the most important part of those three items is that someone “wants it.” I don’t care how much someone has the ability to do the job, how smart they are, how efficient they are — if they don’t really “want it,” no amount of money will inspire them for the long haul. Money will only inspire someone for a short time. The thrill of a bigger paycheck goes away. Desire beats money as a motivator every time, and you can’t teach someone desire. So, why am I writing about employees? I recently noticed that Friday, March 3, is National Employee Appreciation Day, and it got me to think about the Roz Team and how much I not only appreciate them but also how great it is that we all work together so well. We have six employees — five are full time, and one works remotely and comes into the office when we need her. Four of our employees worked with Michael when he had his Tax Resolution firm.
What I like best about the Roz Team is how everyone has their own responsibilities but helps out others when needed. When I come up with a new project idea, I love the excitement, energy, and willingness the team shares to help me implement it. I enjoy hearing everyone’s feedback when I’m creating something new. I especially like how everyone on the Roz Team helps out our clients and people in our memberships. My and Michael’s entire focus is to help others be successful in their businesses, and we say, “Our team is your team,” and I see how our team helps people out. So, with National Employee Appreciation Day in mind, but really how I feel every day, I want to give shout outs to the Roz Team — Ruthie, Becky, John, Karen, Angie, and Isaac — and say how grateful I am that I get to work with you every day. You are superheroes to me! And that brings me back to my original question: Who are you grateful for in your life? Even if you’re not a boss, is there
someone who makes your life easier that you appreciate? Maybe let them know; it’s always nice to be recognized. It’s something to think about. –Roslyn Rozbruch
Our Superhero Roz Team!
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The 3 Best Ways to Handle a Sales Objection FROM THE PRACTICE CORNER
Most tax resolution specialists hate sales objections. They get nervous, freeze up, and feel like they’re going to lose the sale. I’m here to say that running into an objection from a prospect you’re trying to close is not a bad thing at all! Prospects must justify the buying decision to themselves and their spouse. An objection is not a “rejection.” It just means the prospect needs more information from you before they sign on the dotted line. In my experience, people who voice objections are much more likely to retain you. What you need to know is the best way to respond to an objection. Listed here are the three basic principles you need to remember when responding to sales “objections”: 1. AGREE — Agree with your prospect, acknowledge the validity of the objection, and do not become defensive. Your prospect expects you to “fight back.” Instead, agree with them, uncover the real reason for the objection, then get back to the process of closing the deal. For example, if the prospect says, “I
need to check with my spouse first,” your response should be “I completely understand. I have a spouse, too, and they need to be on the same page …” (By the way, the Tax Resolution Domination System has detailed responses to this statement and many other sales objections!) 2. ASSUME — Assume the “close” at the end of every objection. For example, after you’ve answered the objection, say something like: “Let me show you what we can do to start protecting you today. Here’s what I suggest …” 3. BELIEVE — Believe in what you’re doing. You are doing a disservice to a potential client by letting them walk away. You know their situation is only going to get worse if they don’t hire you. They are going to accrue more penalties and interest, and they are exposed to bank levies, wage garnishments, and federal tax liens. They need you to PROTECT them from the most brutal collection agency on the planet (aka the IRS!).
As I mentioned, you want objections. Many objections you’ll hear are really buying questions in disguise. You need to really listen for these. When you hear the prospect say any of the phases below, know they’re ready to buy! And don’t be afraid to say my No. 1 commandment, 10 simple words: “What credit card do you want to put that on?” • “So, what is this going to cost me, all in all?” • “Do you take payments for your fees?” • “How long will it take until my case is settled?” • “How do you go about protecting me from the IRS?” • “So, you really think you can help me, and this is my best option?”
