For years I said I would never step out of an airplane unless it was with my two feet firmly planted on an air-conditioned jetway. I don't care for cliff-hanging heights, and I never really saw the point in skydiving.
Then one Saturday I found myself stepping out of an open airplane door at 14,000 feet. The only other time I'd tasted air at that altitude was with my feet on the ground in the shadow of Mount Everest.
Jumping out of an airplane was a much bigger step for me than hiking in the Himalayas. The experience brought back potent memories of my early fears in starting my own business and reminded me of
the success lessons I'd learned from facing those fears. See how my lessons apply to your own legal nurse consulting career.
Why did I choose to step out? When three fearless, thrill-seeking CLNC® mentors from my company decided to try skydiving, I chose to confront my fear of heights head on. The timing of this adventure seemed poor since someone on my staff had recently talked to a nurse whose skydiving accident left her a paraplegic. Nevertheless, I committed to join my employees and step out. Success Lesson #1 — Face your fears and commit to step out.
I had one goal and one goal only, and that was to step out. No fancy aerobatics — I wasn't even prepared to jump solo like the paralyzed nurse had. Yet to meet my goal of jumping tandem, I had to step out voluntarily. Being pushed out did not qualify. Success Lesson #2 — Set challenging yet achievable goals for yourself.
Even to jump tandem I needed instruction. One of the prerequisites for stepping out was to watch a video and take part in a one-hour class. The video was guaranteed to scare off anyone who was easily intimidated. It contained no less than five warnings about serious injury or death. I also had to sign a 10-page waiver that mentioned serious injury or death at least 10 times.
The instructor wisely balanced the seriousness of what we were doing by discussing the fun we would have and joking throughout the class. As the stress and anxiety among us mounted, giggles escalated into loud laughter. It made no sense, but I was strangely comforted by the fact that I was not the only person who was nervous. Success Lesson #3 — Take formal classes to prepare for stepping out.
Beyond my one goal of stepping out, I wasn't concerned about anything else. I gave myself permission to forget everything I learned in class, do everything wrong and scream all the way down if that brought me comfort. If necessary, I could rely on my tandem master for everything and still have a safe trip down. Success Lesson #4 — Give yourself permission to be less than perfect.
Before stepping out, I interviewed my tandem master, Scott, to assess his skydiving credentials. My spirits lightened dramatically when I learned he had made 4,500 jumps and competed internationally. It felt especially auspicious when he added that his first skydiving experience was in the womb at 6 months gestation. He was clearly passionate about skydiving, and I instantly felt safe with him. If I was going to entrust my life to someone, surely Scott was a good choice. Success Lesson #5 — Check the credentials and success status of anyone who advises you. To feel safe and accelerate your learning process, learn from a master.
I owned up to my fear and was heartened further by my tandem master's encouragement and lack of judgement about my fear. Success Lesson #6 — Own your fears and share them with mentors you trust.
Scott boosted my courage even more by sharing that one of his clients skydived for the first time on her 85th birthday, again on her 86th birthday and again on her 87th, at which time she declared she wasn't sure she could wait another year to do it again. Success Lesson #7 — Know that it's never too late to live your dream.
That encouraging message triumphed over an earlier discouraging message by one of the MLCI staff who was not stepping out. She and several others had joined us in our adventure as spectators.
She voiced her own fear with, "I can't believe you're really going to do this." When I playfully reminded her that I thought she was there to encourage me, not discourage me, she said, "I'm here to talk you out of it." Knowing she was expressing her fear from a place of love and concern, I chose to discard her message, still appreciating that she cared. Success Lesson #8 — Choose for yourself. Don't let anyone else talk you out of your dreams. Discard all discouraging messages.
After class, we had to wait 4½ hours to step out. Soon, she too, along with the MLCI team who came to watch, cheer and offer support from the ground, joined in celebrating. We had fun together as we waited and I trusted sharing this ride with my MLCI team on the ground and in the air. Success Lesson # 9 — Surround yourself with friends, family and peers who encourage you to live your dream.
