The F-Suite Winter 2023

Publisher & Managing Editor

Anna Gelbman Edmonds

Design & Production

Kristina Parella

Assistant Editor Amy Stokes Intern

Sarah Elvington

Contributing Writers

Carl Cease

Amy Coward

Earl Gregorich

Heather Leigh Nichole Livengood

Jeanne Reynolds

Nancy Tuten

Photographers

Crush Rush

Valery Taylor Smith

HEADING FEARLESSLY INTO 2023

This is a very special issue for two reasons. First, in case you hadn’t noticed, if you flip the magazine over you’ll find we included a sneak peak of our new magazine, Reverse. It’s set to launch in early 2023.

Reverse, which focuses on caregivers, was conceived during an F-Suite editorial meeting nearly three years ago. Someone nonchalantly suggested we acknowledge in an article the women business owners who are caring for an aging parent, many of whom are also still raising their children (often referred to as sandwich caregivers). Having been a caregiver who couldn’t find the resources or support I needed, and intuiting how many F-Suite readers are caregivers, I knew one article wouldn’t cut it. That’s when the lightbulb went on and the concept of a new magazine was born. Being a caregiver was the hardest job I ever had, and I’m determined to help smooth the way for those of you navigating that challenging role by providing the information and resources I know that you need.

The other reason this issue is special is because we tackle fear and launching out in new directions — and believe me, starting a new magazine fills me with fear. However, I was reminded of having overcome past fears during my annual checkup with my family physician. Melissa Boylan opened her direct-pay medical practice about two years ago, which is when I met her. Between me saying “Aah” and getting my blood pressure checked, we discussed entrepreneurism, mostly focusing on how scary starting our businesses was and often continues to be. Though our businesses are very different, fear smells and tastes the same. But so does overcoming it! Because I know you’re scared sometimes, too, I decided to share with you some snippets from our conversation on page 4. That’s Dr. Boylan and me in the picture above at the Walk with a Doc event she hosted at the Saluda Riverwalk in November. You can join us each month by signing up at walkwithadoc.org.

The F-Suite (Volume 5, No. 1) is a free quarterly publication. We charge a small fee to cover the cost of postage and handling of mail subscriptions.

Copyright ©2021, 2022, 2023 The F-Suite, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. The publisher is not responsible for the opinions or comments of the authors or the subject matter of advertisers. Advertising rates are available upon request. We welcome your comments and questions by email at info@thefsuite.com or mail to The F-Suite, LLC, 317 Bradford Lane, Columbia, SC 29223. Tel. (803) 216-1902

Our cover story showcasing Karen R. Jenkins speaks of fear, too, and overcoming obstacles. We also included a book review for those who fear working with numbers. I’m learning to tackle that one myself! And even our resident mansplainer found out that his anxieties about an upcoming road trip were all for naught. (See page18.)

We hope you enjoy this two-in-one issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together. Your comments and suggestions are welcome by email. I love hearing from you.

Cheers!

Anna@thefsuite.com

FIND ME

PROUD MEMBER OF THE GREATER IRMO CHAMBER

Find our successful microbusiness owner hidden somewhere among the pages of this issue. The FIRST TWO READERS to post a picture of her on our Instagram or Facebook page will win a prize from Cassell Brothers Heating & Cooling or Loveland Coffee.

HINT

This is obviously not the one to find!

** Freelancers, contributors and advertisers of The F-Suite, and their employees and/or family members are ineligible.**

DIAGNOSIS: ENTREPRENEURIAL FEAR

Treatment: Simply keep going, full steam ahead!

By Anna Gelbman Edmonds Photograph by Valery Taylor Smith

Dr. Melissa Boylan left a large medical practice two years ago and opened Noreta Family Medicine, an insurance-free, direct-pay practice. During my most recent checkup, we talked about the fears we faced heading into entrepreneurship and those we deal with today.

EDMONDS: You left due to frustration with the way medicine is practiced today. I guess you faced the most fear at the beginning of your entrepreneurial journey.

BOYLAN: Yes, if you’d told me I would have my own practice at this point, I’d have said you’re crazy. I knew there had to be a better model in which to practice medicine and wanted to create what I always imagined a doctor’s office should be. I had few local role models though. It took me years to push through the wall of fear to step out on my own.

EDMONDS: In contrast, I tumbled into entrepreneurship. I simply wanted to make a magazine, but then I realized somebody had to publish it. Head-slap moment: I just started a small business! Getting a business license, finding a banker, attorney, an insurance agent and a CPA was easy, but I had to pay them. So, I had to apply for a line of credit, and that was scary.

BOYLAN: You’re lucky! I’ve had three attorneys. The first tried to dissuade me from

opening my practice, and then actually fired me. The next quoted me a price but ended up charging me double. I also had to find a bank willing to open a new business bank account during the early days of the pandemic!

EDMONDS: Let’s talk about being dissuaded. Someone who I thought would offer helpful feedback on getting this magazine started asked me, "Why print a magazine when everything is going digital?” Knowing magazines still sell in the grocery checkout line, I wanted to publish a print magazine with a digital presence. Since then, I’ve learned from several teachers that many students are burned out on screen time [due to COVID and distance learning] and are enjoying print books. We’re coming full circle.

