Archive for the ‘Preparation’ Category

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I think when we hear free coming from a business we think there is a catch to it, and while there can be, it isn’t always the case.

On Wednesdays from 10:30am to 11:30am, I have blocks of 15-minute time slots set aside for people to use to ask questions about the start-up process for creating a nonprofit. While this event has had some attention, I am hoping that every Wednesday for that hour I’ll be completely busy answering questions. I truly want to help you get started. There’s a lot to consider when starting a nonprofit, and it is all doable. I’m here to encourage you, and if you decide you want to use my services to start your nonprofit that’s absolutely fine too!

So, I thought I would share a question that I answered from one of the calls I’ve had so far. Perhaps this will give you an idea of what to ask as you consider your nonprofit vision.

What percentage of overhead should be included in your budget?
As I stated in an earlier post Budget-Fudge It, your budget needs to be thought through careful and absolutely realistic. If it will cost you more in overhead than the program itself, you need to show that clearly in your budget and you program documentation. This is where an accountant would be instrumental in helping you filter through the finances of this organization creation.

Take the time to Interview several accountants, if you don’t have one. Make sure to let them know you are creating a nonprofit. Find out if they have worked with a nonprofit before, and just how familiar are they with the 990 form. (This a special form that you’ll have to fill out for taxes as a nonprofit.)

If you need recommendations for accountants, here are a few places to try for referrals: 1) Local Chamber of Commerce, 2) Local Business Network International (BNI) group, 3) referral from family or friends, and 4) referral from other business owners.

Remember, if you have a question regarding your start-up nonprofit, please select a time during my free office hours on Wednesday from 10:30am to 11:30am, and get an answer!

Do you shut down at all for the holiday season? Do you
take any time toward the beginning of the year to regroup?

Some of you may be thinking, “How foolish to have your
office closed to “regroup.” Yet, you should! Every organization should take
some time to retreat, re-evaluation, and rejuvenate for the upcoming year.
Perhaps your year starts in April, July, October, or like mine in January, time
off is essential.

This weekend I took time away from my normal routine to
retreat at the Wilderness Presidential Resort with my friend, Angela Dion,
owner of Dion Communications. We not only had fun laughing, but we also got a
lot of work done. We did lots of collaborating and forward thinking about our individual
businesses. We took the time to create our 2010 goals, list of tasks, and
opportunities we want to seek out. We spent time running new business ideas
past one another, and that was most helpful to me. 

Retreating to consider how your business is growing,
going, and getting along is crucial, especially if you are a solopreneur, and don’t have a board to guide you. Make an event out of this business retreat, like my friend and I did. Take a like-minded business pal
along to help you think through your business hurdles and brainstorm solutions to
combat them. The best thing is you’ll walk away with a detailed plan for the upcoming year along with a full first
quarter of calendar events. I guarantee it!

Just a few weeks ago, my laptop just stopped processing.
I tried everything, even tried to restore it to manufactures specifications.
Then realized it was going to require me to wipe the hard drive clean, and then
restore. I didn’t feel qualified to do that, so I took it to Best Buy’s Geek
Squad. I had no choice as my computer technician closed his business a while
ago, and I never took the time to find anyone new. This put me between the
proverbial rock and a hard place. And, off to Best Buy I went.

Initially, I felt very confident. The technician
explained that it sounded like I had a virus. He shared what he was going to
do, and that for an additional charge they would back up my data. So, I paid
all the requisite fees, and signed my computer over to the Geek Squad. I was
told not to worry, as they were a little light on work, and that I should have
my computer back in a few days, as oppose to the 7-10 days they normally
require.

Well, I left my computer there, and three days later I
called to check on the status. I was told that they were working on it, and
when it was ready someone would call me.  So, I waited, and then another three days or
so went by. Then I called again. This time I was told that they were working on
it, and I should hear something soon. However, I didn’t need to call back, as
they have 10 days to work on it. Someone would call me when it was done.

Then I called a third time, exactly 10 days later. A
technician answered. I told him that I was calling to check on the status of my
computer. He told me to hold on. And, I literally held for 8 minutes and 17
seconds (I know because my phone tracks the time). I was distracted by the work
that I was doing at my desk that I didn’t notice the wait at first. When I
realized that I had been put on hold for longer than it would take me to get
there, I immediately hung up, and drove to the store.

