Did you know that many business owners may qualify for the Employee Retention Credit? In fact, the IRS estimates 70-80% of small and medium businesses qualify. This credit was put into place to reward businesses that kept their employees during the pandemic.
 
Despite its ease to qualify for, many business owners are not aware of this credit, or they have been told by their CPA or Accountant that they would not qualify. We want to let you know that there have been many updates to the ERC program since it was released, and your business likely qualifies.
 
What is the Employee Retention Credit?
The Employee Retention Credit is a refundable payroll tax credit that was introduced as part of the CARES Act in March of 2020.  The credit is available to employers whose businesses have been financially OR OPERATIONALLY impacted by the pandemic. Too many businesses and those they are getting advice from are focusing on ONE qualifying area: Reduction in Gross Receipts. But there are three others that DO NOT REQUIRE a reduction in revenue:
·       Startup Recovery Business
·       Supply Chain issues
·       Full or Partial shutdown
 
Full or Partial shutdown is where most companies qualify as we were all impacted by government shutdowns in one way or another. The simplest way the IRS describes this is whether government orders around Covid affected your business's ability to deliver its goods and services in its normal course by more than 10%. That is all it takes to qualify.
 
How much time does this take?
This is the best part, you can go through the prequalification and qualification process from start to finish in about 20-30 minutes, including having a brief call with us.  We’ve had multiple clients who did not think they qualified until we had a brief 5-10 minute discussion to help identify whether it would be worth it to them to take the time to review the pre-qualification application.
 
How is the Money Delivered to the Company?
This is actual money that comes back to your bank account! It is not a loan and there is NO forgiveness needed. Furthermore, this is NOT an income tax credit.
 
How Much Will this Cost?
Payroll services and CPA mostly charge you the fee upfront. We’ve heard that the going rate is $500.00 per employee per quarter or 20% of the credit. When you work with us, we do not get paid unless you get paid and until you get paid.
 
In Closing
During the pandemic, businesses needed to make changes to typical daily operations to keep up with regulations. We’ve talked to many businesses that did not have a reduction in revenue because they were quick to adjust and innovate in their operations. But they were still affected. The Employee Retention Credit was designed to help businesses keep employees. If you think you may qualify, we encourage you to reach out to us and we can help you determine if you are eligible!
 
You can schedule a 15-minute consultation here or email us at info@think-lateral.com.
 
If you want to skip the call and see if you pre-qualify on your own, we recommend that you watch this video so you can learn about ERC and the process. Once done, you can get a no-obligation estimate on your credit by using this link. Let us know how we can help!
 
Jon Bassford, JD, MBA, CAE
CEO and Founder
Lateral Solutions

The Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce NextExecs are participating in an initiative that is part of the Chamber’s mission to support, inspire, and advocate for business to better our community. A drive to furnish needy Montgomery County Public School students with backpacks, complete with critical school supplies, the GIVE BACKpacks campaign raises funds to purchase backpacks for students who qualify for Free and Reduced-Price Meals (FARMS). Each new backpack comes with supplies appropriate for K-12 school students, including pencils, pens, dividers, and notebooks.

The Chamber is supported by some wonderful businesses and organizations to make this happen, including Marriott International, Metro Bethesda Rotary Club, Behnam & Associates, Barre 3 Bethesda, First National Bank, and The Bethesdan Hotel. According to Allie Williams, Chamber President and CEO, “We are proud of the work we do in the community, and we love seeing the next generation of executives help the future generations through these efforts.”

Greater Bethesda Chamber NextExecs are made up of “young professionals in the greater Bethesda community interested in engaging in business networking, professional development, and community service in order to position themselves for optimal career growth.” Under the leadership of Carla Young, Director of Membership and Community Engagement, is so excited about the energy and enthusiasm behind the effort. “One of our members, Anna Benham, has personally assembled over two hundred backpacks for students!”

Anna, through her non-profit, Yellow Boomerang, has enlisted the support of her community to donate supplies and fundraise. We asked Anna about why she is involved, and she said, “Back to school is an important time and there are many Montgomery County families in need. I am glad that we can come together as a community and support our neighbors.” Another active NextExec is Sean Makulowich of IdeaFire™ who is also a member of the Chamber Board of Directors. He notes that “we are an active group doing good in the community, and this is a perfect initiative for us to work on.”

