SEARCH RESULTS

As of January 7th, 2022, a Colorado Division of Insurance Regulation came into effect to protect Homeowners with claims from catastrophic disasters. Table of Contents: About the Emergency Regulation Are businesses and other property owners covered, too? Resources for Colorado Policyholders About the Emergency Regulation With Colorado property owners fighting for recovery from wildfires from 2020-present, combined hazardous winter weather, building material shortages, and more, the Colorado Department of Insurance Commissioner issued a notice for the following: Emergency Regulation 22-E-01 CONCERNING TOLLING CERTAIN TIME LIMITS OF POLICYHOLDER BENEFITS IN THE EVENT OF A CATASTROPHIC DISASTER "The purpose of this emergency regulation is to protect homeowner policyholders who have suffered a loss during a catastrophic disaster, such as the 2020 Colorado East Troublesome Fire and the 2021 Marshall and Middle Fork Fires, from insurers that cause unreasonable delays in claim handling, which may further delay rebuilding property. Such delays may be further exacerbated by labor and material shortages. Further, this regulation identifies specific acts or practices that may constitute unfair claim settlement practices." In regards to tolling, a type of claim extension, the notice states: "In the event of a catastrophic disaster, where an insurer causes an unreasonable delay in the settlement of a claim, the insurer shall: 1. Toll the ALE time limits for the duration of the time required to repair or replace the damaged property. 2. Toll the policy time limits for the policyholder to complete the repair or replacement of the damaged part of the property necessary for issuance of the replacement cost value payment." View the full notice here. This order will not only be helpful to policyholders regarding Additional Living Expenses (ALE) benefits, but also for Replacement Cost Coverage benefits, allowing policyholders to recover something called Recoverable Depreciation. Recoverable Depreciation is typically paid after the property has been repaired or rebuilt, and has specified time limits in which a policyholder is eligible to recover these benefits. Recoverable Depreciation deadlines are often an issue in property claims, even without a catastrophic loss, or building material shortages, delays, and price increases. Shortages for building materials and the construction professionals needed to repair and rebuild properties are common in post-disaster areas, as a result of sudden and acute demand sapping material inventories and labor in the area. Price increases happen as well. Adding to this common occurrence, policyholders with open property insurance claims have experienced claim handling, settlement, and payment delays, and historic raw/building material shortages and supply chain issues, production backups, labor shortages, and price increases since 2020. All of this is a result of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. Read more: JS Held report - Empirical Productivity Impacts of the Novel Coronavirus A phrase used in the notice was "where an insurer causes an unreasonable delay in the settlement of a claim[...]". A good question is: who determines when an insurer has caused an unreasonable delay, and how is the tolling then enforced? Policyholders may want to reach out to the Colorado Department of Insurance or a Colorado-licensed first party property claims attorney to find that answer. Are Businesses and other Property Owners Covered, Too? It is important to note that this emergency regulation highlights Homeowners policy coverages. Other types of policyholders such as businesses, institutions, and commercial and industrial property owners also have a long road of recovery ahead, and many will likely experience property insurance claim delays, issues, or disputes. Overall, this Emergency Rule covers thousands of Colorado policyholders affected by wildfire losses, and is something to be celebrated. Resources for Colorado policyholders: Thank you, Commissioner Conway!