BOYLAN: Yes, others tried to scare me off and told me not to do this. My tipping point was during a visit to my dentist when they asked me what my ideal job would look like. I blurted out that I wanted to open my own practice. I’d never said that out loud to anybody until then. Hearing myself say it gave me the courage to finally step past my fear, put in the hard work and just do it.

EDMONDS: Yes, years ago someone told me that if I aspired to write professionally, I’d have to tell people I’m a writer. Hearing myself say “I’m a writer” was scary, until it became empowering. But now that I’m a writer who owns a publishing business, it’s kind of scary again.

My business depends on advertising. If I don’t sell ads, there is no magazine. My business demands spending time building relationships, calling, meeting and talking to prospects — I’m lucky if one out of dozens results in a sale. I had to teach myself how to be a salesperson via the school of hard knocks. Everything about sales is very scary to me: the cold calling, the thought of rejection, the borrowing from the bank to cover the shortfall.

BOYLAN: Someone told me that running my own practice would be “a different kind of hard.” I now know what they meant. I work more hours, but I feel more fulfilled. There’s a lot of stress that comes with starting and running a business. However, the sense of accomplishment helps power me through the day and brings me joy. Did you have any experience in business before you started The F-Suite?

EDMONDS: No! Zero! Nothing!

BOYLAN: Yeah, me neither. [Ribald laughter]

EDMONDS: I don’t like running a business! I wish somebody would take this off my hands and let me do the parts I like! I need help, but I don’t know how to manage people, unless you count raising four kids.

BOYLAN: I understand. I felt like a student all over again, having to learn how to post on social media, read financial statements and market my practice. In fact, I have held off on hiring staff for a while due to the fear of doing something wrong during the hiring process.

EDMONDS: Two years in, are you still scared?

BOYLAN: There’s always something to be

afraid of. There are so many ups and downs in the course of a day and each week that give me pause.

EDMONDS: The economy surely triggers fear. When money is tight, people might not go to the doctor, and they’re certainly not gonna pay for advertising!

BOYLAN: And I haven’t taken the time to figure out what the future looks like. I just wanted to get in and get started, but I haven’t done much planning for the future, and that’s scary. I need to figure out what my vision is for the future and how I set myself up to achieve it.

EDMONDS: My pesky fear is that there is no plan B. Before I started my business, I interviewed for many jobs for which I’m highly qualified. I’m convinced age discrimination was what kept me from being hired. I know many women my age who have had or are currently experiencing the same thing. They’ve resorted to freelancing or starting their own business. Many of them are single, too. That’s a scary position to be in at our age. But unemployment sparks the entrepreneurial fire in many people.

BOYLAN: I don’t understand that thinking. In my mind, wisdom and experience are valuable resources for employers.

EDMONDS: I agree. Nonetheless, I don’t think any of those jobs would’ve allowed me to have as much fun or meet such a wide variety of people as what I do now.

BOYLAN: Yes, there are silver linings.

There always are, even to the pandemic.

EDMONDS: Yes! It really taught us new skills and how to dance around things. That we even made it through the pandemic is amazing. Some businesses that have been around for years or even decades folded, and here we are!

BOYLAN: Ironically, my medical practice by its nature offers social distancing. Patients arrive one at a time and don’t sit in a waiting room full of sick patients. I continued treating in-person, while other practices turned to telemedicine (though I offer telemedicine).

EDMONDS: We both still get scared. But now I realize that fear is simply a distraction. The answers are right there waiting to be discovered or play out naturally. I’ve learned to nip those anxiety-inducing thoughts in the bud and go find something to do. Worrying never resolved anything.

BOYLAN: I remind myself that I’m on a mission to improve primary care. Making decisions and doing things with that in mind helps me get past those scary times. Recognizing fearful thoughts as distractions is good because most of what you’re imagining will never happen.

EDMONDS: My faith is what keeps me going forward. It’s been a scary walk. Yet, I don’t regret any of those stomach-churning, ugly-cry learning experiences because of the level of faith that resulted. And even the scariest moments are buffered by how much fun I have every day.

By Amy Coward

Right this minute, a wellmeaning nonprofit board member is suggesting a 5K race, golf tournament or

gala to help raise much-needed funds. And it’s not an entirely bad idea. Such fundraising events are a common revenue stream among nonprofit organizations. Special events can be a great way to build relationships with donors, share your mission with the community and raise money.

It’s important, though, to recognize the realities of these events and plan them with a full understanding of what it takes to make them successful. This requires dispelling the common myths around such efforts.

Myth #1: Events are the best way to raise money.

Fact: Not really. Events have their value, offering an oppor tunity to recognize donors and build awareness of the organization’s mission. But they are the most expensive way to raise money. Events require more staff, more time and more budget than direct donor solicitations. Determine if this is really the best tactic based on your strategic plan and organizational goals.

Myth #2: You can have a successful event next month.

Fact: Nothing could be farther from the truth. Events of any kind are inherently full of details and logistics that take time to consider. Depending on the type of event you prefer, an ideal timeline for planning would begin six to 12 months prior to the event. You’ll need to consider the ideal time of year, a suitable location and what other community events are taking place at that time. While you will never be able to select a day and time when nothing else is going on, try to avoid scheduling alongside popular community events as much as possible.

Myth #3: Events are a great opportunity to educate.

