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Magnus – 2's Company – MagnusInsights.com https://magnusinsights.com Thu, 20 Oct 2022 17:00:00 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://magnusinsights.com/wp-content/uploads/cropped-2sCompanyLogov23-32x32.jpg Magnus – 2's Company – MagnusInsights.com https://magnusinsights.com 32 32 Letter from the Internal Revenue Service – Yikes! https://magnusinsights.com/letter-from-the-internal-revenue-service-yikes/ Thu, 20 Oct 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://magnus.lisawhitsell.com/?p=3311 No small business owner likes to receive a letter from the Internal Revenue Service – trust me. Such letters inspire dread. Though they occasionally include a good surprise, such as a refund of an over payment, more often they are “not good.” Melissa and I recently received such a letter informing us that, because we failed to file the corporate income tax return for one of our companies, we were being assessed an $840.00 penalty. The thing is, we filed the return not only on time, but early! As with all letters from the IRS, the type font is antiquated courier or worse. And, the language is ominous and intimidating. There was no explanation of how to handle this, other than to call the “number listed above.” So, after arming myself with my filed copy of the return, I placed the call, followed the prompts and pressed all the necessary numbers only to hear “Due to the high call volume we cannot handle your call at this time, goodbye.” I tried again, same thing. I tried the next morning, same thing. I got creative, changed my prompt selection and got through to a message that allowed me to request a call back. I did, and to their credit, my phone rang at the appointed time. The surly agent listened to my story, looked up the case and told me we needed to prove we filed the return. I have long used good ol’ certified U.S.P.S. mail when filing tax returns. I’ve had to train employees about how to use it, and it usually seems unnecessary to them. But, this time the $8 or $9 spent on the return receipt requested certified mail option saved us $840!!! The agent was abrupt and dismissive of the certified postcard and receipt I sent her because it wasn’t stamped in the post office and she was unaware that these 2 items (postcard and receipt) work together to create a tracking option. I was impressed she was able, probably working remotely, to have me fax copies of those items to her, and then, after I explained there is a 16 digit tracking number, to look it up and verify that the return had indeed been filed timely. I will note that the return postcard was dated after the due date, which indicated that the I.R.S. is behind in their processing. That worried me a bit, but thankfully, the U.S.P.S. tracking system showed that the mail was sent when I said it was. Taking care to use the extra steps of certified mail reinforced how critical it is to cross “t”s and dot “i”s. There may be better ways to do this, but I breathed a sigh of relief when I realized all I wasted was an hour of my time correcting the I.R.S.’s mistake. Of course, the fallacy of any tracking system is that one still can’t prove what was in the envelope received on the other end. Thus, I was glad not to have to fight that battle. Operating a small business requires watching out and preparing for rude surprises. CYA is critical. Old tech wins one!

]]> It’s Later Than You Think. Yes it Is! https://magnusinsights.com/its-later-than-you-think-yes-it-is/ Sat, 15 Oct 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://magnus.lisawhitsell.com/?p=3304 Some time ago, David and I wrote a post about something my mom used to say, “Enjoy yourself. It’s later than you think.”(https://magnus.lisawhitsell.com/2019/03/its-later-than-you-think/) This post is a follow up and serves as a reminder that it really IS later than you think. And, for that matter, it really is later than I think too! A recent personal tragedy has prompted me to write this post. My dear friend, Chris Cochran, received a terrible diagnosis of pancreatic cancer on February 24, 2022, which is a memorable date because it was his 64th birthday. I sent him a video of The Beatles song, “When I’m 64,” not realizing that his 64th birthday would be his last. When Chris called to tell me the dreadful news soon after he found out, I immediately told him that we needed to get together, soon, because our time together was running out. Chris and I knew each other since June, 1967, 55 years at the time of his passing, and prior to his death, I was determined to stay in closer contact with him than he probably wanted. He repeatedly said he hoped to be one of the lucky people who survive pancreatic cancer, to which I responded that I hoped so, but just in case, David and I would be visiting him as soon and as often as possible. We had 2 nice visits with Chris and his wife, Suzy, 1 in April and the other, in June. Things seemed to be progressing with Chris’ chemotherapy and other treatments, until they took a turn for the worst. Through everything that was happening, Chris maintained his sunny outlook and optimism. He called me a week before his passing to tell me not to worry about him because his fate was in God’s hands. I laughingly told him that he knew better than that! I am a constant worrier, about almost everything! The day after Chris’ final phone call, I contacted another dear friend, Roger, who introduced Chris and me in 1967. Roger and I have been friends even longer, since 1964. I asked Roger if he could visit Chris with David and me in a few days and I explained “time is running out.” Thank goodness Roger said he could go with us! Roger, David, and I had a nice visit with Chris, who by then was able to communicate only with his eyes and a partial smile, due to a series of strokes he had suffered. I reminisced about the “good old days” when we were kids, Chris and I held hands, and the end of a lifelong friendship came to an end. Chris passed away on August 23, 2022. My advice: Tell your loved ones how much they mean to you, visit places you’ve always wanted to go, do whatever you’ve always wanted to do, now, because it really IS later than you think!

