LeTip West Orange County Business Networking Group

Unveil your Image – a Series of 4 Classes

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Sloan) — Tue, 18 May 2010 21:29:00 +0000

For Young Singers, Actors, Musicians, Business Professionals, and Busy Moms and Dads

Did you know that your hair color, hair style, eye color and the colors you wear are more than just a Spring, Summer, Fall or Winter label?

What’s in it for Me?
Book the role by looking the part
Improve your confidence, energy and health
Take the mystery out of why you are mis-understood or invisible!
Make more money
Save lots of time and money when shopping
Have fun and learn this summer!

Class #1: Are you a 1, 2, 3, or 4 Soul Personality?

Includes: Your flattering haircuts and color. Eyebrow shape you should be wearing. Each class participant will get individual attention.

Class #2: Dress, Jewelry and Accessory selection
Includes: Colors, styles, design and more. (Shopping trip available separately.)

Class #3: Make-up and Skin Care
Includes: Colors for you and how to apply. True skin care for beautiful you!

Class #4: Personality and Communication
Includes: Your personality traits and how to optimize your strengths. How communicate with others clearly and understand the way others think.

When? Tuesday evenings June 22, June 29, July 6 and July 13 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Where? Dr. Miluna’s office at 32158 Camino Capistrano, Suite 203,
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675 (above Da Capo Music)

How Much? Each class is $35.00 per person. Pre-pay for 3 and get the 4th FREE! Pay with cash, checks, or credit cards.
Easy! To pay online--email Dr. Miluna for a secure payment link.

Classes taught by Dr. Miluna Fausch HHCP, Ph.D., a professional singer, actor, vocal producer, singing teacher, and wellness coach; and Candice Young, founder of Holistic Hairdressing. She has been a Cosmetologist for over 34 years, and her skill is in creating the perfect hair cut and color for each client based on his or her unique soul personality.

Dr. Miluna, The Voice Healer • 818.640.9183 • MFauschent@aol.com
Magic Through Wellness, Word and Song!

Why You Might Need a Buy-Out Agreement

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Sloan) — Mon, 03 May 2010 22:45:00 +0000

If you are doing business as a corporation or limited liability company, and you have “partners” – people who are either shareholders, members or persons with equity interests in the business, you should have negotiated and executed a buy-sell agreement. Please note that if you are a member of a limited liability company, and have signed an operating agreement, you may already have entered into a buy-sell agreement, as such are frequently included as part of the limited liability company operating agreement. Now would be a good time to go read the agreement!

If you have not knowingly executed a buy-sell agreement, this may seem a bit new – and uncomfortable. So here goes.

First, think of some significant things that can happen in life: death, divorce (or marriage), physical or mental illness or incapacity; bankruptcy (or becoming destitute), retirement and in many cases, just wanting to quit doing business or working in general.

Second, take a look at yourself and your business “partner” or “partners” and think about the impact of any of these events occurring – to you or them -- on your business and, ultimately, the ability of the business to survive such an event.

For reference, please consider that if there is no buy-sell agreement in place when one of these events occurs, a business almost always fails -- the “partners” or their spouses, heirs, etc. litigate the business into oblivion fighting over control of the business, or its assets. In addition, there is frequently no insurance in place – a key component of a buy-sell agreement – to pay for a “buy out” that may have to occur.

The purpose of a buy-sell agreement therefore is clear: it is an agreement to ensure that if a significant event occurs to one or more “partners” or shareholders in a business, there is a plan in place to try to deal with it – so the business can survive.

And now for the objections. Some business owners don’t want to even discuss buy-sell agreements with their fellow shareholders or “partners,” because they fear that by doing so, they will cause disagreements between the “partners” or shareholders that could lead to the demise of the business. (This happens a lot at the inception of a business).

Actually, just the opposite is true. Most business “partners” or shareholders are usually relieved to address these issues (especially as the business is starting up) – and often tell me they have been stressed out and anxious because these matters have not yet been addressed.

In addition, if a business “partner” is really concerned about having disagreements with the other “partner” or “partners” that could lead to the demise of the business, I have often found that both the business and the “partners” have many other issues they really need to discuss and work out as well – and a buy-sell agreement is an excellent catalyst for beginning those discussions – because the issues are not going to go away if they are not addressed. Indeed, they almost always become much worse as the business grows!

Finally, there are business people who decline to negotiate and enter into buy-sell and shareholders agreements because they would rather avoid uncomfortable topics such as death, divorce, incapacity. However, such people should consider these questions: is it better to be a little uncomfortable and hash out a plan for keeping business going if some unpleasant event occurs? Or is it better to avoid such issue and leave the business completely unprepared to deal with them and as a result, have the business fall apart when an event occurs?

Most people would choose the small discomfort to get a plan together so their businesses will survive the tempests of life!