Professional claim management tips for public insurance adjusters. The start of a New Year is always a great time to start making resolutions and developing new habits. Making sure you are putting the best claim forward for your client is no exception! To do that, one of the first things you need to do is make sure you have the full policy of insurance. Without it, you truly don’t know what the requirements are for producing a proof of loss, giving notice, the timeframe for recovering depreciation, or filing suit, just to name a few. That isn’t to say you can’t immediately help your client if you don’t have the policy, but you should be making the request for the policy ASAP! Also, a great habit to start is to keep your own policy library of forms so you can compile a policy based on the declarations if needed! Once you have the policy, review the applicable provisions and make sure you diary the dates. Does the policy require that you produce a proof of loss within 60 days of the date or loss? Or does it require the same only if the insurer requests a proof? What about the suit limitation provision? This is a particularly important deadline and is often triggered from the date of loss, not the date of discovery of the loss. These dates are of the utmost importance as the failure to comply with them can have a detrimental impact on the claim. Making sure you are tracking the deadlines not only ensures that you are not missing deadlines, but it allows you to request an extension should it become necessary and/or inform your clients of the deadlines and discuss next steps which may be necessary such as hiring an attorney in a timely fashion. Perhaps one of the most important habits you can develop is supporting your clients’ claim upfront with proper documentation from complete estimates with ACV and RCV values, to photographs and invoices. The case of Christopherson v. American Strategic Insurance Corp., 2020 WL 5117991 (E.D. WI. Aug. 31, 2020) serves as a good reminder of this. While a more thorough review of the decision can be accessed here, the short take away is that the court granted summary judgment for the insurer finding that the insured had failed to produce evidence during the claims process that supported the claimed damages and incurred costs. Practically speaking, don’t wait for the insurer to make the request for the documentation or information. Be proactive on behalf of your client and present the full picture. Ultimately, this practice should allow for a faster and more accurate claims decision to be made. With the New Year just beginning it is a great time to set some new standards and work on presenting the best claim you can for both you and your client! Cheers to a great 2022! Christina About the author: For more than 15 years, Christina Phillips has dedicated her law practice to representing plaintiffs in insurance recovery and related litigation. Christina has represented policyholders in insurance disputes involving coverage matters, property, business income, lost rents, and bad faith disputes throughout the country. Her practice has included representing a wide range of insureds from single family homeowners, to condominiums, as well as corporate entities in claims involving hail, wind, hurricanes, fire, flood and collapse, among others. Christina has also successfully represented clients in broker negligence actions. Christina is licensed in Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Colorado and Washington, D.C., as well as a number of Federal Bars throughout the country.

Celebrating the non-profit protecting and advocating for property policyholders like you, nationwide. Table of Contents: 1991: a flier reads, "Community Meeting for Fire Victims" "The time is always right to do what is right" Browse UP's Celebration Gallery 1991: a flier reads, "Community Meeting for Fire Victims" United Policyholders (UP) was created to fill a need that most property policyholders are not aware of until disaster strikes: the ensuing fight with some insurance companies that choose to wrongfully deny, delay, and underpay policyholders' claims when they are needed the most. Founders Amy Bach and Ina Delong hosted UP's first community meeting for the victims of the 1991 Oakland Firestorm in Berkeley, California. UP stepped in to help these policyholders start the long recovery process, which included filing insurance claims to begin the rebuilding process for homes, businesses, and institutions. Illustrating the need for their work, some of these fire victims were still fighting for coverage with their insurance companies 20 years later. Fast forward 30 years from their first policyholder outreach in 1991, UP Executive Director Amy Bach reflected last month on how far UP has come, where it's going, and the selfless contributions of countless volunteers, donors, and partners: "As another challenging year draws to an end, I could not be more proud of our accomplishments or more grateful to our donors and volunteers. In our 30th year of service, UP continues to score wins for consumers, help people solve financially crippling insurance problems and field a team of expert volunteers and staff that work hard every day to hold insurers to their promises. Through our new and improved website and COVID-adapted Roadmap to Recovery operations in catastrophe-impacted regions, UP is helping thousands of people and businesses across the nation avoid and resolve stressful insurance problems. Our accomplishments are made possible with support from our generous donors, sponsors and powerful partners. Current partners include Fannie Mae, Financial Planning Associations, RCRC, State Insurance Regulators, Legislators and Community and other Foundations. As consumers deal with the impact of the higher premiums and coverage reductions that insurers are putting into place in response to climate change, UP is working to put limits in place to preserve essential protections and reasonable pricing." "The time is always right to do what is right" Echoing this quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., UP's many programs include their Roadmap to Recovery™ program, which most recently mobilized to assist disaster victims of the devastating December 2021 tornadoes that tore through Kentucky and surrounding states. A few of their other resources include their Roadmap to Preparedness program, State by State help, and their Advocacy and Action program, through which they have filed over 550 amicus briefs nationwide to assist in case law decisions that set precedent to protect policyholders. Going into the New Year, we hope that you all will keep United Policyholders in your plans for your charitable contributions - whether that means a $20 donation to help a volunteer assist a family in need face-to-face, or a $1,000+ sponsorship to cover UP's programs for a year - to help them as they've faithfully helped you, your neighbors, and our country, for over 30 years. Browse UP's Celebration Gallery To compliment the beautiful article that Mark Dillman, Esq. of Merlin Law Group (having previously worked for UP) wrote highlighting UP's 30 years of service, we've curated a gallery to celebrate and really bring home just how much of an impact this organization has had: ✨ Thank you, UP, and Happy New Year!