–Michael Rozbruch
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PLATINUM MASTERMIND MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Len Nelms is a family man, and Fair Tax Solutions is a family business, now in its third generation. But that wasn’t Len’s original plan. He went to the University of Alabama with a plan to go to law school after receiving his bachelor’s degree but says, “It turns out I didn’t have any money, and I was a bad student. That’s not a good combination to go to law school,” Len says with a laugh. “So, I tell people I majored in graduation!” Armed with a degree in criminology, and as Len describes it, “no discernable skills,” he turned to sales where he built a career that lasted 25 years. Len’s dad, Leonard G. Nelms, who was an accountant with a traditional tax practice, had other plans and asked Len to come in after hours to input W-2s into the tax software. “That was my first exposure to tax, and I thought, ‘Well, this is kind of interesting,’” Len recalls. Len says he had no interest in leaving his sales career, despite repeated suggestions from his dad to go back to school, learn accounting, and take over the family business. “I told my dad, ‘Why don’t we just leave that up to God? If he wants me to do that, he will work it out.’” Len figured it was case closed, but a downturn in the construction industry in 2009 led to his layoff from his construction-related sales job. It seems God was indeed working things out. Len went to work for his dad, went back to school, and earned his CPA license in 2014. He soon learned that other than tax prep, he wasn’t interested in traditional CPA work. He started researching online for ways he could use his expertise and began seeing videos from Michael Rozbruch. Then he heard Michael speak at an ASTPS Conference in 2018. “The rest is history,” Len says. “I bought the Tax Resolution Domination System and signed up for the membership. I went to the Success Summit, got fired up, and signed up for the Platinum Mastermind.”When Len joined Platinum, he was doing about $100K in resolution, and in 2022, he did over $400K in resolution. “I’m grateful for the growth and know it will continue under Michael’s guidance.” Len shares that his biggest challenge in the beginning was not knowing what he was doing, but he says, “I had Michael as a resource, I took cases, and I figured it out as I went along.” One of Len’s first cases was for a friend who had a tax problem and says, “He hired me to do an offer in compromise. We didn’t Len Nelms, CPA
get the OIC, but we did get him on a partial pay installment agreement, and he was thrilled.”
Len says his favorite case so far is an offer in compromise that hasn’t yet been resolved yet. The taxpayers have three children, one of whom was severely injured in a bicycle accident. The child requires 24-hour care, and the parents are not able to pay their tax debt. “Getting the IRS to understand that they’re never going to be able to pay what they owe has been difficult,” Len says. “I think we’re going to get a favorable resolution, but it has been dragging out for two years. In my mind, they’re the reason the IRS put this program in place.” Asked about what’s working best in his business, Len quickly says, “My daughter, Chloe. Because she’s here, our business is starting to take off. She has shown great aptitude for handling cases with me, but she is also very good at organizing the business and setting up systems, which I’m not good at. She loves working with me. I love working with her. And it’s been a real blessing.” Len and his wife Tammi of 37 years have two children, Chloe, who works with Len, and Christian, who is a detective with the Cherokee Co. (GA) Sheriff’s Office. Both Chloe and Christian served in the U.S. Army, and Chloe will finish her commitment with the Army National Guard just ahead of her upcoming marriage in May. In his spare time, Len and Tammi are active in their church. He says, “I belong to a Christian organization called The Gideons International. It’s a great ministry, and we get an opportunity to put a lot of scriptures in people’s hands.” Returning to thoughts about the family business, Len says Chloe represents the future. “It really is a family business. I joined my dad in the practice way back when. Now, Chloe has joined me, and most recently, this year, my niece Kelly has joined us. My dad passed away in June. He was 86. But he got to see that the business is passing down from generation to generation.”
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The Super Early Bird Is Here!
SAVE THE DATE FOR THE 8TH ANNUAL VIRTUAL 2023
Thursday, Aug. 24 – Saturday, Aug. 26
The fight of the century is ON! At the 8th Annual Virtual Tax Resolution Success Summit, we’ll show you how to fight for your clients’ rights!
Register now for early-bird pricing! For more details, visit rozstrategies.com/summit
or contact our Concierge Ruthie at Ruthie@RozStrategies.com or call our offices at 888-670-0303.
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Congratulations to Frances Tomes for following Michael’s advice and ramping up her marketing during the so-called “slow season” and closing nine clients totaling $85K in fees in five weeks! Keep the pedal to the metal and don’t let up! Kudos to Patrick Noone for signing four new clients in one day with a combined IRS balance due of $700,000 and loving to represent people who owe money to the IRS! Congrats to Randall Brody for retaining four clients in one day and sharing that three came from stealth letters that were sent months prior and one came from an organic search. Keep mailing out those letters! Way to go, Joe Aguilar , for reducing your client’s tax debt from $207,621 to $119. Amazing settlement! Congratulations to Melinda Tolbert for taking the plunge and hiring her first employee who is an enrolled agent. Kudos to Tracie Lowe for creating Tax Tip Tuesday, a Facebook event that takes place on the first Tuesday of every month. Congratulations to David Rappaport for removing $600,000 of IRS tax debt and penalties as well as a New York state liability of $250,000 using Innocent Spouse Relief for his client! Kudos! SHOUT
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of people don’t know about our Founder’s Mastermind program. The first year we weren’t sure how it would play out, but now we’re in our third year, and we’ve realized with this program, we’ve seen more people engaged in the virtual immersion days, trainings, etc., and we’ve seen this group succeed in a very wonderful way. Many of the people are still in the program from the first year! I’ve also seen many of our members connect with other members and meet up at other learning events. So, this year we took it to another level, and we’re holding an exclusive two-day, in-person event for only our Founder’s Mastermind members. This June, we’re hosting a magical marketing event at Disney’s Epcot, where they’ll learn how to implement Disney’s marketing strategies in their own businesses.