Consequently, if you are doing business as an entity; there are lots of good reasons why you should have a buy-sell agreement; and no really good reasons why you should not. Therefore, if you have business “partners” or fellow shareholders, I strongly suggest you get to an attorney who knows what he or she is doing so they can advise you on how to put a workable agreement in place. If you need a referral to such an attorney, feel free to contact me at Mark@mdholmeslaw.com or call me at (949) 645-0450.

Landscape Designer - Jesus Arizaga

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Sloan) — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 04:58:00 +0000

Jesus graduated from the University of Guadalajara with a degree in Sports Training. He came to the United States in 1988 and began working in landscaping. He started his own business a few years later so that he could do things the way he felt that they needed to be done.

Jesus likes to operate with integrity and to this end he doesn't take shortcuts. His goal is to make certain that the customer is happy and he makes sure that he provides value in order to accomplish that. He offers a guarantee on plants and on grass but only if he has installed the irrigation system as well.

A typical job for Jesus starts small but then expands once the customer sees his talent and the quality of the work he delivers. He likes to conserve water and use native plant species whenever possible.

Jesus is "hands on" and is there 100% of the time working alongside his two helpers. As such he can make changes to things right away. It's not just about money to Jesus: he is there to do the right thing and to provide for his family while doing it.

Sheila Gershwin gave Jesus a testimonial: he removed thorny rose bushes and put in flagstones to make her daughters back yard safe for their new baby. Great work!

Bruce Beinlich can attest to the excellent sprinkler placing and aiming that Jesus prides himself in.

Cheri Boone had Jesus design and build her a solar powered fountain in their backyard in Huntington Beach. It is custom-made from large clay pots that she picked out.

Give Jesus a call at 562-858-7416 or email him at jyjarizaga@verizon.net

Mobile DJ Orange County - Weddings, Quincenearas - James Meads

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Sloan) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 04:32:00 +0000

James Meads, our Mobile DJ, is a native of Northern California and a diehard Fortyniners fan. He's been in the DJ business for over 20 years and knows the music of his youth, Fats Domino, Smokey Robinson to the rock and disco of the '70's to the New Wave of the '80's and beyond.

When disco came around he got in to dancing as a way to meet girls. Going to all-age nightclubs in Westwood gave him the idea that he wanted to become a DJ. He began to buy DJ gear and records and started doing parties for his friends and classmates. It went over so well that he started buying professional gear, dual CD players and the like and began DJ'ing the weddings of his friends and classmates.

In the '90's he learned that hip hop and rap were NOT for weddings and he began to move in the direction of laptop that could contain over 2,000 songs, something for every kind of function or event up to and including Christian music.

He can do big band and swing music, weddings and Christmas parties. He no longer uses CDs except for a case he carries as a backup in case of problems with his computer system.

He now offers Karaoke and has a catalog of over 50,000 songs. His partner does Quinceanearas as well.

He meets with the host of each party or the lucky couple if its a wedding in order to personalize the selection to the event. He tries to make every event a success and a fun time for all involved.

James Meads can be reached at 714-642-0384 or jamesmeadsjr@yahoo.com

General Contractor Orange County, California - Bruce Beinlich

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Sloan) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 04:02:00 +0000

Bruce gave us a quick rundown on the price ranges for the major jobs he does, as follows:
Masters Suites are generally within the range between $70,000 - $125,000 with the majority of them falling in the $75,000 - $95,000 range. These are mainly 2nd floor additions and the final cost depends upon the roof that is in place. This price includes the bathroom and demolition portions of the job as well.

Kitchen remodels are within the $15,000 - $100,000 range with the typical price falling in the $20,000 - $40,000 range. This includes drawings, flooring and new electrical.

Bathroom remodels are within the $5,000 - $100,000 range with the typical job in the $10,000 - $20,000 range.

Bruce is different than most general contractors in that he supervises all phases of the work, you will know him personally by the time the job is complete! He also carries $1,000,0000 in liability insurance though he is not required to. He is very thorough and while his quote may be higher the price will include everything necessary to complete the job the right way. He will make sure that you are an informed buyer.

He has seen many low quotes that use tricks such as not including the cost of drawings or quoting the price of a flat roof that no homeowner would really want in an effort to "low ball" the price and get the job.

Bruce would like to meet people before they have hired the architect because he is a "design and build" general contractor and can do it all, right the first time. All of his sub-contractors have Workman's Comp insurance and are licensed and insured. He has been using some of his sub-contractors for 30 years but most of them for 15 years.

John Thomas, our painting contractor, gave Bruce a testimonial for the cleanliness of his job sites and commented on how happy and satisfied the property owners were. How unlike most of the General Contractor horror stories that we hear!

Give Bruce a call at 714-773-0306 or email him at bkbeinlich@roadrunner.com.