💎Update 1/8/22: Thank you for 800+ views on YouTube! Join Vince Perri, Sarah Parker, Brittany Alexander, Esq., and Yuly Ybarra Rodon on the Commercial Claims Advocate podcast: Multiple perspectives For the record, I had no part in choosing the title of the podcast; but, if the title is given... 👑 I had the opportunity to be a guest on Vince Perri, the Commercial Claims Advocate's podcast, along with attorney Brittany Alexander, and public adjuster Yuly Ybarra Rodon from South Florida. Located in different regions of the US, handling different types of first party property claims, and fulfilling different professional roles, we could each offer a different perspective when answering the questions Vince had for us regarding public insurance adjusting, mentorship, client and relationship management, professional education, and more. Among many questions, Vince asked each of us this: “Should more women become public insurance adjusters?” My thoughts? Any person who has a passion, enthusiasm, and the interest in a specific topic should consider it for a profession, or at least a hobby. With higher diversity of perspectives comes a higher probability of new or improved solutions and innovations. There are apparent differences in perspective and experience between every individual that I consider my colleague or mentor, even between those that might match up with similar demographics. I have always believed that whether someone is just like you, or nothing like you, you can learn something from them. Perhaps the narrative is this: no matter the ratio of men to women in the insurance industry, any person who actually enjoys talking about insurance should be able to work with their own kind. I’m certain that long-suffering spouses/partners, family, and friends of insurance professionals everywhere agree: Actual quote from a family member: "Ok, we've hit the limit today for talking about that insurance stuff." So, if you love learning about first party property insurance and business, enjoy the podcast! No matter who you are, I'm sure you'll learn something new from this entertaining and informative foray into all things public adjusting. Be well, Connect with us:

A hotly debated proposed rule under the Office of the Insurance Commissioner of Washington State was approved on November 12, 2021 and will go into effect on January 1, 2022. Table of Contents: 🚨 The Issue 📣 Opposition and Support ❗️ Why This Rule Matters to Policyholders in All US States and Territories Here is an excerpt from the official Rule Making Order, for the proposed and approved rule titled Prohibiting depreciation of labor on property claims (R 2021-04): The practice of depreciating labor costs on insurance payments for property damage claims floats a significant part of the labor repair costs to the consumer and their repair contractor, unfairly shifting a burden to the consumer during the repair process and likely against the principle of indemnity. [emphasis added] The Commissioner has seen a steady rise of policy forms that are writing this practice into their definition of Actual Cash Value. The Commissioner implemented rulemaking to prohibit the depreciation of labor on property claims." 🚨 The Issue Depreciation of labor when calculating Actual Cash Value of a property insurance claim has been subject to litigation and controversy for many years. The Office of the Insurance Commissioner of Washington State issued a warning to homeowners about this issue on June 30, 2021: Washington state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler is taking steps to close a little-known loophole in homeowner insurance policies but encourages homeowners to check their policies in the meantime. As insurance industry regulation is primarily at state level, each state has been a battleground for this specific issue at both regulatory and civil levels. Where I am in Minnesota, Replacement Cost Value coverage is the norm for Homeowners policies, with the exception of a concerning trend of ACV-only coverage for roofing. While it is common in certain states to offer ACV-only coverage in varying situations for Homeowners policies (such as Texas), this trend was isolated, and is now expanding to states like mine. I will write about this newly emerging coverage threat for Homeowners at another time. 📣 Opposition and Support Back to the new rule in Washington state: the official Notice to Start Rulemaking was issued on June 22, 2021, which was open to Comments of opposition and support. ❌ The letters of opposition - many different reasons for opposition to the rule were cited. I will highlight two of them below. Skip to: Why This Ruling Matters to Policyholders in All US States and Territories ✉️ A joint statement by the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC), the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA), and the NW Insurance Council (NWIC) stated these opposition points: 1) The proposed regulation exceeds the regulatory authority of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) [...] 2) The proposed regulation could adversely impact affordability of insurance, and discourage consumers from repairing damaged property, i.e. being good personal risk managers. [...] 3) The proposed regulation is based upon inaccurate underwriting assumptions, which could adversely impact insurers’ ability to provide consumers with rates that properly reflect risk of loss exposure. ✉️ The insurer State Farm cited these points in a letter of opposition to the rule: 1. The Proposed Rule Will Provide a “Windfall” to Many Insureds. [...] 2. The Comment Letter Submitted by United Policyholders Misstates Historical Insurance Practices with Respect to Depreciation of Estimated Labor Costs. [...] State Farm has reviewed the comment letters submitted to date regarding the Proposed Rule and is concerned that the comment letter submitted by United Policyholders on July 15, 2021 (the “UP Letter”), presents an especially misleading picture of historical insurance practices. [...] 