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contents 06 Forgive and Forget? – Many PPP loan recipients still searching for answers
08 The More Things Change 10 What is Your Plan for 2021? 14 The Side Hustle, Not Just a Hobby Anymore!
16 Small Mistakes, Big
Consequences: Remove these words ASAP!!!
18 Live your truth by embracing authenticity.
20 The Business Owners Pre-Sell Plan
22 Where Do New Ideas
42 Marketing: A Love/Hate
24 Lehigh Valley Election 2020
44 Working remotely? Is your
30 Is It Really as Easy as Sitting
46 Buying the Perfect Gift 48 Ready to Travel, Me Too!
Come From?
Retrospective
and Listening?
32 I can't hear you with your mask on!
34 Residential Construction
Relationship
Phone System e911 Compliant
My Top 5!
50 Cigar Reviews
Contracts: Taking It Down to the Studs
38 Economists Forecast Rebound
for 2021; Lehigh Valley Housing Market Surge Expected to Continue
•adindex 41 Alcom Printing 52 Anthony Limousine 40 ArtsQuest 21 BMI Mergers & Acquisitions 47 Bridgeman Strategic Concepts
07 Buckno Lisicky & Company 27 Carol C. Dorey Real Estate, Inc.
09 Cornerstone 54 Edge Restaurant and Lounge 43 ESQuisite Marketing 36 Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba Attorneys at Law
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37 Greater Lehigh Valley
25 PeopleFirst Property &
26 Greater Lehigh Valley
29 PenTeleData 27 Pride Abstract &
Realtors
Chamber of Commerce
41 Historic Bethlehem Museum and Sites
19 Herbein + Company, Inc. 11 Huber, Waldron & Williams 31 John Brown & The Hatchets 17 Karoly Law Firm 05 Norris McLaughlin Attorneys at Law
51 Olde Homestead Golf Club
Casualty Services
Settlement Services
53 Punch Garage 13 Rich Mar Florist 12 St Luke’s OMS 45 The Barristers Club 28 Tri Outdoor 03 VIP Vacations Inc 45 Vox Tandem 01 XGolf Lehigh Valley
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The partners of NETWORK MAGAZINE™ proudly present the latest edition of the Lehigh Valley's first ever, high end, business leader driven B2B magazine. Our goal is to continually present our readers relevant content to build your organization, from the region's top business leaders and experts on today’s industry news and trends. Our leading contributors will continue to change quarterly, sharing information that stays fresh and current. The opinions, tips, and insights on how to best navigate business pitfalls are all provided by the Lehigh Valley's best thought leaders. Our writers are un-censored giving you profound insight from their years of experience from their given field of expertise. To learn more about how you can become a part of NETWORK MAGAZINE™ as a Contributor, please contact Ray Bridgeman: ray@mynetworkmag.com, and as an Advertiser, please contact Chris Morganellli: ChrisM@mynetworkmag.com.
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For advertising inquiry and rates please contact Chris Morganelli 610.248.6138 or email ChrisM@MyNetworkMag.com
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All Materials © 2020 Network Magazine, LLC. NETWORK MAGAZINE™ is a trademark of Network Magazine, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in part or in full is strictly prohibited. NETWORK MAGAZINE™ is a quarterly publication. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of NETWORK MAGAZINE™. NETWORK MAGAZINE™ assumes no responsibility for content of advertisement. No representation is made as to the accuracy hereof and is printed subject to errors and omissions.
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Forgive and Forget? – Many PPP loan recipients still searching for answers JOSEPH A. MASTRIANI, CPA/PFS, CFP SHAREHOLDER, BUCKNO LISICKY & COMPANY
The Paycheck Protection Program or PPP has been a lifeline for many small businesses that have been crippled by the coronavirus. Much of the credit for the recent economic recovery has been attributed to the $2.2 trillion CARES Act stimulus package that Congress passed back on March 27th. One aspect of this bill was the creation of the PPP loan forgiveness program. And while the intent of the PPP was to create simplicity and security in uncertain times, an unintended effect of the statute and forgiveness application has been to complicate borrowers' business planning and create further questions. Three related issues on the minds of small business owners are highlighted below.
NON-DEDUCTIBILITY OF FORGIVEN EXPENSES According to a recent IRS revenue ruling, businesses that "reasonably believe" their loan will be forgiven in the future may not deduct those costs – whether they have filed for forgiveness or not. In the case where a PPP loan was expected to be forgiven in full or in part, and it is not, businesses will be able to deduct those expenses not forgiven. Leaders of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee, Iowa Republican Chuck Grassley and Oregon Democrat Ron Wyden said the ruling by the IRS and Treasury "increases the tax burden on small businesses by accelerating their tax liability, all at a time when many businesses 6
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continue to struggle, and some are again beginning to close. Small businesses need help maintaining their cash flow, not more strains on it." "Since the CARES Act, we've stressed that our intent was for small businesses receiving Paycheck Protection Program loans to receive the benefit of their deductions for ordinary and necessary business expenses," the senators said in a statement. Grassley and Wyden asked the IRS and Treasury to reconsider their position and said Congress might act before they adjourn for the holidays. As of this writing, no progress has been made on this front. With Congress poised to pass further stimulus legislation soon, there's a very strong likelihood that any such bill passed will include a provision to allow for the deductibility of forgiven PPP covered expenses either before the end of this year or in early 2021.
SIMPLIFIED LOAN FORGIVENESS APPLICATION One positive outcome for certain borrowers, recently, was the release of a streamlined loan forgiveness application for loan amounts of $50,000 or less. While the SBA makes clear that filing this simplified form will not provide automatic loan forgiveness, a borrower is no longer required to reduce the amount eligible for forgiveness if the borrower: MyNetworkMag.com
Reduces the salary or hourly wage of an employee (who earned less than $100,000 in 2019) during the "covered period" following the borrowing relative to the first quarter of 2020, or
covered period that ends Oct. 30, 2020, has until Aug. 30, 2021, to apply for forgiveness before loan repayment begins. More and more, professional advisors are recommending for borrowers to take a wait and see approach to applying for loan forgiveness based on the constantly evolving guidance from the SBA and Treasury. In addition, the potential for further streamlined applications for loans of $150,000 and less exists as well as a tiered simplification process for higher loan amounts.
Reduces full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) during the covered period relative to a base period. Borrowers must still compute the amount eligible for forgiveness and will have to make some certifications and provide documentation to the lender for payroll and nonpayroll costs but would not be required to furnish detailed calculations.
In conclusion, restaurants, retailers, and other mom and pop businesses that have been among the hardest hit, face critical questions about whether they can survive through what will likely be several more months of Covid-19 operating restrictions. Avoiding unnecessary debt and tax obligations should be the least of these owner's worries.
