Roz Marketing's online newsletter for 2019
The Roz Report ®
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
888.670.0303 WWW.ROZSTRATEGIES.COM
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Are You a Giver or a Taker? Personal Development Breakthroughs at Genius Network
Recently, Roslyn and I had the pleasure of attending the Genius Network annual event. We’ve been part of this group for a little over two years, and it was really awesome to meet up with many of the people we’ve met since joining. In addition to seeing the cool people we know, we learned a lot about business strategy, personal development, and just how to be better humans all around. Plus, Alice Cooper was there, and we had the opportunity to hang out with him and his wife, Sheryl, at a small private dinner. During the event, Roslyn and I attended a presentation where Joe Polish, founder of the Genius Network, sat down to have a conversation with Dan Sullivan of Strategic Coach. These are two giants in the world of entrepreneurs with a lot of great insight. I left that presentation having experienced what I call a personal-development breakthrough. During the conversation, Joe Polish talked about how to“be a giver, not a taker.” I’ve heard him talk about this concept before, but this time he delved deeper into what he means by it. Plus, you know what they say, “when the student is ready, the teacher shall appear.” What he said really stuck with me because in the past, I know I’ve gone into business situations wondering, What am I going to get out of it? If I spend money or my time on a project, I expect to get something in return. Then, if I don’t think I’m getting out of it what I should be, I have a tendency to complain. Joe pointed out that to blame, complain, or criticize is self- sabotaging and why we should approach any situation with the opposite mindset. Instead, he said you should start asking what can you give to the situation. When you go into a situation with the intention to give rather than to take, you’ll never be disappointed. The Genius Network event happened to take place around the same time Roslyn and I were scheduled to re-up our membership in the mastermind group we are part of. Before the event, I wasn’t sure I wanted to commit to that group for another year. I realized I was complaining about the group and didn’t feel like I was getting what I wanted out of it. After listening to Joe and Dan, I turned to Roslyn and said, “We’re going to re-up in the mastermind. I haven’t been contributing enough.”
Michael and Roslyn with Alice Cooper
I left the conference and put my newmindset into practice in our company. We were working on a newmarketing campaign that wasn’t doing so well, and my old mindset would have been to get mad and think, “This guy sold us a bill of goods, and now he can’t deliver! This isn’t going where he said it would. I should just pull the plug.” Instead, I worked with the marketing guy to figure out what wasn’t working and what we needed to tweak. I asked, “What more could I be doing for this campaign?” Being a giver rather than a taker won’t turn every situation into a resounding success, but it does give you more control over how the circumstance plays out. Getting mad, complaining, and giving up doesn’t ever produce desirable results. However, offering to help figure it out and being willing to put in more effort can sometimes turn it all “When you go into a situation with the intention to give rather than to take, you’ll never be disappointed.”
around. It’s like Zig Ziglar once said, “You can get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want.”
–Michael Rozbruch
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT: BY ROSLYN ROZBRUCH
In Michael’s cover story, he talks about the Genius Conference we attended. I can also say it was an amazing experience. Not only was it great to see people we know, it was nice to meet new people. One day at lunch, I was talking to someone attending the conference for the first time. He was in his 30s and shared that he lived in the Midwest and is a house flipper. He said he purchased, fixed up, and sold around 40 houses every year for the last few years, and he really enjoyed it. After talking with him a little longer, I learned it wasn’t his day job but instead his side job that he wished would turn into a full-time career. He told me the profit margin wasn’t that much for flipping houses in the area he lived, and he hadn’t felt comfortable enough to quit his day job. You can never really walk into another room until you let go of the door you are holding on to. I found what he said interesting in the sense that what he talked about first was his passion, only to realize he wasn’t 100 percent committed to it. I told him, “You can never really walk into another room until you let go of the door you are holding on to.” He responded by saying that he never thought of it that way. I took it one step further and said, “Literally, if you were holding onto a door and opened another door, and you liked what you saw in the room, the only way to really know what’s going on is to let go of the doorknob and fully walk into the next room.” I hear his kind of thinking a lot from others, whether it’s a friend, a client, or a casual acquaintance — someone wanting to pursue something particular in their life but giving a host of reasons why it can’t be done. For me, once I’ve made a commitment to do something, I don’t look at the obstacles. Instead I think, “What do I need to do to make this happen?”
room. Following your passion, whatever it is, will come with challenges and obstacles. Sometimes, the act of following a passion leads you to something else you would have never thought of pursuing but couldn’t unless you took that first action step. In the case of the man I had lunch with, it seemed that the fear of letting go of that weekly paycheck was his biggest obstacle of all. Here is my question to you: What is the one thing in the back of your mind that you’ve wanted to pursue but haven’t because you’re holding on to a doorknob for security? Instead of thinking of the obstacles keeping you from following your dream, think of ways to make it happen. It’s a new year, which always brings the promise of new beginnings. No time like the present to pursue a vision or dream that’s been on your mind. And I don’t mean just career related; this pertains to all areas of your life. I hope you find all kinds of ways to open new doors in 2019, and happy New Year’s!
