GIVING BACK & GETTING INVOLVED
Butterfly Circle of Friends: From Great Grief to Infinite Beauty
By: Randi Cairns
Giving back to one’s community is ingrained in so much of what Powerhouse Planning does. We give at least 10% of all profits to those in need through our Share the Goodness program. We support the causes and efforts our team is passionate about. And we highlight the great people and places making a difference in our communities. This commitment to giving back is one of many reasons I love being part of the Powerhouse team. And when I was given the opportunity to write about a superhero doing work for causes I care about—well, that was just icing on the cake.
I met Ida Gonzalez years ago. We were both involved in military family support efforts and open to collaborating to better meet the needs of those we served. I fell in love with Ida from the start. She was so down to earth and genuine (and the giver of hugs that make you feel warm and safe). And she had a fire in her belly to make the world better.
While we worked together on several projects, what Ida likely doesn’t know is she kind of saved my life. I was a mama of four trying to hold down the fort while my soldier was Afghanistan-bound when police knocked at my door to tell me my baby sister was dead. She had been my person for my whole life and she was gone, and I really didn’t think I was going to survive that.
But Ida told me I could and I would. And she knew this because three years earlier, her son SPC Michael L. Gonzalez was KIA in Baghdad. And from grief and loss and pain, she not only survived, but she also created a remarkable legacy in memory of her son: the Butterfly Circle of Friends. (more…)
Powerhouse Planning Goodness and Resources: For the Freelancer and the Business Owner
By: Jessica Bertsch, Powerhouse Planning President
I received an email from one of our freelance team members this week wanting to brainstorm how Powerhouse can help during the madness of what is known as COVID-19. I think many of us are uneasy, and if you’ve heard me speak before I always say in times of suck, the easiest way for me to cope is to serve.
Well, with COVID-19 we can’t exactly serve in the traditional ways we’d like. I think many of us would like to wrap ourselves around sad families and give them hugs, deliver tons of goodness to their doors, and assure them it will be all right, but we’ve been instructed social distancing must occur. (Which is so hard for a wraparound-hug-loving lady.) So, then you sit and question, “What can I do?”
The Powerhouse team took a moment and compiled some tips from past articles, blogs, and e-newsletters our team members have written. Hopefully these knowledge nuggets will help and resonate with freelancers and business owners who might be in need of some gentle reminders, humor, and overall goodness to help you POWER though the madness.
Freelancer Tips
Powerhouse Planning President Jessica Bertsch shares her personal self-care tips for freelancers and business owners
20 Self-Care Tips to Reduce Stress and Increase Productivity
Three Ways to Keep You and Your Business Organized When You Work from Home
Finding Work/Life Balance When You Work from Home
Self-care tips from one of our PH freelancers who balances both a full-time job and freelancing with grace and efficiency
Business-Owner Resources
Small Business Stressors and How to Combat Them
Staying Connected to Your Team (The Powerhouse team currently uses slack.com for team networking and we love it!)
Ways to Maintain Team Morale in a Virtual Working Environment
Fostering Creativity in the Workplace (including virtually)
Four Best Practices for Contracting Freelancers
Everything, including your Strategic Plan may suddenly need to be adjusted overnight. (We can all hear Ross say “PIVOT!”) Use these articles for support on how to reset your mind for planning purposes: Seeing 2020—A New Protocol for Strategic Planning and Why Early Planning Is Crucial to Success
Calm in the Storm
Our military families have spouses currently or continuing to work and deploy. Here is a calendar with “30 Ways to Pray” for a family that serves (this, now, includes our medical professionals, support services, grocery store teams, and anyone who must still go out and work). In fact, we could all use these prayers.
When you feel like something is missing or you are out of work right now, it may be a good time to lean on the strength of giving back.
The Powerhouse team is thinking of all affected by the challenges facing business owners and remote workers. We hope these resources from the Powerhouse archives will be useful during this time of uncertainty and adjustment. At Powerhouse, we’re well aware times aren’t easy, and for many business owners you might be feeling at a loss. Here’s what I will say: We’re here for you. I mean it. Our team is here for you. Is there something we can create to help you? Do you need to chat through the way ahead? We’re here. We’re ready to listen. We are hopeful that together we will look back and remember that COVID-19 was hard, but we came out on the other side stronger than ever. Together.
New Powerhouse Team Member
Heather Osborne is a teacher, social media/marketing manager, mother of three boys, and the wife of a retired Marine, and she is thrilled to join the Powerhouse team. As a young military spouse, Heather taught students with hearing impairments for eight years and also taught first grade overseas for three years. Over twelve years of military life and with three boys in the house, Heather changed careers and became a partner in a company with four other military spouses. Expanding her repertoire, she grew into the role of the social media/marketing manager for the company.