TIMING OF LOAN FORGIVENESS APPLICATION The SBA explains that borrowers may submit a loan forgiveness application any time before the maturity date of the loan, which is either two or five years from the loan's origination, depending on the borrower's agreement. But the SBA also reminds borrowers that loan payments are deferred only until 10 months after the last day of each borrower's loan forgiveness covered period. For example, the SBA wrote, a borrower with a
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The More Things Change KEVIN KARPUK, CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER CORNERSTONE ADVISORS ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC
Many people will remember 2020 as a time of constant change. Varying and inconsistent health directives, a changing employment landscape, and volatility in financial markets were the norm. And, yes, 2020 was an election year. The battle that raged for control of Washington was one of the most bitter in memory, and the partisan divide in the country ran deep. Now that the election is behind us – with the exception of the Georgia Senate runoffs and a concession in the presidential race – one has to wonder what comes next. The much-ballyhooed "Blue Wave" did not come to pass. The Democrats not only did not take control of the Senate, but their hold on the House of Representatives became tenuous. The idea of sweeping changes to tax law and a Green New Deal will likely shift to more measured attempts to make changes at the margin. As my colleague, Chris Lakatosh wrote in a prior issue of this magazine; presidents get allocated more credit or blame than they deserve. While the executive has direct responsibility for foreign affairs and has a hand in the budget process, the economic wellbeing of the average citizen is more influenced by monetary and fiscal policy, both of which are largely outside of the presidential portfolio. The new split of control in Washington will have an impact on what we believe to be a significant change coming: the switch of primacy from monetary to fiscal policy supporting the economy. For the past 12 years, the Federal Reserve has been ready to put a finger in the dyke when financial markets or the real economy stuttered. The Fed cut interest rates and provided rounds of quantitative easing to smooth out the rough patches, but recently, Chairman Powell has signaled that this monetary support needs to be bolstered by fiscal relief, which only Congress can supply. The Fed does not want to cut rates further and is seeing a decrease in the effectiveness of their asset purchases. They are saying that they can no longer act alone during times of stress. 8
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Whereas monetary policy is designed by a small handful of financial experts who can act quickly, fiscal policy is a political game, played by partisans who have agendas and reelection desires. It requires bargaining and compromise to be achieved, especially when voting control is this divided. It can be slow and ugly. If the Federal Reserve acts with a scalpel, Congress acts with a bludgeon. When it does push through fiscal stimulus quickly, it often has unintended consequences in the future. Investors have taken to peering beyond the pandemic and have pushed the stock market higher, but many economists fear that the real economy's footing is tenuous. Many feel that there is a need for more stimulus from the government. For the past couple of months, we have seen this arm-wrestling take center stage as both sides spar with hundreds of billions of dollars at stake. You will need to get used to this slower pace of policy adjustment. This president-elect will not have as effective a Federal Reserve at his back as his predecessors enjoyed. When the next economic hiccup comes, it will be up to Congress to help Main Street avoid a recession. It will require deal-making across the aisle. Bipartisanship has not been in vogue recently and did not need to be. That must change in the future if we are to see more even economic growth across the nation. The good news is that as humans, we are hard-wired to do as my high school wrestling coach used to emphasize - we "adapt, adjust, and improvise." Hopefully, our elected officials can adapt to the new set of rules they face and can help guide the economy forward. Securities offered through M Holdings Securities, Inc., a Registered Broker/Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment Advisory Services offered through Cornerstone Advisors Asset Management, LLC, which is independently owned and operated.
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What is Your Plan for 2021? BYRON ROTH, OWNER TAB LEHIGH VALLEY We are at the beginning of 2021, and most are glad that 2020 is behind us. We are all looking forward to a vastly different 2021. As you look at 2021, do you have a plan for your business? We take time to make longer-range personal plans for ourselves for things such as retirement, college education for children, dream vacations, yearly budgets, etc. What about for your business? Do you have a written plan so that you can monitor your progress and communicate with your employees? When was the last time you put a yearly plan together or even a longer-term plan? Too often, we are so busy working in our business that we fail to plan for our business. Taking the time to think strategically about your business and planning for the following year is critical to advancing your business. Without a plan, our efforts often become reactionary versus proactive as we deal with issues without any prior thought. Having no plan can result in either frustration over a lack of results or confusion as to why we see no change year after year. How do I start to develop a plan? The first step is to do an analysis of where your business is today and what happened during the prior year. There are two parts to this review, qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative Evaluation: Ask yourself what went well during the year and what did not go well in the business. Also, think about your own role. Were you satisfied with that role and your level of involvement in the business? By doing this assessment, you should be able to identify 3 or 4 key strategic initiatives to enhance your business or actions to change your role in the day-to-day operation of the business.
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Quantitative Evaluation: The assessment is focused on your financials (sales and profits). Are you satisfied with the results? How stable are your results? When it comes to your sales, how dependent are you on a small number of customers? Is your business built upon repeat business, or is it primarily new clients? Did buying behavior change during the year? An analysis of your sales is critical to understanding how easy or difficult it will be to grow your sales. When evaluating profitability, look at your expenses for the year. Did you have any unusual expenses or items in the year of which you need to be aware as you evaluate your profits for the year? Can you observe any trends in your expenses (either positive or negative) compared to prior years that are a concern going forward and need to be addressed? Doing an evaluation of both your sales as well as profitability for the preceding year will enable you to develop realistic goals for the new year. I have a plan now what? With your financial goals and your strategic initiatives written down, it is important to monitor your progress on a regular basis throughout the year. A good time to do this is when you review your monthly financials. Evaluate progress on your initiatives, sales trends, and profitability. Are you on target, ahead, or behind? If behind, what do you need to change to help you get back on track? If ahead, are there any concerns with the business being able to handle the additional opportunities? The secret is not the plan, but the process of assessment, plan development, progress monitoring, and adjusting when needed. If planning is new to you or you have difficulty taking the time to plan, find a trusted advisor to help hold you accountable. If you want your business to flourish, planning is critical.
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The Side Hustle, Not Just a Hobby Anymore! RAY BRIDGEMAN NETWORK MAGAZINE, MORGANELLI PROPERTIES & BRIDGEMAN STRATEGIC CONCEPTS
Blame it on my ADD baby, is what I say when people ask how you keep up with everything you do. Sorry, I couldn't resist. It's not every day you can drop a song reference like that! 10 points if you know the song! Dictionary.com defines side hustle as a means of making money alongside one's main form of employment or income. The side hustle is no longer the same stay at home spouse holding Tupperware parties anymore. Depending on what source you use, 37%- 45% of Americans today have a side hustle, equating to 70 million people plus, just here in the States! I guess I have always had a side hustle now thinking about it, but it didn't always make money, but it was always a blast. When my kids were young, I was always involved in school and sporting activities. One summer, I coached three teams at once while working 60 hours a week in banking. Ok, only once did I show up at the wrong game with the wrong kid! That was my training for the ultimate of side hustles. Shortly after becoming the Executive Director at the Bar Association of Lehigh County, my network really exploded. Not only was I meeting great attorneys with the Bar, great business connections throughout the Valley, and great contacts nationally like Jessica Buchanan, Eric O'Neil, and Mike Smerconish. At the same time, I joined 14
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the all too familiar divorcee club. Suddenly, I didn't have enough saved for retirement (although I can never see myself in full retirement). What to do? One of those contacts I met was Chris Morganelli. Not long after connecting with this great contact, a great friend & a future business partner, a few of us were sitting down one afternoon having a cocktail. We were brainstorming to try and develop ways to market our individual brands and companies. Network Magazine was born, literally sketched out on a cocktail napkin. There is when the Side Hustle Race began for me! Now, I truly believe that there is something to be said about a Jack of all trades and a master of none! That is why for me, the side hustle must be something that will somehow grow my brands, make sense in my list of companies, mean something to me personally, and most of all, enjoy it! Some of my Side Hustles, I have stumbled on by accident. Once, while trying to figure out a different event style for my members at the Bar Association, my lovely fiancĂŠe overhears some of the planning. We knew that we wanted it to include some sort of charity aspect and a wine tasting. I am not kidding when I say, the next day, a new Side Hustle emerges, and along with her, I am now in the wine business! Miriam falls in love with the OneHope Wine's MyNetworkMag.com
story immediately. Great tasting wines that have a built-in charity impact per wine variety and allow you to promote and give back dollars to your charity of choice. While using this business to host wine parties (if you know Miriam and me, you know that we would have been having these wine parties anyway, we are raising money for charities, and this is another excellent opportunity to promote our brands. Along the way, through our contacts (thank you, Marta and Jeff Countess), we met Matt DiRito, bass player for Pop Evil and founder of Star Treatments. This organization provides a VIP transportation experience to medical facilities for children receiving ongoing medical care. Matt's mission is to use his fame for good, helping sick kids and their families. So not only does this Side Hustle allow us to promote our brands, but the charities (we pick Star Treatments as our choice of charities to support through our wine parties) we are able to help the cause, that's priceless. Along the way of this Side Hustle Journey, I obtained my Real Estate and Insurance Licenses and became a Publisher and a Wine Educator. One of my fiancĂŠe's goals was to open her own insurance office space. Watching her help, so many people navigate through the challenges of figuring out Medicare, Life Insurances, budgeting, ETC, is amazing. Her professionalism is second to none, but her compassion for truly just want-
ing to help her clients makes her stand out. So, then the business and marketing plan began with a name, and Bridgeman Strategic Concepts was born with an emphasis on bringing as many of our brands as possible under "one roof." I can't take credit for this Side Hustle. I really only lent my name to the effort (it was supposed to be Miriam's name as well, but the Zombie Apocalypse of 2020 delayed those plans temporally). So, some final statistics: According to Bankrate, 30% use their side hustle just to make ends meet, while 60% use it for saving or just extra spending money. The average side hustle business brings in around $1,122 a month. Most believe that due to the pandemic and people becoming creative with high unemployment, the side hustle game will continue to grow quickly. No big surprise that eBay remains one of the top ways to create a side hustle but now Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash have made it even easier to be your own boss. For longevity, those who decide to turn their hobbies into the hustle; photography, music, maybe cooking and treat it as a business have the best chance to turn it into a career. So, for me, the side hustle has been a way to not only expand my network, but I am sure it will be what my so-called retirement plan will look like.