3. The Proposed Rule Does Not Account for State Farm’s Longstanding Practice of Releasing Depreciation Upon Submission of a Signed Repair Contract. ✅ Letters of support - below are some of the cited reasons from the letters of support, which were outnumbered by the letters of opposition. ✉️ Policyholder advocacy non-profit United Policyholders, which is celebrating its 30th year of service in 2021, submitted a letter of support that included these comments: Excessive and improper depreciation by insurance company adjusters is an all too common unfair claim practice that interferes with loss indemnification. [...] Specifically, when insurers reduce actual cash value claim payouts by depreciating labor, they are failing to meet their duty to indemnify insureds for a necessary cost of restoring insured assets to pre-loss condition. Improper depreciation of labor by insurance companies creates shortfalls in repair and rebuilding financing for property owners and negatively impacts the local, state, and federal government entities that have an interest in communities’ successful economic recovery and the restoration of property tax bases. [...] Insurance Consumers Have a Right to Know What Type of Insurance Coverage They Are Purchasing Approximately 50% of property insurance carriers depreciate labor in calculating ACV payments to their insureds, whereas the other 50% do not—yet, no carrier advertises on its website or in its marketing materials what labor depreciation is or how it operates to significantly lower claim payments. When shopping for homeowners’ coverage, then, how are consumers to know what type of ACV insurance they are considering purchasing? The answer to this fundamental question is clear and supports the proposed rulemaking here: because of the dramatic impact of withholding labor as depreciation—coupled with the diametrically opposed approaches to withholding labor within the homeowners’ insurance market, policyholders do not know what coverage they have purchased until after a claim arises. The clarity provided by R2021-04 ensures that policyholders will know precisely what they are buying in an insurance policy at the time they are purchasing it. ✉️ The Building Industry Association of Washington also submitted a letter of support for the rule, with these points and others: First, the proposed rule is good policy. At the heart of all insurance contracts is the concept of indemnity- that the insured should be made whole as is reasonably possible. While depreciation of an asset such as a residential or commercial structure is reasonable, easily ascertainable and part of the standard interpretation of the “actual cash value” in such contracts, recent efforts by the insurance industry nationwide to further reduce payments to insureds by depreciating of the labor costs completely undermines the core principle of indemnity. Put plainly, the insured is not made whole. [...] Second, courts in numerous states, including here in Washington, have not allowed depreciation of labor costs. The federal Eastern District of Kentucky for example, outlined the unfairness of such a policy, noting that “[t]he very idea of depreciating the value of labor defies good common society.” Bailey v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Co., No. CIV.A. 14-53-HRW, 2015 WL 1401640, at *8 (E.D. Ky. Mar. 25, 2015). The Court applied general principles of indemnity – “make the insured whole; give the insured what she had before the loss – nothing more; nothing less.” [...] Finally, trying to implement provisions of an insurance contract that limit recovery by depreciating labor costs results in practical difficulties. There will be significant delays in payments to contractors (since labor cannot likely be depreciated until conclusion of all work) and significant out-of-pocket costs to insureds that they may not be in a position to bear. ❗️ Why This Rule Matters to Policyholders in All US States and Territories While insurance regulation lies with each state, precedent and rulings from one state can affect adjacent states, as courts or legislature may look to their neighbors to study their stances on certain issues. Within each state, there different ways that claim payment calculation and coverage terms can be determined or assessed, including through individual policy language, case law, Insurance Commissioner rules, statutes, and private agreement between insurer and policyholder. The difference between these different methods include if they are binding or precedent, and if it applies to one policyholder or many. Rules and statutes are two of the most expansive and enforceable consumer protections available, making this ruling a "win" for policyholder advocacy. I believe that it is possible for policyholders to be afforded the protections they deserve, while affording insurers a regulatory framework that allows them to offer healthy and competitive market choices for consumers. United Policyholders stated this well in their letter supporting the rule, which I highlighted and linked in the previous section: UP recognizes and appreciates the extremely important role insurance companies play in modern society. Profitable and financially stable insurance companies promote a healthy society, allowing risk of loss to be spread widely and fairly. [emphasis added] When the system works, prompt and proper payment goes to those who have suffered life-altering catastrophes affecting their persons and property. Unfortunately, some insurance companies employ unfair business practices when adjusting claims in order to bolster their bottom line. [emphasis added] As a business owner, I wholly understand that insurance companies are operating a business, and that a business must have profit to remain in operation. I respect that. However, it is very possible - and the right thing - for a business maintain a profit while ethically providing services and products within regulatory framework that protects not just individual consumers, but our society as a whole. Thank you, Commissioner Kreidler,

