Building relationships and finding creative insurance solutions for his customers is what brings Damian Gobel satisfaction and joy. A lifelong Portlander and second generation Allstate agent, Damian is accessible and knowledgeable when it comes to all forms of personal lines of insurance…except health.

“Most people don’t know that Allstate has surpassed Aflac in providing workplace benefits,” Damian explains. “It’s a great way for businesses to provide benefits for their employees without coming out of pocket. Employees have access to group rates as well as a local benefit specialist if and when they have a claim or questions.”

For almost 10 years Damian has been a payroll and tax client of TBC. “I appreciate them being accessible for questions that come up and providing solutions when the need arises,” he says. “Kerry handles my payroll and I can always count on her to be prompt and correct. Her efficiency takes the worry away.”

If you’re a small business owner, do yourself a favor and take a few minutes to chat with Damian about employee benefits. Give him a call at (503)255-3490, e-mail him at dgobel@allstate.com , or visit his website at https://agents.allstate.com/damian-gobel-portland-or.html .

Dr. Jasmar Reddin has been practicing chiropractic medicine for more than 30 years. Her patients are happy to refer her to family & friends because of the difference she makes in their lives.

Jasmar goes out of her way to be accessible and provide personalized care for each individual that comes to her for help and relief. She creates a comfortable and relaxed setting in her clinic, making it conducive to healing and a healthier lifestyle. For more specific details and info about other therapies available, check out her website at: www.jasmarreddindc.com.

Jasmar has been a valuable friend and client of The Bookkeeping Company for 20 years. “They keep me out of trouble,” she proclaims. “I appreciate the accuracy. I can count on them to do their job.”

“How can we help?” motivates every action from Karen, Taylor, and Lauren Kane at Insurance Solutions NW. This family-operated, independent agency has been helping local small businesses and individuals since 2002.

Why is an insurance broker important for you? “There’s an illusion that ‘cheaper is better’, or ‘if I pay more I get more’,” Taylor explains. “Neither statement is necessarily true.”

“Look under the hood,” Karen confirms. “You have to educate yourself about what questions to ask, and learn how to become your own advocate. We can help with that. We’re used to wading through the murky waters.” Check out their website: www.insurancesolutionsnw.com for more specific details.

You can save yourself time, money, and frustration. Call the ISNW team and…let them help.

Karen has been a valued client of The Bookkeeping Co. since 2004. “I trust them to take care of the ugly details for me,” she says, “Like when I receive a letter in the mail that concerns me, I just turn it over to them and they take care of it. I really appreciate having that resource.”

A CHILDREN’S PLACE BOOKSTORE is where the owner, Pam Lewis, goes each day to watch the magic happen when kids explore new worlds between the covers of a book.

There’s a special excitement in the air each Thursday morning at 10:30 for Story Time. Don’t miss the upcoming author-signing events.

Check out all the community activity and involvement of this delightful book haven at www.achildrensplacebookstore.com.

Pam has been a valued client of TBC for 10 years. “I value their competence throughout the years,” she says, “and I appreciate the lack of worry because they’re taking care of the details.”

BUCKETS-O-FUN owner, Sheri Elmont, knows how to stay young at heart. Her top-selling products include Finger Rockets and non-toxic, Mom-Approved Yuck Slime. 4 different kinds!

Kick up the laughter and fun at your next kid’s party, neighborhood event, youth group, family reunion, or school carnival. Check out her website at www.Buckets-O-Fun.com.  Watch for the upcoming launch of “slime kits” in the very near future.

Seriously though, Sheri has been a client of TBC since 2007. “They have always been kind & encouraging during the ups and downs of owning my own business”, she says, “I really appreciate that.”

Even though Valentine’s Day is over for this year, this applies year-round.

By Sheila Askov
Putting Personality in Print

What’s involved in ‘romancing’? Everyone wants to feel special.

Listen to them – find out what they want. Can your business make minor adjustments to make them feel more comfortable or ‘heard’?