Small Mistakes, Big Consequences: Remove these words ASAP!!! ANNE CORLEY BAUM, LEHIGH VALLEY PRESIDENT' CAPITAL BLUECROSS
We can all agree that perception matters more than we'd all like, and that is true for the words we use as much as it is for our behavior. Little words can make a big impact, and we often use them as filler words without realizing how easily they take away the impact of our statements.
", but" – minimizes whatever was said before the comma, e.g., "This presentation was excellent, but next time don't take so long" vs. "This presentation was excellent and next time, let's use less time to have a greater impact with our message."
Carefully considering the words we use and removing these tricky phrases, our vocabulary words make a big difference in our communications' success! These words and phrases take away the power of our messaging and create a perception that is less than ideal.
"I'm not gonna lie" or "To be honest" – implies that you usually aren't honest or typically do lie – "I'm not gonna lie, the delivery date was delayed" vs. "Unfortunately, the delivery date was delayed due to weather."
Here are some examples: "I think or I believe" – implies a lack of confidence or uncertainty, e.g., "I think the results are solid." vs. "These results are solid." "Just" – minimizes the value of the statement, e.g., "I just need a few minutes of your time” vs. "I am scheduling a meeting to discuss this important topic." "I'm sorry" – implies responsibility for something out of your control, e.g., "I'm sorry it's raining" vs. "It's too bad that it rained today and put a damper on our plans."
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"Kinda, sorta, like, ya know, um, uh" ¬– creates distractions and remove focus from the full message, e.g., "Ya know, I kinda of, like need to get your uh, help in, um sorta selling this idea" vs. "I need to get your help in selling this idea." These phrases take away the value of our statements and can lead to messages not being received with full confidence from others. Undermining our own statements with words like these is easily remedied. Pay attention to the filler words, don't undermine statements, and you'll be impressed with how communication improves how others perceive you and how successfully you will communicate! MyNetworkMag.com
CREATIVE SIGN OFF
Live your truth by embracing authenticity. WILLIAM CHILDS, CREATIVE DIRECTOR KITCHEN MAGIC
At some point throughout your work life, you may find yourself dealing with a situation where you feel like the passion has waned or that you're struggling to find meaning in your career. I can tell you from my own experience that when it happened to me, it was devastating. It led to a bout of anxiety and depression, and I knew that if I hoped to find my way out of the nightmare I was living through, it was going to require some serious soul searching on my part. The answer to my dilemma came when I realized that I needed to better align myself and my work by embracing authenticity. I had lost my purpose, and the work I was doing felt meaningless. Cheyenne Bennett, a leadership and talent coach at Compass Point in Bethlehem, who teaches self-awareness, communication, and healthy conflict skills to business leaders, agrees, "I've done a lot of research on employee engagement, and it's all about the alignment you have between your per-sonal "why" and your work. If you are doing work that you believe fulfills your life's purpose and you can contribute to your job as your true and best self, then you are just overall happier." The more enlightened companies today are also discovering that by nourishing a culture where their employees feel appreciated for the value they bring to the organization; the results can be quite significant. Leaders who understand and practice empathy, vulnerability, creativity, 18
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and authenticity with those they lead understand these powerful attractants drive employee engagement, allowing innovation to flourish, which adds to the bottom line. The days of businesses run by leaders who choose fear over hope, deceptiveness over authenticity, or cynicism over creativity are over. "Leaders need to model the behavior they want from their em-ployees. If they are vulnerable and honest in the fact that they make mistakes too, then the team can feel the same," added Cheyenne. We've all been fed a steady diet in movies and books featuring scenarios showing us how unin-formed bosses conduct themselves in the workplace. Under this new paradigm, authenticity is not just some new buzzword that you throw on to your company's mission statement and hope it gets adopted. It's an approach that's been gaining serious momentum for years. While Cheyenne believes influential leaders do set the tone for the atmosphere inside the business, there's still work that can be done to help those who seek the tools needed to stay engaged. She adds, "I found that the concept of "meaningful work" is the biggest predictor of engagement—the degree to which you find your actual work significant, the degree to which your work creates meaning for you in your life, and the degree to which you feel your work makes a positive contri-bution in the world. What this means is that the more you feel a state of significance or positive meaning in your work, the more you
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will have an internal commitment to your work and display engagement behaviors." These changes will not manifest overnight. You have to commit to putting in the work because it's an ongoing, ever-evolving process. Cheyenne believes that one of the biggest roadblocks to per-sonal growth is fear and adds this, "Fear is easily the biggest one. Fear of looking stupid. Fear of losing your job. Fear of others around you thinking you're weird. But, if we can all agree that this is the way we want to do things, then we are better able to let go of these fears." We should all strive to find our passion in our profession and work for a company or business that's willing to invest in our overall mental health and well-being. If you currently don't find your-self working for a company that promotes this culture, that's okay. You can still look for ways to live your truth and embrace authenticity. Don't get discouraged by letting the noise of other's opinions drown out your inner voice. The se-cret to finding happiness at work is to have the courage to become the person you were meant to be. And the best part is, it's never too late.
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The Business Owners Pre-Sell Plan FIVE AREAS OF PREPARATION BEFORE SELLING YOUR BUSINESS
TOM KERCHNER, MANAGING DIRECTOR BMI MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS Selling your business is a big decision that most people do only once in their lifetime. For this reason, it pays to do it right, and like most important decisions, it requires planning to achieve your goals. There are five key areas to consider before selling: Personal Goals, Financial Planning, Business Goals, Tax Planning, and Business Preparation. Ideally, the planning process starts several years before you sell. If you find yourself thinking sooner than later, even a few months of preparation can go a long way to achieving success.
PERSONAL GOALS This is a good time to reflect on what you want to be doing one, two, or five years after selling. Selling your business rarely means instant retirement. In fact, there are a number of options you can choose, including full or part-time employment, consulting, reduced responsibility, or transitioning into full-time retirement. Retaining some ownership is another possibility. If you have children working in the business, you will want to think about how a sale will affect them and how you approach the subject of selling. Depending on your desires, these issues can impact how you prepare your business and the type of buyers you pursue.
