Mountain Views News          Saturday, February 15, 2014

BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS 13 
Mountain Views News Saturday, February 15, 2014 BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS 13 
Mountain Views News Saturday, February 15, 2014 
FAMILY MATTERS 

By Marc Garlett 

TAKING THE COMPLEXITY OUT OF 
ESTATE PLANNING 



Remember that old joke: How do you for health care decisions as well as 
eat an elephant? Answer: One bite at a financial oversight. 
time. At the heart of that gag is the truth 
about how you tackle any seemingly Realize what a will can and cannot 
complex task, taking it one step at a do for you. A will gives you the legal 
time so as not to overwhelm yourself. power to pass along assets and property 

to heirs as well as name a guardian for 
Many people neglect to create an estate minor children and appoint the people 
plan because they see it as the proverbial you want to carry out your wishes after 
elephant...too big, too complex. But you are gone – i.e., who will administer 
if you approach estate planning in your estate and safeguard assets for your 
a systematic fashion, it takes the minor children. 
complexity right out of it – especially 
with the help of a knowledgeable estate A will does NOT shield your assets from 
attorney. creditors, predators, or opportunists 

– yours or your heirs – nor does a will 
Here are some tips on how you can enable your family to avoid the very 
reduce the complexity in creating an costly, lengthy, and public court process 
estate plan: known as probate. A trust, on the other 
hand, accomplishes all of that and more. 
Add up your assets. Take into account 
your retirement accounts, life insurance If you would like to learn more about 
policies, potential inheritance, savings, your own estate planning options, call 
property ownership, etc. our office today to schedule a time for 

us to sit down and talk. We normally 
Consider setting up a trust. Trusts are charge $750 for a Family Estate Planning 
simply vehicles for protecting your assets Session, but because this planning is so 
from creditors – yours or your heirs – important, I’ve made space for the next 
and from potential future ex-spouses. two people who mention this article to 
They are also a great mechanism for have a complete planning session at no 
maintaining your privacy and allowing charge. Call 626.355.4000 today and 
your assets to pass to your heirs without mention this article. 
the expense and hassle of probate, 

Marc Garlett, a local attorney, husband, and father 

which can tie up assets for a year or 

of two little ones, founded his law practice with one 
more. And they also help you and your very specific goal in mind: to help other parents, like 
himself, provide for and protect their children, no heirs avoid estate taxes. matter what. Marc designs estate plans that not only 
accomplish that goal, but that also help to preserve 

Think about whom you trust to act as 

and pass on family legacies, empowering clients and your agent(s). You will need to appoint their families to build and transfer real wealth from 
generation to generation. When he’s not taking care 

a person or persons to act as your agent 

of his clients, Marc spends time with his family and 
through a power of attorney in case you volunteers as a Court Appointed Special Advocate 
(CASA) for children in the Los Angeles court system. become incapacitated and are unable to Marc’s office is located at 49 S. Baldwin Ave. in Sierra 
Madre. He can be reached at 626.355.4000 or online 

make decisions yourself. This applies 

at www.GarlettLaw.com.


After you buy a red car, isn’t it funny how many red cars you suddenly see on the road? Since 
starting this PLAY column, the subject of “play” keeps coming up. People admit they want to play 
more… but they believe “there’s no time to play.” 

But wait! We’re the bosses. We’re in charge. As entrepreneurs, we make the decisions. So how can 
this be?

 “Work” happens when our job becomes more about the money and less about the passion and 
the people we help. When we have to muster the energy to repeatedly do tasks we no longer feel 
inspired to do; when fear prevents us from trying something new. Over time, this kind of activity 
leaves us empty and exhausted. We feel trapped. We no longer have the desire to play. We’ve lost 
our joy. 

Yes, this IS work, and it’s painful… especially when you’re the boss. 

Play, on the other hand, comes from a place of peace. It happens when we are connected to our 
truest self, and know that what we’re doing is what we’re here to do. When our actions are aligned 
with our spirit, they feel effortless. They feel like play. And we feel a deep sense of fulfillment and 
purpose. Instead of feeling exhausted, you’ll feel energized! 

To play more, you need only decide. Let your spirit lead. Decide to trust that still, small voice: it is 
The Real You, and it was made to play. 
. . . . . 


LORI KOOP, helping creative entrepreneurs find tru* success. Schedule a complimentary session: 
www.LORIKOOP.com or call 626-836-1667. (Location: 49 S. Baldwin Avenue, Suite L, Sierra Madre 
91024) 

Workshop : Your Life, Your Vision with Lori Koop 
Create your own Vision Board for 2014. 

Thurs, Feb 20, 6:30 to 8:30 pm 
Call to reserve your spot: (626)355-0200 

BelleÕs Nest, 55 N. Baldwin Avenue, Sierra Madre 


BUSINESS TODAY 

The latest on Business News, Trends and Techniques 

By La Quetta M. Shamblee,MBA 
FLOWERS ARE A BLOOMING BUSINESS 

Sales are blooming in the floral industry. The floral industry racked up more than $34 billion in sales 
last year. This includes indoor green and flowering plants, as well as cut flowers which are estimated 
to account for $7 billion to $8 billion of the total. Flowers are sold year-round for personal and 
business uses. Sales peak at certain times during the year throughout the year, in conjunction with 
certain holidays and occasions that have become associated with gifting or displaying flowers. 

Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day are the biggest sales days for flowers each year. The top selling 
flowers are roses, carnations, chrysanthemums, tulips and lilies. However, years of tradition have 
placed roses at the top of the pinnacle for flowers associated with romance, so it is not surprise that 
more roses are sold for Valentine’s Day than any other occasion of the year. Prices begin to climb for 
roses shortly after Christmas, peeking just prior to February 14th. It is the law of supply and demand 
at work. Preparing for increased consumer interest and demand, growers adjust their prices upward 
and it has a domino effect as wholesalers and retail florists follow suit. 

A profile of the U.S. Floral Industry reflects the following statistics: 

• 
16,182 floral business establishments
• 
530 wholesale florists 
• 
5,419 floriculture growers (USDA estimate based on floral crops in the top 15 states based ongrowers having $100,000 or more in annual sales) 
The floral industry is entrepreneurial-friendly to individuals with varying levels of capital to invest in 
starting a business. It is not necessary to open a retail store to operate a floral business. Some florists 
start by contracting to prepare flowers for weddings, banquets and other special occasions. Others 
may deliver plants or flowers to homes or businesses on a regular schedule. Both of these approaches 
can be financed with minimal financial capital that can be offset by the investment of sweat equity. 

Owing a floral business is one of the businesses that can be operated on a full-time or part-time basis, 
with or without the need to invest in a retail location. 

PAYPAL AND CONSTANT CONTACT 


Did you know you can install a PayPal button directly into a Constant Contact 
email? This makes it easy to market a product or service through email marketing 
and collect payment quickly. 

This is handy for people who don’t have a web site with an ecommerce component 
that collects payments or donations. If you use Constant Contact and PayPal, it’s not necessary to 
send people to a web site to pay or donate. They can do it right through the email. 
It is very easy to set up. 

As you create your 
email in Constant 
Contact, you simply 
insert a PayPal 
Payment button. You 
will fill out a quick 
form. You’ll choose 
from donate, pay, 
subscribe or buy. You 
then add the cost of 
your item and shipping 
fees, even SKU/ID’s if 
they apply. It creates 
a button that links to 
PayPal where the user 
can select quantity and 
provide their payment 
information. 

It’s one of the fastest 
ways to set up a 
payment process for 
a product or service. 
You can even archive 
the email and save it as 
a web flyer. 

About MJ: MJ and her 
brother David own 
HUTdogs, a creative services business that specializes in Internet Marketing strategies and Social Media. They offer 
social media management services and help their clients build a strong on-line presence. “Like” them on Facebook for 
trending news in social media, internet marketing and other helpful tips, www.facebook.com/hutdogs.
Sign up for their upcoming classes and presentations at: www.hutdogs.com/workshops/schedule 

A CONTRARIAN’S VIEW 
OF FINANCIAL MARKETS 


By Gregory J. Welborn 

 I am pleased to have the opportunity to 
write a financial column for this newspaper. 
Since this is the first in the series, let me briefly 
describe my perspective. I write as a Fee-
only financial advisor, which allows me the 
perspective of total objectivity. I do not sell 
insurance, mutual funds, or any other financial 
product, nor do I accept commissions, favors 
or other remuneration from any vendor of 
those products. Accordingly, I hope to offer The market and the economy are intrinsically 
you readers a fresh and honest perspective, linked. If the economy is growing, markets 
informed by 25 years of experience in the will trend higher, and right now technology 
trenches and preceded by an M.B.A. in finance continues to expand our economic horizons 
from that illustrious institution just south of and opportunities. Whether it’s fracking, 
downtown L.A. - with apologies to those who 3D-printing, the cloud, tablets, smartphones, 
only view the Westwood rival as a legitimate apps, or genetics, technology is generating 
seat of higher learning.amazing products, new drugs and improving 


efficiencies. These benefits are widespread 

 With the wild swings in the stock market 

and help all industries and strata of life. The 

this year, I thought I’d focus this first column 

American economy remains robust, and the 

on debunking recession fears. With the Dow’s 

markets will eventually reflect those realities.

fall from its 2013 record 16,500 level, we hear 
the inevitable claims this is the beginning Markets get spooked, and markets get excited. 
of something bad. Commentators point to Irrational exuberance and unreasonable fear 
Bernanke’s retirement, skittishness overseas, both make appearances with an irregular 
weakness at home, Fed tapering, Congressional regularity. Successful investing occurs quietly 
budget battles, and for some, just a general between the two extremes. For now, there is 
sense that the high was too good to be true. nothing to fear here, but plenty to celebrate, so 

we stay the course and accept a little unevenness 

 All of these are nonsense. The economy will 

along the journey. 

continue to grow, and markets should finish 
2014 solidly up from today’s close. Consider About the author: Gregory J. Welborn is 
some salient facts.the Managing Partner of First Financial 

Consulting, a fee-only advisory firm. He has 

 Real GDP grew at an annual rate of 3.2% in 

worked with The Today Show, Kiplinger’s 

the fourth quarter, 3.7% for the entire second 

Magazine, and USA Today to provide objective 

half of 2013, and 2.7% for all of 2013. These 

financial advice to their readers and listeners. 

are not the signs of a recession, or even a 

He has 3 grown children and is honored to 

substantial slow down. If for no other reason 

be married to his wife of 25 years. He can be 

than this, we see the market returning to its 

reached at gwelborn@ffconsult.net 

16,500 range. But, of course, there are other 
reasons to be optimistic.