BPR February 2023 Newsletter - Identifying Our Biases/Black History Month

BPR February 2023 Newsletter - Identifying Our Biases/Black History Month

BPR February 2023 Newsletter - Identifying Our Biases/Black History Month

BPR February 2023 Newsletter - Identifying Our Biases/Black History Month

We explored the power of pause in January and the receptivity that is a function of your ability to be open-minded. Even for those of us that are committed to being selfaware and do so in practice, none is immune from biases. They are inherent to the families we grow up in, the institutions we navigate on a daily basis, and reinforced on the regular by the social circles and communities we are a part of. Whether negative or positive, biases are non-productive pre-constructed judgments that constrain the possibilities before you. That’s not something I’m willing to live with. What’s one to do?

Be curious and entertain the opportunity to be pleasantly surprised. And don’t be one of those people that is only thinking about what they are going to say while someone else is talking. Not only is that annoying and potentially alienating, you are shooting yourself in the foot and probably missing out on insight and connection. And isn’t that the point of this dance called life?

I’ve had the blessing of growing up in NYC – a true melting pot of world cultures and colors, a place where I saw every person as equal and an individual in their own right. I’ve also had the experience of being a Hispanic woman in male dominated industries my entire career which unfortunately, narrowed my scope of what professional or smart looked like. I have in more recent years, shifted that mindset so that I now show up more authentically while creating value-add. The paradigm is shifting – we can be real, kind, inspiring, creative AND professional, impactful, results driven.

One of the most powerful changes in behavior for me has been to instead of ‘thinking’ who this person is (based on what they look like, their dress, how they speak, who they know, blah blah) that I’m meeting for the first time, or what they are going to say, I  just shut up. And the results are magical. Life is full of beauty, interesting people and experiences, and we have so much to learn. If only, we are able to seize the reigns of our mind, identify the unhelpful programmed responses we’re dragging around, and instead live life fully. We could connect more deeply to the beauty that surrounds us and live a more fulfilling, purpose driven reality. As the marquis at my daughter’s elementary school displayed on my way into career day last week to speak,

“Diversity means celebrate the uniqueness in all of us”.

This month, we are celebrating Black History Month – the contributions and heart of a people and culture. See below our Cash Flow and Capital section for additional resources specific to the Black business community. And in leading by example, check out Mellody Hobson’s work to narrow the wealth gap by installing minority execs at the top of businesses: HERE
 

- Jessica Hornbeck, CEO & The BPR Team

Email Us!
 
 

Services & Resources

Tax Preparation/Filing and Accounting Clean-Up Full Year 2022

Reach out if you need to get your Accounting and Financials in order for the 2022 tax filing season.  We will seamlessly prepare and timely file 2022 tax returns Fall 2023 for clients joining by March 31, 2023.

 

Independent Contractors Or Misc Income - 1099 Filing

  • Did you miss the deadline or report inaccurate info?

  • BPR can help build your Accounting processes so that paying Vendors is easy, accurate, and compliant for tax reporting/filing
     

 

Best Practices

 

 

 

 

 

 


How To Tactfully Raise Prices?

Due to inflation and rising labor costs, many businesses cannot keep up without increasing Customer prices.  Check out this read on how to tactfully raise prices.

 

Client & Partner Spotlight

 

We love celebrating and working with client, partner and friend Elaine Swann and the Swann School of Protocol, based in Carlsbad. We’re off coming off the 5th Annual Swann-Con Business Development Conference where BPR CEO Jessica Hornbeck led a segment on What you Need to Know to Create a Strong Financial Foundation for business owner attendees.  Today, Elaine is the leading and most nationally recognized lifestyle and etiquette expert in the country. She is the founder of The Swann School of Protocol, an institution committed to enriching the lives of individuals through the instruction of etiquette and social courtesies.
 

 

 

Cash Flow, Capital Resources & Small Biz Topics

 

Retroactive ERTC

Employers may claim the 2020 ERTC until April 15, 2024, and the 2021 ERTC until April 15, 2025, up to three years after the original payroll taxes were due. We can help file (amended) Quarterly 941- X.

Work Opportunity Tax Credit
Federal tax credit available to employers who invest in American job seekers who have consistently faced barriers to employment. You must certify verification of new hire prior to receiving tax credit.

LINK HERE

Acion Opportunity Fund
Low interest rates for this small business loan program partnered with AMEX.

LINK HERE

Womens Net and Amber (Grants) - here's a list of 16 grants for women biz owners
A list of 16 grants for women biz owners.

LINK HERE

Founders First Capital Partners
Prepares and invests in under-represented PoC and women owned businesses.  Find out more info on their pitch contests, grants, and bootcamps: HERE

CDC Small Business Finance
An SBA lender, non-profit and advocate for entrepreneurs.

LINK HERE

QBO Capital
Offers short to long term financing tied to your QBO merchant account, fast, easy, capital based on what you process. 

More Information: HERE
Schedule Link: HERE

Fast Break For Small Business
A partnership between the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, and LegalZoom to support Black-owned small businesses with $10k grants.

LINK HERE

Invest In Progress Grant
$10k grants and mentorship opportunities to Black women entrepreneurs in need of funding and support for their small businesses, open til Feb 24th.

LINK HERE

Score For Black Entrepreneurs and Webinar
How to Find Funding Opportunities for Black-owned Businesses.

LINK HERE

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