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FINANCIAL PLANNING Work with a financial advisor and have a plan that addresses your post-sale financial needs. How will you adjust to the loss of regular business income, and will you be able to maintain your lifestyle? Are the sale proceeds needed for a comfortable retirement? If so, then you have to think about how much is needed versus the current estimated value of your business. An M&A advisor or business valuation professional can help determine the likely value of your business. Other financial considerations include determining how the funds will be invested, tax-saving strategies, charitable giving, and setting up trusts or other means of transferring wealth to family members.
BUSINESS GOALS What happens to your business and employees is a major concern for most business owners. Is keeping the business independent and your current management team running the company important to you? If so, this may preclude certain buyers. On the other hand, combining your business with a larger organization could present new growth opportunities and advancement for employees. These goals are sometimes but not always mutually exclusive. Another key aspect is culture fit. If part of your legacy and business success is tied to your organization's culture, you will want to find a buyer who shares your beliefs and values. Quality businesses will attract multiple buyers. Those buyers will have different plans and MyNetworkMag.com
cultures, so having realistic business goals will help you select the best buyer.
TAX PLANNING Business sales can be taxed as corporate taxes, personal ordinary income taxes, capital gains taxes, and possibly all three. How the company's legal entity is structured can have an enormous impact on your tax bill, and this entity structure needs to be considered when structuring a sale. Classic "C" corporation shareholders are subject to double taxation if the deal is structured as an asset sale, while double taxation can be avoided if the stock is sold. "S" corporations and other pass-thru entities generally don't have this issue. Sellers usually prefer Stock Sales to minimize taxes. In a Stock Sale, the buyer purchases the shareholders' stock and acquires ownership of the seller's legal entity. Buyers prefer Asset Sale transactions to minimize liability and maximize future tax write-offs. In an Asset Sale, the seller retains possession of the legal entity, and the buyer purchases individual assets of the company, such as inventory, equipment, fixtures, leaseholds, licenses, goodwill, trade secrets, trade names, customer and vendor contacts, and intellectual property. Where asset sales are agreed to by both parties, sellers need to understand purchase price allocation and its effect on taxes. There are also strategies for deferring taxes either within the deal structure or thru vehicles such
as trusts. Having a good tax advisor and a pre-sale understanding of taxes will be critical to your personal financial plans.
BUSINESS PREPARATION Preparing your business to sell involves looking at all of the aspects of the company, but the key areas making the biggest impact with buyers are financial health, management and staff, customers, and the quality of intellectual and/or physical property. Financial health includes revenue, income, trends, quality of financial statements, and working capital management. A strong management team with the capability to lead the organization without the owner opens many more sale options and improves value. High-quality customers increase value while customer concentration is perceived as risky and not only reduces value but decreases the available pool of buyers. Business sales are often thought of as a financial transaction, but the truth is for most business owners, the sale of their business is financial, emotional, and personal. The longer business owners take to plan their eventual exit, the better the results will be. Preparing a pre-sell checklist and assembling a team of advisors will give you a roadmap, knowledge, and assistance needed to maximize your success.
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Where Do New Ideas Come From? JIM HUTCHINGS DIVERSITY & INCLUSION CONSULTANT
Among the changes the past year has brought upon us is the addition of face masks to the keys-phone-wallet check, most of us impulsively make when leaving the house. If you're like me, you've tried a variety of masks to find one that effectively covers the mouth and nose, doesn't fog the glasses, and is comfortable on the ears. I've tried disposable, reusable cloth ones, and even some with fun patterns or designs! Unsurprisingly, I also learned that some designs are better than others at not irritating my face. I typically prefer using reusable masks to reduce waste whenever possible and add a little personality to this new fashion accessory. However, when I go with the disposables, I've found the N95 to be far more comfortable than their 50-to-a-pack flat blue pleated masks, especially for extended wear. It also happens that the story of the N95 respirator design is a great example of a very direct benefit from embracing diversity in the workplace and our lives. The design of the N95 respirator was developed primarily in the 1950s and 60s. Men still dominated nearly all workplaces and the entire business world except for a small but ever-increasing number of bold women. One of those bold women was Sara Turnbull. As an example of Turnbull's maverick nature in the 1950s, she started pointing out and asking why companies were creating products for the buyers (men) and not the end-users (housewives). It's a common practice to get into without the right frame of mind. Companies will often cater to the person with the checkbook, forgetting that the one paying the bills might not even use the end product and therefore didn't really care about its use. Back in the 50s, the big company 3M took notice of Turnbull's advocacy for products' end-users. Sure, as a
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woman, she was hired for the stereotypical gift wrap, ribbons, and tape division of 3M. Still, with access to the new materials and manufacturing techniques being developed, she branched out. She ended up creating something very tailored to the end-user: a molded bra cup! Using her personal experience, as well as her own creativity and ingenuity, she designed a product that 3M invested in. But not stopping there, she was also caring for three family members who were dying of various ailments. In helping with their care and various doctor visits, she saw doctors and nurses fumbling with the flat masks that needed to be tied, and a new idea was born. The cup-like shape of the molded bra, paired with elastic bands, would make a much more comfortable and formfitting face mask! And while the material first used was not effective, Turnbull's idea and design were the precursors for what was to become the N95 face mask that is now all too familiar to us. That's not her only contribution to our daily lives, though. She consulted with most of the prominent manufacturing companies and brands of the 20th century, including Coca-Cola, Corning, Procter & Gamble, multiple car companies, and NASA. She even contributed to the creation of CorningWare. In another great reuse of materials, the cookware that stands up so well to dramatic temperature changes was developed from a material originally used on missile cones. Though today Sara's story is mostly lost to history, the lesson is timeless. In a workplace dominated by men, a few companies began hiring women. They quickly benefited
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from the new ideas and perspectives brought along. Sara Turnbull used her "unique" experience of being a woman to design a product that should have always been designed for women. And her ingenuity allowed that design to be foundational for the N95 respirator that protects billions of people now. Using this very specific example of seeing benefits gained by embracing a more diverse workforce should be evidence enough for all of us to expand and integrate that practice into our lives. Diversity is obviously
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so much more than gender, though. As we've seen, new ideas come from new perspectives. The best way to get those new perspectives is to surround yourself not only with people of diverse gender, race, or sexual preference but also those who are different in background and ability. In these increasingly competitive markets, having the next new idea can be what makes your company survive.
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Politics
Lehigh Valley Election 2020 Retrospective CHRIS BORICK, DIRECTOR MUHLENBERG COLLEGE INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC OPINION
"In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes." This well-known quote, often attributed to Anndy Warhol (most likely erroneously), suggests that in a world with so many communication channels, fame can come to everyone. Well, if regions, like people, can have their 15 minutes of fame, the Lehigh Valley certainly just had its time in the spotlight. The Valley's role as a key swing region in a premiere swing state drew world-wide attention to Northampton and Lehigh Counties. As has often been the case, the results in the region aligned well with not only the outcome in Pennsylvania but the nation as a whole. Strikingly, Joe Biden's margin of victory over Donald Trump in the Lehigh Valley of 4.3% (51.5% to 47.2%) is nearly the same as Biden's national popular vote victory margin of 4.4% (51.3% to 46.9%). These results help explain why national and international reporters flock to the Valley to get a sense of where the American electorate stands. So what factors turned out to be pivotal in Joe Biden's success in the Lehigh Valley, and did they reflect the national electoral dynamics? First, Biden made tremendous gains in the region's growing suburbs relative to Hillary Clinton in 2016. Biden posted solid wins in large suburban
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townships such as Hanover, Forks, and Upper Macungie, significantly improving upon Clinton's performance four years earlier. These gains by Biden in the Lehigh Valley's suburbs, along with modest improvements in the region's boroughs and urban centers, offset President Trump's overwhelming success and substantially enhanced voter yields across the area's rural regions. As with many aspects of life in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic appears to have played a large role in determining the outcome of the Lehigh Valley's presidential race. A Muhlenberg College poll in September found the pandemic was among the top concerns of the region's voters, and that among those likely to head to the polls, a majority rated the President's handling of the COVID-19 situation as "poor." Negative perceptions of the President's efforts to tackle the pandemic seem to have cut into the incumbent's strength on economic matters, where 4 out of 10 Lehigh Valley voters indicated they were financially better off since Trump took office, with only about 1 in 10 saying their financial standing had worsened since he began his administration in 2017. The remainder of the voters said their financial situation was unchanged during the Trump years.