Fact: Don’t fool yourself. When people attend an event, they primarily want to enjoy the activities being provided (whether it’s a golf tournament, race or gala). Some attendees have

and will only be annoyed if there is a long, educational

program with multiple speakers who can hardly be heard over the din of attendees. You may think you’re missing an opportunity if you don’t have a full program, but it’s best to keep any remarks short and instead provide information that guests can take with them. Or follow up with attendees after the event when they’re likely more receptive. Save your board chair and president’s lengthy remarks for your annual meeting when you have a captive audience at a quiet, seated luncheon where such remarks are expected and appreciated.

Vendors and venues will donate their services and space.

Don’t count on it. There are many well-deserving nonprofits serving the community in a variety of ways. According to the South Carolina Secretary of State, there are 13,000 registered nonprofits in the state. Some provide for basic needs like food and shelter, others provide healthcare and shelter from abuse and many provide enrichment such as arts and culture. All are part of our community’s fabric and deserve support from companies and individuals alike. Vendors and venues are in the business of making a profit, and business from charitable organizations is vital to their business success. The number of requests they receive for free space and services is staggering. Don’t expect pro bono services from everyone every time. Do, however, establish relationships and offer sponsorships to vendors to encourage their willingness to discount their services.

Volunteers can plan and run Only if you pay them. Volunteers willing to contribute their time, energy and resources are a lifeline to staff-strapped nonprofit organizations. But let’s be honest: These individuals have lives. Many work full-time and have families and other obligations. The execution of your event is not likely their top priority. You need paid staff to oversee and carry out the labor-intensive logistics of your event. Never-ending planning tasks fill the weeks and months leading up to the event.

Awareness of these common myths helps you and your board better decide if an event is really a good idea for your organization. Events certainly have their place and can be a great tool in building awareness for your organization. Just approach them with realistic expectations.

SC CAREER KIDS

Helping shape kids’ natural curiosity into a fulfilling future

By Anna Gelbman Edmonds Photographs by SCCK

Most of us look back on the year 2020 with dismay and sadness. But the events of that year gave rise to a lot of innovative ideas as everyone scrambled to adjust. Many saw a need and jumped in to fill it.

Katy Wiggs is one of them. As schools closed their doors, educators, parents and students were among the most affected by the pandemic. Wiggs, an elementary educator, decided to take the opportunity to empower kids by teaching them to exercise their curiosity and look to their future work world.

At the height of the pandemic, in partnership with the Greater Irmo Chamber of Commerce, Wiggs created the nonprofit SC Career Kids (SCCK) for students to enjoy the journey of experiential learning. The organization provides opportunities for elementary-aged children to explore careers through interactive experiences and engage with skilled experts. Early exposure to the work world allows students to cultivate connections with professionals outside their family circles and learn through real-world situations. SCCK’s

News reporting with Rachel Ripp of WLTX News

mission is to ensure South Carolina’s future workforce is exposed to the wide variety of career opportunities in the Palmetto State.

The overwhelming consensus among South Carolina employers is that too many South Carolina graduates lack the necessary skills required for critical thinking, effective communication, creative problem solving and working collaboratively. SCCK is committed to evolving the state’s career ecosystem and strives to empower students to grow a more robust workforce.

In SCCK’s conception stage, teachers observed students mimicking businesses in their community. Students created pretend hair salons, established restaurants, engineered with Legos, painted story sets, crafted jewelry and designed and sold stationery. They were encouraged to think big, innovate, collaborate, communicate effectively and problem solve.

Believing that every day should be career day, SCCK helps students connect what they do in school to the opportunities that await them. When SCCK held its first summer Career Camp in June 2022 at the Greater Irmo Chamber, all 28 openings immediately sold. Students ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade attended the week-long camp as “apprentices’’ working alongside over 20 career experts. At the conclusion of the week, the Irmo community gathered to hear the young apprentices share about their experiences and what they are interested in learning more about in the future.

The success of summer Career Camp sparked the weekly Career Camp now held at Irmo Elementary School. Each week, young apprentices gather to gain career awareness and learn from career experts.

The mission of providing all children in South Carolina with career awareness is a big one! SCCK is developing a Virtual Career Path to reach more children in the state. Showcasing both small businesses and big industries, this interactive digital platform will be a resource for teachers to use in the classroom and for parents to use at home.

Current needs of the nonprofit are businesses and individuals willing to sponsor camp scholarships, career experts to dedicate time and talent in the classroom, and business partnerships to assist in launching the Virtual Career Path.

For more information, visit sccareerkids.com, and follow along on social media.

Writing feature stories with Anna Gelbman Edmonds of The F-Suite

By Nichole Livengood Photographs by Crush Rush

hortly after Karen R. Jenkins’s 17-year-old son, Raoul, graduated from high school, she stood in the waiting room of the ICU praying hand in hand with more than 20 family members. She told them, “If you don’t believe 100% that my son is going to get up and walk out of this hospital, then you need to leave now.”

She led energy prayer, instructing her family to pray from the tips of their toes to the tops of their heads and project that prayer to where her son lay in his hospital bed. He was in a coma from a ruptured brain aneurysm with a 10 to 15% chance of survival.

Raoul is now a student at the University of South Carolina studying biology, with aspirations of teaching at the collegiate level. Jenkins, knows her son is a walking miracle.