With a wide variety of experiences, Heather prides herself on being flexible and ready to enhance any client’s team. Heather’s skills include teaching, task analysis, organization, management, communication, and reliability.
Spotlight on Powerhouse’s Julie Kirchner
By now you’re probably well aware that we love anniversaries here at Powerhouse. Any excuse to celebrate our incredibly talented coworkers makes us happy. So, of course, we are thrilled that our very own Julie Kirchner is celebrating her one-year Powerhouse work anniversary! Julie, or Jules to those who love her most (we definitely consider ourselves among that number), is one of our freelance writers whose current favorite Powerhouse role is grant writer. It may be a bit of a different approach, but our grant writers work as an amazing team to provide the most meaningful opportunities to our clients. Julie especially loves the research involved in grant writing, and it shows. In addition to her grant-writing skills, Julie writes monthly blog resources about topics relevant to homeownership and military life, a topic near and dear to her heart as she is a proud Coast Guard spouse.
Julie’s favorite thing about Powerhouse is its very nature. The flexibility to work when she wants and be present with her family when she needs to be makes it feel like a dream job. The knowledge that every project she works will be fulfilling and rewarding doesn’t hurt, either, and the people are amazing. The idea that a virtual work force can feel like a team, with the “rare and beautiful leadership” provided by our president, is almost too good to be true. Julie has high standards of leadership, but with leadership like our president and executive assistant provide, Julie says you do everything you can to “stay on this ship!” We’re confident Julie will be aboard for a long time.
Julie is a self-described introvert, but one who will passionately enter into a conversation regarding a topic she’s excited about. Her desire to leave a place better than she found it shows in everything she does. She intentionally looks for the small, everyday ways she can make a place or person’s life better. From making her son’s toy area an inviting place to play to picking up other people’s trash in the park, Julie’s passion to bring joy to others is contagious. We’re truly better for knowing her. We love asking our writers to describe themselves because invariably we hear a version of what Julie told us: “I actually have a hard time describing myself in words.” And then they tend to give us an absolutely perfect description. For instance, Julie says of herself, “I feel like I’m constantly on a search or journey for something in this life. Maybe I’m a dreamer, but I’m definitely not the carefree type. I’m a list maker—insatiably organized and analytical by nature.” Yep, pretty much Julie in a nutshell!
As previously mentioned, Julie is a Coast Guard spouse whose husband has been serving for 19 years. Believe it or not, they were childhood sweethearts who grew up and went their separate ways, but they found each other again seven years ago and never looked back. They’re parents to the profoundly cute four-year-old Ewan who, no, was not named after a certain Star Wars actor, but who was born while they were stationed in England. Hence, the British name. Julie loves her family and their life together, but quickly points out that their life is far from perfect. So while she’s happy to extol all the amazing virtues of her husband and son, she definitely has hard days. “We all have issues and struggles,” she says. “You just have to resolve to keep going and looking for the things to be grateful for.” Well, we’re grateful for Julie and her honesty. That, and the photos she shows of her “favorite” family member, Labrador Charlie, even if he is convinced he’s 107% human. (We really, really want to know how Julie arrived at that particular percentage!)
Julie loves to spend her time running outdoors when the weather allows and doing yoga when the weather isn’t so fun. She also claims to love cleaning and making her house look nice and calm. While we totally believe she keeps a calm, wonderful home, we do admit to being skeptical that she considers this a favorite pastime. She loves to eat her foodie husband’s cooking and curling up with her family to watch shows about tiny homes or log cabins. Even Ewan will forsake his beloved Paw Patrol to get in on the tiny house fun.
When she is in work mode, Julie has to be careful of what she describes as the “creep” that can come from working from home. You know, you’re working but you feel the call of the laundry or meal preparation or a hundred other things. It’s important to establish boundaries and maintain them. That’s why Julie recommends having a dedicated workspace and work time. She also strongly advocates for the use of a calendar and lists to keep on topic. (Julie makes A LOT of lists!) One of her biggest suggestions, though, is to create a transition. Because there’s no work commute per se, the stay-at-home worker can forget to “turn off” the workday. Julie suggests building in a transition period, whether that includes a brisk walk around the block or some personal internet surfing. For Julie, she also makes sure that she has something just for work time. This means she puts on noise-canceling headphones and listens to nature sounds when she’s working. So if her work has a Zen feel to it, now you know why!
