Anyone else jump on all those great online Black Friday deals this year? There were a bunch. But, if you chose an online purchase because of the ease of returning said item, you might want to check the return policy. Looks like quite a few retailers...

Does your Skagit County family sit around the table at Thanksgiving dinner and share something they’re thankful for?I’ve been at those holiday meals many a time. I appreciate the intent, and will admit it’s usually effective in getting me to feel more grateful, but I...

End-of-year can be a bit of a scramble as a business owner. So, before we get into holiday craziness, a friendly reminder: year-end is also your prime Skagit Countyopportunity to make the calendar work in your favor as a business.From year-end profitability...

Though the days are getting shorter and the weather is taking a turn, there are some great revenue reasons to get excited about the next two months.As we round the bend into Black Friday territory (which for many began at the end of October), it’s time to get nimble...

You might remember this little story from last year when an ex-IRS contractor pleaded guilty to leaking President Trump’s private taxpayer information along with many other wealthy individuals. It brought the IRS’s ability to secure taxpayer data into question...

Loading the dishwasher is a daily job in most households. And, to get clean dishes and not melt your plastic to-go containers, you’ll need to arrange things well. And, according to Consumer reports, there actually is a right way to load yours. While doing...

A few things are grabbing my attention this week. The first being that the tax extension deadline has passed. That’s a big relief for my office, and perhaps for yours too. I’m continuing to avidly watch, as I’m sure you are too, the unfolding events in Gaza....

This weekend’s news coverage and social media scroll were dominated by reports of the awful things happening in Israel right now. It’s pretty difficult to swallow the images of violence and abuse being perpetrated by Hamas. And no matter how many times you hear about...

Profit is the lifeblood of any organization. Show me a small business with PROFIT at its center, and I'll show you something worth modeling yourself after.An organization NOT to model yourself after: the federal government. They prefer to operate in deficit mode,...