It’s not coincidental that when Jenkins walks into a room the energy changes. The Columbia business

Jenkins with Columbia Chamber VP Susan Vaughn McPherson

owner, wife and mother of two understands that her energy is a force of change; it not only drives her business, she lives it wholeheartedly every day.

“One law of physics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, and in reality, emotions are our energy in motion,” says Jenkins. “We are all made of energy, right? We carry different levels of energy throughout our day, whether loving and positive energy, neutral energy or low and catabolic energy. We very rarely pay attention to the levels of energy we are carrying, but we are responsible for the energy we bring into the room,” she continues. “Sometimes a bad experience like getting a flat tire or spilling something on our clothes can cause our frustrations to rise and our energy levels to decline without us knowing it. When we walk into a room after these experiences, we bring that negative energy with us and may not realize the impact it can have on others: Your vibes speak louder than words. I’ve had opportunities come to me that I never thought would, and I realize it was because of the energy I carry.”

Accolades for Jenkins and her business, KRJ Consulting, LLC, have rolled in over the past decade, but her professional life started with a bit of uncertainty. A native of Columbia, she graduated from W.J.

Keenan High School. After graduation she entered USC as an undeclared major. “I had no clue what I wanted to do,” she says. Someone told her engineers make good money, but she quickly realized that wasn’t her path. While navigating her possible choices, she took a part-time job at C&S Bank.

“Everything they asked me to do I did, and then I’d go in and ask for more. I like to be challenged. I think that paid off for me.”

She became a supervisor at age 20, changed her major to business management and started working full-time and attending school part-time. It took her seven and a half years

to finish her degree, but she was assistant vice president by the time she graduated.

Twelve years later, she had her daughter, Patrice, and faced a choice: Her job was moving to Charlotte. She handed it to God. “But faith without works is dead,” she says, and she sent out her resume. A job with Resource Bancshares Mortgage Group, Inc., resulted, and she joined them as assistant vice president in their new loans department. The company paid for her master’s in business administration at Webster University. She was successful, and most importantly, had a flexible job that allowed her time with her family.

When she was laid off in the 2007 economic crisis, Jenkins didn’t know what she wanted to do. She got a job offer with a bank, but it didn’t feel right. “I talked it over with my husband, and he said he didn’t see me sitting behind someone else’s desk again.” She had paid her dues.

She joined her nephew in opening Integrated Financial Services and turned her focus to home ownership and financial literacy in underserved communities. A year later, the economy crumbled further. She became an on-air financial consultant for Columbia’s WIS-TV. She also formed KRJ Consulting in April 2008 to help a Charleston nonprofit prevent home foreclosures throughout the state. “In 2008 our office saved approximately 148 families from facing foreclosure,” she says.

The amount of financial illiteracy she encountered during that time was staggering, so she wrote “Nobody Told Me! The Path to Financial Empowerment.” The handbook teaches basic financial literacy and includes resources and a user-friendly plan for reaching financial goals.

As the economy improved, her company shifted its focus to consulting, training and development. KRJ Consulting (KRJC) now concentrates on leadership development, cultural integration and organizational development. It is an organizational growth and human capital consulting firm specializing in people by transforming leaders, integrating cultures and building organizational capacity. “We arm people with the skills they need to effectively manage people. We help people align their teams, skillset and capacity to the goals of the organization.”

The KRJC team teaches people to harness and understand their energy and the energy of others. “If everyone is on the same vibrational frequency, if everyone is of the same mindset, then they can accomplish a lot more and create synergy,” she says. And Jenkins explores her leadership training style and other project management topics in her podcast, The Synergy Leadership Podcast.

“I believe that where your mind goes, energy flows. My whole life is energy,” she says. “When I tell you we went through some things, we went through some things. But we never lost faith. Our energy. Our synergy.”

For more information visit krjconsulting.com.

Jenkins is the first Black woman to serve as chair of the chamber's board

Son Raoul and daughter Patrice are part of the KRJ Consulting team

THEY’VE GOT THE POWER

Women rocking leadership roles in City of Cayce government

By Jeanne Reynolds Photographs by Andrew Haworth

Charlotte, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, Cayce. Wait, what — Cayce? No, it’s not a typo. Turns out all these cities have something important in common: women mayors.

Cayce’s Elise Partin is part of a relatively small yet powerful sisterhood of women holding the top job in their cities. Less than a third of municipal officeholders in cities over 10,000 are women, according to the Center for American Women and Politics. That number is only 28.8% in South Carolina, ranking the state 35 out of 50, a drop of six places in the past year. But Partin, in office since 2008, is holding firm.

“It’s important to have a blend of men and women at the helm,” Partin says. “At first, I was the only woman in the room all the time, every time. I worked to ensure things didn’t stay that way.”

And how. The burgeoning ranks of women in Cayce’s key leadership positions now include City Manager Tracy Hegler, Municipal Clerk Mendy Corder, Finance Director Kelly McMullen, Human Resources Director Lynn Dooley, Fire Department Battalion Chief Caroline Martin, Utilities Director Betsy Catchings and School Resource Officer Lt. Danielle McCord. Don’t make the mistake of thinking these women were hired because of their gender — more likely despite it, in several cases.

