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CXO 2.0 Business Leadership Award

Fri, 28 Mar 2025 04:59:33 GMT

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

Our Founder and CEO, Patrick Laing, was recently recognized at the prestigious CXO 2.0 conference in Las Vegas and received the Business Leadership Excellence Award. He was also invited to speak on a panel about Strategic Partnerships.

Here's an interview they did with him while he was there:

https://youtu.be/W2msEGxQRUI?si=bJDBGUYRhTjRQa3N

And here's a press release about the award and Patrick's participation in the event:

Patrick Laing Received 'Business Leadership Excellence Award' At CXO 2.0 Conference, Spring 2025, USA

Las Vegas, USA—March 20, 2025 — Patrick Laing , Founder & CEO of Certainty Management, was recognized with the esteemed “Business Leadership Excellence Award” at the CXO 2.0 Conference, held from March 4–6, 2025, at the Luxor Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, USA. This recognition highlights his exceptional leadership, strategic vision, and dedication to driving impactful change in the industry.

Patrick Laing, Founder and CEO of Certainty Management, leads a nationwide team of efficiency experts focused on maximizing client profitability. A United States Army veteran, he served in counterintelligence and counterterrorism, holding a top-secret security clearance for several years. He has since built a successful sales career with clients across all fifty states as well as abroad.

A Brigham Young University (Provo) graduate, Patrick co-founded the university’s writing fellows peer tutoring program while there and is a 2x international best-selling co-author, together with Jason Miller. He also contributed to Mission Matters with Adam Torres. Committed to profit and service, he hosts the Finding Certainty talk show on VoiceAmerica and Bold Brave TV, co-founded Certainty Global LLC and is the owner of Certainty Holdings LLC.

After being honored at the CXO 2.0 Conference, Patrick Laing shared his thoughts, offering a personal perspective on the achievement. He stated, “I’m pleased to receive this award but I will say this: a leader is only as strong as his or her team and I am blessed to have an extraordinary collection of colleagues, partners, and affiliates who together make up The Certainty Collective. They say if you’re the smartest person on your team, you should terminate everyone. No risk of that here. I’m proud to say, our team will be going and growing strong for a long time to come.”

Patrick Laing's leadership has not only steered the company towards remarkable achievements but has also significantly impacted the industry by setting high standards in client service, profitability, and operational efficiency. His background in the military and his ability to translate those skills into the business world have uniquely positioned him to lead with precision and insight.

About CXO 2.0 Conference

The CXO 2.0 Conference is an influential gathering for industry leaders, spotlighting the latest trends and challenges in executive management. This three-day global leadership summit is designed to deliver cutting-edge perspectives and innovative solutions, cultivating leadership excellence in a variety of fields. The conference, scheduled annually in Dubai, Singapore, and the USA, includes a dynamic program of discussions and networking opportunities while providing platforms for sustained professional development. Learn more at www.cxo2conf.com .

Proud To Be a Veteran-Owned Company

plaing@certaintyteam.com (Patrick Laing) — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 23:42:52 GMT

Honoring Service: A Veterans Day Reflection.

This Veterans Day, we take a moment to honor the courageous men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces. It’s a day to recognize their sacrifices, bravery, and unwavering dedication to our nation. As a veteran-owned profit consulting firm, we hold this day close to our hearts, as it reflects values that are foundational to both our team and our mission as a whole.

The Values We Carry Forward

Our company was founded on principles learned in the service: integrity, commitment, resilience, and teamwork. These qualities do not fade once the uniform is retired. They become part of who we are, driving the way we approach our work and serve our clients (and the communities in which we reside). Each of us who has served knows the weight of responsibility that comes with the oath to protect and serve. Today, in our civilian roles, we apply these same values to support businesses, fostering resilience, efficiency, and sustainability, or as we like to call it, Greater Certainty in Our Lives and Professions.

From Service to Solutions

In our work, we draw on the strategic, analytical, and leadership skills we developed in the military to solve complex challenges for our clients as a whole. Military training fosters a mindset of agility and readiness to adapt to evolving situations. In a consulting environment, this is also essential. It translates to providing proactive, tailored solutions that respond to the dynamic needs of each evolving organization we support. Whether it’s improving operational efficiency, reducing waste, or designing sustainable, forward-thinking business strategies, we are dedicated to empowering businesses to thrive in a changing world.

Why We Serve Again

Our company’s commitment extends beyond business. Being veteran-owned, we understand the value of giving back and supporting our community. This ethos inspires us to work with purpose, applying our experience and expertise to make a positive impact. Every time we help a business improve its resilience or become more sustainable, we see it as another form of service. We may no longer wear the uniform, but our mission to contribute to a stronger, healthier, and more confident society remains.

A Message of Gratitude and Support

On this Veterans Day, we extend our heartfelt thanks to all veterans and their families. We know that service often comes with great sacrifice, and we honor that sacrifice. To our fellow veterans, we say: we see you, we appreciate you, we stand with you, and we are you.

For those who haven’t served, we invite you to honor veterans in any way you can. A simple thank you, supporting veteran-owned businesses like our own, and/or contributing to veteran support organizations goes a long way.