]]> Colossal Failures at American Express and Chase https://magnusinsights.com/colossal-failures-at-american-express-and-chase/ Thu, 13 Oct 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://magnus.lisawhitsell.com/?p=3309 Over the past 2 months, I’ve been battling American Express to get them to correct a colossal mistake THEY made, but for which they blamed us/me and penalized us accordingly. To be fair to American Express, Chase Bank also failed during this time period, but not as badly as American Express. The issue common to both American Express and Chase is that their mail center can’t process all the incoming mailed payments in a timely fashion (both companies admitted as much to me). Thus, despite mailing our payments on time, and the post office actually delivering them on time, they sat at the destination. Both American Express and Chase failed to adjust for this and started sending late notices, imposing late fees, and even reporting Magnus to the credit agencies. To Chase’s credit, they had figured out the problem by the time I called and had started making corrections, although it is impossible to know whether the damage they did will linger, for example, on our credit reports. American Express, on the other hand, was completely obtuse about the problem. The situation was compounded by Melissa and me being on vacation. They called, texted, emailed, froze the card and basically harassed me for days, which turned into weeks, then months. Calling them was painful and the calls lasted an hour or more with transfers to multiple agents, many of whom had accents I couldn’t understand, and they were unable to comprehend that the failure was on their end. Not only did they process a payment late, but they failed to credit an $11,000 payment to us. That’s right, they lost $11,000 of our money. For some people, that may be pocket change. I’m not one of them. At some point, I decided to go to the top and I wrote the CEO’s office. Apparently this person gets lots of messages such that he has a “public” email address (chairmansoffice@aexp.com) where messages are answered by his minions. This did trigger some action, but it was still very difficult to communicate with anyone who seemed to “get it” and who was willing to find our lost money. We did receive a letter telling us they were working on it, but never did anyone take responsibility for their mistake(s). As of this writing, most of the situation has been resolved, I think. And, we received another letter, but of note, at no time did any of the correspondence from American Express offer an apology for the (massive) inconveniences they caused. I have about 12 hours into this situation that THEY caused. In billable hours terms, that is a lot of money – especially due to the vacation damage. So, I have to say “Shame on American Express.” Their customer service was horrible. It is hard enough running a small business without having to fight a company that is supposed to help run that small business.

]]> Formality Never Hurts https://magnusinsights.com/formality-never-hurts/ Mon, 10 Oct 2022 18:15:00 +0000 https://magnus.lisawhitsell.com/?p=3277 In thinking about the job candidates who failed to get out of the starting gate due to their wardrobe choices, I reflected on how formality provides a guide for “good” behavior. Being formal in addressing people with “Ms.,” “Mr.,” “Dr.,” etc. is a good starting place. It is likely you will soon be told to be less formal, but starting out informally might be like wearing shorts to a job interview, a non starter. Assessing the situation, listening to others, and being situationally aware allows one to determine what is appropriate, or not. Melissa can explain the psychological concepts related to internal/external focus further. There are many ways to evaluate a situation; checking websites and social media are good indicators. Turning on one’s listening and observational skills are a requirement. Showing respect by using formal titles, dressing formally (situationally) and being appropriately deferent are good ways to get off on the right foot in a new work situation or a situation involving a new client or customer.

]]> Know What You Don’t Know https://magnusinsights.com/know-what-you-dont-know/ Thu, 06 Oct 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://magnus.lisawhitsell.com/?p=3307 Many years ago, a college professor of mine told me that knowing what you don’t know (or that you don’t know something) is an important sign of intelligence. It was an enlightening discussion and I think I’ve mentioned this in another post. But, it bears further discussion because we seem to live in a world where not knowing what you don’t know is amplified by the media, including social media. Showing your ignorance is apparently not seen as undesirable to some people. I suppose many of the ignorant ones to whom I refer are too ignorant to know they are. But, stepping out on a limb and talking about things the person clearly has no knowledge of seems all too common. I’m venting a bit, but this phenomenon is apparent in many settings. It has been something I’ve seen repeatedly in both personal, and professional, encounters. In the latter, I’ve observed it when working with job applicants who do not realize they are dealing with people who know more about many subjects than they do. For me, quietly listening and learning, all the while assessing what someone is telling me what they know, is an important technique, not only for learning, but to working together. To combine a couple of sayings, going off half-cocked is a sure way to shoot oneself in the foot.