The whole way I had to talk myself down from being so
angry that I could scream. I had to remember that they were holding my laptop
hostage, and I STILL needed it back. So, I approached the desk and the
technician said, “How can I help you?” “I’d like to get my computer.” I replied
calmly. He took my receipt, punched in my number, and then proceeded to say out
of his mouth, “Someone just left you a message that your computer is ready.” I
wanted to scream.

I need a computer tech. I need someone reliable and
trustworthy. I need someone that will honor their agreement with me, when I
drop off my business equipment into their care. I have decided that I will
start calling around to some of the smaller computer repair shops. I’ll work on
developing relationships with other business owners. This, I am sure, will give
me peace of mind. My entire business is about building relationships, shame on
me for not considering that with the most critical tool of my trade – my computer.

I hope that as you grow your nonprofit, you recognize the
importance of having key support: computer technician, administrative support, legal
counsel, and accountant. These individuals will save you time and money as they
are experts. They will be able to advise on ways to improve your efficiency and
conserve your expenses. Be diligent and look for these essential partners now,
before your back is up against the proverbial wall.

This is a familiar sentiment of mine. I find it myself
saying it when I want to start something new that feels way big, you know like a
new exercise routine, diet, project, or something just way outside of my
comfort zone. My latest incantation of this fateful sentiment was just this
weekend. I had made the decision to avoid eating sugar throughout the week. I
have a dear friend, Angela Dion, who has been very successful with this new
lifestyle change.  Well, for me, it’s
only been a few days, and I find that I am completely and utterly drawn to
everything sugary. So, I’ll wait and start again tomorrow.

Why do we procrastinate on things? Why to do we put off
for tomorrow things that we can, and should do today? A few reasons why I do
are: 1) It feels overwhelming, 2) It feels hard, 3) It feels scary. I’m sure I
can come up with many more excuses. Just recently I was asked to do update a
client’s website using the HTML codes within Dreamweaver. I remember pacing my
office, drawing a diagram of how to start, sitting at the computer checking emails
just in case the client changed her mind, and then it was lunch time. Final the
day was over. You get the picture!  The
next day I decided to just get it done because I was bumping against the
drop-dead deadline. I was amazed at just how easy it was, and astonished that
it only took 30-minutes or so to complete.

This will serve as proof that procrastination just
prolongs the inevitable; getting whatever done! And, it further supports the
notion that the mind is tricky! We make things harder, bigger, and more
complicated than they really are sometimes.

What are you procrastinating about, and therefore,
causing yourself to stress? Do you recognize your procrastination triggers? If
so, how do you work through them?

Here's a great article I found on procrastination.

A wise friend posted this weekend, in Twitter, “Treat
your business as your #1 customer.” Now, I’m not sure if that is Mia’s original
thought, but it was quite timely for me.

Once a quarter, Esther Fleming and I set aside a weekend
to work on our businesses.  We call them,
If I Only Had A Weekend (IIOHAW). Our time during these IIOHAWs has been spent
praying, fasting, and focusing on our businesses. We come to the weekend
prepared to give advice, encouragement, and complete attention to each other
and our respective businesses.

This weekend was very special as we each are saying goodbye
to a client. This gap in our businesses has given us a clearer purpose for
meeting and strategizing. So, we spent a lot of time looking for direction,
being clear about action steps, and identifying our motives. This may be hard
to grasp, but neither one of us wants to run a business for the sake of running
a business. We want the passion we had when we first started our businesses, me 9-years ago and Esther 5-years ago. We spent quite a bit of time this weekend
falling in love with our businesses again.

For me, I can say that I like things plainly defined. I
want to look at a map and understand exactly where I’m to go next. So, I went
back to my life map I created earlier this year. It sits in a prominent spot in
my office (on the wall above my monitor). In the center of my life map is a
picture of the world with God spelled out in the middle of it. For me, taking
my business back to the beginning means reconnecting with my faith. This is what
this IIOHAW afforded me. On the first day, I organized my office, my thoughts,
and created my plan. On the second day: I sat quietly in meditation and prayer,
I revised my business budget (cutting costs and adding expenses for training),
I created the beginnings of a marketing strategy (get out of the office once a
week for business development), and I just did a lot of soul searching. On the
third day, I finalized my budget (I still have a few cuts to make, but it is
pretty much done), and I finalized my marketing strategy by creating a plan
with activities listed for the week and month. I am excited about what I’ve
created with the help of Esther. We have even added an accountability component
this upcoming quarter, to meet weekly for 15 minutes to talk about our progress
in keeping with our plans.

