Category: Leadership

My request for local representation as SBA reconvenes the Council on Underserved Communities

Posted Tony NovakPosted in Leadership, New Jersey, Small Business

Purpose: This post is created to provide more information surrounding my application to serve on the Small Business Administration’s Council on Underserved Communities in July 2021. Background: About the SBA Council on Underserved Communities: https://www.sba.gov/node/15667 Press release of SBA announcement (June 22, 2021) to reconvene the Council: https://www.sba.gov/article/2021/jun/22/sba-reconvenes-council-underserved-communities My story: I started my career in […]

The necessary response to disinformation

Posted Tony NovakPosted in Computers and Internet, Leadership, Social Media, Values

“Information warfare threat to the United States is different from past threats, and it has the potential to destroy reason and reality as a basis for societal discourse, replacing them with rage and fantasy. Perpetual civil war, political extremism, waged in the information sphere and egged on by our adversaries is every bit as much […]

Ignorance among professionals is a growing problem

Posted Tony NovakPosted in Accounting, Financial Planning, Leadership

Is it just me? I’m increasingly shocked with the collective level of ignorance surrounding us. In my work, naturally, I see it most often among people who call themselves tax and financial professionals. The details of behavior described as the Dunning-Kruger effect make the problem worse. Back in the 1980s and early 90s when professional […]

Tooth Fairy Syndrome

Posted Tony NovakPosted in Accounting, Data Management, Education, Government, Leadership, News and Politics, Scam, Social Media

Young children believe in fairy tales like the tooth fairy. Despite having no direct evidence of the tooth fairy’s existence, they believe what other children and adults tell them. They are told the false logic that the result they see (money under their pillow) is proof that the tooth fairy exists. We don’t fault young […]

Of the seven Covey habits, which are your strongest and weakest?

Posted Tony NovakLeave a commentPosted in Leadership, Values

My strongest habit is “think win/win”. In fact, that’s the basis of my business model and every client engagement. It’s also the reason that I object so strongly to the traditional sales psychology that too often creates a winner and a loser. I’m hugely committed to earning my place by creating financial results for others. […]

Small Business Crisis Management Plan B

Posted Tony NovakLeave a commentPosted in crisis management, Leadership, Small Business

The new ’employee retention credit’ is a refundable payroll tax credit for 50% of qualified wages up to a maximum wage of $10,000 per employee. Wages paid starting March 13, 2020 through December 31, 2020 are eligible, even retroactively. The best way to take advantage is to integrate this cash flow benefit directly with your […]

Ten productive things I can do for my small business during this shutdown: (please share your list for inspiration)

Posted Tony NovakLeave a commentPosted in Business networking, crisis management, Leadership, Small Business

Sharpen my skills on remote communication platforms – Zoom, Skype, Messenger, Face Time – especially for document, web page and screen sharing and group call features. Focus on the online transaction part of the business. Spend more time learning: reading, online courses, podcasts, certification Clean up and organize the supplies and inventory Schedule calls daily […]

Our immediate response plan

Posted Tony NovakLeave a commentPosted in Health and wellness, Leadership, New Jersey

The world we knew changed in a flash. I’ve retooled my work to focus 100% on response to the effects of this shutdown issue. Crisis management strategy is something many have not dealt with before. Having lived though years of another devastating crisis and spent countless hours on strategic recovery for my own business and […]

Honorable James Dannenberg resignation letter

Posted Tony NovakLeave a commentPosted in Ethics, Leadership, Values

This letter is reposted here because it is the best written rebuke of the Supreme Court I’ve ever read. The Chief Justice of the United States One First Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20543 March 11, 2020 Dear Chief Justice Roberts: I hereby resign my membership in the Supreme Court Bar. This was not an easy […]

An Opportunity to Change the Public Conversation

Posted Tony NovakLeave a commentPosted in Leadership, Values

Recent news has certainly rocked our world. We don’t know where it is headed. We don’t know how it will affect our future. We don’t know when it will end. We simply know that this is not normal. Yet, even right now, I see at least one clear possibility for channeling this into positive energy. […]