As we reflect on what it means to serve, and to enjoy the freedoms that we all enjoy here in the U.S. of A., we are grateful for the opportunity to continue that mission through the work we do every day. This Veterans Day, let’s honor not only those who have served but also the values they bring to the communities, companies, and causes they support long after they hang up the uniform.

Thank you, veterans, for your service, and thank you for continuing to inspire us all. Let this be a day to celebrate resilience, dedication, and the boundless potential of veterans who carry forward their commitment to service in new and impactful ways.

Mission Matters Series - Volume 8

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 17:54:00 GMT

We're excited to announce that Patrick, our CEO, was recently asked to be a part of a book called Mission Matters, co-authored by popular podcaster, publisher, and entrepreneur, Adam Torres. Mission Matters is a series that focuses on CEOs whose businesses are making a difference. Not only was Patrick asked to contribute a chapter, a "lesson," to the upcoming Volume 8 of the series, but he was also invited to write the introduction and be on

They talked about the upcoming book on a podcast on a YouTube live August 16th at 10:15 am. Watch the Live Stream here: https://lnkd.in/ggQ3essz .

Here's what Adam is posting on their various social media channels about it:

Join Patrick Laing, CEO and Managing Partner at Certainty Management LLC., and me for a LIVE Interview on Tuesday 08/16 at 10:15 am, where we will discuss the new book Patrick will be launching with Mission Matters.
Watch Adam's intro. video: https://youtu.be/lb1Gwxbi0bE
Subscribe on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gvD4Esg
Follow on Facebook: https://lnkd.in/g2nCH2Mm
Follow on LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/gif4xxJF
Follow on Twitter: https://lnkd.in/gZt8tjhK
Apply to be a guest on the show: https://lnkd.in/dXd8-UX
Learn more about Mission Matters here: https://missionmatters.com/

Finding Certainty Radio Show

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 06:09:00 GMT

I've spoken previously about being invited to be a host on VoiceAmerica Business and how we have been preparing to launch our new channel, Finding Certainty, on August 12th. Well, this is the week. Just 3 more days and our first show will take place, with our flagship guest and colleague, Frank Helring of TheHubMart LLC. Frank is an accomplished entrepreneur and business leader as well as the VoiceAmerica Business host of BiZZne$$ BuZZ who had me on the show, recommended I consider radio in the first place, and introduced me to VoiceAmerica General Manager and Executive Producer, Robert Ciolino. I thought it only appropriate to "return the favor," as it were, and have Frank as our very first honored guest. We both care deeply about empowering and strengthening small business, nonprofits, and communities in the process. I wanted to thank him for his mentorship and assistance, helping our channel come together, tell the story (on air) of how it came about, and talk about how we can--together--help lend a hand. It should be good.

Here's Frank's bio to help you get to know him a little:

Frank J. Helring, CEO

TheHubmartLLC

Email: thehubmart@gmail.com

Mr. Helring is the CEO and founder of TheHubmart LLC. He is an established executive with over 50 years of service encompassing Christian ministries, private/corporate insurance,

public/philanthropic enterprises, and private equity sectors.

His past tenures include owning his own General Insurance Agency from October 1977 to 1991. Serving as an Exec Director of World Vision of Orange County from 1994-1998 inclusive as a President and CEO of a community-based organization that worked with local governmental agencies from 1994–1998. His most recent term includes being COO of Allure Med Aesthetics, Inc. from 2013–present. On another note, from 2003 -2006, Mr. Helring was President of JMS Consulting Group, a private equities firm in Los Angeles and part of his duties included consulting with the VP of Benefits of the NFIB (National Federation of Independent Businesses) to bring forth boutique benefit offerings to their vast membership. In 2015, he was a background actor in the released movie “Ride the Thunder.” During his tenure, he assisted in the formation of a move in conjunction with the film, known as “Bridging the Gap.” This was a focus to reconcile US Vietnam War Veterans with their ARVN (South Vietnamese Veterans) after more than 45 years of separation. He officiated at 3 of these nationally scoped events and they resulted in hundreds of combat veterans, both US and ARVN, reconciling and forgiving one another. Most recently, Mr. Helring is currently a LIVE headliner talk show host on the VoiceAmerica.com Business Network, known as BizZne$$ BuzZ and BizZne$$ Watch. Mr. Helring believes that small business has lost its “representation and largely it’s VOICE in the USA today and beyond. The show airs Weekly live on Wednesdays at 10 am Pacific.

Mr. Helring resides in Mission Viejo, with his wife Rhoda. His combination of grass roots community involvement, strategic relationship formation, and continued success as a visionary corporate entrepreneur distinguish him as an invaluable asset to the small business community at large and a much-loved host (and guest) on VoiceAmerica Business.

You can visit the channel by clicking here to listen to our introductory promo/sound bite. Join us this Friday, August 12th, at the same URL to listen to the episode live. This is going to be fun and I hope you can join us. Spread the word. Here's the link in full: https://www.voiceamerica.com/show/4083/finding-certainty

Better Credit. Better Life.