The truth is, we spent a lot more time on the ground than we did in the air (less than 5 minutes). The 4½-hour wait seemed eerily both like an eternity and like a brief moment. I was glad we had our MLCI team to party with while waiting. It definitely took my mind off my fear of stepping out. Success Lesson #10 — Enjoy the ride along the way. It will last longer than the event itself.
Scott wanted only one thing from me. Right before I stepped out, he said, "If you forget everything, it's okay. You don't have to be perfect. I'll be with you all the way. Your only goal today is to have fun." I thought it was a good idea to add FUN to my simple goal of stepping out. So, now I was going to have fun stepping out. Success Lesson #11 — HAVE FUN!
Once they called our jump-load, everything happened quickly. I put on my jumpsuit, and Scott helped me get into the harness. This simple act confirmed that I was in the hands of a calm, confident expert (or at least I felt that way).
I stepped onto the plane, putting on my best fake calm face at the sight of the door that was to remain open for most of the flight. Scott talked to me the whole time to help me relax. When it was almost time to step out, everything shifted into high gear. I put on my helmet and goggles. Scott hooked my harness to his, assuring me with each of the four connections that we were securely attached.
Suddenly, the two jumpers before me were gone, and it was my turn to step out. Moving toward the open door, I remembered the instructor's motto, "Once you get in the plane, 'No, No, No' means 'Go, Go, Go.'" Knowing I was about to leave the comfort of this crude plane seemed almost surreal. Now it was time to apply what I had learned. Success Lesson #12 — Take all the steps necessary to reach for your dream.
I couldn't learn to fly merely by hanging out at the flight center, watching a video, taking a class, watching someone else do it or by reading a book. I had to JUST DO IT! And I did. I stepped out. I accomplished my simple, but extremely difficult goal. The 60-second free fall at 120 miles per hour was both scary and exhilarating — and probably the longest 60 seconds of my life. Success Lesson #13 — Step out! It's scary but worth every second.
My body position was less than perfect. At this fast and furious speed Scott helped me arch into a better, yet still less-than-perfect position.
Meanwhile, the videographer jumping with us had to cut away from his malfunctioning main parachute, which had put him into a life-threatening spin. He relied on his extensive experience and training to calmly cut the cord and release his reserve chute. He continued to the ground where he completed filming my jump — all without blinking an eye. From a safe distance I was able to appreciate the complexities of this sport, and I was glad I wasn't yet called upon to confront such a challenge. Success Lesson #14 — Embrace the challenges you're capable of handling today and expand your knowledge and experience so you can tackle more complex challenges in the future.
When my 60-second free fall was over and my parachute opened, the pace of the experience quickly changed from a gallop to stillness and quiet. Houston is not known for its natural beauty, but the sinking sun never seemed more beautiful than from my sky-high vantage point. The most exhilarating feeling of all was my feet hitting the familiar ground I had left only minutes before. I landed smoothly and easily, knowing I had done it. I was even ready to go up again, proof that I had met my objective of having fun, too. The champagne we all shared afterwards was the sweetest I've ever tasted. Success Lesson #15 — Experience every aspect of your dream fully and celebrate each stepping out along the way.
Are your fears keeping you from stepping out to live your career dreams? Starting and managing a legal nurse consulting business is a lot like skydiving, and the same success lessons apply. You have to step out if you want to fly high. Remember you can go slow or apply the brakes anytime. I chose to jump tandem, not solo. Start with your first case and add more as you feel comfortable and ready.
Step out to fly high today.
See you in the sky,
Vickie L. Milazzo, RN, MSN, JD
BEST PRACTICES FOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Choosing a CPA
by Diana Hanley, BBA
Tax season will be here before you know it. Choosing a CPA is a necessity as you begin your practice and as your practice grows. This experience need not be a daunting one.