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Sloan) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:56:00 +0000

Subject: Stimulus Opportunities for Small Business - Including Minority, Women, Verteran and Disabled Veteran Small Business Owners

Hosted by the Orange County Small Business Development Center

Announcing the Stimulus Opportunities for Small Business program including new opportunities for minority, women, veteran and disabled veteran owned small businesses

Ever wonder: How can I access stimulus dollars? or How can my small business work with the state and federal government to participate in “shovel ready” projects? You are invited to a Stimulus Opportunities for Small Business event that will help you get answers to these questions and assist you in finding out how stimulus projects can help you be better positioned to survive and grow through the current economic downturn.

Where: Irvine Marriott: 18000 Von Karman, Irvine, CA

When: Tuesday, April 6, 2010 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., sign in begins at 8:15 a.m.

What: Hosted and presented by the California SBDC’s and L.A.-based nonprofit Business Matchmaking, the Stimulus Opportunities for Small Business program is a free, half-day session designed to give small businesses a leg up in procuring government and corporate contracts. The program will feature panelists who can offer participants an up-to-date, insider’s perspective on what the buyers are looking for, if their business fits the government and corporate contracting standards, and how businesses can position themselves to have greater accessibility to stimulus dollars.

Cost: FREE event, pre-registration is required

Who should attend?
Start-up entrepreneurs and growing small enterprises that either do not have or would like to grow relationships with government and corporate buyers

How to sign up:
Register online at http://californiasbdc.org/stimulus or call (714) 564-5200 for more information.

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Sloan) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:42:00 +0000

VEGETABLE OF THE MONTH - CABBAGE

Cabbage, one of the oldest vegetables, continues to be a dietary staple and an inexpensive food. It is easy to grow, tolerates the cold, and keeps well. Cabbage is an excellent source of Vitamin C.

Selection

Look for solid, heavy heads of cabbage. Avoid cabbage that has discolored veins or worm damage. Do not buy precut cabbage, the leaves may have already lost their vitamin C. Look for stems that are healthy looking, closely trimmed, and are not dry or split.

Storage

Keep cabbage cold. This helps it retain its vitamin C content. Place the whole head of cabbage in a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator. Once the head has been cut, place the remainder in plastic bags and place in the refrigerator. Try to use the remaining cabbage in the next day or two.

Preparation

Do not wash cabbage until you are ready to use it. Avoid slicing or shredding cabbage in advance. This will cause it to lose some of its vitamin C content. If you must prepare it an hour or more in advance before cooking, place it in a plastic bag, seal tightly, and refrigerate.

www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.com

March 2010

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day we are highlighting cabbage. You may need to give cabbage another look when you consider it is a low calorie, nutrient-dense food and it contains powerful
anticancer compounds known as
glucosinolates. Get started today by making the Tortilla Soup with cabbage. It is a family favorite. Check out the quote of the month by T. Colin Campbell and commit to making your health a priority. Good nutrition is key to good health. It is never too early or too late to make a difference in your health.

KEEP UP YOUR NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS!

More Tips for Making Fruits and Vegetables Part of Your Weight Management Plan

Ø Eat fruits and vegetables the way nature provided—or with fat-free or low-fat cooking techniques.

Ø Canned or frozen fruits and vegetables are good options when fresh produce is not available.

Ø Choose whole fruit over fruit drinks and juices. Fruit juices have lost fiber from the fruit.

Whole fruit gives you a bigger size snack than the same fruit dried—for the same number of calories. CDC

FIND THE CALM

We all need to find time to relax and re-group. If 10 or 15 minutes is too much to fit in your day then make a point to stop and take several deep, cleansing breaths throughout your day.

You can also learn to relax through meditation. Leave the noise behind for 10-15 minutes every day.

Here’s how:

1. Pick a place and time free of distraction

2. Sit on a comfortable chair or cushion with your spine erect.

3. Close your eyes and quietly take slow, deep breaths.

4. Focus on your breathing or a peaceful image. Each time your mind wanders gently bring it back.

The practice of meditation is an effective remedy for anxiety and depression. It may also help with high blood pressure, irritable bowel and other ailments.

www.personalbest.com

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

The Best Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 whole cooked rotisserie chicken or 3-4 cooked chicken breasts- diced

8-10 cups Organic Chicken Broth

1-10 oz can Ro-tel Mexican dice tomatoes with garlic and lime or green chilis

1- 14 oz tub fresh Rojo’s restaurant style salsa or similar

½ head of cabbage, chopped

3-4 celery stalks sliced thin

2 small zucchini diced

1 ½ cups shredded carrots

2 cups sliced mushrooms

2 tsp ground cumin

Add ingredients into a stock pot and simmer for 1- 1 ½ hours. You can also make this in a crock pot. Cook on low 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

If you like extra spice you may add diced jalapenos. Note: include the jalapeno seeds for extra heat.

