As a small business owner, I can’t help but be concerned about my fellow small business counterparts. The big question is will they survive this Coronavirus pandemic? I have done a lot of reflecting on why I decided to expand my career beyond life insurance. I believe this is a wonderful time for entrepreneurs to do the same; think about how you can expand or recreate what you do temporarily or as part of your business structure.
I would often chat with a dear friend who was also my tax advisor. I would tease B (that’s what I call him) about joining his team to make extra income. Extra income was needed after my divorce and it was also an ideal time to learn a new skill set. Plus, people and finances always get me going. In 2011, I joined his team with only banking and insurance work on the resume. B. gracefully took me under his wings and taught me the ropes; all the things you couldn’t learn reading books or working in a corporate culture. Assisting and communicating with folks is a win-win for me, and it does not hurt that I’ve been able to make a career out of those things and build a trusting client base. The year was 2017, and I decided to step out on faith and give birth to Brooks Star Services. My main purpose was and is to continue helping families by providing professional financial and insurance services, and most importantly educating my clients. Although personal taxes are a large part of what I do ,I have quickly grown a passion for small businesses. Especially at a time like this. The only way small businesses will get assistance is if they have a properly registered business on both the federal and state level. If it is not, your business becomes just your businesses (playing on words). When a business is properly registered our business must report our income and pay taxes. Now I know folks are reading this and saying, “this lady is crazy!” Wait, give me a minute to explain why and how it will benefit you in the long run. If you do all the proper business regulation matters listed above you will be able to apply for small business loans, qualify for grants, become certified by different professional organizations, receive Social Security, and even purchase a home. So many of us live for the right now when we should really plan for the future. It breaks my heart when I have these conversations with self-employed individuals that are at retirement age and wish they were more educated on planning for the future years ago. Let’s not find ourselves in the same position. Allow us to help and be a part of your family.
photo credit Jeffrey Daysu Johnson
Makeup Sandy Valcin