Match the CPA's Service to Your Needs
Your main focus should be to match the needs of your practice with the services provided by the CPA. CPAs can:
Set up your books — A CPA can determine your chart of accounts, set up record-keeping guidelines, and generally get you started. A CPA can review your records and tax returns to be sure you've made no blatant mistakes.
Prepare all tax returns — These can include personal, corporate, business-related, payroll (both Federal and state returns) and sales tax. While a CPA may review returns you have prepared, he will not sign off on them unless he prepared them. A CPA can also help in the event of an audit by the IRS or any other taxing authority. You may also want to consider a payroll service to handle your payroll needs, including tax returns and records compliance.
Provide managerial advice — A CPA who is well informed about your business can often provide tax and expense saving suggestions as well as help you make informed decisions about your business based on your financial statements and tax returns.
Provide complete bookkeeping services — Some CPA firms have bookkeepers on staff who perform the record-keeping the CPA requires for your financial statements and tax returns. This full service can be expensive, and you must decide if the cost outweighs the cost of your time. If you have minimal business or financial experience, this could be a worthwhile investment. Additionally, you gain hours that you can devote to your consulting which should be at a higher rate than bookkeeping services.
Help secure bank loans — When you go to the bank to make a presentation for a loan, you may find it helpful to take along a professional with credentials. Your CPA will have the financial knowledge necessary to answer the banker's questions.
Help with computer applications — A CPA may be able to guide you in choosing the appropriate accounting software package for your business. Easy-to-use complete accounting software packages, such as (Quicken, Quickbooks, Peachtree) are available as well as tax preparation packages (TurboTax, Tax Cut).
Find the Right Professional
To begin your search for the right CPA, you may want to network with other LNCs and ask for referrals. An accountant who's already familiar with the field of legal nurse consulting would have a better understanding of the needs of your business. Other sources for referrals are local legal and professional associations, other business owners, family members and friends. Each state has an association of CPAs that can give you names. The Internet can also be a source for names of CPAs in your state.
When you have narrowed the field, interview each candidate. Verify the CPA's license with the board of accountancy. Take previous tax returns and financial statements with you to give each candidate a chance to understand your business. Ask what their specialties are and if they have worked with LNCs. Request references and contact the references, asking how helpful and accessible the CPA has been for them. If at all possible, have the CPA come to your office. This can help him appreciate where you are in your business and where you want to go in the future. Your focus should be on finding an individual who is compatible with you and knowledgeable about your business. Assess whether the candidates have answered your questions thoroughly and used terms you understand.
Here are some additional factors to consider in choosing a CPA:
Size
The size of the CPA firm is important. Large firms can be costly and less likely to give you personal attention. They do, however, provide a wider range of services and may be more apt to stay up to date on current accounting practices than a smaller firm. A sole practitioner can provide personal attention but may offer fewer services, have less time to devote to staying current and might become overwhelmed by a growing practice. You may want to start with a sole practitioner and, when your needs outgrow his services, move on to a larger firm.
Credentials Check
Check the accountant's credentials. An individual with the CPA designation has met state licensing requirements and passed a difficult two-day national exam. CPAs who belong to the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) are governed by a strict code of ethics and must complete extensive continuing education requirements. Inquire about association memberships and how active he is in those organizations.
Integrity
Integrity and honesty are also a major consideration. Some CPAs stretch the meaning of the law. Be sure you are comfortable with the interpretation your CPA gives you. The term "creative accounting" can take on all kinds of meanings. If you have any doubt about the advice the CPA gives you, get a second opinion.
Fees for CPAs can range from $75 to $300 per hour, depending on the size of the firm, geographical area, area of expertise and whether the CPA is a sole practitioner or a partner in a larger firm. Some firms charge an annual fee determined by the number of services provided, while others charge by the hour. Be sure to get the fee schedule in writing so you can budget to make the best use of the CPA's time.
Don't hesitate to replace your CPA if you find that your needs are not being met. When you consider the dollars you are losing by using an inefficient CPA, it will help you justify the time you will spend on a search for your new "financial partner."
Diana Hanley, BBA is director of finance and human resources for MLCI.