Make your own tortilla strips: Pre-heat oven to 350˚. Take 6-8 uncooked corn tortillas and cut with a pizza cutter into thin strips and place on a cooking stone or cookie sheet. Bake until crisp 15 minutes.

Serve hot with tortilla strips, avocado slices and cilantro.

by Taryn Bellavance

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

Genes do not determine disease on their own. Genes function only by being activated, or expressed, and nutrition plays a critical role in determining which genes, good and bad, are expressed.

T. Colin Campbell- The China Study

IS THE MOST THOROUGHLY RESEARCHED NAME BRAND NUTRITIONAL PRODUCT ON THE MARKET TODAY

Numerous clinical studies published in peer-reviewed scientific journals have demonstrated that Juice Plus:

· Delivers key phytonutrients that are absorbed by the body

· Reduces oxidative stress

· Helps support a healthy immune system

· Helps protect DNA

· Positively impacts several key indicators of cardiovascular wellness

Health Insurance / Life Insurance - Ron Budd - Health Plans for Less

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Sloan) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:15:00 +0000

Ron Budd works with you to find the best health plans available at an affordable price. He packages all of the coverage together for you to insure that you are completely covered in case of a catastrophic health event.

Ron finds that many people are over insured in the area of doctors visits but under insured in the case of critical illness. He can usually tell within 2-3 minutes if you are overpaying for your current health.

Your health coverage should work to protect your assets and that's why he packages a critical illness policy along with your health plan. He can save you from 20 - 50% over the typical health insurance plan.

Ron advises people to form groups of two to get group coverage rates, even if existing conditions are present. Call him and he will help you navigate the confusing waters of health insurance.

Ron can be reached at (800) 355-8020 for a free analysis, a low-cost quote and excellent service and www.healthplans4less.com

Carpet Cleaner Huntington Beach - Pat Roque - Pat's Custom Carpet Care

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Sloan) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:01:00 +0000

Pat uses his powerful truck-mounted carpet cleaning system to clean the carpets of restaurants, mortuaries and many other large commercial buildings. His carpet cleaning truck is so powerful that it can reach the 11 floor of a high rise building.

In addition to carpet cleaning in Huntington Beach and all over Orange County, Pat cleans upholstery, oriental rugs, can repair carpet, carpet stretching, carpet dyeing. He also cleans tile, stone and wood floors.

Marc Winger gave a testimonial about Pat's expertise with removing pet odors while Ed Manko gave a testimonial regarding Pat's expert cleaning of his light beige carpet and how it looked like new. Jim Duncan mentioned his fast response times.

Pat reminded us that any homeowners who is considering replacing their carpet before selling their home should have him take a look at it. He can save the thousands of dollars by restoring their carpet to a "like new" condition instead of a complete replacement.

Carpet Cleaning/
Flood Restoration

Pat's Custom Carpet

Pat Roque

19112 Oceanport Lane #45, HB 92648

714-938-2371
714-308-4630

patrick_R39@yahoo.com
patscarpetcleaning.com

Certified Financial Planner Huntington Beach - Ed Manko, Ameriprise Financial

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Sloan) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:01:00 +0000

Ed Manko, our Certified Financial Planner representing Ameriprise, based in Huntington Beach, California.

Ed bought missile systems for the government. He's been a Financial Planner for 14 years now. He is also an investment adviser.

He majored in business at Michigan State and took 3 years of financial planning education to pass the one-day test that got him his certification. Only 60% of people who take the test pass.

He worked so hard because he wanted the best tools to do the best job. He is a licensed stock broker and can sell bonds and mutual funds as well. He can sell insurance, too. He has the nationwide support of the Ameriprise community and he can call on the experts if need be.

Ed will sit down with you and review your cash flow. If you have a positive cash flow he will recommend "laddering" in order to get you a higher return. If you have debt he may tell you to keep it depending upon what type it is, there is such a thing as "good debt" and "bad debt". For example, fixed rate mortgages are good, credit card debt is bad.

He will also look at your risk tolerance and manage it as well. Some people are not as risk averse and they prefer to be in the higher earning investments.

Ed says that a good place to start is with a goal such as "I want to retire in 30 years" as opposed to "I want to invest and never lose money" which is, in comparison, just a dream.

If you're looking for a top-notch Financial Planner please contact Ed at edward.j.manko@ampf.com.

Bookkeeper Huntington Beach, Orange County, California - Jane Cusick Number Crunchers

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Sloan) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 04:49:00 +0000

Jane Cusick is the youngest of ten kids. She is also a native Californian. She went to Loyola and learned Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable doing it by hand in a ledger when she worked for her brother-in-law.

She can do it all: budgeting, Chief Financial Officer, keep accurate records. She has clients that have been with her for all of the 17 years that she's been in business for herself, quite a testament to her work!

