How To Lead A Team

Buying a dental practice does not automatically make you a great leader. Many dental practice owners find themselves in a predicament where not only do they need to learn how to build a practice, but more importantly, they need to learn how to lead a team so their practice will thrive.

In this episode of Beyond Bitewings, the Edwards & Associates team welcomes Dr. Sharon Tiger, a nationally known practice management consultant and business coach to dentists.

Dr. Tiger discusses what dentists need to learn to become great leaders, important factors to understanding leadership in dentistry, and why you shouldn’t be worried if you’re not a natural-born leader.

She also discusses why creating great job descriptions can help you build a more effective team, how you can create a culture within your dental team, why setting goals is so important to any practice, plus how you can learn to communicate better with your team, simply by practicing and making it a habit.

If you would like to get in contact with Dr. Tiger, please email her at TXTiger2@gmail.com

Have a question? Contact Edwards & Associates to get your question answered and possibly featured in a future podcast. Or contact any excellent ADCPA affiliate across the nation at ADCPA.org.

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Paying Employees During the Texas Winter Storm

I couldn’t open my practice last week due to the historic Texas winter storms. Do I have to pay my employees even though they didn’t work? Can they file unemployment? Help!

Let’s start with…must you pay them for the time although they didn’t work?

Keep in mind this is a super simplified explanation. I am not an employment attorney. If you have complex questions you should seek advice for your specific situation.

Hourly employees:

If they were able to work a few hours, you must pay them for the hours they worked. If you have a written policy for bad weather days (like paid vacation or paid personal time off, etc.), you must pay them according to that policy. If you have no written policy, you are not required to pay them for any hours they did not work, even if they were willing but could not reach the office or the office was closed.

Salaried non-exempt employees:

They may use paid leave according to the leave policy you have in place. Or they may choose to have their pay docked instead of using their paid time off. [Note: you must always get written authorization from the employee before deducting any monetary amounts from his/her pay.]

Now…could you pay them for the time they didn’t work even though it’s not in your policy?

Certainly. Call it goodwill and bank it! Or allow employees to use their PTO balances even if that’s not your policy.

As for whether you should pay them for the closure if you’re not required?

The decision to pay your employees that couldn’t work is one you will have to make personally. Remember, they’re going to be hurting from the lack of income just like you are. Hopefully, you can find a balance that will benefit your practice and your team. Just make sure whatever you decide, you apply it to the entire team. Don’t pay one for the time and not others. Being selective will likely turn into a problem down the road.

Can they file for unemployment if I don’t pay them for the time they didn’t work?

According to the Texas Workforce Commission website, because a disaster has been declared, there is an option for your employees to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DAU). The eligibility period begins 2/14/2021 and ends whenever the practice reopened. However, just because it is available, does not necessarily mean it will be approved. There are many variables that ultimately play into final approval by TWC. The TWC is still overwhelmed because of the pandemic. That definitely won’t make the process quick. But the employees should at least apply and attempt to receive the assistance. And they should do so as soon as possible.

Preparing For The Next Pandemic

Preparing for the next pandemic, sound scary, right? We would probably all prefer to forget about 2020! But as hard as it was, it taught us that you can never be too prepared for the unexpected.

In this episode of Beyond Bitewings, the Edwards & Associates team discusses what dental practice owners can do to prepare themselves for the next catastrophe. The next significant event may not be a pandemic. It could be something much more local, like a flood. No matter how large or small, it’s important that you have the resources and capabilities to handle it.

How much cash should you have on hand? Are there opportunities to cut costs, and how aggressive should you be with those cuts? What are other areas you should analyze when trying to plan for a significant event? These are just some of the questions answered in this podcast so you can be preparing for the next pandemic.

Have a question? Contact Edwards & Associates to get your question answered and possibly featured in a future podcast. Or contact any excellent ADCPA affiliate across the nation at ADCPA.org.

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Full transcript.

Beyond Bitewings: How To Hire the Right Dental Staff

“I have to hire dental staff.” Hiring can be a challenging event for any dental office, and it may sometimes feel like a hit or a miss when it comes to finding the right staff. However, it doesn’t have to be such a burden or a guessing game.