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and significantly outperforming Trump in Lehigh County. First-term Congresswoman Susan Wild won reelection in the 7Th Congressional District, which covers the Lehigh Valley, with the Democrat beating Republican challenger Lisa Scheller by about 4% of the vote. Scheller's competitive performance in a district that Wild carried by nearly 10% in 2018 was indicative of the Republican parties rebound from the midterm challenges that had given Democrats control of the House two years ago, with the GOP picking up a significant number of seats nationally.
While Biden's success in the Lehigh Valley was certainly part of his boarder success in securing Pennsylvania's coveted 20 electoral votes, the down-ballot races in 2020 painted a more mixed picture for the region's Democrats and Republicans. Despite Trump's loss, Republicans were able to win the statewide offices of Treasurer and Auditor General for the first time in a generation, with GOP candidates in these races scoring victories in these races in Northampton County
As 2020 winds down, the region's status as one of the nation's premiere bellwether political regions has only been enhanced. In the 21st Century, no region is a better microcosm of American electoral politics than Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley, with the choices made by voters in Lehigh and Northampton counties mirroring those made by the nation as a whole. Given the Valley's unmatched ability to capture America's political mood, it's reasonable to expect 15 more minutes of fame are headed the Lehigh Valley's way in 2024.
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Is It Really as Easy as Sitting and Listening? VANCE P. FARRELL, CPS SUPERVISOR PENNSYLVANIA MENTOR
Anger, anxiety, sadness, and confusion are all common emotions that we've all experienced at some point in our lives and may have gotten the best of us, leading to some decision(s) that we regretted at a later time. While this is a seldom occurrence for some of us, this occurs much more often for others, and they can find themselves in this heightened state more frequently. These individuals have consistent struggles with navigating through their emotions and thoughts. Although others around the heightened individual may not be experiencing the onslaught of emotions and racing thoughts themselves, their experience in these moments can be difficult as well. This occurs because it can feel as though nothing they try is helping the heightened individual calm down or work through the situation. Experiencing a moment like this can be life-changing because you can witness people at their very worst when they feel like nothing can get better, and/or they are just hurting, spiraling further and further down a road with potentially very extreme consequences. However, there are things that those present can do to actively help 30
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the individual amidst a crisis to guide them beyond the emotions they are currently engulfed in and to assist them in getting to a state where they can think rationally and make decisions that will improve their situation, rather than making it worse. In order to assist somebody in a heightened state, it is best to display an open and calm demeanor even though the person may appear highly agitated, frustrated, anxious, or sad. Maintaining this calm façade, stance, and attitude helps to model this type of behavior as those in the escalated state will want to mimic the individual they are with, a common experience in human communication. In addition, the individual helping will need to talk less and listen more, as those who are in a heightened state often have a lot of repressed emotions and thoughts that need a path to escape without interference. Allowing time for the person to get these emotions and thoughts out does a lot at that moment for the individual to feel that release and serves as a method to allow the heightened individual to hear themselves out loud. MyNetworkMag.com
as though they were somebody else's experiences, and they are more readily able to identify the flaws present. While this does not always occur naturally, the person listening can help the heightened individual in this transition by asking clarifying questions that allow the heightened individual to feel heard and realize that somebody else cares. This also allows for the heightened individual to hear their thoughts and emotions numerous times to really help them hear themselves. The information above makes it seem like all that needs to be done is sitting and listening to the individual, but while that is helpful, indeed it is not the end of helping someone through a crisis. Once the eruption is over, there will be a natural lull in the action. The heightened individual will have exhausted a lot of energy in expressing themselves, their thoughts, and their negative emotions that have been weighing on them for some time. This is when it is best to try to actively engage with the person as they will be more likely to hear what you have to say and be more open to suggestions about how to proceed. Identifying these next steps allows for the individual to inform others as to what works best for them and can help those around be better prepared if this happens again. Oftentimes these thoughts and emotions have been swirling around, like a broken record, in the person's mind, and after suffering with this for so long, it becomes hard to combat and ignore them. However, once the person is able to actually hear the thoughts and emotions aloud, it can be processed differently. The individual is finally able to comprehend the thoughts and emotions that were swirling around
Sitting and listening may feel like you are not doing anything at all, but by simply allowing the person to freely express themselves, whether it be by yelling, cursing, or flailing about, this release is a necessary part of the de-escalation cycle. This cycle requires time to play out naturally, and unless safety is a concern, otherwise it is best to simply sit, listen, and allow the unheard to finally have a voice. Listen first and take action, if necessary, later.
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I can't hear you with your mask on! JENNIFER STINSON, Au.D., DOCTOR OF AUDIOLOGY STINSON AUDIOLOGY SERVICES By now, we have all seen the memes/jokes on the internet about wearing masks. You probably have seen it yourself; some people don't wear them correctly. Some remove them before talking, and then some carry them around and never seem to put them on. You may have also noticed a challenge with other people being able to hear well when you are wearing a mask and trying to social distance. Or maybe you never thought you had a problem hearing, but now you are experiencing trouble hearing in the checkout line at the grocery store or ordering food. You just can't seem to make out what the person is saying. You might think to yourself, if they could just take their mask off, I could hear them! Well, as the kids say these days, "the struggle is REAL." As an Audiologist, my first instinct is that I wish we could all have clear masks so that everyone can read lips or get some visual cues. While that is a very valid suggestion, we don't all have access to those masks, nor do they provide the appropriate amount of protection in some situations. An article recently published in The Hearing Review identifies exactly how degraded the speech signal can get with different styles of masks. As you can imagine, the N95 masks attenuate the most, but even a simple surgical mask degrades high frequencies, which are most important for speech understanding. I have outlined some helpful tips to use during interactions with your clients, patients, or even friends while wearing masks. (Similar tips are given in The Hearing Review article referenced) 1. For those of you in the medical field and have a patient struggling to hear you, ask if they have hearing aids or if you can refer them for a hearing test. You can even invest in a small amplifier to use with your patients. 2. Be sure to have the other person's attention when you speak. 3. Don't shout 4. Reduce other noise in the room when possible 5. Speak slower and rephrase instead of repeating the same thing 6. If you are with a co-worker or staff member, ask them to repeat the instructions or questions to the client or patient.
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1.
Unfortunately, most people don't want to admit to having trouble hearing. Regardless if you already have glasses, hearing loss is still hard to deal with. There is often a stigma associated with wearing hearing aids, but we must recognize how important it is to hear and for others to hear us. When you don't hear, you are missing or losing part of a conversation, which can lead to frustration, social isolation, and even depression. The takehome point here is that masks are not easy for any of us, but it's especially important to ensure you or those you interact with are hearing the conversation!
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Residential Construction Contracts: Taking It Down to the Studs ABIGAIL M. MARTIN, ESQ., FITZPATRICK LENTZ & BUBBA, P.C.
As large numbers of Americans work from home during the pandemic, many homeowners are looking for ways to improve their current living situations through renovations and remodeling. For those considering construction projects, as well as the contractors completing them, the construction agreement provides the contractual backbone for the conduct of the parties. It should be thoughtfully drafted and carefully reviewed. While the content and complexity of a residential construction contract vary widely, some critical terms should be present in any construction contract, including scope of work, pricing, schedule, changes in work and dispute resolution.