Don't get stressed out about accounting: she can train you to do anything in Quickbooks or work remotely on your account, its your choice.

Recently she systematized the billing for a law firm and what used to take 5 days now takes 3 hours.

She created a report for a sales-based company that showed the sales of each rep and saved the company 3 days of accounting work each month.

She does Sales Tax Reporting. She can track ad campaigns by creating a class of transaction.

She knows MAS 90 and the construction and travel industries.

Call Jane Cusick of Number Crunchers at 714-287-3610 and put her know-how to work for you today!

TMJ Dentist Huntington Beach, Orange County, California - Mark Yamamoto, DDS

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Sloan) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 05:50:00 +0000

If you're looking for an expert TMJ Dentist Huntington Beach, Orange County, California then call Mark Yamamoto, DDS at 714-847-9900.

Dr. Mark has been a general dentist for over 41 years. He has over 4,000 hours of continuing education. He even has a license to teach continuing education for dentists. Good dentists must all master the basics as a foundation to successful dental practice: the function of the jaw & the nature of teeth never change.

Recently Dr. Mark recently saw for a return visit a patient who was in danger of losing an eye tooth because it was being struck by another tooth. Dr. Mark reshaped the offending tooth and, as a result, the tooth that was being struck tightened up and the patient hasn't lost it for 5 years now.

Dr. Mark is a proponent of the new, fruit flavored Listerine: it really works and tastes much better than the original flavor. He says that Plax is not worth the time, its no good. Teetth Whiteners are OK but don't over use them. If you really want you teeth whitened it is best left your dentist: the do a more precise job using only what's necessary. The over-application of tooth whiteners can lead to the weakening of enamel until it flakes off the tooth.

Gum disease should be treated seriously and early as it can lead to heart problems. Gum disease is a good indicator of general health.

Health & Wellness - Sally Chiappone - Juice Plus

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Sloan) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 05:20:00 +0000

"What is quality of life worth to you?" is the question that Sally Chiappone put to us. How much does time spent a the doctor cost you? Do you have enough energy to enjoy your family? Do you have a balanced immune system? Do you have to stay home with your sick family? What is the nutritional value of your food when measured against the cost of it? How about the level of contaminants or bacteria in your food? Sally has an answer for all of these questions: Juice Plus, certified whole food nutrition in a pill form.

Juice Plus contains 26 fruits and vegetables with living enzymes and NO pesticides. Juice Plus is bio-available, unlike most mass manufactured vitamin supplements. Children 6 months and older can take Juice Plus. There are soft chews available for them.

Time Magazine had an article that stated "Fruits and vegetables can save your life!" Adults are supposed to get 7-13 servings a day, athletes are supposed to get 9-20 servings.

Juice Plus is the most researched nutritional product on the market in the entire world. Be an aware consumer, don't buy based on TV ads and don't take fragmented, mass produced vitamins. Call Sally Chiappone at 714-968-3624 for more information.

Credit Card Processing - Jason Berry - Pivotal Payments

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Sloan) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 04:58:00 +0000

Jason Berry of Credit Cards Direct said that he can now offer people cash advance handling and offer up to 50% off of the processing fees. The rates on the money varies on a case by case basis and you can work on a monthly pay back plan.

Credit Card processing companies hide their fees in complex statements: bring him your statement and he will analyze it for you, show you what your really being charged, unbundle the confusion for you and show you how to save money on your credit card processing. So many card companies can't just come out and say their prices. Call him at 949-375-2424 for help with this.

Jason warned us to NEVER agree to leasing credit card processing equipment. He related a story of how one of his clients got tricked in to signing a $12,000 lease on equipment.

Many more people these days are buying with their debit cards. This is good because they have their PIN number which makes fraud much less likely but if you have trouble with a transaction you will not have the same recourse as when you purchase something with a credit card.

PCI Compliance is looming: you can be shut down if your credit card processing is not PCI compliant. Call him at 949-375-2424 for details on how to get up to date.

Wireless credit card processing is available but its expensive. The equipment alone costs $650.00.

Plumber Huntington Beach, California - Clean Plumbing - Chris Swenson

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Sloan) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 04:37:00 +0000

If you're looking for Plumber in Huntington Beach, California please call Clean Plumbing at 714-402-7079 and ask for Chris Swenson. Chris grew up in the plumbing business: he was cleaning his dad's truck by the age of 8, knew all the parts by age 11, at the age of 16 he was riding with older plumbers, something he did for 8 years. He has worked on everything from 5-story commercial high rises to $3 Million custom homes, he even did tract housing for a brief 2 weeks before deciding that it was not for him.

After 20 years in the industry Chris says that he is really surprised if he ever finds a problem that he can't quickly solve, he's seen and fix it all. He can fix anything and make it better than it was before.

