An article detailing Linda Rawlings' efforts as a
travel activist appeared Sept. 19. The following is her advice to
those just getting started.
Linda Rawlings, co-owner of Travel Advocate, a Denver-based
agency, is the first to encourage agents to get more involved in
agency issues, but she is also quick to alert them that it takes
commitment.
"You have to pick your priorities carefully," Rawlings said.
"Find what you believe in most because that is what will keep you
going and will keep the [long] hours going quickly."
Rawlings said it is possible that agents may want to be involved
in several projects. For instance, Rawlings is working on three
separate projects simultaneously, including the ASTA Agent Expert
Column, the Rocky Mountain Buying Group and an airline competition
roundtable.
"But I would say pick the one that's most important," she
said.
If pressed, Rawlings said, she would focus on the column and the
buying group.
"You have to pick the priority, what you believe in," Rawlings
said. "And when you go for that, you will find the people are there
and they are with you."
Also keep in mind that others may be inspired by your
enthusiasm.
"I will really try and so will they," Rawlings said. "They'll
believe in it. They will see where it is going. They will see it
has direction. There will be a belief that we can make a
difference."
Nevertheless, Rawlings said, "remember that you are expendable.
It is the cause that matters. If you are in it for you, you are not
going to last."
And most of all, Rawlings said, "don't be afraid to fail."
Indeed, she said, there were those who were concerned the Day of
Awareness would be a flop, because it had never been tried before
and no one really knew if agents would support it.
Some 500 agents attended the event and dozens of agencies shut
down in support of the rally.
"I got a number of newspaper articles from [agencies] showing
that they were closed with a big sign in the window," Rawlings
said.
"That has to move you to feel it is worth it."
There are many reasons agents are willing to sacrifice their
time volunteering to help other agents by taking on such demanding
duties as ASTA chapter president.
For Dianne Moore, co-owner of New Berlin, Wis.-based Vacations
Plus, her reasons can be summed up in two words: Helen Hillman.
Hillman died nearly nine years ago, but her tireless dedication
to the agents in Wisconsin continues to inspire those determined to
carry on her legacy.
"We call her our first chapter president," Moore said. "She was
really the instrumental one in getting this chapter going after it
changed status from being a subchapter of the Midwest chapter
[about 16 years ago]. Helen was a really nice person and someone
very special to me."
Much like Hillman, Moore, who once served at president of the
local Rotary Club and has been an ASTA member for 22 years,
believes "you have to look at the greater good. In order to have a
good society, you have to be willing to give your time for the good
of everyone."
Nevertheless, said Christine Kaufman, owner of Manlove Travel in
Seattle and who is serving her second term as president of ASTA's
Pacific Northwest chapter, the job can be demanding.
"You have to prioritize," said Kaufman, who also credits her
staff for helping her stay organized. "You have to spread the word
around so that everyone feels involved and it works."
Consequently, Kaufman jokes, "we live here" at the agency.
Between selling travel and fulfilling her duties as chapter
president, it is not unusual for Kaufman to put in 12-hour days
most weeks.
"The latest thing has been [the shutdown] of Premier Cruise
Lines," Kaufman said. When something of that scale happens, Kaufman
said, she is one of the first people her members call.
"They will ask for help on legal matters or how to contact
automation vendors," said Moore, who keeps in contact at quarterly
chapter meetings and through e-mail.
Despite the long hours, both Moore and Kaufman agreed the
experience is priceless.
"It gives you a greater perspective of what other agents are
going through," Kaufman said. "And the networking is phenomenal. I
have made some lifelong friends."
-- Michael Milligan
Taxing questions
Q:Are computer programs really able to do
my taxes?
A:No, not adequately for businesses.
Relying on a software package exclusively for tax preparation
might cost far more than you save. It could even make you more
prone to an audit.
Computer bookkeeping programs generally follow the rules of
financial accounting rather than tax accounting, which is more than
just hair-splitting.
For
example, financial accounting rules allow you to spread upfront
payments for a three-year contract evenly over three years.
The IRS, however, demands that the payments be counted as one
entry.
So if your tax program relies on the data directly from your
accounting program, it could file an incorrect return.
These programs are useful planning and estimating tools, but
they can't replace the attention and reasoning given by an
accountant who knows the particulars of your agency's business.
Q:Can I save any taxes by employing my
17-year-old daughter at my agency?
A: Yes. You avoid the employer's share of FICA
on wages if your child is under age 18.
In fact, hiring family members often enables you to shift some
of your income to family members in lower tax brackets.
Depending on earnings, there might be no tax at all on wages
paid to your child.
Talk to your certified public accountant to determine optimum
salary levels.
Q:Are travel agencies more likely to be
audited than other businesses?
A: No. There are certain types of cash-based
businesses and self-employed individuals that are at greater risk
for audits.
Self-employed workers earning more than $100,000, for example,
are audited at nearly twice the rate of similarly paid individuals
who are employees, according to IRS data.
You can lessen your risk in an audit by making sure your
business travel and entertainment expenses are well documented and
by deducting only 50% of the total cost of those expenses.
Other possible red flags for entrepreneurs include hiring only
independent contractors, unusually large donations to charities or
extravagant gifts, and reporting little or no revenue.
I'm giving my employees gifts on their birthdays. Can I deduct
the cost of these?
Gifts valued at up to $25 per employee can be deducted each
year.
If you give holiday or other gifts to your staff, you can deduct
the expenses up to the $25 limit.
The same applies to your customers.
Former agency owner Dan McManus is the publisher of the
newsletter The Successful Worldspan Agent.
Contact him at [email protected].