In this episode of Beyond Bitewings, the Edwards & Associates team welcomes Linda Allen, a Management Consultant for dental practices across the nation. Linda focuses on helping dental offices hire the right dental staff and guides them in creating atmospheres and opportunities to help keep those valuable team members onboard.

Linda discusses the current challenges with staffing for dental offices in addition to specific issues that have arisen because of COVID. She also talks about what to look for in potential staff members to make the absolute best hire.

This episode features discussion on topics like developing great interview questions, the importance of a working interview, understanding how to lead a team, plus so much more. If you’re looking for ways to hire smarter and build a better team, this is the episode for you.

Have a question? Contact Edwards & Associates to get your question answered and possibly featured in a future podcast. Or contact an ADCPA affiliate at ADCPA.org.

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Beyond Bitewings: Understanding New PPP Rules

Almost one year ago PPP was an acronym no one knew, and now it’s a source of everyday conversation. As 2021 offers hope for a new year, it also offers some new PPP rules for PPP loan forgiveness, payback, and a new opportunity to receive more help for businesses that suffered from losses in 2020. Could you use help understanding the new PPP rules?

In this episode of Beyond Bitewings we break down what dental business owners need to understand about the new rules, the new programs, how to know what’s available for them, and how to move forward with the new applications in addition to the PPP Loan Forgiveness Applications.

Before you try to get forgiveness from last year’s PPP loan or attempt to apply for new money in 2021, make sure you listen to this episode for help understanding the new PPP rules.

Have a question? Contact us to get your question answered and possibly featured in a future podcast, or contact any of our affiliates from the ADCPA.

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HHS PRF Reporting Update

HHS Reporting Deadline Coming Soon

If you received a Health and Human Services (HHS) Provider Relief Fund (PRF) payment, a reporting deadline is approaching. As you may recall, there were 3 phases of HHS Relief payments. You may have received relief payments from Phase 1 or Phase 2, and possibly from Phase 3. If your payments totaled more than $10K, you are required to report the use of those funds.

The original first reporting deadline was January 15, 2021, through February 15, 2021. The stimulus bill that passed in late December 2020 has pushed these dates. Updated dates are still not known.

HHS Reporting Portal Open for Registration

But the portal is open, and HHS is encouraging you to begin the registration process. Home (hrsa.gov) BE PREPARED before you start. According to the HHS website, “You cannot save a partially complete registration. Make sure you have all of the information required to register before you begin.”

Data Needed for Registration

What do you need? Here is the list directly from HHS. Note, especially the 3 items where we’ve added **. The payment amounts and dates are least likely to be at your fingertips. So be sure to look up that information in advance.

Tax ID Number (TIN) (or other number submitted during the application process (e.g., Social Security Number, Employer Identification Number (EIN))
Business name (as it appears on a W-9) of the reporting entity [This should be your legal business name.]
Contact information (name, phone number, email) of the person responsible for submitting the report
Address (street, city, state, five-digit zip code) of the reporting entity as it appears on a W-9)
TIN(s) of subsidiaries (if a provider is reporting on behalf of subsidiary(ies) – in a list delimited by commas, e.g.,123456789,987654321,135791357)
Payment information (for any of the payments received)
- TIN of entity that received the payment
- **Payment amount
- **Mode of payment (check or direct deposit ACH)
- **Check number or ACH settlement date

You must report a second time if all your funds were not utilized by December 31, 2020. The second reporting deadline is scheduled for July 31, 2021, and will not likely change.

Specific reporting and supporting data requirements for the HHS PRF are here, but I wouldn’t try to read this too close to bedtime.

Beyond Bitewings: Lending Environment

The thought of loans can cause a lot of stress, especially when building and growing your dental practice. What’s the best loan? Has the lending process changed considering the pandemic? And are banks making it harder to obtain dental practice loans? It always helps to know your lending environment.

These are just some of the questions we answer in this episode of Beyond Bitewings.

We discuss the questions lenders ask when trying to obtain dental loans in a world after the shutdown.

Plus we cover basic questions like should you get a home loan first or a business loan first and other topics that could save you thousands on your taxes like simply knowing who to list as the borrower on the business loan.

Before you take out a new loan or pay off any existing loans in today’s lending environment, be sure and listen to this podcast.