Scope of Work The scope of work should be clearly described in the agreement, or in an exhibit or appendix to the agreement. This will reduce ambiguity throughout all phases of a project. Because the general public may not be wellversed in certain construction terminology, the contractor should use layman's terms when describing the scope of the project, and the homeowner should be sure to ask that any and all unknown terms be defined or explained in the agreement. If the project includes detailed plans or drawings and specifications, those should be attached to and incorporated in the agreement. And, to the extent that the type, brand, and/or quality of certain materials are important to the homeowner or necessary to the contractor, this should be specified in the agreement. 34
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Pricing How and when the contractor will be paid can be hotly debated and should be documented in sufficient detail to avoid any disputes. Often, contractors will require a deposit at the time of execution of the agreement, with periodic payments to be made throughout the term of the project and one final payment due upon substantial completion. Applications for periodic payments will be submitted by the contractor and should be based on the amount of work completed since the prior payment. If final payment is based on substantial completion of the project, the parties should make sure that "substantial completion" is clearly and unambiguously defined in the agreement. The parties should also familiarize themselves with the applicable mechanic's lien laws or engage the services of an attorney to advise them of their rights and obligations under such laws. In any event, with each periodic payment and the final payment, the contractor should obtain and deliver to the homeowner lien waivers for itself and its subcontractors and suppliers.
Schedule The agreement should, at a minimum, provide the project start date and completion date. Depending on the complexity of the project, the parties may also want to include a schedule of milestones to be met throughout the term of the project and a procedure for evaluating and approving extensions of time due to delays outside of MyNetworkMag.com
the parties' control. Particularly during the pandemic, supply and labor shortages have resulted in significant, uncontrollable delays in construction projects, reiterating the importance of documenting how such delays will affect a construction project.
Changes in Work Often, the parties need or want to modify the scope of a project after construction has begun. In order to account for such modification, the agreement should specify that certain changes to the scope of the project be documented through change orders signed by the parties. In order to control costs and the schedule of the work, the parties should define certain parameters where change orders are necessary, for example, modifications that would add more than $250 to the overall cost of the project or that will extend the completion date by more than one to two weeks.
Dispute Resolution While the parties are not anticipating future disputes at the time of execution of the construction agreement, it is in the parties' best interest to include a method for resolving any disputes that may arise under the agreement. Oftentimes, construction agreements may contain a requirement to mediate disputes between the parties prior to escalating the disputes to binding arbitration or litigation. However, the contract ad-
dresses dispute resolution, the parties should be aware of the pros and cons of each method prior to execution and start of the project. While home renovation projects can be both exciting and stressful for everyone involved, a carefully drafted and reviewed construction agreement can alleviate much of the stress and pave the way for a successful relationship and beautiful renovation.
Abigail M. Martin is an attorney in Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba's Commercial Real Estate, Corporate, Business & Banking, and Mergers & Acquisitions groups. Abby primarily practices transactional law, including the drafting and review of construction contracts. Abby can be reached at amartin@flblaw.com.
OMAIN • EMPLOYMENT LAW • ESTATE PLANNING • FAMILY LAW • FOOD & BEVERAG HEALTHCARE • INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY • INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS & TRAD AW • LANDLORD/TENANT LAW • LITIGATION & TRIAL PRACTICE • MERGERS CQUISITIONS • NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS • PERSONAL INJURY • PLANNE OMMUNITIES & CONDOMINIUMS • PROJECT DEVELOPMENT & FINANCE • PROPERT AX EXEMPTIONS • REAL ESTATE, LAND USE & DEVELOPMENT • RESTAURANTS OSPITALITY • TAX ASSESSMENT APPEALS • TAXATION • BANKRUPTCY & CREDITOR GHTS • CORPORATE, BUSINESS & BANKING • EMINENT DOMAIN • EMPLOYMEN AW • ESTATE PLANNING • FAMILY LAW • FOOD & BEVERAGE HEALTHCARE TELLECTUAL PROPERTY • INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS & TRADE LAW ANDLORD/TENANT LAW • LITIGATION & TRIAL PRACTICE • MERGERS CQUISITIONS •We NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS PERSONAL INJURY • PLANNE have the solutions for your•legal challenges. OMMUNITIES & CONDOMINIUMS • PROJECT DEVELOPMENT & FINANCE • PROPERT AX EXEMPTIONS • REAL ESTATE, LAND USE & DEVELOPMENT • RESTAURANTS OSPITALITY • TAX ASSESSMENT APPEALS • TAXATION • BANKRUPTCY & CREDITOR RIGHTS • CORPORATE, BUSINESS
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Should that be
leaking? You finally found your dream house. There’s some moisture here and there, but you’re not worried. After all, what are the chances that tree roots have strangled an aging sewer line just outside the basement wall? Even the dreamiest house can turn into a nightmare. Don’t risk making an ill-informed offer when you could be getting expert advice. Work with a real, live, local Realtor®. It’s worth it.
GREATER LEHIGH VALLEY REALTORS®
www.greaterlehighvalleyrealtors.com
Economists Forecast Rebound for 2021; Lehigh Valley Housing Market Surge Expected to Continue JUSTIN R. POREMBO, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GREATER LEHIGH VALLEY REALTORS®
Expect the post-pandemic economic rebound, improving job conditions and stable interest rates to continue in 2021, according to a survey of more than 20 top U.S. economic and housing experts. Lawrence Yun, the chief economist and senior vice president of research for the National Association of REALTORS®, unveiled the consensus forecast in early December during the association’s second annual Real Estate Forecast Summit. The group of experts predicted: •
Gross Domestic Product growth of 3.5% in 2021 and 3.0% in 2022;
•
An annual unemployment rate of 6.2% next year with a decline to 5.0% in 2022;
•
Average annual 30-year fixed mortgage rates of 3.0% and 3.25% for 2021 and 2022, respectively;
•
Annual median home prices to increase by 8.0% in 2021 and by 5.5% in 2022;
•
Housing starts of 1.50 million next year and 1.59 million in 2022;
•
The share of the U.S. workforce working from home to be 18% in 2021 – down from 21% in 2020 – and 12% in 2022; and
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•
Small declines in office and hotel vacancy rates in 2021, with a slight increase in retail vacancies next year.
When asked if the Federal Open Market Committee will change the federal funds rate in 2021, 90% of the experts surveyed said they expect no change in the current rate of 0%. For 2022, the experts predict a rate increase of 0.25%. "It is an understatement to say the year 2020 has been filled with challenges and full of surprises," said Yun. "Yet, one astonishing development has been the hot housing market as consumers eyed record-low mortgage rates and reconsidered what a home should be in a new economy with flexible work-from-home schedules."
Where the Lehigh Valley Stands According to Yun, some markets have been performing exceptionally well throughout the pandemic and they'll likely carry that momentum well into 2021 and beyond. “[This is] because of strong in-migration of new residents, faster local job market recoveries and environments conducive to work-from-home arrangements and other factors,” Yun said. MyNetworkMag.com
The Lehigh Valley is one of those markets performing exceptionally well, particularly because of its proximity to major cities that are experiencing an exodus of individuals looking to leave behind high-occupancy locations and buildings. According to data derived from the Greater Lehigh Valley Multiple Listing Service, which covers Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon counties, the 2020 market has been hot, tempered only by real estate in Pennsylvania having been completely shut down for three months and by the ongoing lack of inventory. October data – the most recent data available at the time of this writing – showed that the local housing market continued to be busier than the calendar normally suggests, with new residents looking to move into the Lehigh Valley and with the backlog of buyers and sellers from the shutdown still working their way to the closing table or still trying to find that perfect piece of property. Multiple offers remain a common occurrence, pushing the median sales price in October to $240,000, and homes are almost literally flying off the market with the average Days on Market in October coming in at just 20 days.