Let them know they’re important to you – not just a number on an invoice. Take time to reflect on their personal interests and activities. This is a real person with a real life outside of the service you provide. Reflect that in your communication.

Hold their hand, emotionally. Sometimes they’re dealing with difficult issues that have practical and emotional consequences. Let them know you’ll be beside them throughout the process and will do whatever you can to make their path smoother.

ROMANCING IS CARING…YOU CAN DO THAT.

By Sheila Askov
Putting Personality in Print

Let’s explore a new type of New Year’s Resolution and decide to give up an obvious behavior that isn’t working for you and see what happens next.

Try giving up one of these:

Instead of trying to do one more thing at home before you leave for work, being frustrated at the volume of traffic, and resenting the abundance of red lights that appear when you’re pushing the clock…leave 10 minutes early and be surprised when you have a few moments to take a deep breath and contemplate the day before exiting the car and greeting your first employee or customer. It will feel strange at first, but it’s a good strange – so do it again tomorrow. The extra minute or five you enjoy may become a present you give yourself on a regular basis.

Give up your preconceived ideas about how an employee and customer will act. Try looking for what they’re doing or saying that is good, and quickly praise them before they revert to their old drummers. In English…catch them doing something right and act swiftly. Maybe it will surprise them as much as it surprised you. It may have been a long time since someone told them they did or said something beneficial.

BIG CHANGES HAPPEN IN LITTLE PIECES. Happy 2018…

By Sheila Askov
Putting Personality in Print

Daylight savings time ending grants us an extra hour each year. How will you spend it?

One more hour’s sleep is tantalizing…but so is an hour of quiet contemplation uninterrupted in the morning calm before the daily storms appear.

What if we planned to NOT do something predictable?

Maybe reflecting on ‘why’ we began our business, or ‘who’ we love and think about each day, or ‘how’ we can show our customers, employees, and families how much we appreciate them might make a difference in our priority setting. Every small business owner knows “there’s never enough time”, but this week you have an extra 60 minutes.

Pick an hour…any hour this Sunday, and become unpredictable in the most delightful way!

By Sheila Askov
Putting Personality in Print

Was Columbus an entrepreneur or just an early independent contractor? Either way he sailed out into a beautiful blue ocean on a giant spice hunt. Even though this happened more than 600 years ago, some things never change.

The seas got rough, the storms came, and the crew revolted when supplies got scarce along with all the other challenges small business owners face right here and now.

You may have gone out on a limb to run your business, but it is unlikely you agreed to sail off the end of the world to achieve it. (Remember people believed they could see the edge of the earth at the ocean’s edge in 1492).

Be courageous, my friends, and learn the real lesson of Columbus.

When riding the waves of uncharted territory, you may be on your way to discovering a whole new world. The possibilities are indeed endless.

By Sheila Askov
Putting Personality in Print

If you asked me 2 weeks ago what I thought of when I heard the name, Harvey, I probably would have flashed back to the 6’ invisible rabbit I fell in love with watching an old Jimmy Stewart movie.

But now, Hurricane Harvey has forever changed my association with the name. No words can adequately express the heartfelt sorrow I feel watching the devastating effects it’s having on millions of people in Texas, Louisiana, and beyond. This Harvey gives ‘relentless’ a new meaning.

As a perpetual optimist, my mentality requires me to look hard for any glimpses of ‘good news’ in this catastrophic situation. I’m grateful to report that the ‘kindness of strangers’ is having a huge effect on the numbers of people & pets rescued. American ingenuity is in full gear as jet skis, boats, rafts, canoes, and a myriad of floating devices become tools for neighbors helping neighbors.

Let’s all take a few moments and tell the people around us that we love them. This emotion should not be stifled until a catastrophic event occurs. Use a few minutes each day to stop and appreciate the sacrifices of others on our behalf.

And our dear friends in Texas, Louisiana, and other states in the path of destruction…we love you, we’ll help however we can, and thank you for your example of the real America in action.