Already a fan and want bi-weekly episodes auto downloaded to your listening device, then subscribe today!

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Want to talk to someone at Edwards & Associates? Contact us, we would love to hear from you!

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EIDL Advances VS PPP Forgiveness

1/8/2021 9:20 PM

The latest Coronavirus relief bill passed on December 27, 2020. As mentioned in our earlier post, one provision changed the treatment of EIDL advances as they relate to PPP forgiveness. Under the old rules, if you received an EIDL advance, it reduced your PPP forgiveness amount. But under the new rules, EIDL advances will not reduce your PPP forgiveness amount.

So, what if you already received PPP forgiveness under the old rules? Your EIDL advance reduced your forgiveness amount. If you otherwise achieved full forgiveness, you essentially were left with a small PPP loan to repay equal to your EIDL advance. “That’s not fair!” you say. After all, those who are just now applying for forgiveness have the opportunity to have their entire loan wiped away. The SBA issued a notice today rectifying this discrepancy. They will remit payment to your PPP lender for the amount of your EIDL advance, essentially allowing you the full PPP forgiveness for which you were eligible. In most cases, this will mean 100% forgiveness of your PPP loan. If you already made any PPP loan payments that have now become unnecessary, have no fear. Your lender should refund them to you.

Employee Retention Credit and PPP

1/9/2021 3:31 PM

The recent Coronavirus stimulus bill (overview here) signed on December 27, 2020, made a significant change that could affect you in a good way. The Employee Retention Credit (ERC) was a credit enacted in the early stimulus bills in Spring 2020. But under the original rules, it was off-limits to anyone that took a PPP loan. For that reason, it was rarely discussed since most dentists were not eligible to claim it.

The new bill removed this prohibition. You will not all qualify for this credit. And for some of you that do qualify, it will not be significant enough to fool with. But for some of you, it could be major and it should be investigated.

What are the requirements to qualify for the Employee Retention Credit?

The full or partial suspension of operations due to a government order OR
A 50% or more decrease in gross receipts for a quarter in 2020 compared to the same calendar quarter in 2019.

Based on the statistics we have seen, some of you will qualify under the revenue reduction. And if you do, great! You don’t need to worry about the government shut-down issue. But we believe many others will qualify under the partial suspension of operations due to a government order. It probably seems obvious to you that you would. But trust me. There is rarely anything obvious about these laws. Please allow us time to complete the research.

We are working to provide you more details of the Employee Retention Credit (ERC). But until we can, we want to issue this warning: If you think you might qualify for the ERC, hold off on filing for forgiveness for your PPP1 Loan. This is especially true if you don’t qualify to use the new Simplified Forgiveness application. Why? Because you will need to strategize to maximize your ERC and still achieve full PPP forgiveness. That strategy could affect the documentation submitted with your PPP forgiveness application. It will affect the calculation of the ERC credit and an incorrect strategy will reduce your ERC.

There is no rush to file for PPP forgiveness yet. So let patience be your motto a bit longer. If you’re craving more information, our ADCPA affiliate in Boston has a great webinar on their preliminary ERC thoughts.

PPP2 Applications Released

1/9/2021 9:34 AM

PPP2 applications have been released! Find them here. You can’t apply just yet. Applications open on a limited basis beginning Wednesday. But you can start preparing.

Among other items, you must demonstrate a 25% drop in revenue in any quarter of 2020 as compared to the same quarter of 2019. For other PPP Round 2 requirements and details, see our previous blog.

For entities not in business during 2019 but in operation on February 15, 2020, applicants must demonstrate that gross receipts in the second, third, or fourth quarter of 2020 were at least 25% lower than the first quarter of 2020.

You must apply for PPP2 by March 31, 2021. There are expected to be plenty of funds available for those that qualify and are in need. But don’t procrastinate. Funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Reminder: if you use the same bank for your PPP1 and PPP2 loans, and if you base your application on 2019 payroll costs, no new supporting documentation will be required. You will only need to submit a new application.

PPP Round 2 Applications to Open 1/13/2021

1/9/2021 9:14 AM

We have received the following notification regarding PPP Round 2 applications from Megan Mortimer , Congressional Lobbyist for the ADA.