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 05:55:00 GMT

You Deserve a Stress-Free Financial Life. Our Certainty Partner, Credit iQ, offers holistic solutions to your financial wellbeing - and they've been doing so for over 30 years.

Often, the higher your credit score is (740 - 770 ideally), your buying power increases with faster approval times.

Credit iQ is a credit restoration firm that can help you quickly obtain the credit scores you deserve.

Book an appointment with them and mention Certainty Management when you do (see link below) a nd receive a comprehensive credit and financial fitness coaching overview as our gift. Pay just $50.00; the regular price is $300 and this includes your significant other's credit and financial plan as well.

Also included, you will receive a copy of both of your full mortgage lender's credit reports with REAL SCORES, a soft inquiry (it will not drop your score). These are not the fake Credit Karma consumer scores.

Get started today at https://calendly.com/creditiqorg/15min?month=2020-12.

Here are some more helpful links:

All The Tools We Can Offer All In One Financial Solution Experts

Testimonials Video's of Actual Clients

Credit Score Results Success Stories

Credit Score Calculator. See how your FICO score affects home loans.

How to Maximize Your Credit Scores Quick education guide.

Memorial Day and Mentors

Mon, 30 May 2022 08:34:00 GMT

As we prepare to celebrate Memorial Day this Monday, May 30th, I can't help but reflect on the mentors and heroes I've worked with and the priceless memories I've built with them throughout the years. I have so many examples, lessons, experiences, and more to draw from. I'm the man that I am because of them and their guidance and I'm grateful for all they've shared. I wanted to recognize a few of them as my Memorial Day gift (to them and to our team). These are the men and boys who are molding me into the father, husband, brother, and business owner I am today. I hope to have the same impact on my own kids, friends, and colleagues that they have had on me.

Charles William "Bill" Laing : My paternal grandfather, Grandpa Bill is the man who taught me how to fish, showed me how to serve others, and how to be a good husband. I learned from him how to stay humble in all you say and do. He was the most genuine, consistent, and spiritual man I know. I am forever indebted to him for his example, his character, and the service he gave us all.

John Charles Laing : My dad, John, is one of the most gregarious and genuinely friendly/interested/sincere people you'll ever meet. He remembers the name of practically every person he's ever met, even decades after he's made their acquaintance. He's suffered terrible health challenges, injuries, and more, but continues to stay optimistic. He is a spiritual rock too and inspiration to us all.

Adam Laing : My younger brother has always seemed like a superstar to me, deep running, incredibly gifted, insightful, and strong. He claims that I taught him "everything he knows, when it comes to sales," but honestly, I think he's a natural. I've learned a great deal from him as well. He's a phenomenal dad, a great CEO, a wonderful husband to his wife, Kim, & one of my biggest heroes.

Karl Cogswell : A church friend and confidant from San Marcos, California, Karl is both a trusted mentor and one of my very dearest of friends. Marine Corps retiree and community icon, he's the kind of guy who bought flowers for 8 or so widows on Mother's Day. He's also an investor for us. We wouldn't be here without his help (in the early days when we needed it). Thank you, my friend.

Brian Poynter : One of my partners in Certainty Management ... our largest shareholder, in fact, second only to myself and our Director of Sales, Victoria Foster, Brian is a talented businessman, a nationally ranked pickle ball player, and a dedicated husband and father/step-dad to his kids. We are fortunate to have his leadership, encouragement & support. We're honored to know you.

Ken Meadows : A newer relationship but already one that's becoming more & more valued, Ken is a one-of-a-kind connector with people all over the world who appreciate & trust him. A man full of energy, faith & focus, he is one of those individuals who is truly a light to those around him. A nonprofit owner and networker extraordinaire, he's a powerful example of engaging w/ others.

Giuseppe Pasta : Presidente Pasta, as I knew him, was my mission president in Italy when I served as a full-time service missionary for my church in Central Italy, from 1989-90. The most perfectly in-tune and compassionate person I've ever known, he and his wife Madrilena are my "second parents" & I love them both with all my heart. They helped me know who I am & who I needed to be.

Rich Marsee : Another hero of mine is (Bishop) Rich Marsee, of Lake Oswego, Oregon. He was our "pastor" in my congregation when I was going through a divorce. He was my trusted confidant, spiritual advisor, mentor, and friend. I will forever be grateful to have had him during this time in my life. We stay in touch off and on & I am grateful that we do. He is amazing, humble, and kind.

Craig Halker : Another mentor I've learned much from, Craig is a consumate entrepreneur, business leader, strategist, and church/community leader. He does more in a single day than anyone else I know (with multiple companies, employees projects, and more). He's even attending a special invitation-only Harvard M.B.A. course right now. He's an inspiration to me and so many of us.

Rex Pugmire : Another colleague I look up to a lot is my friend and former co-worker, Mr. Rex Pugmire ... one of the most inspiring people I've ever known in my life. He and I have went through a lot--we both were burned badly by an employer of ours and it hurt us and our families in a number of ways--but Rex never got bitter & always stayed faithful. He's an inspiration in so many ways.