–Roslyn Rozbruch
Of course, there’s no guarantee that all will be perfect once you’ve made that commitment or walked in the next
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PRACTICE CORNER FROM THE Marketing: Newsletters: Your Secret Marketing Weapon!
Question: What is one of the best ways to increase retention, referrals, and sales, where YOU control the media? Answer: Mailing out a monthly newsletter! While tax resolution isn’t a “repeat business”— although, I’ve had my share of repeat offenders! — physically mailing a newsletter to past and current clients is a great way to not only get referrals but also to keep them coming back for other services you provide. Newsletter marketing is an important strategy because it: • Builds and solidifies your authority, credibility and expert status. • Sells your services and gets others to refer to you. • Gets people to know, like, and trust you. Newsletters should be physically mailed as opposed to emailed, unless you do both. Email “open rates” for newsletters are about 9–12 percent, while physically mailed newsletters enjoy 90 percent “open rates.” “Must-Haves” in your Newsletter: • Celebrity gossip • At least four pages • 75 percent needs to be non-technical • Client story of the month (Interview your client and write a feature story of how much they owed, how you resolved their problem, and what the results were.)
Referrals and sales from newsletters increase when you mail monthly. On average, a printed newsletter lingers in the home or office for three months. The great news for our Gold and Diamond Roz Strategies Members is that we deliver a four-page, done-for-you newsletter every month to your email inbox that takes all of the above into account so you don’t have to create one from scratch. You can also find this month’s current edition on the members site. We even have a resource for you who will print and mail them every month. Hint — it’s the same people that mail our newsletters! Call the office at 888.670.0303 and either Becky or Sue will assist you. Bonus Strategy Tell one of your referral sources that you would like to feature him/her in YOUR monthly newsletter. Get a headshot photo and brief bio to put in your newsletter. Ask them to distribute that newsletter (with them as the “celebrity”) to their database. Personally deliver 100-plus copies of the newsletter to be placed in their front lobby or reception areas as well! Here’s to your success!
–Michael Rozbruch
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Dionne Cheshier, Enrolled Agent and CTRS Member Spotlight
Collecting $200,000 in fees in your first 18 months of tax resolution is a huge success story. However, this success was largely enjoyed by someone else because Dionne Cheshier was outsourcing this work to another person. Like many tax professionals, Dionne saw the value in doing tax resolution but lacked the knowledge and confidence to do it herself. “I saw Michael’s program and ordered it,” Dionne recalls. “It was overwhelming to me, so I decided to outsource it for about a year and a half to a third party, and after watching them charge over $200,000 to my clients, I decided I needed to figure out how to do this.” Dionne Cheshier is an Enrolled Agent, Certified Tax Resolution Specialist, and CEO of C&A Associates and Cheshier Tax Resolution, Inc. in Irving, Texas. She has been in practice for 23 years, and when she began looking into tax resolution five years ago, she discovered there were many things she didn’t know about this niche market. “The biggest challenge was lack of knowledge,” she says. “For example, the word abatement was foreign to me.” Dionne was unfamiliar with the IRS’s Fresh Start program, how to make an offer in compromise, and the many other programs available to help taxpayers resolve their debts. But when she saw the potential of bringing tax resolution in-house, she acted quickly to build her knowledge base. She has attended specialized training classes and is a member of ASTPS and Tax Freedom Institute. Dionne is also a big fan of our Tax Resolution Success Summit. After attending her first one in 2017, she brought her entire staff to the 2018 Success Summit held in Austin, Texas. “Last year when I went [to the Success Summit] in Nashville, I was blown away,” she says. “This year, I took my entire staff because I wanted everyone to pick one or two things [to implement]. It’s not enough for me to pick one or two things; I want 10 things, and I want each person to have one or two things!” One of Dionne’s staff members came back from the Success Summit and immediately created an attractive binder filled with client success stories. “She took what we had ‘behind
the door’ and created
something that’s flashy for the client to see,” Dionne says. “We’ve got everything in there from million-dollar audits to $2 million representation settlements for 25 percent of their debt — things they said couldn’t be done, but we did it.” Dionne’s success stories include
an S Corp partner who hadn’t paid $1.8 million in taxes. She settled the case for 25 percent of the amount owed. This extremely satisfied client has referred another case for which Dionne is working to resolve a $3.6 million tax debt. When she isn’t busy working cases for her clients, Dionne enjoys traveling and seeing new places. She also loves trying new foods from all over the world. Although, when Dionne leaves town, she doesn’t leave her business completely behind. Finding new tax clients in cities she’s never been to is a unique hobby of hers. In addition to traveling and discovering new cuisines, Dionne is a mom to three sons — sadly, one passed away last year — and has an Australian Shepherd and an African grey parrot. Her children’s friends also think of Dionne as a second mom. “They just flock to me,” she says. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
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MASTERMIND GROUP Open Enrollment for 2019
As I write this, there are only two seats available for 2019! This is my fifth year leading the Platinum Mastermind group, and I’m very excited about the coming year. The returning members in the group have been breaking through barriers and going to the next level! I’m looking for two “top guns” in the tax resolution industry to round off our 15-member group who are seeking to take their business and their life to the next level — to improve or expand it. We meet three times a year in Los Angeles — two two-day meetings, and one three-day meeting. The first meeting (three-day) is May 8–10. I will help you with your specific business challenges. Everyone is guaranteed a hot seat at every meeting. We also have monthly accountability calls in between meetings. Selection and acceptance into the group is by application process only. If you are interested in more information, please email Becky, Manager of Client Happiness at Becky@RozStrategies.com . Or go to RozStrategies.com and click on the Mastermind tab.