Smaller lenders can start taking applications for PPP Round 2 loans beginning Wednesday, January 13, 2021. Larger lenders will follow soon after. The ability to accept these applications will vary lender to lender based on how prepared they are, and how willing they are to accept them.

For details on PPP Round 2 eligibility, click here.

Thanks to the Academy of Dental CPA’s for helping us keep you up to date with valuable contacts and timely information!

Estimated Tax Payment Due

01/08/2021 12:56:18 PM

If you need to make a 2020 4th quarter estimated tax payment, it is due by Friday, January 15, 2021.

If you’re our client and think you need to make a payment but need guidance, please reach out to your E&A team.

EFTPS is the easiest way to make estimated tax payments and provides a record of payments. Not set up for EFTPS? Start the process now for next quarter at https://www.eftps.gov/eftps/.

Alternatively you can make a payment here, but it will not provide a future record of any payments made: https://www.irs.gov/payments.

PPP Round 2: What you need to know

01/08/2021 8:44:57 AM

PPP Round 2: New Year Same Pandemic

I know. You’re eager for information about PPP Round 2! But it feels like Groundhog Day around here. Not the good kind of Groundhog Day where scenes get cuter and funnier until Bill Murray gets the girl. It’s more like a horror movie when the victim runs upstairs with nowhere to escape and you know the monster is lurking behind the door. Much like last spring, I can’t get a single blog written before a new topic pops up or new regulations come down. The year is starting in a whirlwind!

So much for the editorial rant. Now to the topic at hand. We had a high-level overview of PPP Round 2 in the last post. Here’s a deeper dive as it pertains to the typical dentist.

BASICS

Date applications open: As soon as the banks are ready.
Deadline for applying: March 31, 2021.
Terms if not forgiven: 1% interest, repayment over 5 years.
PPP Round 1, which I will shortcut as PPP#1, is officially called the “First Draw PPP Loan.”
PPP Round 2’s official name is the “Second Draw PPP Loan.”

ELIGIBILITY

You must have:

300 or fewer employees and
A drop in total revenue of at least 25% in any quarter of 2020 compared to the same quarter of 2019 and
Received PPP#1 funds and
Used ALL your PPP#1 funds on ELIGIBLE expenses.

A worksheet to help evaluate your quarterly revenue drop is available here.

LOAN AMOUNT

Calculated the same as last time at 2.5 times your average monthly 2019 payroll costs. You can choose to use 2020 payroll costs, but those will likely be lower, so less appealing.
If you are a partner or self-employed, your personal portion is based on net self-employment income, same as the first time around.

APPLICATION AND DOCUMENTS

Noteworthy: IF you apply at the same bank, and you used 2019 for your PPP#1 application, and you use 2019 for your new PPP#2 application, THEN you don’t have to submit additional support for this new application. All the support would be the same, so if you use the same bank, you don’t have to resubmit anything. Otherwise, you must submit all the same support as last time (payroll registers, 941s, etc, etc.).
If your new loan is over $150K, you will have to provide evidence of your 25% required revenue drop.
If your new loan is under $150K, you do not have to provide evidence of your 25% required revenue drop. The requirement isn’t gone. You just don’t have to prove it…yet. You will have to submit support with your PPP#2 Forgiveness application.

Although there was talk of an economic need test being one of the requirements, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Bottom line: If you qualify for PPP#2, your 2020 payroll costs are down from 2019, and you liked your PPP#1 bank, your most efficient route will be to go back to that bank and reapply. If you had difficulty with them, especially if they didn’t accept your personal self-employment income as part of payroll costs, consider a new bank. We have a couple of great ones we can recommend.

December 2020 Coronavirus Relief Bill

01/07/2021 7:52:15 AM

The latest Coronavirus relief bill

was signed into law on December 27, 2020, and many items could directly affect you. Below we will go through the 5000+ page bill line by line by line….

Or maybe let’s just do some bullet points!