Mark Barrick : One of my oldest and dearest friends, and the co-founder of our cost-reduction partner, NuQuo Group, Mark is one of those men I respect and admire most in my life. A stellar business leader, a brilliant sales professional and presenter/speaker/closer, I've learned a significant amount from him in so many ways throughout my life. I'm grateful to have had such an epic friend.

George S. Tate : Though he may not know it, my Uncle George, is also one of the people I admire most in this life. A professor and former Dean of Honors at Brigham Young University, he has always been an example of me of a man who didn't settle for anything less than his best. He inspired in me my love of languages (he speaks several), literature & learning. I'm grateful I know him.

Trevant Musgrow : Speaking of good eggs, my nephew Trevant, is someone else I admire who may not be aware of just how much. My sister's eldest, he's an amazing dad and husband, a phenomenal basketball player, and the kind of guy you just can't help appreciate. A very hard worker, he takes care of his family and continues to make more of himself. I respect and admire him a lot.

Joseph McGinnis : One of the sharpest, most talented, sales people & business professionals I've ever known, Joseph has taught me a lot ... including how to tackle projects and put 100% into them, how to think outside the box, how to lead with charisma and treat those with whom he serves with the utmost of respect. He's a stellar example who has left an indelible impression on me.

Dalton Edwards : My longtime mentor, friend & cohort, Dalton is an amazing inventor I've worked with and helped for the past 17+ years. A character of the highest degree, he's a former music producer, a certified diesel and gas mechanic, a long-haul trucker, and a devoted father. One of the most faithful "servant leaders" I've ever known, I've learned a significant amount from him.

Jeff Lindikoff : One of my closest friends, a former employee & co-worker, Jeff is one of the top realtors in the Pacific Northwest, and one of the most solid professionals I've ever known. A true hero to his parents and so many others, he's shown me repeatedly what it takes to serve one's family, co-workers, and more in a way that every one of us should seek to pattern our own lives after.

Christian Carter : I met my eldest son Christian when he was just three years old, along with his sisters, Madeline and Brighten, when I married their mom, Emily, a young widow with 3 kids. Christian was really sad to have lost his dad, Kevin. My heart went out to him. But he was also full of intellect, curiosity, and love. Today he holds double degrees from U of OR & works for Intel. He's epic.

Evan Laing : My youngest son, Evan, is the baby of the fam but he's also an old soul, to me, mature beyond his 16 years. An incredible, sponsored, mountain biker, he's good at most everything he tries. He's still trying to figure out what he wants to do with his life ... but I know he will. He's going to go far. With all the talent and skill to do so in the world, I couldn't be any more proud of him.

I'm truly grateful for these men in my lives, especially my dad, my brother, and my three incredible sons. It's an honor and a privilege to know them, to serve them, to learn from them, and to have them in my life.

They have made me who I am and helped create more certainty in my life in many ways. I will always be grateful and will do all in my power to continue to follow their lead.

Warmest regards - Patrick Laing, Certainty Mgt. Founder & Managing Partner

George Franklin Tate : My maternal grandfather, Grandpa George is the man from whom I learned how to "suck the marrow out of life." He was the world traveler, genealogist, photographer, organizer, strategizer, entrepreneur, and problem solver that taught me not only how to survive but truly how to thrive in all I do in life. We drove all the way to Mexico City and back. It was epic.

Dan Thomas : My father-in-law, Dan, has been one of the most encouraging people in my life since I married his daughter, Tessha (I first met him 20 years ago then again when she & I reconnected and got married ten years later). He has always been supportive of us and of me ... gracious, generous, and more. I really appreciate his example and ongoing friendship/support. It means a lot.

David Perry : Speaking of heroes, my brother-in-law, David, is another one of my idols. He's the kind of husband and father anyone would be truly blessed to have. A brilliant finance/accounting professional, an influencer, activist, and community leader, he is an inspiration to me in so many ways. One of the top blessings in my family's life is knowing he & my sister, Chi, found each other.

David Aldridge : Another mentor of mine who I will be indebted to as long as I live, David too was a friend from church who grew into more, as our very first rep/affiliate as part of our Certainty Management team. He's believed in what we're building from the very start. He's also the most generous, giving, kind & genuine person I know. He serves without thinking and we all benefit thereby.

David Clingo : Another partner in Certainty Management, David is the owner of Fiscal Medics, Inc. and represents the revolutionary Life Solutionz program. An investor in Certainty and active part of our team, we're fortunate to have his mentorship, his energy, and his insights. They are truly valued. Our own resident "idea factory," we continue to learn from his active efforts and ideas.

Mark Laing : My dad's younger brother, Mark is my uncle, and another one of my long-time heroes ... a great example of a father, uncle, brother, and friend, who has overcome significant trials and continues to press on ... never giving up, never turning bitter, seeking to serve, connect with, encourage, and uplift, even those who have turned their back on him. It's important and impressive.

Marlin Dubetz : My long-time friend and mentor, Marlin, is a retired U.S. Army Colonel, a helicopter pilot with a "Good Ole Boy" (North Carolina) southern drawl and demeanor who would give you the shirt off his back without even a 2nd thought. He's been highly successful in both his military and professional careers, but is one of the most humble people I know. I really appreciate that.