“Women tend to hold themselves to really high standards,” Partin says. “That’s a signif-

icant strength, but it can keep women from taking the next step. It holds them back because they think they’re not qualified.”

Fortunately for Cayce residents, this crew did take that step, emerging as proven leaders of a team making Cayce a great place to live, work and play. Let’s meet three of them.

Mayor Elise Partin

Other than being a woman in a predominantly male field, Partin might have been born for her role.

“I grew up around a mom who worked at the municipal level all my life,” she says. “I knew parks and sidewalks don’t just happen.”

A professional background in public speaking and crisis communications adds to a resume packed with leadership roles in local and regional organizations and nearly countless awards. But one of Partin’s strongest attributes doesn’t show up as a bullet in her bio: her passion for her job.

“I love working with people in our city and getting to know the different things they bring: World War II vets, the elderly, people volunteering at their churches, people who were never included in the conversation before,” Partin says. “I want to make sure people have a part, have a voice and feel welcome.”

Partin’s priorities include making sure city staff members have the tools they need to do their jobs so they can provide great customer service to residents. She’s also focused on helping Cayce grow and thrive — without overdoing it.

(left to right) Tracy Hegler, Elise Partin and Mendy Corder

Mayor Partin with Fire Battalion Chief Martin and SRO Lt. McCord

“We want to preserve our great smalltown feeling. I want to keep that connection. It really matters.”

City Manager Tracy Hegler

Hegler has served as the executive officer and head of the city’s administrative branch since 2018. And, like Partin, she might have been tailor-made for her job managing a 218-employee organization. She brings to the role a master’s degree in urban regional planning, plus experience as Richland County’s director of community planning and development, project manager for an engineering firm specializing in transportation systems and director of planning and spaceport transportation for the Florida Space Authority (yes, that’s space as in NASA).

Hegler says when the city manager job opened in Cayce, she didn’t hesitate to cross the river. “I’d been following the growth here and wanted to be part of that energy. I was well prepared for the career leap.”

Hegler says working as part of a female-led team also adds a special element to the job.

“The environment is super collaborative and open minded. We have a deep desire to get things done and look at all the ways to do that, because there’s no one way to get there. Women are exceptionally good at that.

Municipal Clerk Mendy Corder

After 25 years with the city, Corder is now in a unique place: As municipal clerk, she holds the only position required by state law.

If Partin is the face of Cayce and Hegler runs the shop, Corder is the one handling the details. Her daily to-do list includes keeping records, scheduling meetings, responding to Freedom of Information Act requests and working with the public to resolve issues and complaints.

Corder says working with a female leadership team has changed her job and her career path. “Women in leadership are so different. The mayor encouraged me to move into the municipal clerk role. I wouldn’t have wanted to be in this position without her and Tracy. The mayor is really passionate about the city.”

The impact of Cayce’s cadre of women leaders is perhaps best summed up by one of their top male counterparts, Police Chief Chris Cowan. “Women in leadership are a minority, but the compassion, passion and integrity they exhibit is setting the benchmarks for others to follow,” Cowan says. “They lead with their hearts. They lead strategically. They’re making technical and tactical decisions that are setting Cayce up for future generations.”

PARENTING THE PARENTS

Time and money management are key issues when caring for an aging parent

By Carl “Doo Dad” Cease

hen you were 10 years old, did you dream about taking care of your aging parents? How about when you were 50 years old?

Chances are the answer is “no” to both these questions. Yet, here you stand, slowly becoming a parent to your parents — and fearing what that means: How will I pay for their care? Can I make time to take care of them? They fight me every time I mention their need for some help. I feel like I’m banging my head against the pine tree in my front yard!

Those are all valid concerns and feelings at this difficult time. While this article can’t fix them all, perhaps it can point you in the right direction.

Money is always a concern. If parents need additional help, and someone else must provide that help, where does the money come from? It’s a very real issue, and we’ll address it in a future article. Let’s put it aside for now.

The first, and perhaps most important, consideration is that you will be your parents’ advocate. Just as you kept watch for bullies when your children were younger, you’ll be doing the same for your parents. What does this mean in real terms?

Ask questions. And don’t be shy about challenging what you are told. You may be presented with the simplest option when there is a better option available. Simply ask a few questions.

Get organized. Have a plan — written in pencil — and use it as your guide. Expect the plan to change, but putting it in writing will help. If you’re tech savvy, there are caregiving apps such as Carely, Medisafe and Caring Village to name a few.

Observe what’s going on. This seems obvious, but there is real value in watching the care your loved one receives. Address concerns as they arise; problems don’t go away on their own. Note any mood shifts or changes in abilities, and think about what might have caused them.

Communicate clearly. This is a people process, so express clearly what you need. Let those helping you know your expectations. And, as mentioned above, ask questions!

Let’s circle back to the money issue. Space only allows us to touch on a few options here. Personal savings. Hopefully there is money set aside for caregiving expenses, but many times there isn’t. Yikes! What to do now?

Veterans benefits. A parent who served in the military may be eligible for Veteran Directed Care Home and Community Based Services. Contact the Department of Veteran Affairs Caregiver Support Program at caregiver.va.gov for details.

Long-term care insurance. Do your parents have a policy? If so, look into what it does and does not cover well ahead of needing help.