He keeps his truck super-stocked with parts so that he has the materials to fix things 3 different ways. After working for a cheapskate plumbing outfit that wouldn't even provide the plumbers with ladders he's made a point of having all the tools he needs right on his truck.

Chris warned us to take a lesson from the disaster in Haiti. We live in California and its only a matter of time before we are hit by a large earthquake so, please, learn where your water and gas shut of valves are and have the tools you may need ready when the time comes. A 5 minute long leak could mean 50 gallons of water in your house. Another point he made was that tankless water heaters, while nice, don't actually store water and they need electricity to operate. In case of an emergency your hot water heater tank could be a source of drinkable water for you and your family. Even your toilet tank holds some clean water.

One thing that make him different is that Chris carries a wet/dry vacuum cleaner which most companies don't do. He also uses drop cloths or plastic to minimize the mess in the first place. These help him do a faster, cleaner job the first time.

Anything to do with water, gas, sewer or re-piping he does. He doesn't do drywall repair so call John Thomas for that.

Chris says to watch out for the big name plumbing companies: they work on commission and will try to sell you more than you really need.

He promised to show up for your plumbing job smelling good and looking better. Call Chris Swenson of Clean Plumbing, your Huntington Beach Plumber at 714-402-7079, he's there to help.

New Year’s Resolution No. 1 – If You Are Not Doing Business As An Entity (Corporation or LLC), Then Take This Important Step To Protect Yourself!

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Sloan) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 05:32:00 +0000

Many people do business as themselves – as a sole proprietor – for many reasons. Some rationalize that they are not large enough to incorporate or do business as a limited liability company (“LLC”).

Over the years, I have had numerous clients and potential clients explain to me why they did not need to do business as an entity. Only a few really were “too small” – and that is because they really were not doing any business. For the rest of you, who are “really doing business,” you should be doing business as an entity.

As I explained last month in my “check up” article, doing business as an entity keeps your business assets (and risks) separate from your personal assets; and for those fortunate people who have more than one business. That you would want to keep your business assets and risk separate from your personal assets just seems to be good sense.

However, I also mentioned that entity also keeps the assets (and risks) of one business separate from another. An obvious example of two businesses with separate assets and risks is a marina and a restaurant. The marina has one set of assets and risks; and that restaurant has another set. Unless neither the marina nor the restaurant is doing any appreciable business –a very rare occurrence even in the worst of economic times – the marina assets and risks should be separated from those of the restaurant.

One very good reason (and there are many) a business owner should do business as an entity – at least in the State of California – is that if the owner has any employees (at least one), if an employee ever brings a Labor and Wage claim against his “employer,” if the “employer’ is an entity, only the entity – not the owner of the entity – is liable for the alleged claim. If the “employer” is an individual, the individual is liable for the claim – and the claim, if the employee succeeds, may not be dischargeable in bankruptcy.

Moreover, as at least California business owners should now understand, filing a lawsuit these days has become almost like a sport. Oddly, while personal injury lawsuits – long thought the kind of lawsuit that was overwhelming the courts – business lawsuits are becoming the most common lawsuit filed – and many of these are filed by one business against another! The idea that all business people are just one big happy family is severely undercut by the number of lawsuits business owners file against one another.

And now for the objections. Some business owners try to avoid doing business as an entity – or separating businesses into separate entities – by asserting that it is too expensive. It is not. Some lawyers set up entities for a flat fee – there is a reason for this – if the lawyer has done this a hundred times, he or she should know what they are doing by now – and should be pretty efficient at it, making the whole process not much more expensive that if you did it on line. The big difference is, of course, is that the lawyer should be able to do everything you need to be set up properly. Online, you are on your own, for the most part.

Some business owners also don’t like the formality – that the entity has a separate tax identification number; a separate tax return, bank account, etc. Well, that is the price of having your assets protected if there is a claim against the business. Moreover, it is exactly this “separateness” that protects your personal assets from such claims – the business assets and risks are completely separate from your personal assets – and the entity, its bank account, records, and tax returns make it clear that the business is separate from your personal assets.

Finally, some owners have actually told me that their CPA, accountant or bookkeeper told them not to incorporate from tax reasons – I have never actually met a CPA, accountant or bookkeeper who has told me this to my face. To the contrary, every CPA, accountant and bookkeeper I have ever met has strongly supported doing business as an entity – and usually has clear recommendations for the type of entity for each business.

Consequently, if you are doing business; and not doing business as an entity; there are lots of good reasons why you should begin doing business as an entity; and no really good reasons why you should not. Therefore, either go online and get some bare-bones entity file; or get to an attorney who knows what he or she is doing – usually doing such work for a flat fee is a surefire indicator this is not his or her first rodeo. If you need a referral to such an attorney, feel free to contact me at Mark@mdholmeslaw.com or call me at (949) 645-0450. Next month, we will talk about the next thing you need if you have one or more “partners” – a shareholder or “buy out” agreement.