While NextExecs are doing the hands-on work of preparing the backpacks for students, Chamber members, as well as the rest of the community, are encouraged to participate by donating a minimum of $10 to the drive. Every donation will go to help supply another student with a loaded backpack. The easiest ways for people to donate financially are through The Chamber’s Venmo @TGBCC account or a check made to the “Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce” with the memo line Backpack drive. 

With the monies raised, NextExecs will purchase the items from a local Chamber member to fill the backpacks and deliver them to the participating schools - ideally by mid-August leading up to the first day of school on August 29th.
Please support this important cause by donating today.


The NextExecs are sponsored by McKay Mortgage.  The Leadership includes, Andrew Borkoski, M&T Bank, Lili Sargsyan, Cohn Snyder and Aaron Slaughter of Withum CPA.

By: Paul Yoon
One Language
https://onelanguage.pro



Customer: “Can you please say that again?”

Service Representative: “Let me explain this again for you. I said that FRA, CZE, RUS, GER, and IOC have decided to contact all their POCs at the FAA so that the TSA will have their SOPs good to go. Please go to the TSA HQ office, which is located between the USPS and Run With Us. Fill out the form TSA FM 1069-AC and take it to one of the windows. They will give you a VIS IOC Pass. Make sure to get your POC by scanning the QR Code on your way out.”
​
Customer: “Can you say that again, please?”
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Did you ever experience a similar situation when you had to read a document or publication 2 or 3 times just to understand the topic? Have you received a newsletter, contract, registration form, flyer, email, or communication materials that made you more confused and frustrated after having read it?

For most of us, the answer will more than likely be “yes.”

However, the most important question that you need to be asking is “Did I or do I create unclear, confusing, lengthy, and difficult documents and publications? Is my organization, company, or group the creator of these types of materials?”

Many people and organizations struggle with the delivery of clear, concise, and accurate information. Most times the people reading or receiving the information will not provide you with feedback or constructive criticism. They will likely misinterpret, misunderstand, or ignore you due to their confusion of your message.

Subject-matter experts, or “professionals,” tend to make the critical error of assuming that the reader is going to understand the details, jargon, acronyms, and abbreviations that you are using. Unclear, overly complex, or specialized language will create barriers in your communication in a variety of societal contexts. Furthermore, recipients of your message will have different professional, cultural, historical, and linguistic barriers that prevent them from understanding your message.

There isn’t a grading scale or measurement tool to be able to tell if you have the clearest, most concise, and highest standards of writing. However, I can tell you with absolute certainty that there are things you can do to make sure that the message you send is the message that is received.

Of course, you might be telling yourself that you don’t have a problem writing in English. Nobody has ever challenged your writing and made grammatical corrections on your emails. However, there is more to this situation than you realize:

• Department of Education
87% of American adults are unable to compare two viewpoints in an article because of their English proficiency
• Department of Education
54% of U.S. adults between the ages of 16 – 74 (130 million adults) read below a 6th-grade level
• Yale University 2021
20% (65 million) of the U.S. workforce population are dyslexic
• Yale University 2021
1 in 10 of the U.S. workforce population(19.2 million adults) are Limited English Proficient (LEP means that you do not speak English “very well,” according to the U.S. Census Bureau)
• General Electric Company
1 manual written in simple plain language led to 94% savings in customer service costs. $375,000 down to $22,000
• Department of Veterans Affairs
$40,000 per document saved after applying simple plain language to letters and notifications. 1,128 call center calls went down to 192 customer service phone calls

Now that you know the importance of good communication and the amount of time and money that it actually saves, here are 5 tips that you can apply when you write an email, create a document, or design marketing materials.
​
1. Write with the 5 Ws: Who, What, When, Where, and Why
2. Simplify your writing: This is not an essay or writing competition. No one is grading you.
3. Think about your reader: Do not think about what you want to say, but what your reader will read.
4. Use simple and common words: Your job title explains your industry, field, and profession. Using complex and difficult words does not make you sound smart.
5. Read before you send: You need to read what you wrote at least once. It will sound different if you read it out loud. You can always ask someone, not part of your industry, to read your materials. If they do not understand, more than likely no one will understand.
Hopefully, you found this to be informative and educational. I hope that every message you send is the one that is received.


Thank you very much.
Paul Yoon
One Language
https://onelanguage.pro


*By the way, if you are interested in knowing the simplified version of the statement at the top, this is what it could look like.