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The mix of surging buyer demand and low inventory has put our industry in uncharted territory, and the continued rise in home prices is threatening to ‘chock off’ first-time buyers. That said, mortgage rates remain at record lows and the unemployment rate is slowly rebounding from the early days of COVID-19. We are seeing buyers out in full force, showing amazing spirit and perseverance in working toward their dreams of homeownership.
Real Estate is Safe Real estate is safe in the age of COVID-19. All area REALTORS® have access to suggested best practices that outline how to keep everyone involved in a real estate transaction safe. Should any consumer – whether they be a home buyer or seller – be interested in learning how they and their REALTOR® can work together to create a safe environment for a real estate transaction, additional information is available at parealtors.org/ coronavirus/best-practices.
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EVENT VENUES THAT MAKE HISTORY
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Marketing: A Love/Hate Relationship CADY DARAGO & ED MILLER ESQUISITE MARKETING Marketing – it's a word that can excite some and cause others to bury their head in the sand. Everything from social media to SEO to blogs to advertisements to business development to branding. If you are a business owner, it can be too much. But, when your website is delivering leads, and you are getting positive responses to the blog you shared on LinkedIn, it's amazing. Where can you find the balance to do what works for you? Here are some simple tips and tricks to get 2021 off on the right foot. 1. Create your unique brand. Too often, competitors all look the same. Create a strategic plan to differentiate your firm from the pack. Some factors to consider are messaging, content, logos, colors, and design. 2. Update your website. Professional service firms tend not to update their website for several years. In addition, 42
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we see websites with broken links, outdated photos, old news, and bad contact information. The website will often be the first stop for a potential client - it probably is a good idea to show that you are still in business – wink wink. 3. Be consistent. As professionals, we know it is hard to keep at marketing. For many firms, there are just too many starts and stops. There are long periods of time between social media and blog posts as examples. Like an outdated website, these lags can send the wrong message to your target audience. 4. Make a plan and a budget. For a smaller firm, we recommend a marketing budget of 5-7% of firm revenue. Strategically decide how you will spend this money, how you will measure return on your investments, and where you will spend your limited time. The failure to create a plan and budget will lead to frustration and paralysis. MyNetworkMag.com
5. Promote the activities that you are already doing. If you speak or get published, spread the word. We see lost value and opportunity when professional service firms fail to squeeze out the marketing benefits from existing activities.
8. Have realistic expectations. Similarly, to #7, even if you hire the best help, if you fail to uphold your end of the deal, expectations will not be met, and you will be frustrated. You need to personally contribute when it comes to marketing for it to be effective.
6. Be proactive in your marketing activities. Too many professional service firms are only reactive in their activities. For example, a social media campaign is reactive. People need first to connect and like, then they need to review their feeds to see your content. Repurpose this content to create an email campaign or create a newsletter.
9. Be ethical. Professional services can find themselves in hot water if they fail to live by the rules of professional conduct within their industry. When working with an outside company, be sure that they understand the rules affecting your industry.
7. Do not wear too many hats. You are running a business and practicing law. Obviously, you cannot do it all. Find help. Find good and professional help. If you are not doing items 1-6, then you really need help. We see the bestintentioned professionals fall short because they just do not have enough time. Outsource functions, like marketing, that is important, but you are unable to make a priority. Likewise, outsource functions that are not in your skillset.
Don't let the daily tasks of marketing overwhelm you. Marketing is like exercise. When you find what you like doing, or can tolerate, that is effective; you will see results. Immediate results? No. Consistent marketing, like regular exercise, is what helps you reach your goals. If you can't go at it alone, hire a professional – a marketing company (or a personal trainer).
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tech
Working remotely? Is your Phone System e911 Compliant? JOHN CHISCA, VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES VOX TANDEM In August 2019, the FCC adopted rules implementing two federal laws that strengthened the emergency calling systems: Kari’s Law and Section 506 of Ray Baum’s Act. These two changes have gone into compliance two years after the enactment date of the Kari's Law. If you are not familiar with Kari's Law, it is a tragic story named in honor of Kari Hunt. In 2013, Kari was killed by her estranged husband in a motel room in Texas. Her 9-year-old daughter tried to call for help four times. Tragically, the call never went through because she did not know that she needed to dial “9” for an outbound line. We have all been in a hotel and tried to dial out, and can understand that frustration. Now take it to a whole new level and imagine being in a life or death situation and not being able to get help on the line. The Multi-line telephone system (MLTS) had a significant flaw. The silver lining to this horror is that congress reacted by enacting Kari’s Law in 2018. The law requires that an MLTS allow users to dial 911 directly without having to dial any additional digit, code, prefix, or postfix. It also requires the MLTS to provide for notification of the 911 call when the call is made. This brings us to the second part of this; Section 506 of the RAY BAUM'S Act. This section is to ensure that "dispatchable location" information is relayed with 911 calls so those first responders can more quickly locate the caller. Dispatchable location information includes the street address of the caller and additional information, such as a room or floor number, necessary to locate the caller promptly. 44
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Since the passing of the new laws for MLTS, Vox Tandem has been preparing our 3CX Unified Communications business phone systems to be in compliance with the changes. 3CX is a software-based phone system that works with various IP phones and SIP trunks that can be installed on-premise or in a cloud. Voice over the internet protocol (IP or VoIP) is a technology that allows you to use the internet to make phone calls, whether in the office or remotely from home. Regardless of where you choose to work, all of our business phone systems have been updated to support a direct-dial 911 right out-of-the-box. Not only is Vox Tandem compliant, but you can also rest easy knowing that our systems help keep your company and employees safe. Vox Tandem will continue working with the FCC as rules are added in the coming years as part of this Act. We already have new technologies and features in development to ensure we remain compliant as new regulations come into effect in the coming future. We may not know what the future will bring, but we do know what the past has. In an industry that's primary focus is communication, we strive to stay on top of the latest laws and trends. If you have an older system in your building or business, you very well could be out of compliance with Kari's Law. Vox Tandem always encourages companies with an older system to check with their IT department to make sure it has been updated. Drop us a line, and we will provide your company with a no-obligation quote. MyNetworkMag.com
Unified Communications at a fraction of the cost. Vox Tandem is here to help! With same day turn-up available, rest assured that your company’s telecommunication need is our priority! We welcome the opportunity to help answer any questions related to our remote working capabilities . Staying in business while keeping your employees safe is your number one concern! Contact Vox Tandem, your Lehigh Valley based full service telecommunications provider!
