Mastering Cash Flow for New Business Owners: The Hidden Key to Your Businessā€™s Success

 One of the most common challenges new business owners face is properly managing their finances—especially when it comes to separating personal and business finances. Did you know that mixing the two is one of the leading causes of financial chaos in small businesses? According to Bank of America, keeping personal and business finances separate not only helps you manage cash flow better but also protects your personal assets, builds business credit, and simplifies your tax situation.

In this blog, I’ll guide you through understanding cash flow management, a critical piece of keeping your business finances on track and separating them from your personal life.

The Challenge: Why Cash Flow is the Hidden Key to Business Success

Many business owners experience the stress of not having enough cash to cover expenses, even when their business is bringing in decent revenue. Dipping into personal savings or using personal credit cards to cover business expenses often...

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CNG Partner Receives Community Project Funding

Newtown: Sidewalk Funding Approved

Newtown sidewalk

We have exciting news to share regarding sidewalks and connectivity in Newtown!

We recently were informed that Congress passed a $1 million allocation for our Newtown Sidewalk Rehabilitation Community Project, which the City Commission prioritized in 2023.

In 2022, the City’s Pedestrian Connectivity Plan was updated and prioritized connectivity to schools, parks, business districts, recreational areas and more. The Plan serves as a guide to complete sidewalks to meet ADA requirements for uninterrupted pedestrian connectivity. The most underserved area within the Newtown Community Redevelopment Area was prioritized to build new sidewalks and replace deteriorating sidewalks based on many factors, including safety issues, right-of-way needs, whether it is included in a larger connectivity plan and community support.

Many residents in Newtown rely on walking and bicycling to go to and from jobs and essential services, and we are thrilled...

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Enhancing Environmental Resilience in Walton County Through Community Project Funding

Walton County, Florida, is taking significant steps to preserve its natural environment and safeguard its water resources. With support from Community Project Funding (CPF), the county has secured $500,000 for a critical study focused on restoring the aquatic ecosystem in Choctawhatchee Bay and River Basin. This funding will help protect the region’s natural beauty while boosting its environmental resilience for years to come.

What is Community Project Funding?

Community Project Funding (CPF) is a targeted federal investment for specific community projects, requested directly by members of Congress. Unlike competitive grant applications, CPF allows local governments, nonprofits, and other entities to receive direct federal support for critical projects that meet community needs. CPF funding is often secured through the federal appropriations process and is designed to support projects with broad community backing.

Walton County’s project is an ideal candidate for CPF, as...

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Unlocking Community Project Funding for Public Safety in Sarasota

Securing federal funding for community projects can be a complex process, but it’s one that brings significant benefits. In Sarasota, federal funding has been approved by the House of Representatives to improve public safety. The Sarasota Police Department is on track to receive $750,000 to establish a Real-Time Intelligence Center (RTIC), pending final approval by the Senate in late 2024. This initiative would make Sarasota one of the few cities in the region to leverage advanced technology in law enforcement.

What is Community Project Funding?

Community Project Funding (CPF) is a special allocation of federal funds for specific community projects, requested directly by members of Congress to address the most pressing needs in their districts. Unlike traditional grants, CPF allows local governments, nonprofits, and educational institutions to receive direct federal investment without having to go through a competitive grant application process. CPF is part of the federal...

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Planning for Victory: The PLAN AHEAD Framework by John Maxwell, Through the Lens of Football

In football, like in life and business, victory doesn’t happen by accident. It takes preparation, strategy, and execution to win on game day. John Maxwell’s PLAN AHEAD framework is like a playbook for success, helping individuals and teams strategize their way to a win. Whether you’re aiming for personal or professional growth, this structured approach offers a clear path to your goal—much like a well-executed drive down the field.

The Game Plan: Understanding the PLAN AHEAD Framework

Think of the PLAN AHEAD framework as your offensive strategy. Each step is a play designed to advance you toward the end zone. Here’s how Maxwell’s framework breaks down when viewed through the lens of football:

  1. Pre-determine Objectives – This is like the pre-game strategy meeting. You decide what success looks like. What’s your end zone? What does winning mean for you and your team?