“Please go to the TSA office, which is located next to the post office.
Let them know that you are an Olympic athlete and need a visitor’s pass.
Please fill out the form that they give you. You will get a visitor’s pass.
Ask for your point-of-contact information.
If you have a mobile phone, please scan the QR code, to get your point-of-contact information.
The QR code is located on the door of the TSA office.”

Over the course of this month, Chamber member Spring Insight, a digital strategy firm here in Bethesda, has been exploring areas of risk that your website opens that have the potential to damage your overall business. We have seen these vulnerabilities impact small businesses that we talk to  in real and damaging ways, and we are here to keep you informed so you can sidestep these risks and use your time to focus on the important stuff like attending Chamber meetings. 

Website Accessibility

Our first item is accessibility. To be honest, this is a topic we have been obsessing over in recent months. We recently covered the topic as it pertains to websites, so we will only lightly touch on it here. What is website accessibility, you ask? Basically, it is creating a website with the proper colors, tools, and coding so that anyone, regardless of any auditory, cognitive, neurological, speech, or visual difficulties, can not only visit the site but also navigate it and process the information contained. 

Website accessibility is becoming increasingly important both as a humanitarian gesture and as good business. Why? There are a myriad of reasons, but one we are closely watching is that it is starting to show up  on the radar of the all-mighty Google. Plus, if your business gets behind the eight-ball on accessibility, you are opening yourself up to the real risk of having it completely inaccessible to anyone. To more fully understand the subject, check out our article discussing why you should care about website accessibility.

Website Maintenance

At Spring Insight, we fully understand what your business stands to lose if a potential customer  visits your website and finds it painfully slow, outdated, clunky when it comes to conversion, or shut down completely. You lose leads, tarnish your reputation, and ultimately, get less dollars in the bank. 

On top of that, your website is at real risk for infiltration when it is not properly maintained. Perhaps I shouldn’t disclose this particular piece of advice because we have won business from businesses whose sites have been hacked and needed to be rebuilt. Something as seemingly innocuous as an outdated plugin can leave your website open to hackers. 

But it doesn’t have to be that way! Here are three simple steps you can take to minimize website maintenance-related risks.

1. Update your software, themes, and plug-ins. 
2. Monitor for malware and viruses.
3. Backup and store a previous version of your website.

There is a lot more to learn about these important maintenance tips, check it out by reading Spring Insight’s detailed article on the topic here. 

Privacy Policy

We continued the theme of website risks with an exploration of how your business can be at risk due to your website’s Privacy Policy. A Privacy Policy is put into place as a means to protect personal data your website collects from people while visiting your site. The Privacy Policy is a statement of sorts that tells visitors what information is being collected, what you are doing with that information, and how the data is going to be protected. 
Perhaps you think your small business website doesn’t need a privacy policy. But it actually does. There are tons of regulations around Privacy Policies at the state, federal, and international level. And yes, they are enforced. Wonder what can happen if your site is discovered to be missing this required component? Read Spring Insight’s full article here. 

Contact Form Spam

Last but not least, let us talk about the contact form. Can you think of another part of your website that brings you such joy and pain? On the one hand, that is where new prospective leads come from. More often, instead of incoming leads the contact form ends up bringing us loads of spam, or worse yet, phishing attempts. 

Contact form spam, at its most basic level, is unwelcome or unsolicited email that comes from your website. It can range from the annoying (Hello! I run a virtual assistant company and I am sure we can help you!) to the unsettling (Hello, I am Toya and I want to be your wife) to the unsafe (Hello, I noticed a vulnerability in your website. I can help you fix it.) In other words, this is the stuff that you mostly delete from your inbox and move on with your day. But, not so fast.  


Sure, most of them are easily identifiable as total junk. I have to admit that others are more convincing. The thing is, if they didn’t work, they wouldn’t be around. Want to know what Spring Insight recommends you do to protect your site from this risk? Find the solutions in our full write up of the article here.

You are interested in keeping your website free from the problems associated with these risks. Of course you are! But we get it. When you are running a business, website risk protection may seem like too much trouble. How about hiring a web consultancy to manage your website that is always looking out for these things? Contact us. We are Chamber members and a proud local business in Bethesda!

​

​WeWork Opens First Bethesda, MD Location at The Wilson
Global flexible space provider occupies more than 60,000 square feet across three floors in the new building, offering more than 1,000 dedicated desks and flexible workspace 
 
New York, NY – June 2, 2022 – WeWork (NYSE: WE), a leading flexible space provider, announced today the opening of WeWork The Wilson, the company’s first location in Bethesda, MD. WeWork occupies more than 60,000 square feet across three floors in the new building, offering more than 1,000 dedicated desks. With this opening, WeWork now has 14 locations in the Washington, D.C. metro. 
 