Life insurance. Find out if your parents’ life insurance policy will allow access to the cash value and/or death benefit to pay for expenses.

We’ll cover in more detail these and other options in future articles.

Your words matter when marketing through web content, emails, newsletters and social media posts. Every issue of The F-Suite offers writing tips to add to your professional toolbox.

PUNCTUATING WITH PARENTHESES

By Dr. Nancy Tuten

hich sentences are punctuated appropriately?

W1. The meeting will convene at the Hilton (Riverside, not Hightower).

2. Despite having recently hired two new employees (Johnson and Carlisle,) the director decided to attend the job fair.

3. The results indicate a preference among employees for flexible holidays, (see appendix for survey data) but a new policy has not yet been implemented.

4. The results indicate a preference among employees for flexible holidays. (See appendix for survey data.)

5. The results indicate a preference among employees for flexible holidays (survey data in appendix.)

Commas and Periods Typically Belong With Their Clauses

Sentence 1 is correct: The period goes outside the parenthetical expression to end the entire sentence.

In sentence 2, the comma goes outside the closing parenthesis to signify that the parenthetical phrase belongs with the introductory clause: Despite having recently hired two new employees (Johnson and Carlisle), the director decided to attend the job fair.

Sentence 3 needs a comma before but because it joins two independent clauses. And since the parenthetical expression happens to come at that juncture, the comma should go after the closing parenthesis: The results indicate a preference among employees for flexible holidays (see appendix for survey data), but a new policy has not yet been implemented.

When parentheses enclose a complete sentence, the punctuation depends on where it appears in the larger sentence.

The expression “see appendix for survey data” in sentence 3 is a complete sentence, but we do not treat it as such because it’s cocooned within another complete sentence. Therefore, we neither capitalize the first letter of “see” nor include a period after “data.”

Parentheses at the End of a Sentence

The parenthetical expression in sentence 4 is also a complete sentence, and it is correctly punctuated as such. Since it is entirely separate from the previous sentence, it must begin with

a capital letter and end with its own appropriate punctuation mark placed inside the closing parenthesis.

When, however, an expression does not constitute a complete sentence but appears at the end of an independent clause, as with sentence 5, we punctuate after the closing parenthesis: The results indicate a preference among employees for flexible holidays (survey data in appendix).

Static Parentheses

Static parentheses include those enclosing area codes or the letters or numbers delineating listed items; they do not enclose nonessential words or phrases and are not subject to these punctuation rules: Call us at (555) 123-4567 to (a) request a catalog or (b) inquire about returns. Leave one line of space between (1) the address and the greeting, (2) the greeting and the body of the letter and (3) the body and the closing.

Remember that parentheses always come in pairs. Despite what our word processing software says, never use only the right-hand parenthesis with letters and numbers in a list.

THANK YOU to our Sponsors

MANAGING BY THE

A Commonsense Guide to Understanding and Using Your Company’s Financials

By Chuck Kremer and Ron Rizzuto with John Case

Do you review your organization’s financials monthly? Do you know if you will have enough money to cover expenses in 60 days?

If awarded a bid, do you have the resources to deliver and meet payroll?

If you answered “no” or “sort of” to any of these questions, you want to read this book. Tonight. The authors are a business literacy consultant, a professor of finance and an executive editor of business publications. Together they created a practical and accessible guide that entrepreneurs can utilize for a better understanding of their organization’s financial health.

Employing real business scenarios and examples, the authors take the mystery and fear out of understanding the balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement and how they work together. Tremendous freedom results from knowing your organization is financially stable, can deliver on goods and services and can scale successfully.

“Managing by the Numbers” defines what each type of statement contains and details how they all work together. Readers will be able to develop and implement SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely) financial goals and create realistic benchmarks. The book will not solve financial issues. It helps expose how and why the problems occurred and equips the reader to develop better practices.

All businesses require outside funding and resources at some point. Having a better understanding of the organization’s finances spares the entrepreneur from possible unpleasant conversations with accountants, bankers and other funding sources. Save money, interest, fees and time, and grow your business!

Review by Heather Leigh, BETR Business

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MEETING

PHOTOGRAPHY

A 37-YEAR ROAD TRIP

By Earl Gregorich

ound-trip mileage from Greenville, South Carolina, to San Diego is 5,475 miles, with a few side excursions. Look at your spouse or significant other and ask yourself, how many miles would you be into that trip before one of you ended up at the next airport? Many couples laughed at me when I said I was taking my wife on a cross-country road trip, driving up to 10 hours a day for four straight days. And I’ve lived to tell the tale.

Guys hear “Road trip!” and reminisce about spring breaks on far-off beaches or treks into the wilderness with a camper in tow. We get excited! We may even break out into an “Animal

House” worthy chant: Road trip! Road trip! We grab a few Slim Jims, a PAYDAY bar and a cooler of bottled drinks on our way out the door with the Jeep keys! Woo-hoo! San Diego, here we come! Not that I did that, of course. Not me.

Ladies approach road trips more ... maturely. Which car are we driving? Where will we stay? Who will water the plants? The bills need paid before we go. And YOU need some new clothes. Yep, I heard all of these. My answers: the Jeep (because it can go topless, of course!), campgrounds are everywhere and put the plants outside to let God water them. Clothes?! I’ve worn the same four pandemic outfits since 2019, so I’m good! (Instant eye roll.)

