Thinking Out Loud

Tax Season is Open!

By Marc Young

For 2018 we offer the following additional benefits with every return we file:

  • Virtual Tax Preparation: If your busy schedule makes it hard to keep an appointment, simply upload your tax documents to your Secure Client Portal and we do the rest!
  • Secure Client Portal: Our web-based client portal offers convenient, safe and effective account access and is also accessible on-the-go through our apps. Securely store all your important tax documents and send/receive files with us with bank-level security and encryption.
  • E-File*: It’s faster, easier and more accurate than filing a paper return. For comparison, the IRS site for refund updates typically shows the status of your tax return within...
Read more

Social Media Trends For 2018

By Keryn Nicolson

When Twitter decided to expand its character limit from 140 to 280 last year I think we all got a little excited. What we quickly remembered shortly after however is that but more is not always better. One of the most difficult things to do is to get your point across with the least amount of words possible. It's an art form. Take all that word jumble and filter it all down to one sentence that makes a valid point. That’s why it’s such a difficult task for grant writers to play within the funder’s word or page limits when putting a proposal together.

I took a grant writing course in grad school and one of the hardest things was putting a project proposal together and trying ...

Read more

Hey there folks. I know, I know…it’s been a MINUTE since I’ve posted and I’m sure you’ve all been chomping at the bit. Not to worry. I’ve got some fresh words to lay down for this New Year.

Speaking of new things, I went through some old files the other day and double clicked on my cover letter from 2016. Let’s just say it needed some re-vamping. I’ve gone back and forth with cover letters. Are they THAT important? Does anyone actually read them? Truth is, it doesn’t really matter what I think. If a prospective employer is asking for a cover letter (regardless if they read it or not) then you better add a cover letter to your application ...

Read more

Every Monday morning your mind inevitably drifts off to some far off place at least once while at work: Bahamas perhaps? It helps if you streamline your daily duties and make your workspace a positive place to spend a huge chunk of your day. Here are a few tips that may help you stay more organized at your desk, or wherever you call work:

Add some life: This is so “hippy” of me to say this but add a damn plant to your desk! It’s so weird how having a little lively thing to take care of can actually make your desk space better. Like Alec Baldwin said in some movie: “People with plants live longer, than people without plants”. That’s good enough for me.

Snack ...

Read more

It’s tough to always be on your game at work. From performance reviews, interviews and deadlines, the workplace can be a bit daunting at times.

Our country is starting to open the floor to conversations about metal illness which is allowing the stigma surrounding it to slowly diminish. More people are starting to talk about their workplace anxiety or other anxiety disorders which calls for action at the office.

Health and wellness are finally beginning to take a more prominent role in company culture, and mental wellness is now a key part. So, how does a workplace get started? Here are three tips to promote mental health in your office:

Leadership Support


A team that cares about mental wel...

Read more

4 Foolproof Wardrobe Fixes

By Keryn Nicolson

We’ve all had those busy mornings when you’re already running late for work and then, BAM. Wardrobe malfunction. Whether you can’t find your missing sock (or in my case any matching sock, ever) or there’s lint or you dog’s hair all over your suite, here are 4 easy fixes for some common clothing problems.

Problem: Lint or animal hair on clothing

Solution: Obviously, a lint roller is the clear fix here. However if you’re like me and can’t even find your lint roller, you can use a mailing label, the sticky back of a FedEx window envelope or packing tape.

Problem: Stupid stuck zipper

Solution: This has happened to me A LOT. It’s always my coat before I...

Read more

Two 30-min Weeknight Dinners

By Keryn Nicolson

Most of us save the really tricky dinners with long prep times for the weekends. I know that quick and easy weeknight dinners (particularly for the working parents) are the “bread and butter” to your week. Here are two easy weeknight dinners that probably won’t take you more than 30 minutes, no matter your skill level.

Crispy Salmon & Potatoes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

2tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic

2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

1 pound small red potatoes (cut into ¼ inch slices) *I love using my mandolin

1 bunch of asparagus

4 (6 oz) skin-on salmon

½ tsp salt and pepper

*Add lemon juice, oil, garlic and parsley in a large container so it can a...

Read more

A Work Week Detox: Revisited

By Keryn Nicolson

Sound familiar? We’ve briefly discussed a few ways to detox from your work week before but I figure we should revisit this topic at least once a year. Lately I’ve found this more challenging, I aint gonna lie to ya. With so many tasks at hand, it’s friggin difficult to find the fortitude to allow yourself…time FOR yourself. I tend to think about all the tasks I haven’t completed and then it’s so easy to get caught up in the “social media twilight zone” (that weird zoned out state where all you do is scroll through your feed for like an hour without even blinking). Here are a few more tips I’ve found help to avoid getting lost in the prov...

Read more

I feel like a lot of employers don’t know or perhaps don’t think about little ways to make the workplace a better environment for their staff. For me, if there’s a toaster oven and an electric kettle to fuel my addiction to hot beverages and toasting things I am beyond stoked. It's tiny silly little things like that, that make me happy.

We don’t all have the luxury of working by a nice park to go for a lunchtime stroll or have a fancy on-site gym or personal chef. Little changes can make a huge difference for the overall well-being of your team.

1) Easy access to healthy meals and snacks: I used to work for a nonprofit in London (it was a HUGE office). In the breakroom ...

Read more

We’ve all been in an interview when the dreaded question “What is your biggest weakness?” is thrown out there. First of all, it’s such an annoying question. I mean, everyone has weaknesses and if you say “perfectionist” they’ll probably roll their eyes (at least in their minds).

If you find a way to answer this question strategically, it can have the interviewer focused on your strengths rather than your weaknesses which is the whole point of this question anyway. Try picking an actual weakness that you have noticed about yourself or that has been pointed out to you. Be careful of course to not focus on it too much as to present a red flag to the inte...

Read more

Industry Standard Inc

401 Clovis Ave STE 204,

Clovis, CA 93612

Phone. 559-472-3285

Email. info@industrystandardinc.com