The reason I’m telling you about our Founder’s Mastermind is because if you have any interest in knowing more about it, scan the QR code or contact Becky by
emailing her at Info@RozStrategies.com or calling our office at 818-973-2733, and we’ll mail you out an information package that tells you everything about the program. If you want to succeed, you should be comfortable with being uncomfortable. If you’re not already asking yourself, “How can I get outside of my comfort zone and take my tax resolution business to the next level?” now is the time to start. I know firsthand that most success comes from getting out of your comfort zone. I’m nudging you to get out of yours. If you want to increase your tax resolution business, you should consider joining our Founder’s
Mastermind group. But the first step is to learn more about it and ask for an information package. Dedicated to your success, –Michael Rozbruch
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High-five to Darlis Malindi for signing her first resolution client. Way to go, David Tudor , for winning a hard- fought appeal with the Montana Department of Labor and Industry on behalf of his client! Job well done! Congrats to Guy Finocchiaro and Logan Allec for being quoted in the US News online article, “10 Tax Credits You May Qualify for This Year.” Nice going! High-five to Amit Chandel for his company, Focus CPA Group, being identified as one of the Best Accountants in Brea, California, by Expertise.com. Well done! Kudos to Steve Calvar for his interview on Spanish radio in Miami resulting in two consultations. Nice work! Kudos to Franklin Sofi and Jennifer Hayes for mailing out your referral letters. Keep the momentum going! Do you have a story or picture to share with us about something you’ve implemented, a client you’ve helped with a tax problem, or anything else you’d like to share? If you do, email it to Info@RozStrategies.com, and we will give a Shout Out to you! OUTS !
Happy Birthday to Our Members!
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Inside This Issue
pg 1 ∙ How to Leave Your Comfort Zone
pg 2 ∙ Who Are You Grateful For?
pg 3 ∙ The 3 Best Ways to Handle a Sales Objection
pg 4 ∙ Platinum Mastermind Member Spotlight
pg 5 ∙ Save the Date!
pg 6 ∙ Shout Outs!
pg 8 ∙ The IRS Sends Trump CFO to Jail
IRS TERROR TALE OF THE MONTH TANGLED WEB OF TAX FRAUD OF FORMER TRUMP CFO
In the words of Sir Walter Scott, “Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.” In the case of 75-year- old Allen Weisselberg, former longtime Trump Organization chief financial officer, he’s woven a very tangled web indeed. This January, a judge sentenced Allen Weisselberg to five months in jail for tax fraud. Weisselberg pleaded guilty to 15 felony counts in August 2022. Interestingly, Weisselberg will stay on as a senior advisor to the Trump Organization and continue to receive his $640,000 salary until he completes his prison sentence, after which he’ll leave the firm. He already received his $500,000 annual bonus. Weisselberg could have landed in prison for up to 15 years but struck a plea deal with prosecutors and had his sentence reduced by testifying in two other Trump tax fraud trials. Because of Weisselberg’ s testimony, both the Trump Corporation and the Trump Payroll Corporation were found guilty in December 2022. During testimony, Weisselberg admitted that he didn’t pay taxes on off-the-book compensation the Trump Organization made
on his luxury apartment, private school tuition for his children and grandchildren, car, and other personal expenses in an effort to reduce his own taxes. He even put his wife on payroll for a $6,000 payment so she could collect Social Security payments. After hearing all the testimony, Judge Juan Merchan said he would have given Weisselberg a stiffer sentence if he didn’t already have a deal for five months in prison. “The entire case was driven by greed,” said Judge Merchan. “But perhaps nothing spoke more loudly to that greed than the $6,000 payment to his wife.” To add to this tangled web, Donald Trump vehemently defends his former employee and friend saying on his social media platform that Weisselberg is going to jail for not paying a small tax while “…drug dealers and murderers freely roam the sidewalks of New York with nothing being done to stop them.” For Weisselberg, who has already paid over $2 million in fines, penalties, and back taxes and is now behind bars, he said he regrets the harm his actions have caused the Trump Organization and Trump family.
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