By the time we set out, only the Jeep was left of my dream. From 37 years of marriage, I’ve learned to negotiate fair and equitable arrangements. I negotiate, and she does what she feels is fair and equitable. Did I mention I got to drive the Jeep? She even accepted KOA cabins as possible accommodations.

I prepared by getting the Jeep checked out, mapping our stops along the way and loading the phone with playlists, podcasts and audiobooks. My wife prepared also. The Jeep was wheezing as we pulled out of the driveway with no space wasted to accommodate our comfort for the next two weeks.

We got rained on in the desert, were misled on an Airbnb, rode out a “hurricane” in San Diego, and triple-digit temps seemed to follow us everywhere. We had a blast! The Jeep was topless for only about 20 miles at the Grand Canyon, and Vegas was definitely an experience. (I feel I owe my wife an apology for taking her there.)

Amarillo will go down as a nice place to pass through, and seeing the scenery of the Southwest was a bucket-list-worthy adventure. My wife even took my crazy ideas along the way like a champ. Like the “E” on the gas gauge means “enough.”

It took nearly 37 years to make this road trip happen. We jostled schedules, pulled some savings together and tackled every challenge as an adventure. I don’t think we traded angry words even once. AND we only listened to one hour of a podcast the entire trip. We talked and saw the sights through each other's eyes. We created memories and lived good stories. I learned to always let her keep packing, because nobody can prepare me for a good day like she can. She learned that I will let her keep packing. Guys, I encourage you to take that road trip with your partner, and ladies, go easy on the luggage. Your partner’s back (and the Jeep) will thank you.

AGU'S ALL-NATURAL SALVE

LAKE MURRAY EVENT RENTALS

MANN TOOL & SUPPLY, INC.

MAUI

Critical Transitions Wealth Advisors has a proven process to bring clarity and reduce potential mismanagement. As an advisory fiduciary, we offer advice in your family’s best interest in areas such as consolidating assets, investment management, navigating Social Security & Medicare, your role as Power of Attorney & Personal Representative, and planning for a terminal illness or permanent care diagnosis. Together we can create a plan!

Where will parents be laid to rest, and have -arrange ments been made?

Where do parents want to live if staying in the home is not possible?

Where do parents keep legal documents, and are they accessible? Children should keep an updated list of parents' doctors and -medi cations

Do parents have a current will, living will and advanced health care directive?

Do parents have -(ade quate) life insurance? Longterm care insurance?

Do parents have a durable power of attorney?

Do parents have an estate plan devised by a financial advisor or attorney?

t'sI not recommended that all these topics be tackled at once. An ongoing dialogue is encouraged so everybody knows what parents' wishes are, what's been -pre-ar ranged and who will make what decisions if parents become incapacitated.

Tough Topics

Finally, it’s important to talk about the “little” things adult children simply don’t know. Do their parents have long-term care insurance? Life insurance? What are the -de tails of their Medicare plan? Do they have a prescription plan? Where are their -import ant documents kept? Consider keeping a list of your parent’s current medications in case of emergency. An open and earnest discussion among the family about aging and care planning is not only practical and necessary, it gives -ev eryone involved peace of mind. Megan Flowers is an elder law attorney at Gelbman Law in Charlottesville, -Virgin ia, where she works on matters of estate and long-term care planning.

Planning ahead for these issues can -pro vide vital safety nets that will be needed when a crisis arises or when your loved one can no longer make decisions on their own. Legal authority to make decisions for another is vital. Generally, this is done in the form of a power of attorney. Power of attorney allows a trusted child, friend or family member to step into the shoes of an elderly person to help manage important affairs when he or she is unable to do so. Acting as power of attorney, an adult child can pay mom’s bills, deposit her checks, arrange for necessary care or do a host of other tasks that will arise. However, such plans must be made before your loved one is in a prolonged state of confusion or memory loss. Once cognitive decline has set in, it is more complicated and costlier to make the necessary legal arrangements to help a loved one in need. The possibility of needing long-term care or relocation to a senior living facility is another difficult topic for many families.

other by finishing sentences or correcting lapses in memory. This can often be a sign of decline in cognitive ability.

A good starting point is to simply ask your loved one their thoughts and feelings on long-term care. Cost is the biggest concern for most families, and adult children are -of ten in the dark about their parent’s financial situation and assets. Take the time to broach these topics and discuss the range of options for care. One is budgeting for in-home -assis tance for those who don’t need to relocate to a senior living facility, but who need help with household chores, running errands or administering daily medications.

changes in appearance, lifestyle or behavior. Are they having trouble keeping up with things around the house? Are things out of place or unusually messy? Take note if one parent seems to cover for the

es. Check in with your loved ones, and pay attention to noticeable

temporary, prolonged or permanent, depending on the -circumstanc

cline. As parents age or suffer illness, they frequently face periods of memory loss, confusion or changes in personality. These may be

One of the most complicated realities of aging is cognitive -de

time to address these issues than when families are all together.

Procrastination will not make them go away, and there is no better

But these times can also be used to talk together honestly about the future. Aging involves a host of questions and issues that many of us are uncomfortable facing.

amilies often spend time during casual -get-to gethers reminiscing and reliving fun experiences.