Photographer Huntington Beach, CA - Shelley Kincaid Photography

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Sloan) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:01:00 +0000

Shelley has been a professional photographer for over 17 years. She majored in Business Marketing at CSULB. Right out of college she got a job selling bolts to oil rigs. The best thing to come out of that job was her husband!

Shelley showed us one of her excellent slideshows filled with mothers and babies, happy families on the beach, professional portraits, wedding shots, pregnant mother photos, baby photos, man's best friend photos, literally everything you can imagine.

Shelley specializes in digital photography and allows you to pick out your favorites for printing. She can wrap the prints in a special box and recommends that you label the back of every printed picture so that future generations will be able to identify their forebearers.

Shelley can be found on her site www.shelleykincaidphotography.com or at 714-841-1974. You will not be sorry.

Family Law Attorney Fountain Valley, Orange County, CA - Pete McAneny

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Sloan) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 04:39:00 +0000

Pete has been a California resident for 35 years and married even longer, 43 years to the same woman! Coming in a close 2nd to his amazing marital success story is the fact that he has hit 3 holes in one, amazing! Is he a golfer who practices law or a lawyer who golfs?

Family Law, as Pete described it, deals mainly with the issues of divorce, custody, child support issues, guardianship, adoption. Owing to their complexity and the acrimony associated with them some of these family law cases take years to resolve.

Pete believes that children are always better off with a complete set, that means two parents. As such he always recommends counseling as a first resort. If the client is sure they want to proceed Pete swings in to action to ensure that his clients rights are protected and they get their due. Pete always gives straight answers. You can call him at 949-752-5152.

Certified Public Accountant Huntington Beach, CA - Scott Macklin

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Sloan) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 06:28:00 +0000

Changes in the federal law mean that many small income tax shops will be going away in the near future.

One thing he wanted everyone to know is that an IRA is the easiest way for people to save money on taxes. Put $5,000/year for 20 years you will have $100,000 and save $35,000 on taxes. W-2
's and 1099 are due by the end of this month.

He also recommended converting regular IRA's in to Roth IRA's because they allow for no tax on the interest you earn. He also told us about the self-directed Roth IRA's and that there are a lot of ways to supercharge these types of accounts but that the money put in gives you no tax break.

He reminded us to talk to our Financial Planners and CPA early, like October or November, so that we can make informed decisions about how to invest our profits.

For more great tax guidance and expert CPA work contact Scott Macklin at 714-841-0995 or visit their web site at http://whiteheadcpa.com/

Professional Organizer Huntington Beach - Penny Lambright Clutter Cleaners

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Sloan) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 06:01:00 +0000

Penny Lambright of Clutter Cleaners is a Professional Organizer based in Huntington Beach, California. She has been in business for herself for 11 years offering Clutter Removal, Moving, Packing, Unpacking, Storage, Bereavement Home Closures, Work Spaces, Efficiency, Code Enforcement, Pack Rat, Hoarding, Hoarders, Obsessive Compulsive Hoarding, Hoarding Abatement, Space Optimization, Efficiency Planning and more.

She has been volunteering for the Huntington Beach Police Department for 14 years even playing the role of McGruff the Crime Dog at times.

She offered some hints about Home Organizing: 80% of the paper we save we will never touch again. Better to go through your papers as you get them throwing out the majority of it instead of saving the majority. January is a great month for organizing and Penny has a Paper Shredder vendor that she highly recommends as fast, efficient and affordable. Just call her at 877-662-4267 and she will pass along the info.

As a professional organizer Penny is not attached to things emotionally. She can help you decide what to keep and what to get rid of either by disposal or donation. There are so many things that we think we need and yet really don't. It's important not to let them accumulate and take over our lives. For more information visit her web site at www.cluttercleaners.com

Moving & Storage Orange County, California - Judy Bartel - Alex Moving & Storage

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Sloan) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 04:51:00 +0000

Judy Bartel has 26 years of in the United States after arriving from her native Germany. She is a proud representative of Alex Moving & Storage a division North American Van Lines. Judy feels that her job is to give cost effective estimates to people who need moving help. She reminds us that, in order to save money, the mover must be as prepared as possible. She told us a "worst case scenario" story in which a straightforward move was made more expensive by the customer's constant changes at the last minute and lack of preparedness.

Alex Moving & Storage is insured for $1,000.000.00. The can move motorcycles and cars. She reminded us that there is NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH. What seems like a "cheap" move often has hidden expenses so be careful and call her for a realistic quote.