WeWork The Wilson offers members of all sizes, from small startups to large enterprises, private office space spaces and suites, as well as dedicated space for members using WeWork All Access, the company’s subscription membership that provides access to hundreds of WeWork locations across the globe, and WeWork On Demand, which offer pay-as-you go access to workspaces and conference rooms . 
 
In addition, members have access to conference rooms, classroom spaces and a mother’s room, as well as to shared building amenities including an outdoor retail plaza, a fitness center, a multipurpose rooftop with indoor and outdoor space that can be used as a conference facility or for event and lounge space, a parking garage and a bike room.
 
The opening of WeWork The Wilson comes as the companies of all sizes increasingly embrace flexible and hybrid work solutions. In fact, from January 2022 through April 2022, WeWork All Access bookings in the Washington, D.C. metro increased by an average of 13 percent month- over-month and during the same time period, WeWork On Demand bookings increased by an average of 38 percent-month-over-month. 
 
“WeWork is thrilled to open its first location in Bethesda,” said Errol Williams, Senior Vice President and Head of Community at WeWork. “We’ve seen a fundamental shift in the ways that people want to work, including a rise in demand for hybrid and flexible work in both urban and suburban markets. We’re excited to welcome the Bethesda community to WeWork and to provide a resource for members looking for the utmost in flexible work solutions.” 
 
Among those members is McKay Mortgage Company, a local, family-owned residential home mortgage firm that’s embraced hybrid work. 
 
“Flexible workspace has always made the most sense for McKay Mortgage, as we value flexibility and cost-effectiveness,” said Brendan McKay, the company’s owner. “Most importantly, being a member of WeWork The Wilson allows a small company like ours to be part of a larger community. Even if only one employee is in the office on a particular day, we feed off of all the energy that comes with being in a shared workspace. WeWork is the clear leader in this space, and there is no company we'd rather partner with for our workspace solutions.”
 
“Bethesda is home to a dynamic business community that comprises many different industries, and one thing that we keep hearing across all sectors is that people want flexibility in when and where they work,” said Allie Williams, President and CEO of The Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce.  “We’re excited to welcome WeWork to the Bethesda community, and know that WeWork’s flexible offerings will support our local businesses and help them thrive.” 
 
In addition, to welcome the Bethesda community to WeWork, the company is offering a special offer for new members: get the first month on us when you sign up for dedicated workspace before June 30, 2022.
 
About WeWork
WeWork (NYSE: WE) was founded in 2010 with the vision to create environments where people and companies come together and do their best work. Since then, we’ve become one of the leading global flexible space providers committed to delivering technology-driven turnkey solutions, flexible spaces, and community experiences. For more information about WeWork, please visit us at wework.com.

April 20, 2022
 
Actively advocating for pro-economic development policies is one of the Greater Bethesda Chamber's highest priorities.  

Earlier this year, the Chamber took the lead in coordinating with other chambers of commerce to successfully advance a measure that makes Montgomery County more competitive in the race to attract the life sciences industry to our community. 
Approved by the County Council in February, the measure establishes a streamlined approval process for the development and expansion of biohealth campuses. This groundbreaking policy takes the development approval process that lasts 1 1/2 years and shortens it to five months.  It applies to new biohealth facilities of at least 150,000 square feet or existing biohealth facilities already located in the County that are expanding by 50,000 square feet or more.
​
"Montgomery County has many advantages that can make us a hub for the biohealth and life science industries," said Chamber President Allie Williams in his comments before the County Council.  " However great these advantages are, they aren't enough to get us to the finish line.  This enhanced approval process represents a huge step forward in proclaiming to the world that Montgomery County is most certainly open for business." 
This is just one of the many issues on which the Chamber has taken a lead.  Read more about the Biohealth Priority Campus approval process here.  To learn more our public policy agenda, visit our website's advocacy page.

​The GBCC wishes to thank all of our members who participated in this year’s Black History Month Spotlight series.  We also thank everyone who has liked, commented, and shared via our social media platforms and website blog.  We hope that these stories inspire all who read them on both a professional and personal level.  We look forward to next year’s series and hope to shine a spotlight on even more members. 
 
To learn more about this year’s participants and their companies, please click the links below.
 