Why You Should Review Your Property Policies, Regularly If you miss a property insurance claim deadline, it could potentially cost you hundreds, up to tens of thousands of dollars or more to complete repairs! Why? Missing a policy deadline could lead to a full, or partial claim denial. I see a lot of policies as a licensed public insurance adjuster. I wrote this article to help you, as a policyholder, to learn that there are many different categories of policy deadlines and time limits, as well as triggers. The type of property policy you have can also affect these deadlines, such as Commercial, Homeowners, or Townhome Association/HOA policies. It’s a good idea to review your full policy at every renewal period, and at the beginning of any potential or filed claim. Most insurance companies suggest that policyholders review and assess their property coverages at least yearly as well! For this article, we will to focus on common Homeowners Replacement Cost Value policy provisions with limits of 180 days, for Coverage A - Dwelling. Three Common "180-Day" Policy Deadlines: 1️⃣ Reporting period: Increasingly common, this type of 180-day provision that I see typically requires you to report hail and/or wind losses, specifically, to your insurance company within 180 days from the Date of Loss. If your policy contains this provision, and you don’t report your hail or wind loss within the time specified, you may not be eligible for coverage if you make a claim. Now, if you miss a policy deadline such as this, there may be exceptions in certain cases. If your claim is denied in a situation like this, we may be able to help. In addition to reviewing your insurance coverages on a regular basis, it's a good idea to inspect your home or property at least once or twice yearly - Fall and Spring are good options - as well as after any severe weather events. Being aware of the condition of your home can help you spot repairs that you might want to make, whether any potential repairs involve a property claim or not. 2️⃣ Recoverable depreciation deadline: There are many different recoverable depreciation deadlines in property policies. They vary by state, insurance company, policy, type of policy, coverage form, and more. For time limits to complete repairs to your home to claim any applicable recoverable depreciation, 180 days in some form is the shortest deadline I've seen. The maximum time limits can go all the way up to your state's statutory deadline... There are even rare cases I've seen where the recoverable depreciation deadline can extend past statutory deadlines, specifically in the case of the last three provisions in the list below! If you have a 180-day recoverable depreciation deadline in your policy, you might see one of these variations: 180 days from the Date of Loss 180 days from the first Actual Cash Value payment 180 days from the last Actual Cash Value payment 180 days from the last Coverage A - Dwelling payment 180 days from the last claim payment (general, coverage form not specified) So many exciting options, yes? As with reporting deadlines, there may be exceptions to not being able to comply with recoverable depreciation deadlines. The good news is, we can help with claim extensions, too! However, once your claim passes it's statutory deadline, we cannot help. This type of deadline varies by state. If you have an active property claim, it's important to review your policy early in the claim. 3️⃣ Notification of intent: This type of provision typically states that you must notify your insurance company of your intent to repair or replace the property within 180 days from the Date of Loss, in order to be eligible to claim the recoverable deprecation after repairs are completed. This type of provision can be misinterpreted and misapplied. I have successfully overturned wrongful claim denials for policyholder clients when this provision was misapplied by their insurance company. If your claim has been denied and policy language similar to this was cited as the basis of the exclusion, you may want to get a second opinion! Not sure what any of this means? It's ok! Not everyone enjoys property insurance like I do. Parker Public Adjusting is here to help. As licensed public insurance adjusters, we work on behalf of policyholders to manage and reconcile property insurance claims. Contact us today for a no-obligation insurance claim or policy review: Be well,

"Owning a business is too risky. Just get a good job." This is not necessarily bad advice. It just may not be the the right advice for every person. Most will agree that personal fulfillment lies in following ones passions and interests, whether this means hobbies outside of your 9-5, or your full-time work. Following your passion could mean nurturing and raising children, breeding monarch butterflies for release and research (yes, a colleague of mine does this), or the topic of this article: starting or owning a business. Looking at the dismal statistics and reports of how many small businesses fail within their first one to five years, along with the worldwide economic downturn from CoVID-19, you might exclaim, “Why would anyone start a business anyway? That seems so stressful. They should just get a good job and not take the risk.” While this is likely common consensus, these thoughts are not necessarily natural to individuals with the insatiable mental quirk described as