Today I had great (work) expectations. I had a schedule to follow and a list of things to accomplish. By 8am, all of that had been long since forgotten.

Not to discount any holidays (they are, after all, considered holidays for very good reasons), but every year we’ll have another 4th of July, another Easter, another Labor Day. Never again will we have another inauguration of the first African American President of the United States. While Barack Obama has set the precedent for “minority” presidents to come, this day is a one-time deal. Forever.

Regardless of political affiliation, this is something to be celebrated.

The emails and projects can wait another day. Dozens of years from now, I know I’ll never remember my work correspondence or what projects I was working on today.

Instead, I’ll remember watching live as Barack Hussein Obama was sworn into office and extended an olive branch to the world. Present in the VIP stand at the ceremony: Aretha Franklin, Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, The Boys Choir of Kenya, and Oprah Winfrey among countless others. Millions of people from all walks of life merged on the National Mall to watch this historical moment, live.

For the first time in United States history, I felt that this presidential inauguration wasn’t just another white man celebrating his glory. As I looked to the stands at both public events, I saw diversity. For once, I didn’t just feel hope for minorities- the hope that they too, could someday be someone important in this country- I finally felt as though the day had arrived.

Barack Hussein Obama, President of the United States of America, is proof that the barriers are being torn down at a rapid pace. Anybody can become who they want to become in life.

I wish Martin Luther King Jr. were here to witness this moment in history.

Dream big.

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day! Make it a day on…not a day off!

Do you have the day off? If so, what are you doing to help your community?

During the 1950s and ’60s, civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. recognized the power of service to strengthen communities and achieve common goals.

Here’s how it all began:
In 1994, Congress started the King Day of Service to build on his legacy by turning a federal holiday into a national day of community service. This holds true to King’s teachings of nonviolence and social justice. The idea is that people from all walks of life (socio-economic backgrounds, races, religions, sexual orientation, etc) come together to improve lives and bridge barriers. It’s about creating Dr. King’s vision of a “Beloved Community.”

What are you doing to help your community on your day off? If you’re like me, you’ve been too busy with everything on your plate to even contemplate participating in King’s Day of Service (I’m in the office!).

Good news. We don’t have to make it a one-day-only deal!

Here are some ideas:

TODAY, make a commitment to help your community.

TODAY, contemplate how you can be of service to your community for the rest of the year.

TODAY, find organizations or projects to volunteer your time, services, or money.

TODAY: Make a plan of service and action for the next year.

TODAY, go out of your way to help someone in need.

For more information, visit the MLK Jr. Service Day website.

Once upon a time you started your business. It took hours of thought, time, planning, preparation, research, analyzing, and finding startup money among an inordinate amount of other things. Sooner or later there will come a day when, for whatever reason, you decide to no longer be a part of your business. This is when you will need John M. Leonetti’s book Exiting Your Business, Protecting Your Wealth.

Because exiting your business can be a lot harder than starting, Leonetti’s book  guides you through the entire process. Yes, the process really is more complicated and complex than you could ever imagine. Luckily, reading this book will enable you to determine the type of business owner you are, what exit strategy is best for your business, if you’re mentally/financially ready, and carry out your exit plan.

This is a good book for entrepreneurs and small business owners who are serious about educating themselves on business exit strategy. This book will show you how to:

• Grow your business with an exit in mind

• Figure out how to best transfer your business to family members

• Pay fewer taxes

• Write an exit plan

• Achieve maximum value from the sale

• Deal with market realities

• Gift

• Handle legal agreements and contracts

• Find and interview experienced advisors

• Be at peace knowing you made the right decision

Exiting Your Business, Protecting Your Wealth is filled with densely packed, yet highly useful information for both small and large businesses alike. Leonetti did an excellent job arranging all the content into easily readable chapters, subheadings, and charts to make our lives and business transition easier.

For $32.97 (on Amazon), this book is a bargain for the knowledge you will gain as you begin your exit strategy (and a lot cheaper than the mistake of hiring the wrong person for the job). Make Exiting Your Business, Protecting Your Wealth a part of your business exit strategy.

For more information, visit the Exiting Your Business, Protecting Your Wealth website.