PPP Round 1 Loans

Covered Expenses paid with your PPP#1 Loan will now be tax-deductible. This is a biggie! Before this change, all the expenses you paid with PPP funds had to be tossed out, raising 2020 taxable income by the amount of your PPP loan. Extra YAY to this one!
If you received an EIDL advance, it will no longer reduce the amount of your PPP forgiveness. Before this change, your PPP forgiveness amount would have been reduced by any EIDL advance payment you received.
The forgiveness application process will be simplified for loans of $150K or less. We had high expectations this would come to fruition, so our patience has paid off! Previously, the process had been simplified for loans of $50K or less. Please continue to wait to apply for forgiveness. The banks are still waiting on updated guidance from the SBA and the US Treasury and then must update their portals.

PPP Round 2 Loans

A new round of PPP funding was authorized.
$284.5 Billion in funds will be available in this round through March 31, 2021.
The SBA was given 10 days after enactment to establish regulations for PPP#2 funding. BUT as you recall, that’s the same timeline they were given on Round 1 and they didn’t even kind-of hit it.
To obtain this round of funding you must meet the following requirements. Be aware though—SBA’s regulations may alter or add to these.

Have fewer than 300 employees

Have a 25% or greater reduction in collections in any quarter of 2020 when compared to the same quarter of 2019. For most of you, 2Q2020 will be the critical quarter that is most likely to show the necessary 25% drop.

Other Key Tax Provisions for Dentistry

Employee Retention Tax Credit:

Extended through July 1, 2021.
Previously you could not take advantage of this provision if you received PPP funds. That exclusion was eliminated.
BUT this credit is only triggered if you had a greater than 50% drop in revenues in a given quarter of 2020 or a 20% drop in revenues in a given quarter of 2021, as compared to 2019.. We certainly hope there will be no 2021 drop in revenue of 20%!
If this is of any value to you, it will most likely be based again on the 2Q2020 drop in revenues.
This is a complex issue and intertwined with the workings of PPP forgiveness. We will release a separate detailed blog.

COVID-Related Pay Tax Credits:

Extended to March 31, 2021.
These are the refundable payroll tax credits for Emergency Paid Sick Leave and Emergency Family Medical Leave Pay that were set to expire on December 31.
Again, more details need to be provided on this one. We will release a separate detailed blog.

Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Payments

Many of you received Phase 2 and/or Phase 3 funding from the Department of Health & Human Services. Current regulations require you to report how you used those proceeds under the rules. Reporting is due in January 2021, and possibly again in July 2021. We expect HHS to provide further guidance as to what documents will need to be submitted. For now, please save all documentation (invoices, canceled checks, and credit card receipts) for any items you purchased that would qualify as PPE Equipment & Supplies.

Beyond Bitewings: PPO Reimbursement Rates

Insurance can be a necessary evil in the world of dentistry, and if dentists are doing their own negotiating of reimbursement rates, they could end up overpaying as much as 20 – 25 % for PPO programs.

In this episode of Beyond Bite Wings, the Edwards & Associates team welcomes Shelley DeGroff of PPO Advisors. Shelley, having over a decade of experience in the dental industry, knows the ins and outs of working with insurance companies to get the best rates for dental offices.

They discuss many frequently asked questions such as when is the right time to bring in someone like Shelley to look at PPO contracts. How does a specialist like Shelley help with PPO negotiations? And what kind of savings can they expect? Plus, how has COVID changed the way dentists are looking at both taking on and dropping insurance?

To get in touch with Shelley, you can visit the PPO Advisors Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/PPOAdvisorsLLC

Their website
https://ppoadvisors.com/

Or you can email Shelley directly
shelley@ppoadvisors.com

If at any time you would like to talk to someone at Edwards & Associates, please feel free to email us at info@eandassociates.com, we’d love to hear from you!

Download the transcript.

Beyond Bitewings: Lease Negotiations

When it comes to leasing dental offices, many dental office owners will seek help when negotiating their initial lease but fail to put in the same amount of effort when it comes to renegotiating their lease renewal. This can be a big mistake.

In this episode of Beyond Bitewings, the team at Edwards & Associates talks to Evan Reynolds of Dental Space Advisors who helps answer some of the biggest questions dental business owners have.

They discuss how to negotiate a lease renewal for a business, and the important factors that need to be considered when you’re working with your landlord. Plus they talk about why bringing in someone like Evan can be so crucial in helping you work out the right terms.

They also talk about the pandemic, and what it means for negotiating a dental office lease, whether it’s new or renewing. Can free rent be considered? You’ll need to listen to find out!