]]> John Lennon https://magnusinsights.com/john-lennon/ Wed, 05 Oct 2022 17:40:00 +0000 https://magnus.lisawhitsell.com/?p=3313
It’s about time I wrote a post about one of my favorite people, John Lennon. I’ve been a fan of the greatest band of all time, The Beatles, since 1964, when my wonderful father bought me their first album, “Introducing …The Beatles,” released on Vee-Jay Records. Although I liked Paul, George, and Ringo, it was John who captured my attention. I like every “version” of John, from the early mop top days, to his peace activist days, to his final years, when he was mostly out of the public eye. In my neighborhood group of friends, I was always John, Tara was always Paul, Chris was always George, and of course, Roger, a drummer in real life, was always Ringo. A lot of girls I knew wanted to be the girlfriend of one of the Beatles. Not me. I wanted to be John Lennon. When I had to start wearing glasses, because I, like John Lennon, am near sighted, I wanted to wear glasses with wire rimmed frames just like his. When he sang, “Power to the People,” I sang “Right on” along with the record. I always bought singles and albums as soon as they were released. My dad made sure of this, even though he didn’t like The Beatles too much! I wore Beatles boots, took my lunch to school in a Beatles lunch box, and tried to be as cool as John Lennon. My mom, who liked Paul McCartney the best of all The Beatles, said John wasn’t handsome, couldn’t sing as well as Paul, and in any event, John, along with his bandmates, was merely part of a passing fad that I would soon outgrow. Mom was right about a lot of things, but she was wrong about my lifelong love of The Beatles and their band leader, John Lennon. I wear a necklace, given to me by my dear mother-in-law, Carole, with a charm that says “Imagine” and alongside it, a smaller charm that has John’s face, as he drew it, etched in. As I am typing this post, I am wearing one of my many John Lennon t-shirts. When David calls my cell phone, my ring tone is “Whatever Gets You Through the Night,” a song by John Lennon. Going to John’s childhood home in Liverpool, with the opportunity to stand inside his bedroom, was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. One of the first things I do upon every arrival to New York City is to visit Strawberry Fields, in Central Park, near The Dakota, where he was murdered by someone so evil that I do not speak his name. Then there is my music room, filled with memorabilia of The Beatles and John Lennon. I could go on, but suffice it to say that, after almost 60 years, I still love The Beatles and I still love John Lennon the most of all! 
]]> The M’s https://magnusinsights.com/the-ms/ Tue, 27 Sep 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://magnus.lisawhitsell.com/?p=3272 I have a friend named Marilyn Einbinder. We met several years ago at a Passover Seder hosted by her son, Marc, and daughter-in-law, Susan. Marc and Susan are our wonderful Megan’s parents and it was Megan who invited me to attend her family’s Seder. Immediately upon being introduced to Marilyn, I knew we were going to be friends. We just “clicked”! Plus, she exclaimed to everyone in attendance that I look just like Meryl Streep! (This is something I hear often. Strangers approach me and ask, “Has anyone ever told you that you look like Meryl Streep?” to which I reply, “Many times and I sure wish I had her money in addition to her looks!”.) Since our first meeting, Marilyn and I have become good friends. Although we don’t get to see each other as often as I would like, due to living relatively far from one another, we go to lunch as often as possible. We call ourselves “The M’s” for Marilyn and Melissa. We have a lovely appetizer in Marilyn’s gorgeous high rise in Aventura, then we go to whatever restaurant Marilyn has selected for a delightful lunch. Our time together is filled with girl talk; serious discussions about politics, religion, and world affairs; and lots of laughter. I have more fun with Marilyn than almost anyone I know. Recently, I delayed visiting a dying friend for a few hours in order to have the opportunity to have lunch with Marilyn. When I told her about my friend’s expected passing, Marilyn said she would have understood if I needed to postpone our lunch date. I explained that I didn’t want to postpone it because I knew having lunch together, and enjoying the pleasure of her company, would be the only fun thing I would be doing for a long time. I treasure my friend, Marilyn, and our friendship! Here’s to The M’s!