Dennis Burback : My former manager, project director, and long-time mentor and friend, Dennis is one of the people I trust most in this world. He's the kind of man you automatically trust, regardless of the project or situation at hand. I will forever be grateful for the lessons I've learned from this epic & inspiring leader I respect so much. I hope to be a fraction of what Dennis is ... someday.

Shayne Miles : One of the best friends I've ever had, Shayne is the type of guy you can pour out your heart to and know he will never judge you. In fact, he'll usually give you advice that teaches you, inspires you, and makes you feel like you can do anything you set your mind to. He's been through a lot with a wife with cancer, work challenges, and more. He's tenacious & has never given up.

Svatoslav Ondryas : Another co-worker and friend of Rex's and mine, Svatoslav "Steve O" Ondryas, is our friend and colleague from the Czech Republic who reminds us often of how to persist and never gave up. He moved to the states with limited English and zero prospects. He went on to have a beautiful family with two great kids & build some extraordinary successes that cont. to today.

Frank Gallanosa : Our close friend and neighbor from our twelve plus years in Portland, Frank is one of those people you can't help but love from the very moment you meet him. A trusted neighbor, church friend, example & friend, I will always be grateful he came into our life. He and his wife, Sharon, both are two of our most favorite people in our life. We're grateful to & for them both.

Luke Thomas : Tessha (my wife) has several brothers (she's the eldest of ten), but her eldest brother Luke is one of my heroes as well. He's a pilot for South-west Airlines, something he worked long and hard for. He didn't give up, even when the going got hard. He's a good brother, a great dad, and a caring and generous friend to us all. It's my pleasure to know him. He's a pretty good egg.

Haini Suguturaga : My brother-in-law Haini is an incredible example to me of a hardworking father and quiet giant I respect and admire a great deal. We do not get to see him as often as we'd like, but when we do, he always makes an impression on me. Haini isn't much of a conversationalist, as much as I try. He doesn't talk your ear off, but I actually appreciate that. He's funny ... and real.

Mejai Perry : Trevant's younger brother, Mejai, also inspires me every day. A dancer & singer, he came out of the womb talented, in my personal opinion. I've known him since he was a baby and I continue to be impressed. He's so full of life, energy, passion, and talent, it's almost impossible to measure it all. I wish I had even a fraction of his talent. Keep going, Superstar. Break a leg.

Eric Garber : My good friend and former church colleague, from when I lived in King City (SW Portland), Oregon for several years, Eric is one of those people you know who's struggled with health challenges and more, but continues to keep a smile on his face and such faith in his life, he's an inspiration to us all. He reminds me how important it is to stay in touch, and always stay humble.

Anderson Laing : My 2nd son, Anderson is that guy that everyone wants to be around. He gregarious, confident, talented and real. What you see is what you get with him and it is absolutely amazing. He's good to everyone, great with kids, a hard worker, and student. He's one of those athletes who is good at all he tries. (He just got a diving scholarship to CSU Bakersfield). He is incredible.

Jesus Christ : My greatest hero, ultimately, is my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the perfect example. He lived His life and, in the end, gave His life ... in order to help each of us become who we're truly meant to be. His life and his sacrifice remind us of what is possible. He makes up all the ways in which we fall short. I'm grateful for the knowledge I have that He is real and loves us all.

The Rachel Covey Foundation

Sat, 28 May 2022 09:13:00 GMT

Another organization we are working to try to raise funds for and are big fans of is "Bridal Up Hope - The Rachel Covey Foundation," started by Sean Covey, son of well known "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" author, Stephen R. Covey, and his wife, Rebecca. The nonprofit was started in memory of their daughter, Rachel, who unfortunately lost her life on Sept. 6th, 2012. The foundation helps young women dealing with mental health challenges like anxiety, depression, and more to improve. They provide equestrian therapy that incorporates the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, teaching girls how to incorporate the seven (7) principles into the girls' work with the horses and also in their personal lives. The following paragraphs from their website are a good summary of their work:

Ride

Learn the foundations of horsemanship through 14 private lessons with a mentoring instructor. Research shows that riding and connecting with horses leads to significant physical, emotional, and psychological benefits for participants.¹

Learn

Develop critical life skills through The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People— principles which are integrated in horse riding, art, and yoga lessons at the barn. Research shows that The 7 Habits are powerful tools to teach problem solving, positive peer interactions, self-leadership, and whole-person wellness.²

Serve

Build work ethic, friendships, and perspective through service at the barn. Research shows that building social connections in a safe place is one of the strongest protections against self-harm.³

Shriners Hospitals Heroes

Fri, 27 May 2022 08:49:00 GMT

Through our fundraising work, we meet a lot of great nonprofits ... organizations that are truly making a difference in the lives of so many. One of our favorites is Shriners Hospital and the work they're doing to help children in need of burn care, prosthetic work, ambulatory therapy, and much, much more. We're honored to call them our friends and to see the extraordinary work they do. We hope you'll do what you can to support them. They need all the help that they can get.