  2. Lay Out Your Goals – Just like a quarterback calling plays,...

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How to Break Free from Invisible Boundaries and Unleash Your True Potential

By Stephanie Willis

In life, we often find ourselves constrained by invisible boundaries—limitations that, although unseen, significantly shape our experiences and hold us back from reaching our full potential. These boundaries, formed by upbringing, societal expectations, and personal experiences, can subtly dictate how we view ourselves and the world around us. The good news is that once we recognize them, we can work to break free.

In this post, I’ll guide you through identifying these invisible barriers and share powerful strategies for unleashing your true potential.

Recognizing the Invisible Boundaries

The first step toward transformation is awareness. Invisible boundaries are often deeply ingrained and hard to see. To recognize them, reflect on areas in your life where you feel stuck or limited. Ask yourself:

  • What beliefs or experiences are contributing to these feelings?
  • Where did these beliefs come from?

Whether these limitations stem from past experiences,...

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The Power of Big-Picture Thinking for Organizational Success

organizational success Sep 13, 2024

In today’s fast-paced business world, it's easy to get lost in the day-to-day challenges and lose sight of the bigger picture. Yet, leaders who practice Big-Picture Thinking are able to navigate uncharted territories, see potential obstacles before they arise, and define possible outcomes for their teams and organizations. This type of thinking is essential for long-term success and adaptability.

What is Big-Picture Thinking?
Big-picture thinking is the ability to step back, view a situation from a broader perspective, and understand how all the pieces fit together. This isn’t just about having a vision—it’s about seeing connections that others might miss and understanding how today's decisions will impact tomorrow’s outcomes.

Think of it as scenario planning, where you prepare for multiple future possibilities. Leaders who engage in big-picture thinking don’t just focus on immediate goals but consider how external factors, industry trends, and...

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Practice makesā€¦ā€¦ā€¦.?

leadership principles Mar 31, 2017

We have all heard the phrase practice makes perfect, but that is not really true. Practice actually makes permanent. If you practice wrong, you will do it perfectly wrong. If you practice right, you will learn to do it perfectly right.

If you find yourself taking shortcuts or only giving partial effort, you are not only robbing yourself in that circumstance; you are practicing those bad behaviors. Before you know it, you will be really good at those bad behaviors. Everything matters! Even if it doesn’t feel like it in the moment. Practice making the best decision no matter how big or small, easy or hard. The practice will pay off.

Stephanie Willis

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Failure is an Option

personal growth Mar 28, 2017
 

I just spent a couple of days with Seth Godin, the author of Tribes and Purple Cow.    While there are several thoughts and illustrations from our time together captured in my notes, there is one idea that I have circled with the message, “Write blog.”  This is my attempt to convey what I was pondering when I drafted my message.

Give yourself permission to fail.  I don’t mean permission to fail at small things like picking up the kids late from school or forgetting to pack toothpaste for your road trip (I do these things regularly).  I mean the kind of big failures that cause your friends and family to whisper, “What was he/she thinking?”

Each year, I meet dozens of talented and educated people in their 20’s and 30’s who are looking for the role they should play in society.  Having been raised in a culture where failure is considered a character flaw, they have been trained to be...

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When Getting to the Table Is Not Enough

overcoming challenges Mar 28, 2017

My friend Sheikh and I live just 21 miles apart.  We are roughly the same age, share the same values, and we have both experienced the pain of having a child born very premature and struggle to survive.  It would be easy to think that we speak regularly since we can relate to each other’s story so well.  However, the last time we spoke we were both 860 miles away from where we live in Orlando, Florida at an event.  Prior to that, we were 4,611 miles from home in Asuncion, Paraguay.

This past week after exchanging several text messages, Sheikh and I planned to “catch up” over dinner while we were once again in Florida together.  We were finally elbow to elbow for nearly an hour, but unable to speak more than pleasantries because others around the table kept asking us questions.  In fact, all I could tell you at that point was that my friend had a little more gray hair than the last time I saw him and that his family was doing...

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