May 8, 9, and 10, 2019 Aug. 1 and 2, 2019 Dec. 5 and 6, 2019
The 2019 Audit Protection Network plaques have been mailed out! These make for excellent conversation pieces, which can lead to sales. Make sure you display this plaque in your lobby area or on your desk so that new clients ask you about it. If you would like extra plaques at our cost plus shipping, contact Becky or Sue in our office.
Hilton Universal City, Los Angeles
–Michael Rozbruch
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S H O U T
Michael, Roslyn, and Becky hanging out with Insider Members Antonio Nava and Jesus Abikarram at the ASTPS Super Conference.
Ron Freidman and his lovely
wife, Melanie, at the ASTPS Super Conference.
Congratulations to Patrick Noone and Andrea Ferriola for getting married in Las Vegas after the ASTPS Super Conference!
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O U T S !
Congrats to Greg Nunn who is absolutely crushing it! First, he closed two payroll tax- related cases this week totaling $45K in fees. He plans on closing another case next week for almost $30K. Now that’s what we call Supercharge Your Profits!® Good luck, Greg, with your move to your new office. Way to go, LeTonya F. Morre , for mailing out your letters and having a CPA refer a case for $37K! Keep mailing out those letters! Kudos to Kenyatta Patton , Michelle R. Brown , Komla Ametu , Edmund Ricker , Bill Bourbonnais , and Ralf Reinberg for mailing out your New Services, Referral Letters, and your Brochures! Congratulations to Allan Pearlman for getting his OIC accepted. His client owed over $375K, and the case settled for $70K! Do you have a story or picture to share with us on something you’ve implemented, a client you’ve helped with a tax problem, or anything else? If you do, email it to info@RozStrategi es.com so we can give a Shout Out to you!
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11271 Ventura Blvd #612 Studio City, CA 91604 Inside This Issue pg 1 ∙
Are You a Giver or a Taker?
pg 2 ∙ As I See It pg 3 ∙
From the Practice Corner pg 4 ∙ Mastermind Member Spotlight pg 5 ∙ Mastermind Group Open Enrollment pg 6 ∙ Shout Outs! pg 8 ∙ IRS Terror Tale of the Month
IRS Terror Tale of the Month Wesley Snipes’ Lowball Offer in Compromise Rejected in Tax Court
Wesley Snipes was once best known for his work as an actor, particularly for his role as the vampire-hunting Marvel superhero, Blade. Unfortunately, when Snipes makes headlines these days, it’s usually due to his ongoing tax battle with the IRS. Snipes’ tax woes first hit the public spotlight in October of 2006, when he was charged with felony tax fraud and conspiracy. Though Snipes would be acquitted of these felony charges, he was ultimately convicted of three misdemeanor counts of
through 2006. Snipes made an offer in compromise (OIC) of $850,000 —barley 4 percent of his total debt. An officer from the IRS was sent to determine Snipes’ assets and financial condition, though Snipes refused to cooperate with the investigation. When the officer denied his OIC, Snipes then accused the IRS of abusing its discretion and took them to court. The tax court sided with the IRS. Though the IRS reduced their settlement offer to $9.5 million, Snipes refused to increase his original offer. He insisted paying the bills would send him into“economic hardship.” Economic hardship usually applies in cases of long-term illness, medical condition, disability, or monthly income being exhausted from caring for dependents. As Snipes didn’t fit any of these criteria, his case was denied. The IRS’ decision to deny Snipes’ low OIC was upheld again by U.S. Tax Court Judge Kathleen Kerrigan in November of 2018. Kerrigan stated that accepting Snipes’OIC would not be in the best interests of the United States. Someone should remind Snipes that, while the IRS is willing to work with people, they aren’t going to give up as easily as vampires at sunrise.
failing to file tax returns between 1999 and 2004 and sentenced to jail time. The actor argued against this conviction, insisting that he didn’t get a fair trial. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled against him, and Snipes served three years between 2010–2013. Shockingly, this wasn’t the end of Snipes’ tax drama.
In 2013, Snipes still owed $23.5 million in back taxes from 2001
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SAVE THE DATE FOR 2019 DATES: Thursday, Aug. 22nd Friday, Aug. 23rd Saturday, Aug. 24th WHERE: To Be Determined
Join over 180 of your peers, plus incredible guest speakers and industry vendors, and receive 2 1/2 days of hardcore implementation and demonstration on how to get more tax resolution prospects to retain you. By the time you leave the conference on Saturday, you’ll have an actionable marketing plan that fits your individual circumstances so you can start reaping results Monday morning!
MORE INFO TO FOLLOW … SUPERCHARGE YOUR PROFITS!
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