As we always do, we asked Julie to tell us something about herself that not many people know. Remember how we told you she and her Coastie reconnected after several years apart? When they reconnected and decided to spend their lives together, Julie left an established career and home to follow her husband wherever the Coast Guard took them. Knowing she’d need some sort of portable career, Julie decided to learn how to be a massage therapist. She even taught infant massage classes for a while. Before she found her dream job at Powerhouse, of course. As she says, “I have always done my best to make the most out of the twists and turns of life.” We say she’s definitely succeeding!
20 Ways to Establish Credibility
When we interact with others, either personally or professionally, one of the most important factors is credibility. We want to know and work with people and businesses we believe to be trustworthy. Establish your own credibility with these 20 tips.
1. Articulate your mission. What drives you to wake up and do what you do each day for work? Make sure you’re communicating this to your target audience(s). People believe in those who are passionate about the things they do. So, share your passion!
2. Be an expert. Part of the very definition of credibility is expertise. You trust someone because he or she is an expert in the field. Make it your business to truly know your business. Stay current in your field. Attend conferences, read journals—wherever there are conversations about the latest advances or practices—be sure you’re following.
3. Stick to your niche. We don’t mean you should make yourself small in this world. Rather, resist the urge to be and do all the things for all the people. You have a valuable and specific set of skills. Use them. Amaze people with them. But be careful when it comes to expanding into areas that aren’t necessarily your forte. It is better to do a few things exceedingly well than many things less competently. Credibility is about being able to deliver on what you promise. So, promise only that which you can deliver well.
4. Share your knowledge. Be generous with what you know. Look for opportunities to demonstrate your subject matter expertise. Contribute to conversations in your field. Post (or respond to posts) on LinkedIn relevant to the work you do. Be a guest blogger or podcast speaker or journal contributor. By sharing what you know, you establish yourself as an expert.
5. Know what you don’t know. Many a small business has opened with a wish and a prayer. It’s okay if you don’t yet know all the things, but it’s important to figure out what gaps in education or experience you have and then fill them.
6. Be a perpetual student. New technologies, different generations of potential customers—the world of business is always changing and what worked yesterday may not be what works tomorrow. You limit opportunities for growth when you stop learning. So, while you don’t have to stay in school forever, you should see the world as your classroom and avail yourself of every opportunity to continue to expand your knowledge base.
7. Let your work speak for itself. An exceptional product or service is the world’s best advertisement. Do your best work always.
8. Strive for excellence. Whether you’re working with your customer base, your team, or colleagues in your field, aim to make it a positive experience. Note that we said strive for excellence, not “be perfect.” No person or business can do everything perfectly all the time. But you can make it the bar you aim to clear.
9. Ask for feedback. Feedback is another tool for learning. Whether it’s a customer satisfaction survey or an open-door policy (or suggestion box) for your team members, ask for and be open to receiving feedback. What do people love about your product/service? Where have you missed the mark? How does your team feel valued or underappreciated? All feedback, except that of the troll variety, helps you and your business. It informs what you continue to do and what you need to do differently.
10. Be accountable. When you do miss the mark—and you’re human, so you will—own your mistakes. Address any missteps or issues with an intention of correcting them. When you know better, do better.
11. Provide outstanding customer service. Excellent customer service doesn’t necessarily mean you need to be flawless. (Remember what we said about the difference between striving for excellence versus being perfect?) It means that you are 100% committed to customers being satisfied that they’ve been heard and that their needs have been met. A mistake handled particularly well can entice customers to speak well of your business too!
12. Plan to fail. Rather than just retroactively remedying mistakes, be proactive about potential future issues. Whether it’s systems you have in place, your business plan (or lack thereof), your staffing (or lack thereof), where are you are particularly vulnerable to difficulties? Plan to strengthen those areas. Even if you don’t have the time, money, or resources now to fix the broken things, you can prioritize what will make the greatest impact on your bottom line and plan accordingly.
13. Hone your communication skills. Communication is key to building and maintaining credibility, and it’s an integral part of several of the tips we’ve shared here. Credibility-building communication articulates your mission, distinguishes your brand and marketing, and relates to how you speak to (and listen to) your team. Words matter—use them intentionally.
14. Walk the walk. Say what you mean and do what you say. Not just sometimes, when it’s easy or convenient, but when it’s hard too. Especially when it’s hard. When you are a person of your word, your word means more because people know they can rely upon it.