entrepreneurialism. Entrepreneurs recognize that life, in itself, is risk (any public adjusters, attorneys, and other property insurance professionals reading this will understand this on a fundamental level, as well). While seemingly counterintuitive, the events of the past two years likely have entrepreneurs thinking, "How can I take my life into my own control? What do I need to do to make my dreams a reality? How can I help others and provide financial security for my family? Why wouldn't I go for it and take the risk at this point?" These thoughts lead us to the following: "What does it take to run a successful business?" That's quite the question, isn't it? Thankfully, if you are an aspiring, new, or current small business owner, the answer to this question involves some basic, universal principles and procedures that apply to all companies and industries. Even better, there is an army of over 13,000 trained volunteers that would love to guide, mentor, and counsel you on your business journey: SCORE Mentors. Before I opine further on this topic, let's take a trip back to the mid '90s. Far from hitting double digits in my age, I was running a multi-national concern that ran with precision, employing scores of happy, productive employees. At least, this is what was in my daydreams, as I colored at my play desk my mother had set up for me in her home office. It's no surprise that I've always loved business, growing up with the mother (and entrepreneurial family) that I did. I've had the fair fortune to grow up being involved in my mother's businesses, gaining valuable experience across many industries, and seeing what was possible with the bare ingredients of determination, fortitude, honesty, and a thirst for learning. While in grade school in Duluth, I got to observe my mother and her clients prepare for interviews in TV and radio stations. In junior high school in the Twin Cities, I got to help with cold-calling businesses for promotional items for giveaway bags. By high school, I was creating websites and graphic design for my mother's clients, eventually starting my first business at 16. Fast forward to 2016, I was a year or two into my start-up public insurance adjusting firm, Parker Public Adjusting. I thought I was completely prepared for this new business venture, based on my experience. Yet, as is true for the breadth of our lives, there was more for me to learn. That's when a friend told me about SCORE Mentors. SCORE has the largest network of free, volunteer small business mentors across the United States. Headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, with hundreds of local chapters throughout the country, SCORE strives to be the leading supporter of small business in the United States. They offer free, one-on-one coaching from a dedicated mentor in a related industry, various publications, and free or low-cost seminars and events that cover everything from marketing, to copyright and trademark basics, accounting and taxes, and much more. Ensuring a Prosperous Future for Individuals, Families, and our Economy by Giving Back One of the many things I love about SCORE is their strong sense of social responsibility and sharing knowledge, something I have always believed in and have built into the foundation of my company. Founded in 1964, SCORE gets its name from the organization's original title, ”Service Corp. of Retired Executives”. SCORE mentors possesses decades of business experience, paired with training to become “Counselors to America’s Small Business”. My SCORE mentor Bob, and the fantastic classes and resources from the organization have been a large part of making my business dreams a reality. In gratitude, I've had the opportunity to give back to SCORE, by speaking at my local SCORE chapter mentor's meetup about my experience with my mentor and the organization, being a panelist alongside other female entrepreneurs at SCORE Minnesota's "Recipe for Success, a Woman's Perspective", to most recently being invited to share my learning experience in SCORE Twin Cities’ Success Stories. Dream Big, but Don't Forget to Stick to the Business Basics As the last two years of worldwide chaos have illustrated, you can’t count on "a sure thing". It simply doesn't exist. Failure happens. Unexpected setbacks happen. However, what you can count on, are 365 days each year and limitless opportunities to try again until you do succeed. You can also count on the goodwill of other people — like the volunteers at SCORE — that want to help you achieve, if you are willing to put in the effort. If you are thinking about becoming a business owner, or if you currently have a business and your passion or processes are a bit stagnant, take these hard-earned tips to heart: Nurture your dream. Make it real. "Vision board" it. Daydream about it. Plan it. Research and learn about it. Obsess about it. Dare to believe that it's real and that you've already received it, before it even happens. Encourage others. Even if you are reading this and you think that you’re too far down the scales, too disadvantaged, or that your dream is too big to actually happen, know that anything is possible. While ”dreaming big” is important, this will not sustain a business on its own (nor your sanity), long term. Many entrepreneurs may experience burn-out after their initial business honeymoon phase, simply because of failure to act upon basic business principles with consistency, such as processes, planning, accounting, and competent management. This is where SCORE can help. If you are thinking of starting, or currently own a small business, I invite you to avoid the "burn out" and become an exception to the statistics: read about my experience working with SCORE, and my best tips for prospective or current business owners here. 💖 Wishing you the best of success, in all your endeavors,