By Megan Flowers

Tackling difficult issues now makes things easier down the road

FTalking with Aging Parents About the Future

elder law

So, what can you do? First, don’t be lulled into thinking any of these trends affecting seniors will resolve themselves because they won’t. Next, pick up the phone and call both your insurance agent and your financial advisor to talk about long-term care. Ask questions, take notes and then make good decisions based on the information they give you. Then, call, write or email your state and federal senators and congress people, demanding they begin acting on these issues.

one by one: mom is no longer able to drive, a trip-and-fall incident or dad is becoming -ex tremely forgetful. Small annoyances maybe, but all are the beginning of the deep dive into the need for long-term care, whether in-home, with family or in a senior living facility. It’s estimated that 50% of seniors will at some point require some level of long-term care. We all see the senior retirement, assisted living, skilled nursing and dementia care facilities popping up like weeds in every community, with rooms just waiting to be filled to -capaci

Seniors (and their children) notice areas where help is needed as they crop up slowly,

care is a blurry euphemism for anything from minor assistance with household chores to medical support.

75. Most are vibrantly independent and healthy, many are caring for their much elderly parents and some already need some level of care themselves. The effects of COVID-19 on the current senior population clearly revealed just how critical quality long-term care is for this vulnerable and huge demographic. Long-term

he largest living generation, the baby boomers, are now aged 55 to

ty over the next 30 years. What the average American doesn’t know is how costly it is to live in such communities, even at the lowest level of service and amenities offered. The big problem is that only a small fraction of Americans who will need long-term care currently carry insurance coverage to help with the costs involved. Since 2008, there has been no increase in the 7.5 million Americans holding a long-term -insur ance policy, despite the ongoing and future growth of our aging population. Confusion or ignorance about long-term care and the lack of insurance means millions of Americans will experience financial disaster. What people fail to understand is that employer-provided health insurance does not cover long-term care, and that the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), Medicare and Medicaid will not cover many of their needs. Private long-term care insurers have bolted from the market in recent years, and no public option exists. In 2000, we had more than 100 long-term policy providers from which to choose. Today we have fewer than one dozen. Now, coupled with that problem, we’re in a pandemic that’s pulled back the curtain on the entire senior care crisis. All this is wrapped up in the nation’s failure to re-examine Medicare and the -in efficient and costly healthcare and health insurance industries.

By Anna Gelbman Edmonds

The Crippling Cost of Long-term Care

Let’s talk about the real possibility of a financial catastrophe

"Don’t be lulled into thinking any of these trends affecting seniors will resolve themselves because they won’t."

Publisher & Managing Editor

Anna Gelbman Edmonds

Sincerely,

Reverse strives to provide credible and insightful information to those either embarking on the journey or continuing on the road of caring for an elderly parent. We wish you Gospeed and grace!

The senior care industry is a huge machine with endless moving parts, many of which are regulated by local and state government agencies. Navigating Medicare, a chaotic healthcare system, senior living facility options and jumping through endless legal hoops is not for the faint of heart. COVID has complicated matters exponentially. Helpful information on every aspect of caregiving is desperately needed.

That was the easy part. This is why we included the article “You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know” in this issue. I can say unequivocally that if I had to do it all again, I’d do many things differently from the start. By the time I (and my siblings) learned the legal, physical, financial and institutional ins and outs of caregiving, we’d already made mistakes. And it was either too late or very expensive and time consuming to correct them. The person who suffers the most through all that is the aging parent. It hurt me to see my mother increasingly confused and frustrated any time we made changes to her routine and accommodations.

Being the main caregiver for my mother during the last few years of her life was a rewarding experience, and it was very difficult. I made mistakes. I lost sleep, gained weight and cried many tears. Nevertheless, I’m confident that, with the help of my siblings, I provided my mom with the best care I could, and I know she trusted me. Our relationship changed drastically during those years. She and I were able to talk about the reversal of roles because I was making so many decisions in her daily life. I went to every medical appointment, purchased her clothes and hygiene products, monitored her diet, picked out her books and puzzles, advocated for her, made sure she got exercise and saw that her hair and nails were kept trimmed — all the same things she did for me when I was a child.

During an editorial meeting for my magazine The F-Suite, a colleague suggested the topic of adult children caring for their parents, specifically focusing on the stressful aspects. From there, related topics bubbled up. Suddenly, someone piped up saying we should publish a specialty magazine covering all those topics and more. So, we did—and here it is!

Moving Forward in Reverse

s'editor letter

Copyright ©2023 The F-Suite, LLC. All rights -re served. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. The publisher is not responsible for the opinions or comments of the authors or the subject matter of advertisers. We welcome your comments and questions by email at info@thefsuite.com or mail to The F-Suite, LLC, 317 Bradford Lane, Columbia, SC 29223. Tel. (803) 216-1902

Reverse Magazine is a bi-monthly publication published by The F-Suite, LLC. Please email Anna@ reversemagazine.us for advertising rates and information regarding mail subscriptions and purchase of bulk copies.

(Volume 1, No. 1)

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Valery Taylor Smith

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

INTERN Sarah Elvington

Megan Flowers

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

ASSISTANT EDITOR Amy Stokes

DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Kristina Parella

Anna Gelbman Edmonds

MANAGING EDITOR