]]> Dress for the Interview https://magnusinsights.com/dress-for-the-interview/ Thu, 22 Sep 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://magnus.lisawhitsell.com/?p=3275 Job interviews are something with which Melissa and I have had considerable experience over the last 30 years. We’ve revised our procedures over time, but we have always utilized an in-person interview as a final part of the process. Regardless of the position for which we are interviewing, we, as a professional practice serving a discriminating client base, have certain expectations. First and foremost, applicants should dress for the job they are seeking. In a professional environment, this means suits/jackets, ties, nice pants and shoes, etc. We’ve had some surprises over the years in which the first impressions were all we needed to know that the individual in question was not situationally aware enough to be hired, or worse, to work with the types of clients we have as trial consultants. There was the young woman, recently graduated with a master’s degree, who flew into town, at our expense, who showed up without her suit jacket “because it was too hot.” We’re in Florida, she was from Texas; heat is normal. Perhaps if she had not made it a point to tell us that she did not wear a jacket because of the heat, we would have thought she intended the no jacket look (though her outfit really called for the jacket). Then there was the guy who was so disheveled that he arrived with his dress shirt ½ way untucked and never realized it. The pièce de ré·sis·tance was the recent applicant for research technician who showed up in a polo shirt and…shorts. He blew his chance at a job by dressing so casually, not even “business casual” – but shorts! Again, because it was hot. First impressions are critical. Having the right look is important. Dressing in the right “costume” for the job is something that should be easy to comprehend. It is hard to overdress for a professional interview. Failing to do so speaks volumes about the applicant’s potential.

]]> You can go to Wal-Mart, Kmart… https://magnusinsights.com/you-can-go-to-wal-mart-kmart/ Tue, 20 Sep 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://magnus.lisawhitsell.com/?p=3269 David and I have different ways of accomplishing the same task. We are frequently engaged in debates about how to perform seemingly simple tasks. When we catch ourselves in the midst of another debate about some mind numbing chore, one of us usually says, “You can go to Walmart, Kmart (sadly, that’s no longer an option for us), Target, or wherever you want.” This statement stops the debate because it reminds us of the same type of debates David’s dad, Herman, would get into over the smallest of details. For example, when we drove from Pompano Beach to Jacksonville, Herman used to ask which way we were coming. Were we driving all the way north on I-95? Were we coming up the Turnpike, then crossing over to I-95 on State Road 70 in Fort Pierce? Were we coming up the Turnpike, then crossing over to I-95 at the Jupiter exit? Had we checked to see how traffic was moving on both the Turnpike and I-95? Had we considered taking a more scenic route, for example, driving part of the way on U.S. 1? Did we think we might want to drive up U. S. 301 through Lawtey, Waldo, and Starke? Had we considered all the options, including where we would be stopping for lunch? This type of exchange was common with Herman, regardless of the subject, sometimes to the point of hilarity! We got into the circular discussion about the virtues of Kmart and Walmart at a time when Kmart was still a worthy competitor of Walmart. Given that both of these stores sold the same type of merchandise, I usually went to the one closest to my location. Not Herman! He weighed the options, such as which one had the desired item on sale, how close each store was to the gas station currently selling gas for the lowest price, and a host of other variables, all of which were exhausting to me. Yes, there are many ways to chop a bell pepper, depending on how it will be used, but I’d prefer not to discuss it for too long!

]]> Employees Should Cover Each Other https://magnusinsights.com/employees-should-cover-each-other/ Thu, 15 Sep 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://magnus.lisawhitsell.com/?p=3244 This is the 3rd in a series about “covering” or looking out for each other in a work environment. The need to do this is on a top down, down to top, and peer to peer basis. In the immediately prior post, I mentioned an employee who was hostile to another employee. The fact that this was happening was unknown to Melissa or me. To some degree it was known to other employees, but the full extent of it was known only to the junior most employee who was being verbally abused by a more senior employee. “Covering” for each other would have required any employee who was aware of the situation to report it. Another time we had an employee who was drinking on the job. When the intoxicated employee was eventually terminated, one employee reported to us that she was aware of the situation but thought we were trying to help the impaired person. Both situations are examples of NOT covering for each other. Being a “tattle tail” certainly has a negative connotation. Allowing bad things to happen in a workplace should outweigh that connotation. Looking out for each other is critical to “mission success.” The lesson we learned from these experiences is that it is important to discuss various scenarios with employees and explain how they should handle observations about problems among and between other employees. Ensuring that staff know what is expected of them in this regard is crucial to doing the right thing, and doing things the right way.

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