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Buying the Perfect Gift MIRIAM ZETTLEMOYER BRIDGEMAN STRATEGIC CONCEPTS
Were you the thoughtful gift giver this past season? Or did your holiday gifts flop? Although appreciated, a gift card can be an impersonal gift to your family, friends, employees, or co-workers. I always think a gift card makes a good add-on gift for the hard to buy but adding a personal item to the gift really gives the receiver the acknowledgment that you put some thought into the gift. I wasn’t always a good gift-giver, but today I find it a good challenge to understand who is surrounding me and what might I find out about someone I may be gifting. Whether it’s holiday time or a birthday, I focus on figuring out what people like by taking a mental or sometimes written note on things they mention. For instance, if you introduce someone to a new drink or food, they usually have something good or bad to say about the experience. They can offer additional input on what they prefer. This could be a good way to start making a list of things they like or don’t. Conversations with our friends and family should be an action we seek to have with each other to understand. We aren’t always close to our gifts' receiver, so what to do when it's a co-worker or employee. It can be easy to create a profile sheet for your employees. Try asking about their family, kids, hobbies, and things they like to do. But be careful not to 46
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be too nosey as it can break some boundaries. This can give you enough information or insight into a good gift, or even if a gift card would be for them. Be careful not to assume everyone does the same things you enjoy, like drinking alcohol or going out to eat. It can come across as insensitive if giving a gift to someone who is allergic, has health issues, or has religious reasons why they don’t drink or eat certain foods. Obviously, you want the receiver to enjoy the gift and not find it in the regifting pile. To make things easy on the one giving the gifts, sometimes I think of something throughout the year that has made my life easier, and I really enjoy having. Chances are it’s a good gift for someone else as well. You know the whole do unto others. Ideas here can be a nice monogrammed item that adds a personal touch and shows you thought of more than just running down an aisle and grabbing the first item without thought. Or a favorite restaurant that you frequent, and you think, how does this food taste so good everyone should eat it. It can be a new item or idea that is only seen on your vacation or travels. Not everyone gets to go see the things you see throughout the year. This can be an added bonus in gift-giving when saving the item for their MyNetworkMag.com
birthday or holiday. This becomes a really meaningful gift showing that you thought of them while vacationing or traveling. Bottom line, whatever you’re gifting and whenever you're giving, it's a process that should happen all year long. Get to know the people in your life along your journey, not in the desperation of the last week before passing on the gift. This will relieve the stress of figuring out what to get and making the receiver really enjoy and appreciate the gift. The art of gift-giving is not a one size fits all. We are all unique in our own ways. Finding out what each of us enjoys, loves, and wishes for can bring a sense of knowledge and understanding, making the gift-giving an easy task and not a challenge. If you think this goes over big with friends and family, think about doing the same for clients. Depending on your business, you collect so much information about birthdays, kids, etc. Something as simple as sending the happy couple an anniversary card, kid's graduation, birthday cards, and so on. If you send a card or note, take the time, and handwrite it and mail it. In this time of electronic everything, emails and texts get overlooked, but the personal note goes a long way. Whatever you do, do it with a grateful heart and receive it with an abundance of gratitude.
Ready to Travel, Me Too! My Top 5! JENNIFER DONCSECZ, CTIE, PRESIDENT VIP VACATIONS INC
For many Americans, the 2020 lockdowns and closed borders due to Covid-19 meant forgoing vacations and canceling precious bucket-list trips. With all eyes on the release of a vaccine, the tourism industry is now bracing for a 2021 rebound. Travel industry experts expect pent-up demand to fuel a renewed desire to travel, relax, and explore in 2021.
Here are the trending top 5 Here are to the visit trending 5 places to visit in 2021: places in top 2021: 1. Costa Rica: This eco-friendly destination reopened for tourism in August and updated their entry requirements for all visitors in November 2020. With volcanoes, rain-forests, beaches, and exotic animal life, Costa Rica combines adventure with sustainable "green" tourism for any active traveler. Additionally, Costa Rica's affordability has increased demand, and the major airlines have added more flights for 2021. 2. St Lucia: With fewer than 300 total Covid cases in 2020, St Lucia reopened for tourism in June and required visitors to submit a negative PCR Covid test result prior to arriving. Visitors to St Lucia soon touted the joy and freedom they felt traveling to a destination where every tourist had to comply with these entry requirements. St Lucia is often referred to as the Hawaii of the Caribbean, as it boasts stunning waterfalls, volcanoes, and beautiful beaches. This exotic vibe, combined with their
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strict Covid entry protocols, has many resorts in St. Lucia already forecasting high occupancy levels for 2021 3. Tahiti: In mid-July, Tahiti, Bora Bora, Mo'orea, and other French Polynesian islands reopened to tourists from all countries. Visitors must produce a negative PCR test result and perform a 'self-test' on Day 4 of their trip. The iconic dream of an over the water bungalow, in addition to the sheer remoteness of this destination, appeals to wander lusters yearning for a bucket-list vacation that will make up for the absence of freedom felt in 2020. 4. South Africa: Requiring a negative PCR test result 72 hours prior to arriving, South Africa reopened to all visitors in October. Boasting safari's, wine country, and scenic landscapes, South Africa is consistently voted one of the world's top 25 most beautiful destinations. Adventures who felt imprisoned by the strict Covid guidelines in 2020 are now looking towards South Africa as a top place to travel to in 2021. 5. Alaska: For vacationers who don't want to leave the USA, Alaska's natural beauty and great outdoors provides the perfect landing place for adventure seekers and those craving wide-open spaces. Rugged, vast, and the least populated state in the USA, Alaska is prepping for an uptick in visitors traveling in 2021 and expects tourists to flock to see its glaciers, national parks, and alpine mountains.
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If you are yearning for an escape in 2021, it's best to plan early, as increased demand often results in higher rates. Covid-19 entry protocols are continually changing. Therefore it is best to use a travel advisor who can provide detailed updates and requirements when planning your next vacation.
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STEVE ROWBOTTOM, CIGAR AFICIONADO CIGARS INTERNATIONAL
Cohiba Royale Toro Royale Honduras
5.0” x 60
Mellow-Medium
96-Rated
Gurkha Ghost Shadow (Robusto) Dominican Republic 93-Rated
5.0” x 52
Medium
Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Decadas Diadema Nicaragua
6.0” x 54
92-Rated
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Medium-Full
Cohiba Royale always wins me over. The thick and oily Nicaraguan Broadleaf wrapper is a thing of beauty. This leaf encourages a slow burn and offers a rich, charcoal-like aroma with each puff. The profile is robust, featuring both red and black pepper spices, softened by subtle undertones of earth, leather and espresso. The strength gradually builds from medium to medium-full during the burn, ending with a spicy crescendo that lingers long on every tastebud. A perfect post-steak-dinner-withbourbon-in-hand cigar.
‘Rich and chewy.’ From first light, I pick up warm, earthy nuances followed by big, chewy notes of oak. Some have said they pick up licorice with this cigar. I do not. I’m glad I do not. Licorice is terrible. This cigar is not terrible. Gurkha Ghost is medium in body with a warm, toasty profile that offers rich flavors and a chewy mouthfeel from the heavy smoke each puff produces. If comfort cigars existed, this would certainly be one. Pair Gurkha Ghost with a bold malbec to bring some sweetness out of the Brazilian wrapper.
Everything about this cigar is perfect: factory, shape, brand, blend, etc. Made by one of the oldest and most respected factories in the cigar world, Cinco Decadas showcases a graceful display of strength and complexity from the legendary JdN Factory. The profile is powerful, yet smooth…figure an 8 out of 10 on the strength scale for the average enthusiast. Flavors include mostly cedar and nuts, complemented by a touch of leather. The finish is sweet, with a dash of white pepper, and sweet notes of hickory can be found in the aroma from the smoke above.
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I love cigars with a story, and Latitude Zero has an amazing one loaded with pedigree. Limited space will not allow me to elaborate, but I encourage you to do research. This 60-ring Gordo brings massive value thanks to a level of quality, materials and flavor rarely seen in a cigar at this price point. The cigar is medium to full in body, but full-flavored Medium-Full throughout. Creamy notes of oak and nuts coat the palate. Softer hints of pepper and coffee complement these notes. A touch of caramel on the finish completes these notes. Delicious, and a perfect midday cigar to pair with that IPA.
Nicaragua
6.0” x 60
92-Rated
Man O’ War Valkyrie Churchill Nicaragua
6.75” x 48
Mellow-Medium
93-Rated
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For me, strength means very little and flavor is king. For this reason, Man O’ War Valkyrie is a delight to burn. A silky Ecuadorian Connecticut ‘Desflorado’ wrapper leaf covers an aged mixture of AJ’s prized Nicaraguan long-fillers. Additional post-roll aging matures this cigar to a soothing experience layered with complexity. I get cedar and toast up front and cream and coffee on the finish. Every now and then some white pepper enters the fray. Each cigar is consistent as heck and delivers regardless of time of day.
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Latitude Zero Gordo
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