Fred Dorsey, Fred Dorsey with Coldwell Banker
Doris “Shanel” Ramsey, Aldon
Jamil Abdur-Raoof, Black Viking Brewing
Verelyn Gibbs Watson, Nothing Bundt Cakes
Aaron Slaughter, WithumSmith + Brown, PC
Tami Watkins, Pepco
Tennesher Hogarth,  Vylla Home
Obie Sims, Obie’s Cookies
Shaun Taylor, Black Viking Brewing
Felicity Tchoufa, LeBond Day, LLC
Okinyi Ayungo, C.S.C.S., Fitness Wise
Jamaal Wilkins, Washington Commanders
Nina Toche, LaNina
Brandan Stuckey, Bethesda Transportation Solutions
Dee Sanae, Mosaic Visions

those skill sets are those that are
February is Black History Month.  While The Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce celebrates all our members throughout the year, this month we are shinning a spotlight on our members within the African American community.  Join us all month long for our 2nd annual spotlight series.  This special feature helps our communities learn a little more about some of their business leaders who work so hard to make it a community to be proud of.
 

Today, we would like you to get to know Dee Sanae of Mosaic Visions.
 
Mosaic Visions (MV) is an action-oriented humanitarian organization that also represents multiracial Jews. It is an organization of racially and ethnically diverse Jews and other allies and collaborators that are committed to equity and diversity. This is an organization that is a safe space for Jews of Color and other People of Color to come together to discuss and act on issues of social and civil justice, and diversity-focused on strengthening first and foremost the Jewish community as well as the community-at-large through understanding, acceptance, and inclusion.
 
Through conversation and dialogue, they strategize ways to strengthen and unify the Jewish community by being more inclusive of Jews from all racial and ethnic backgrounds through actions as well as strengthening the local community to be more inclusive. The next level of action is to work in the larger community by establishing action-oriented projects focused on community building nationally and internationally strengthening diverse identities, acceptance, and inclusion.  MV believes in employing both words and deeds that lead to constructive change. 
 
The mission of Mosaic Visions is to form an inclusive space that generates visibility for marginalized and underrepresented Jews of Color (JOCs) within the Global Jewish community through advocacy, awareness, and education. By facilitating diversity, inclusion, racial equity, and social action, both within the Jewish community and beyond, Mosaic Visions also seeks to strengthen the bonds and alliances between the Jewish People and other impacted communities of Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC), forever advancing towards our shared Visions of socially just and tolerant societies.

Dee has been named this year's 2022 honoree of  Jewish Women International's "Women to Watch." She has served as the chair and community service chair for B'nai B'rith International's BBI Connect. She served on the Asian Pacific American Film Festival board as the Vice President and Communications Director. 
 
Dee is a Proud alumna of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. She is also an Executive Masters of Business Administration candidate focusing on Global Business, Leadership, Governance, and Entrepreneurship Innovation. Dee is a member of the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Caucus of Virginia Tech, Diversity, and Inclusion.  She is the Director of the Northern Capital Region Virginia Tech Alumni Association, and DEI Chair of Jewish Women International's National Young Women Network. 


We asked Dee three important questions.  Read her responses below.
 
Q1. What are some challenges you faced early on that helped prepare you for the role you are in today and how did you overcome them?
 
The challenges that I faced early on were a lack of personal and professional experience.  I opened my first business and was a young entrepreneur at the age of 20 while I was still attending college. I was a single mother and found a way to go to school, take care of a young baby and bring in income. I learned grit, resilience, patience, but more importantly drive and problem-solving; those skill sets that are needed in business, life, and being an entrepreneur.  

Q2. Who/What is your biggest inspiration in both your personal and professional life?
 
There are so many people that I have drawn inspiration from in my personal and professional life at different periods. My father was my earliest one with his dedication and strong work ethic. For all the women and women of Color businesswomen that came before me. They paved the way so that I would have the chance and opportunity to be an entrepreneur too. 

Q3. What is your biggest piece of advice to businesses struggling with diversity and inclusivity in the workplace?
 
My biggest piece of advice is twofold, leadership should want to make the change and be attentive to the needs of the workplace, and that includes the needs of the employees and staff. Hiring and promoting more diverse candidates for leadership positions will give a new overall and rewarding change to organizations that truly want to be more diverse and inclusive When hiring a DEI strategist don’t hire for short-term changes. True change within the organizational environment and the way of thinking of leadership don't happen in one fell swoop, it is with dedication, consistency, and holding each other accountable.