We invite you to Brunch Crunch: a bite-size morning lecture and networking series featuring a rotating local expert as a special guest speaker.
We’ve kicked off the year with a focus on Financial Literacy and inviting to the table a discussion about the fundamentals of building a strong financial foundation, managing your business, and growing your success.
APRIL TOPIC: Tax Preparation for Creatives
“The government is gangsta. If they want something, they’ll take it from you. Stay ahead of them.”
-Ilene Squires, Squires Tax Preparation
Join us VIRTUALLY Wednesday, April 6th, as our expert speaker Ilene Squire, a small business consultant and tax preparer of Squire Tax Preparation, walks us through how to prep for the ever dreaded tax season (Taxes are due April 18th).
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:
In this 2-hour virtual workshop, you’ll:
Understand WHY filing your taxes are so important
Demystify the fear surrounding IRS and Taxes
Debunk the AUDIT myths!
Know what to do with those 1099s, W2s, and other forms
Get tips on how to keep more of your Money
Walk through Tax Forms (1040, Schedule C)
What are estimated taxes, self-employment taxes, and what to do with them
VALUABLE TAKEAWAYS:
Getting REAL about the consequences of not filing your taxes
Long term benefits
Generational wealth
After this workshop, you'll leave with:
Tips and tricks for keeping more of your money, learn about deductions and credits
Tax Preparation Checklist
Understanding how small businesses file taxes
Less anxiety when it comes to filing your business and personal taxes
The CONFIDENCE to implement strong financial foundations for you and your business
Access to presentation slides
Replay of the presentation for reference
Follow up Q&A on Friday, April 8th at 12pm-1pm
WHAT TO EXPECT:
11:30 am: Guests log in
11:45am: Greet and Introduction
12:00pm: Presentation
1:00pm Break
1:10pm: Resume Presentation
1:45pm: Q&A ? Presentation Complete
Early Bird Tickets are $15 or Pay What You Can
*** Want to avoid Eventbrite fees? Send us a Venmo @YouBelongHere (be sure to put your full name + email, event name, in PRIVATE, so that we can send you registration)
Who is this workshop for?
Anyone who runs a small business and is freaked out by the thought of filing business taxes! Whether you are just beginning a business or a seasoned creative entrepreneur, this workshop is a great place to begin to understand how to build your financial grounding and nurture your future wealth.
MEET OUR EXPERT:
Ilene Squires
Squires Tax Preparation // @squirestaxprep // SquiresTaxPreparation
Her Story:
The truth is businesses cannot thrive without format. I know this the hard way. That is why I believe in empowering creative entrepreneurs and small business owners with modern accounting and financial analytics so they can be the ultimate best at what they do. As a creative and small business owner myself, I have the experience in setting up business systems so that tax time works for you instead of against you. I provide small business consulting and tax preparation with a listening ear when the grind often feels overwhelming. My 15 years’ experience in tax preparation and decade in entrepreneurship allows me to support you with the right tools because establishing structures and routines compliant to governmental protocols is vital to our success.
In 2005, I had my taxes prepared by a Woman of Color who worked on Wall Street by day, and was dedicated to her tax preparation service at night. It was her investment in her future and her support for women small business owners that inspired my entrepreneurship and interest in giving back. As a wife, mother, photographer, and business owner, I know the work we do is not just important to us but also important in providing a future for those that we love. Allow me to take the headache out of your taxes and guide you in all that you need to thrive.
WHY FINANCIAL LITERACY?
In 2021, You Belong Here collected survey data from over 150 San Diego based creatives and small businesses. The number one topic on everyone’s mind is Financial Literacy.
As creative small businesses, we’re most likely called to start our creative businesses as a way to share our art, our voice, and challenge systems and beliefs. I mean, who wouldn’t want to grow their wealth doing what they are most passionate about while positively impacting our communities and (dare we say) the world?
The work that we do as creatives, brings voices to our communities. Yet, according to the report released by Center for Cultural Innovation (CCI), Creativity Connects: Trends and Conditions affecting U.S. Artists, it reveals creative businesses are not developing the wealth at the rate of other small businesses and startups outside of the creative realm; not because our ideas are not significant, but because we lack the foundation of business development (i.e., financial literacy). Of course this is no fault of our own. Many of us creatives, while in school, didn't have a curriculum focusing on how to leverage our fine arts degree with business development. At the same time, we generally believe in the bigger picture outside of money; social justice, climate change, peace, love, and humanity. Spreadsheets, balance sheets, cash flow forecasts, profit and loss sheets, amortization, appreciation, depreciation–this isn’t in our realm and has nothing to do with changing the world. So we think?
Yet, money (unfortunately) makes the world go round. And if we don't develop an understanding of our worth and our wealth, we will remain the statistics we are creating awareness about.
You Belong Here believes the economic growth and empowerment of the Artist is at stake. How can we build systems of change and support our communities if we are burnt out and barely getting by? These very questions are why You Belong Here is bringing back our monthly morning business development series, Brunch Crunch.
We hope to see you soon!
Nic Roc, Owner and Program Director of You Belong Here