The Message of Certainty

Thu, 26 May 2022 05:04:00 GMT

Patrick Laing, Certainty Management Managing Partner, was interviewed on BizznessBuzz.com, one of the Voice America radio business shows, today, May 25th 2022, about the work Certainty is doing to help businesses lower their costs and nonprofits increase their funding. They talked about how small business, especially, is in desperate need of help, how the traditional fundraising model is largely broken, and Certainty has a solution (and not just a fix but a model that many others could pattern their own efforts after). It's about reciprocity between for-profit and nonprofit entities, about working together in a mutually-beneficial way. It was an enjoyable and a worthwhile conversation.

Click here to listen to the conversation if you'd like.

O.U.R. Fundraising Gala

Thu, 26 May 2022 04:52:00 GMT

At Certainty, we get invited to a number of nonprofit fundraising galas each year. They're an important part of the fundraising process and we feel honored to attend and participate in such events. While our zero-cost fundraising approach can add significant value to our nonprofit partners' ongoing efforts, and we do believe it's an easier, even more sustainable, approach to fundraising ... we're just one piece of the total pie, a compliment to so many selfless, life changing, and even life-saving efforts. These pics from the Operation Underground Railroad gala held at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Laguna Niguel, California on May 6th, 2022, are a good example of these types of events. Every little bit helps and this was one of the most impressive events we've seen. We appreciated being invited.

Operation Toussaint

Thu, 26 May 2022 04:38:00 GMT

You've heard us talk about Operation Underground Railroad quite a bit if you've been around Certainty Management for any length of time at all. While we support and encourage any nonprofit that is seeking (and proven) to do good, we have a special affinity with Operation Underground Railroad since we've been fans of theirs for years and they were the first nonprofit who helped us realize what we could accomplish as a zero-cost nonprofit funding partner. This, and our deep love of and concern for kids. We're all parents and we couldn't imagine if it was our own children who were living through the hell of slavery/sex trafficking.

O.U.R. is making an extraordinary difference in this area just as we're working to make a difference in our own little corner of the world. Tim Ballard left his post as a special agent for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to form Operation Underground Railroad and go undercover to rescue child sex trafficking victims that he couldn't save when bound by government restrictions. This documentary introduces you to their world and work, as Tim and his special forces team go undercover in Haiti to bring a ring of sex traffickers who bribed their way out of jail to justice.

Click here to watch the Trailer (also listed on our About page).

Click here to watch the full Operation Toussaint trailer

The Why Behind E3

Sat, 09 Apr 2022 03:44:00 GMT

As an authorized affiliate of Emergent 3, we have the extraordinary opportunity to help protect our clients from any crisis or threat. The reason the E3 Smart Map Security App is needed should go without saying. There are threats all around. The problems the world faces today from natural disasters, pandemics, terrorism, bomb threats, active shooters and other crises and emergencies require innovative strategies and advanced technology solutions in order to respond to and mitigate these impacts within our public, private, and educational institutions.

As denoted by our name, Emergent 3’s mission is developing innovative technology solutions to help organizations respond to emergencies safeguarding institutions' and companies' most valuable resources; you, family, students, employees, and the general public.

In addition to transforming safety management solutions, our goal is to cast light on emerging threats by leading and inviting thought leadership within the public and private sectors to enhance awareness and collaboration aimed at keeping our communities safer.

New Paragraph

Fixing the Fine Print

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 00:43:00 GMT

certaintyteam.com,

Help Save Kids in Slavery

Sun, 18 Apr 2021 20:45:00 GMT

If you visit the "About" tab of our site, you can learn about some of the community nonprofits we give back to and try to support. One organization, in particular, tops the list in our minds of those we feel most passionate about, an extraordinary organization headquartered in Utah, Operation Underground Railroad. If you haven't met before, they really are worth checking out.
While it's a difficult subject to discuss, it's a serious problem we shouldn't ignore. Founded in 2013, O.U.R. exists to rescue children from sex trafficking and sexual exploitation. Since December 2013, they've gathered the world's foremost experts in extraction operations and in anti-child trafficking efforts to bring an end to child slavery. O.U.R.'s Ops Team consists of former CIA, past and current law enforcement, and highly skilled operatives that lead coordinated identification and extraction efforts. These operations are always done in conjunction with law enforcement throughout the world.
Once victims are rescued, a comprehensive process involving justice for the perpetrators and recovery and rehabilitation for the survivors begins.
It is time for private citizens and organizations to rise up and help. It is our duty as a free and blessed people.

