#ThirstyThursday Issue #173

🧠 Work smarter in spreadsheets with these 50 Excel shortcut keys.

😬 Fix hair breakage around your face with these must-know tips.

🌿 Discover how to find meaning in life’s mundane seasons and appreciate the simple things.

📖 Embrace the power of mistakes as a path to learning, growth, and humility.

Takeaways:

• Avoid using static images and promotional looking graphics. They’re outdated and don’t increase engagement.
• Instead, research other creators in your industry and see what short reels are performing best.
• Then re-create those formats in your own tone and branding, and watch as your social media growth increases.

Get the tips on TikTok.

Choosing the right accounting software shouldn’t feel like a full-time job. Whether you need a simple, no-fuss solution or powerful financial tools to manage a growing business, here’s how two top contenders stack up:

✅ FreshBooks – Designed for solopreneurs, freelancers, and small businesses, FreshBooks makes invoicing, expense tracking, and time management a breeze. With features like automated reminders, recurring invoices, and mileage tracking, it’s built for people who want to spend less time on accounting and more time growing their business. Plus, it syncs with your bank and integrates with tools like Stripe and PayPal, making payments seamless.

📊 Xero – Built for scaling businesses and teams, Xero offers multi-user access, detailed financial reports, and deep integrations with 1,000+ apps. If you manage inventory, payroll, or multi-currency transactions, Xero provides the flexibility and power to handle complex financial needs. With features like real-time cash flow tracking, AI-driven bank reconciliation, and a mobile-friendly dashboard, Xero is ideal for businesses that need more control and customization over their finances.

No matter your business size, having the right tools makes all the difference. FreshBooks keeps it simple and stress-free, while Xero gives you depth and scalability—because your accounting software should work for you, not against you.

Takeaways:

• You can place an Identity Protection (IP) PIN on your child’s Social Security number to prevent unauthorized individuals from claiming them as a dependent on their tax return.
• If you’re concerned that an ex or another adult might try to claim your child when they shouldn’t, the IP PIN serves as a safeguard, alerting the IRS of your rightful claim.
• The IRS issues a new PIN each year, and only the person with that PIN can claim the child as a dependent. If someone else tries to file without it, their claim will be rejected.

Watch the IG reel.

Takeaways:

• Leverage your skills for ownership: Instead of trading time for money, focus on leveraging your skills to gain equity in a business. By offering valuable expertise such as advice, connections, or outcomes, you can negotiate a share of the company in return for your contributions.
• When structuring deals, prioritize the value you can bring to the company in terms of results (e.g., driving revenue or improving key metrics) rather than how many hours you work. The more value you provide, the more equity you can ask for.
• To successfully negotiate equity deals, use the LUB method: Likability (show appreciation for the company’s story and vision), Understanding (show you understand their struggles), and Belief (demonstrate how your expertise can solve their problems).

See the LinkedIn post.

Leading is about solving problems before they explode. Between keeping your team productive, managing finances, and staying ahead of the competition, it’s easy to feel like you’re drowning.

3 Quick Leadership Tips Before We Dive In:

• Delegate Like a Pro – If you’re doing everything, you’re doing it wrong. Use tools to automate and offload tasks.
• Communicate Clearly – Misalignment kills momentum. Make sure your team has real-time collaboration tools.
• Stay Agile – The best leaders adapt fast. Use data-driven insights to pivot and scale smarter.

Tools For Your Workflows:

💰Master Your Finances

• Bill.com – Late payments kill businesses. Streamline invoices, pay vendors, and keep money moving.
• Ramp – Supercharge expense management with automated processes, clear financial insights, and better control over company spending.

📊 Run Projects Without the Chaos

• monday.com – Stop drowning in emails. Assign tasks, track progress, and automate workflows.
• Resource Guru – Overbooked team? See availability at a glance and prevent burnout.

🗣️ Communicate Like a Pro

• Wrike – Streamline communication and collaboration with a platform that combines tasks, projects, and documents all in one place.
• Zoho – Scattered tools slowing you down? CRM, HR, and project management—all in one.

💼 Build a Stronger Business

• Rippling – HR, payroll, and IT in one platform. Hire, onboard, and manage employees seamlessly. (Plus, they’re giving away $100 gift cards just for exploring their platform.)
• Paychex – Payroll nightmares? Automate salaries, taxes, and benefits with zero stress.

📈 Grow Without the Guesswork

• Salesforce – Losing leads? Track prospects, automate follow-ups, and close more deals.
• web.com – Your website should work for you. Build a high-converting, sleek site without coding.

Which one fixes your biggest leadership pain point?

Takeaways:

• What started as just one day of recognition during the suffrage movement grew into International Women’s Day, then Women’s History Week, and finally, in 1987, Congress declared March as Women’s History Month. This didn’t happen overnight—women fought to make it happen.
• Every year, a special presidential proclamation honors the incredible achievements of women in America. From trailblazers in history to everyday women making an impact, this month is about recognizing our strength, resilience, and contributions.
• While we’ve come a long way, gender equality is still a battle. Women’s History Month is a time to reflect on progress but also to continue pushing for the rights, representation, and respect we deserve.

Watch the YouTube video.

🏐 Thania loves these workout shorts for volleyball.

🧹 This vacuum sucks—literally and flawlessly.

✨ This miracle scrubber takes the ‘ugh’ out of deep cleaning.

🤖 Fellow supercharges meetings with AI-powered summaries, auto note-taking, and seamless action item tracking.

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