#19 - Expecting to Succeed

Day #19 - Expecting to Succeed

By Bob Oros

Knowing exactly what you want, expecting to get it and visualizing the outcome is effectively managing your attitude. When you spend time planning your strategies you are creating a situation you desire. You have control over the outcome.

If you are not advancing towards your goal with the expectation of success, it is not the goal that is out of reach.   It is the daily activities that need attention. The common denominator of all successful professional people is the same. THEY ALL EXPECT TO SUCCEED.

Taxes and Avon

Well, here we are another year gone!  Here is an article I wrote in 2010 about Avon and Taxes.  I thought now was a good time to re-post it for the upcoming tax season.
What do taxes have to do with selling Avon?
by Karen Whitney

Before I start, I need to mention that I am by no means an expert on taxes so please take what I have to say as a guideline and talk to your local IRS office or tax expert for the current rules and regulations.  However, this will give you a head start on what kind of records you need keep to make tax reporting time go more smoothly.

Unfortunately, when you own a business, you must deal with the Tax Man.  Your Avon business is no different.  Having said that, each individual's circumstances will vary.  So it is very important that you speak with your local IRS office, a tax expert. 

Because you are considered an indepedent contractor, Avon does not withhold taxes from your earnings, and tax reporting is solely your responsibility.  But don't let taxes scare you away from selling Avon.  In fact, it will give you a lot of tax deductions to use on your personal tax return.

Recordkeeping for your business doesn't have to be difficult and if you keep good records, you can ensure that you will receive the benefit of every tax deduction you have coming your way.  Here is a short list of some of the items to keep:

How Long can you keep cosmetics?

HOW LONG IS THAT GOOD FOR?

Are you one of those people who has eight different mascaras in your make-up bag, six of which haven't been used for as long as you can remember?   Do you have a lipstick that you brought around about the same time Christy Brinkley was in fashion?  Was that blush handed down from your mom?  Although this all sounds pretty disgusting, you'll be surprised how many of us keep products way past their life spans, holding on for dear life just in case we may use it once more.

Setting up a route . . .

In 2010 we bought a Ford Flex that had MS Sync installed in it.  That meant that I, for the first time EVER, had GPS at the tip of my fingers!!!  WOW!!!  What a great feature!

My husband on the otherhand didn't think that we really needed it.  I have to admit, I didn't think we did either.  Then I remembered my Avon business and how it would be of great use to me when making my Avon deliveries.  You see I meet people at places I frequent during the course of my day and they don't necessarily live in my area.  So this GPS is a WONDERFUL way to find the addresses that I don't know when making my deliveries.

Organization is the key

When I was upset about how messy my house was and upset that my kids would not help to keep it clean, my son-in-law said to me . . .

"Not everybody can be organized!" 

Really?  Are you serious?  My response to him was . . .

"Have you ever been to my office at work? It is VERY organized!  There is a place for everything and everything is in it's place.  It's just too hard at home to organize because nobody will help out!"

Does this sound like your house?  Now that I'm older and wiser, I realize that I can't organize anybody but myself.  However, I can teach you the skills to get yourself organized in hopes that one day your family will notice and, hopefully, follow your example.  If not while they are living in your house, then later when they are on their own.  Unfortunately, I didn't learn these skills early enough in my child rearing years because both of my kids are very disorganized.