Judy Bartel 714-968-1716

Chiropractor Huntington Beach - Dr. Mike Valentine - Valentine Chiropractic

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Sloan) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 04:35:00 +0000

Chiropractor Huntington Beach - Dr. Mike Valentine - Valentine Chiropractic

Dr. Valentine has 28 years in the practice of chiropractic. He is dedicated to natural healing and hasn't taken a pill since 1979. Chiropractic teaches us that the body has the ability to heal itself. When he was deciding whether to pursue chiropractic or traditional medicine, Dr. Mike felt like the chiropractors were shining examples of healthy & happy people. Once he decided, he chose the very best institution, Palmer Chiropractic College where he graduated along with his two brothers. Upon graduation he then decided to move to California for its progressive atmosphere, a place where people were open to the tenets of the chiropractic philosophy.

Dr. Valentine feels that too many people are taking prescription drugs these day, especially to treat symptoms of more serious problems instead of dealing with the underlying imbalances causing their problems. He loves to help people help themselves get healthy.

Brain Based Therapy is based on the knowledge that, as we age, we experience Trans-Neural Degeneration. This manifests itself in chronic pain, migraines, balance problems/vertigo, all of this originates in the brain. They look at the adrenal glands, do advanced testing of stool samples, check for auto-immune reaction. Only about 500 Doctors around the country are trained in this brain-based therapy and the Dr.'s Valentine are your local brain-based therapists.

Dr. Mike left us with this idea: "How many people are planning for a healthy future?"

Follow this link see much more about Dr. Mike's chiropractic office in the Huntington Beach/Fountain Valley area.

Prepared Food Delivery - Personal Gourmet Foods - Andy Huff

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Sloan) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 04:21:00 +0000

Andy Huff of Personal Gourmet Foods aka The Food Dude started off by informing us about the way meat is treated in your local grocery store. He told us that the meat arrives frozen and is then thawed in water which accounts for it being brought out with its red color. Stores are then allowed to re-freeze it one time. The majority of factory farmed meet is full of anti-biotics, D.E.S., phosphates and nitrates. He told us that the meat department is the most profitable section of the store.

Quality meat, by comparison, is aged then flash frozen and vacuum sealed in order to retain 100% of its nutrition and flavor.

Andy guarantees all of his products with a 1 year guarantee against freezer burn. He will take things back and give you 100% credit. There is no risk in buying from him. His costs range from $3.50 to $6.00 a portion. Portions are how restaurants buy their meat.

There is a difference in his quality: he had a customer who gave Costco a try and was so dissatisfied she had Andy come over, take all her Costco meat and donate it and replace it with his Personal Gourmet meats.

In addition he is a trained chef from the E'cole Gastronomie and can make suggestions on preparation if you are interested.

Contact Andy at 949.502.6446 to give his excellent products a try. I can recommend the Lemon Chicken, tasty and easy to prepare! Check out their site at www.personalgourmetfoods.com.

Advertising Specialties Orange County, CA - Kathy Ahluwahlia - Beach Trends

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Sloan) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 04:11:00 +0000

Kathy Ahluwahlia of Beach Trends specializes in finding affordable ways for you to advertise your business in a memorable and effective way. She travels to all the industry trade shows in order to keep her product knowledge up.

No job is too big or too small. Some ideas for you might include imprinted mints with your company name, water bottles that change color, cooler bags with you logo, tradeshow bags, coffee cups, leather binders.

Many of these products will allow you to get your foot in the door, get you the opportunity to make a connection with a buyer. You never know when a 20 cent magnet will lead to a $20,000 sale, its happened before!

Call Kathy Ahluwahlia at 714-593-1113 and let her get you a quote!

Certified Funeral Director Orange County, CA - Kathy Diperi

noreply@blogger.com (Sean Sloan) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 03:39:00 +0000

Kathy DiPeri, a certified funeral director at Harbor Lawn Mount Olive Mortuary and Memorial Park, is very skilled and experienced at helping people at one of the most difficult times in their lives. You don't ever want her expertise but all of us at one point will need it.

She has beautiful facility at Harbor Lawn Mount Olive with a chapel that can hold up to 300 people. She has two cemetaries, one non-denominational and one Jewish but she frequently does Buddhist, Vietnamese and Loation funerals. She has handled services of up to 2,500 people. She can offer an outside service and mortuary only if that's what you want.

Her goal is to be as flexible and accommodating as possible. It is even possible for you to witness the cremation if you'd like. She can handle shipping of the deceased anywhere in the world if the proper permissions can be obtained beforehand. She ships the deceased to the Philipines and to Mexico regularly.

Based on her experience everyone should have a trust in place so do talk to our Estate Planning Attorney John Alban about this.

You can call her phone # on her card 24/7 if you need to.

Kathy DiPeri
Certified Funeral Director
Harbor Lawn Mount Olive Mortuary and Memorial Park
714-540-5554
www.harborlawn.com