15. Get folks talking. It’s good if you say what you stand for and how your business operates. It’s great if you do what you say. It’s better still if you’ve built and operated your business in such a way that others are talking about what you stand for and how your business operates. When you run a business (and a life) with integrity, a wonderful side effect is that your efforts are conveyed to those with whom you interact. And happy customers are more inclined to speak well of you too. Be warned here that the converse is also true, which is why the “how” of your operations is so very critical.
16. Rally ambassadors. Don’t be shy about asking for testimonials or reviews when you know you have a pleased customer, vendor, or colleague. Word of mouth is an incredibly powerful marketing tool. (It is also the best form of validation for the effort you make and the work you do!)
17. Respond to the critics. Respectfully and with humility (unless they’re trolls, and then respond with silence.) Why are they displeased? What could you have done better? How can you make it better for them? Fix what you can. Convey that you’re sorry you didn’t get it right this time but that you’ll do better moving forward. And then do better.
18. Be transparent. Transparency leads to trust, and trust leads to credibility. Be open and honest about the business of your business—your sourcing, pricing, and revenue for example. Keep in mind that being transparent doesn’t mean revealing your secret sauce. But it does mean that you’re straightforward about how you captain your ship.
19. Be consistent. You know that restaurant that makes that one dish you love and go back for time and again? Ever go on an off night when it didn’t deliver on its usual promise and feel disappointed? Aim not to disappoint and to deliver consistently on what you promise. Be known for being the business that can be relied upon.
Most importantly…
20. Be authentic. Don’t be who you imagine others want you to be or promise what you believe others want you to deliver. You are not meant to fit yourself or your business into someone else’s mold. Be authentically you and deliver your unique value proposition to the world.
Share the Goodness
“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”
If there was one quote that best summarizes how Powerhouse Planning CEO Jessica Bertsch approaches both her personal and professional life, it would be this one by Winston S. Churchill.
When Jessica founded Powerhouse, she promised herself that she would always “Share the Goodness” by giving back. Not once she was established as a new business. Not when annual revenue reached a certain point. Not just during the holidays or on nationally recognized days of giving like Giving Tuesday. She committed to giving back 10% of all profits in a POWERful way.
In the early years of Powerhouse Planning, that promise was kept by helping people and organizations in need and by giving in special ways in the communities in which she has lived. As a military spouse who has relocated several times, Jessica left an impact in every community she called home.
As Powerhouse grew, so did the reach of the Share the Goodness program. Jessica carefully curated a highly skilled, predominantly military-connected team who shared her commitment to good works and deeds. And the program’s reach broadened to support the causes the Powerhouse team was passionate about.
The goal remains to dedicate no less than 10% of annual revenue to making a difference in our communities and around the world. Every year, the percentage of income dedicated to the Share the Goodness program has increased. And with these increases and the company’s growth, the impact we’ve been able to make has grown as well.
Together we are…
Ending childhood hunger.
In Brevard County, The Children’s Hunger Project (TCHP) partners with local elementary schools to fight childhood hunger and malnutrition. With more than half of the school children eligible for free or reduced-price meal programs, school lunches are available, but weekend meals are less of a certainty. TCHP helps elementary schools to provide food for the weekend to as many kids as possible each week.
Tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.
Around the world, World Vision is transforming communities, providing emergency relief, and bringing hope to 3.5 million vulnerable children in nearly 100 countries. Children like Ambiya—a seven-year-old who has stolen our hearts (and shares her birth year with Powerhouse Planning). We’ve been thrilled to be a part of Ambiya’s life as a sponsor for over four years and love getting progress reports on how she’s growing and thriving.
Bringing hope and love to Uganda.
We learned that Danielle Jackson was planning to combine two passions—photography and a heart for service to take a mission trip to Uganda with Show Mercy International. Empowering professionals and being of service both really speak to the heart of our company, and we were happy to be able to help her meet her fundraising goal to make the trip possible. You can learn more about her adventure here.
We’re also helping cure Alzheimer’s, providing holiday baskets to families in need, giving scholarships to incoming college students, putting together goodies for communities impacted by disaster, sending some love in care packages to service members overseas, and more.
In addition to our Share the Goodness program,
● We regularly highlight nonprofits doing great work to increase visibility of their efforts. (Make sure you’re signed up for our newsletter to read all about them here.)
● We create and share free resources for individuals and small business owners because we want you to live your best personal and professional lives. (Find free career resources, life resources, and military kid resources here!)
● We provide flexible employment opportunities to military-connected professionals (100+ military spouses to date).
At Powerhouse Planning, we make a living providing high-quality services. And we make a life Sharing the Goodness and making a difference.