Domestic Services
O.U.R. salutes our nation's law enforcement officers and prosecutors at the federal, state and local levels who protect our country's children. Law enforcement professionals skillfully investigate, arrest and prosecute those who violate children. Our nation's police efforts to protect children in the U.S. are light years ahead of many, if not all other countries. O.U.R. acknowledges the expertise and extraordinary work done by these dedicated men and women who bravely battle the scourge of child sexual exploitation. O.U.R. shares the mission to save children and seek justice for those who victimize them, therefore O.U.R. is committed to enhancing law enforcement efforts by providing resources where budget shortfalls prohibit a CSAM (child sexual abuse material), child exploitation or human trafficking operation from going forward. O.U.R. will also provide or facilitate child exploitation investigative training in U.S. jurisdictions where a need exists. Collaborating with law enforcement will reduce duplication, promote best practices and avoid other potential issues which might arise without close coordination. O.U.R. is privileged and honored to support our nation's heroes in this important cause to deter, disrupt and dismantle child exploitation and the trafficking of children in our nation's communities.
O.U.R. has made a significant impact in the fight to end sex trafficking and sexual exploitation by rescuing and supporting thousands of survivors in 28 countries and 26 U.S. states
Rescue operations are happening right now. Click here to learn how you too can get involved and help save kids.

You too can make a difference. Click here to join the Operation Underground Railroad "Save a Child Challenge" today.

No-Downside Cost Savings

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 20:40:00 GMT

Certainty Management, in partnership with NuQuo Group, is a cost reduction team in Vista (San Diego), California. Our unique "no downside" cost reduction service is one of the few options in existence today helping organizations to reduce their costs without having to sacrifice payroll, programs or benefits, or even people.

As an authorized affiliate of NuQuo Group, the revolutionary cost reduction team and program that's grown over 100% per year since 2012 and is saving our customers millions of dollars each year all across the country and around the world, we can help you share in these extraordinary savings.

Reach out to us today and let us answer your questions, whether you're a corporation, a nonprofit, a school or university, a religious organization, a city/county/state government, and more. We can help any size or type of organization anywhere in the world to save a significant amount on their print/copy/scanner contract costs, their toner and equipment costs and more. And, you don't have to change vendors (unless you want to) or pay a penny upfront or out-of-pocket. We get paid out of the savings so we're incentivized to help you save as much as we can.

Our customers are thrilled with having an industry insider sitting on "their side of the desk," representing their best interests and working as an extension of their team. We're saving our customers significant time and money. We have a 100% cost-save track record and average an incredible 40% NET cost-savings across all of our engagements.

Meet Certainty's Founder

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 20:29:00 GMT

As you likely know, we are a veteran owned cost-reduction consultant, small business benefits provider, and nonprofit funding coach. Patrick Laing, our founder and managing partner, joined the U.S. Army and served for many years in counterintelligence and counterterrorism, and also as a linguist (he's fluent in Italian). He enjoyed his time in the military, serving with some of the finest people he's ever known. It was here that he first learned how much he enjoyed serving and helping protect others. He learned the value of teamwork and systems for efficiency. Certainty was born of this desire to give service and give back ... to truly make a difference in the lives of those he meets and work for and on behalf of the incredible members of our extended Certainty family. Born in Salt Lake City, Patrick has lived in a number of different places around the world and country, including New Zealand, Italy, Alaska, San Diego and Las Vegas Nevada. His time in the Army took him to the East Coast, Texas, Wisconsin, Italy, and Washington State. He interpreted for the world ski championships held at Stowe Ski Resort in Burlington, Vermont in 1993. He graduated from Brigham Young University-Provo with a degree in English-Technical Writing in 2000. Click here to read his full bio on the About Page of this website. Today, in addition to serving as our general managing partner, Patrick is happily married to Tessha Ann Thomas, a father to five great kids (four scholarship recipients so far ... and one sponsored mountain biker), and an active member in his community and church. (See the About tab for a glimpse at some of our favorite projects and organizations that we support in our communities as well).
The work that we're doing for nonprofits is Patrick's favorite part of Certainty. He firmly believes that we can change the lives of thousands of small businesses and millions of people through what he calls The Certainty Formula. We're on our way to doing exactly that.

This is Patrick Laing, founder and managing partner of Certainty Management, together with Tessha Ann Thomas Laing, co-founder of the company ... and his much better half (his words, not hers). This is actually a picture from the day they were married, so it's 10 years old. (A lot less gray hairs back then). Anyway....

If you've read the About page on this website, you know that the nonprofit Patrick feels most strongly about (as much as he loves all of our nonprofit partners) is the epic anti-child slavery and sex trafficking organization, Operation Underground Railroad. This is a picture from their Gala Fundraiser held on May 6th, 2022.

This is Patrick together with Head of Aftercare at Operation Underground Railroad, Jessica Mass. This extraordinary lady oversees the organization's 250+ (and counting) aftercare facilities all over the world, helping the children O.U.R. rescues to heal, recover, reconnect with family if possible, or consider adoption.

Certainty Management is a family company and, if you can't tell the resemblance, this is Patrick and his mother, the amazing Susan Tate Laing, former CEO of Chroma International, Honors English professor (BYU-Provo, ret.) and, now, expert cost-reduction consultant with Certainty. She made him what he is, literally.

This is Patrick together with Edmund Coutan, one of the Executive Partners with Certainty's solar partner, Apricot Solar, and Edmund's good friend and mentor, Mr. Jordan Adler, author of the New York Times best-selling book, Beach Money, at Apricot Solar's semi-annual "Apricon" convention in Las Vegas, May 2022.