Would you like to connect with Evan and his team? Visit: DentalSpaceAdvisors.com Or MedicalSpaceAdvisors.com

Or you can email Evan at: Ereynolds@dentalspaceadvisors.com

If at any time you would like to talk to someone at Edwards & Associates, please feel free to email us at info@eandassociates.com, we would be happy to help!

Download the transcript.

Marketing Your Dental Practice

Marketing your dental practice can be an overwhelming task. Understanding where to best spend your marketing dollars and how to measure results is crucial for the success of your practice.

Eric Hubbard and Andre Santos of Pain Free Dental Marketing join the Edwards & Associates team to talk about some of the biggest marketing questions and struggles dental practice owners have.

In this episode, you’ll hear why content is king, why you should treat your practice’s social media different from your personal accounts, and why understanding your demographic is crucial to attracting new patients to your dental office.

You’ll also hear the answer to the two biggest questions. How much should spend on a marketing plan, and what kind of timeline can you expect to see results?

If you’re looking to get the most out of marketing your dental practice, then this is a can’t miss episode.

We are happy to help answer any specific questions you may have. Please feel free to email us at info@eandassociates.com any time or give us a call at 972.267.9191.

Download the transcript.

Latest on PPP Forgiveness

12/01/2020 2:17:14 PM

Recently the IRS solidified its position that expenses paid with PPP funds would not be deductible if you expect forgiveness on the loan. And we hadn’t heard any chatter from congress in months on this issue. We concluded that hope was fading on the issue. The same was true for PPP forgiveness applications. Many months ago there was optimism that loans under $150K would be easily forgiven under a streamlined process. Then the process was eased for PPP loans under $50K, and hope began to fade for loans between $50K and $150K.

BUT all hope is not lost yet! At approximately 10:30 am, a bipartisan, bicameral group of Senators and Congressmen held a press conference to roll out a framework/outline for COVID emergency relief legislation.

Will PPP expenses be deductible? Will the PPP forgiveness process for loans under $150K be simplified? It is still VERY uncertain how these 2 issues will ultimately conclude. But at least there are conversations taking place again. The intention is for something to be passed before the end of the year. Below is a chart of items being discussed for the current bill.

Beyond Bitewings – 2020 Tax Planning

It’s hard to imagine, but 2020 is already almost over, which means it’s time to start making sure your dental practice tax planning is tied up for 2020.

Many dental offices are finding themselves with more cash in the books, and they’re wondering what they should do with it. Plus, everyone is trying to understand the guidelines for the loans, grants, and unemployment paid during the shutdown. Some of rules around these will not change (i.e. unemployment), and some of the policies are evolving and changing daily.

In this episode, the team from Edwards & Associates discuss where the current guidelines stand when it comes to tax planning and what you need to know as you figure out how to best spend and save your money for 2021.

The team discusses the tax implications from PPP loans and what will be forgiven, other loans, HHS grants, unemployment, and loan distributions from retirement accounts.

They also discuss a few things that you can do right now to get yourself set up for the end of the year and maximum dental tax deductions, including purchasing equipment, potentially adding children to the payroll, and getting your retirement accounts set-up and contributions added.

We understand that tax planning, especially for this year, can all be very confusing and are happy to help answer any specific questions you may have. Please feel free to email us at info@eandassociates.com any time or give us a call, and we are happy to help you navigate through your next steps.

Download transcript here.

Welcome To Beyond Bitewings

In this episode, the team at Edwards and Associates discusses why Beyond Bitewings was created and what you can expect in upcoming episodes.

We know running a dental office isn’t easy. In fact, dentists are taught to be great at their craft, but they’re not taught about the business of dentistry. This podcast aims to help educate dentists on business matters, ideas on how they can run their business more efficiently, and to inform about general issues and current events.

Plus, you’ll be on the inside track of how the firm works together to discuss and brainstorm common scenarios brought up by clients and the best way to tackle those and create dental business solutions.

We hope you’ll join us every other week for a new episode, as we’ll have a combination of guest episodes and episodes with our team.

We would also love to hear from you and answer any specific questions you may have. Please feel free to email us at info@eandassociates.com any time, and we may even have your question on the show!

Download transcript here.