When was the last time you stopped to survey the health
of your business? Is it still on track? Do you need to take a weekend to refresh
yourself on your mission? Take it! Do whatever you need to in order to build
(or rebuild) what your heart desires!

I
enjoy face to face events with my clients. You know, meetings, conferences,
etc. However, this past weekend I was in Miami for a client's board meeting and
learned the most astonishing thing about myself. I'm terribly shy. Who would
have thought? To know me is to think
differently. Yet, at the board meeting, we took a break for lunch. I got
my plate, and happily sat at my table (where I was already sitting alone), but
what I didn't expect was to be eating alone. I honestly thought that others
would come and sit with me. No one did. I had never eaten my food so quickly
before.

Being
shy has its place, but not when you are trying to make new friends,
acquaintances, or just meet the people you serve (like me with this being my
first meeting with this group). I learned, somewhat painfully, that by not
joining another table I may have made myself seem uninterested in the group. I
have decided that the next opportunity I get, I'm going to actually make more
of an effort to be included. What's really funny about this is…I like meeting
new people.

Any
suggestions as to how I can possibly mend the fence with the group? Or do you
think that I’m making a big deal out of nothing?

Finding a funding source is made fairly easy with online resources. Here are two sources you should add to your bookmark list.

1. GuideStar – This is a member site for nonprofit organizations. GuideStar houses information about nonprofit organizations for public review. To quote the site, their “database is broad and deep.” You can even find funding tips and resources on this site.

2. Foundation Center – There are several tools available to you at the Foundation Center. They not only offer a database you can search online for funders, but they also after you literature to read to assist you with making proper choices when selecting your funder. There are classes you can take as well to ensure that you complete your paperwork effectively.

If you do an online search you’ll find books, websites, and other options for investigating funding sources. Your local library is another great resource to check out.

Here is a post from my very dear friend who knows first hand about assisting children with special needs. Thanks, Donnamarie, for this great post!

As a volunteer, there is nothing greater in this world than giving of your time to help children with special needs.

Special needs can cover a broad spectrum. You may be working with children whose issues might include:
• Behavioral issues
• Cerebral palsy
• Learning disabilities
• Autism and autism spectrum related disorders
• Speech related difficulties
• Blindness and many others

You will learn many important aspects about life in general when working with children who have special needs. You will develop a keen understanding and appreciation about the difficulties certain sections of your community face in their everyday lives. You will also acquire a wealth of knowledge quickly about how you can help to improve the lives of those less fortunate than yourself. Look here for some very basic advice about working with these children.

Start with the idea that the desire to help people with disabilities is a basic and very human characteristic. You might also wish to overcome stereotypical opinions that are held by some who only see the ‘issue’, and never the person behind it. When you take the steps to get beyond the stereotypes, you are not only helping the individuals directly, but also sending a strong message that will enable others to gain a better perspective of the difficulties faced by people with special needs.

When you learn that children with autism really are very emotional, and that LD children have brains that are just wired differently, you will learn exactly how to help them and you are bound to have a new and very different appreciation of life in general.

Directors & Officers Insurance (commonly referred to as D&O insurance), is often overlooked by nonprofits for the simple reason they are uncertain whether or not they really need D&O coverage. Read this article noting compelling reasons to protect your organization. This should reassure you that D&O insurance has significant value to even the smallest nonprofit organization.

When a person becomes a board member, she assumes a level of responsibility for the organization and thus exposes herself to claims for not managing the organization properly. Even if the case brought against a board is thrown out, the organization still bears the brunt of having to pay the legal fees. Legal expenses could be brutal for a small organization and could even put them right out of business.
In general, D&O insurance includes coverage of an officer or director in the discharge of his/her duties. This includes but is not limited to:

• Any actual or alleged act
• Misstatement or misleading statement,
• Neglect or breach of duty
• Omission and/or error

As with all insurance policies, read the policy carefully to ensure it includes all the necessary components for your organization. Here is a checklist of issues to review when looking to purchase D&O insurance.