Even workaholics like Patrick take a break once in a while. This is him in Kona, Hawaii looking out from the balcony of the Wyndham Resort condo he and his wife, Tessha stayed in. (Funny story: many years ago Patrick was a sales rep for Trendwest Resorts/Wyndham. He sold his wife her timeshare. That is how they met).

This is Patrick together with Jill McAuley, Certainty Management's extraordinary Director of Admin. & Marketing. They had just finished watching the America's Got Talent LIVE show in Las Vegas together with their team, the last night of the company retreat and kick-off to the year, held in Las Vegas in January 2022.

Patrick used to live in San Diego; he and his family now live in Henderson, Nevada. He tries to get back there often, especially to visit his friend and mentor (and early-investor in Certainty Management), former Marine, Mr. Karl Cogswell. This is the two of them at the Mormon Battalion Visitor's Center in San Diego.

If he's not in the office or helping one of his associates or clients, usually over Zoom since our team and clientele span the U.S. and Canada and beyond, you may well find Patrick up in the mountains fly fishing a mountain stream. Hailing from Utah (this is Logan Canyon, just upstream from USU), it's his "happy place."

The next generation of Certainty may include one or more of Patrick's kids. Besides his marriage and his team/clients (and fly fishing), Patrick's top passion is his children ... Madeline (24), Christian (23), Brighten (21), Anderson (18), and Evan (16). They're growing up fast and accomplishing some great things (3 college grads so far--from Wellesley College in Boston and University of Oregon x 2), one headed to Cal State Bakersfield this fall, and one still at home with in high school. He's very proud of them and is cheering them on, even from afar.

Patrick and Tessha celebrated their tenth anniversary on the Big Island in Hawaii this year. He got up each day at about 5 am (8 am Pacific time) and worked 8+ hours each day on the business, before quitting about 1 or 2 to spend the rest of the day with his sweetheart, out experiencing this beautiful part of our country.

Whether at work or at play, Patrick is known for trying to make the most of every moment, every day. He seeks to raise those around him and "suck the marrow out of life, " as they say. When Patrick started Certainty he had one main goal in mind: he wanted to help create greater certainty in the lives of his clients by helping protect them, creating greater profitability for them, and utilizing those savings to do good. That vision is coming to pass. We welcome you to the adventure. Come, join us in this, the Certainty Experience. We're confident you'll be grateful you did.

Upgrade Your Copier Contract

Fri, 01 May 2020 20:21:00 GMT

Office equipment contracts are complex, time consuming, and always leave customers questioning whether or not they got a good deal on their copier contract. Regardless, it is an important business decision because it can save you so much money. In fact, one that most companies only make every several years. It seems that in order to get a good deal, you have to have industry insider knowledge. That’s why we want to offer you some copier tips.

Deceiving Tips

Industry experts may offer you some intriguing insight. In fact, there are many publications written to guide you through this process. The problem is, these copier tips are provided by copier dealers and manufacturers. This is a strategy they use to promote their own businesses. As a consequence, many of them are misleading. For this reason NuQuo put together the “Top 5 mistakes that companies make when buying a Copier/MFP’s.”

So, how is NuQuo different you might ask? NuQuo is an independent consulting firm composed of highly experienced insiders from the business equipment industry. We work on behalf of the customer, providing copier tips and insight. This allows NuQuo to be completely transparent with information that will save you time & money, while avoiding costly contractual mishaps.

1. Buying The Wrong Product – Over/Under Buying

So many companies fall into this trap. About 72% of the purchases NuQuo reviews are buying the wrong devices or products that aren’t the best fit for their business. That doesn’t mean they can’t work, it just means you aren’t getting the best ROI as a company.

First Client Story

In March 2015 I spoke with a company that was getting a great deal on their copier equipment. They were buying off of a Group Purchasing Contract and paying far less than they would with their own purchasing power. I asked them a simple question. How do you know you need a 45ppm Color Copier/MFP? The answer, “It was a good price, what would NuQuo purchase”. We quickly did a study and found that a 30ppm copier would work just fine for 80% of this companies 150 units, with a cost difference of $1,500 per unit.

Now we understand that not every company has 150 copiers, but the point is even $1,500 for one Copier/MFP can make a big difference to your company

Second Client Story

With another client we recently spoke with, they were looking to purchase copier equipment and had five quotes for machines that were A3 design meaning they could copy/print (Letter, Legal, Ledger) sized paper. We asked the company how much 11 X 17 paper (Ledger) they ran each month. To our surprise, the answer was “None”! We quickly pointed out that every manufacturer makes a Copier/MFP in an A4 design (Letter/Legal) size paper only, and the cost difference was almost 30% less.

Regardless of what type of Copier/MFP you are purchasing, make sure you are purchasing the right one. For NuQuo clients we commonly use our copier tips to help them create an equipment strategy, which we find many companies don’t have a handle on. Other considerations we take into account are:

Life Expectancy

Every machine has a life expectancy. Whether purchasing or leasing, a general rule of thumb is to make sure you are using at least 80% of this life expectancy or you are likely buying the wrong product.

Machine Design

A3 versus A4 design. What paper types are you using?

Don’t Overbuy

Companies spend thousands of dollars every year on accessories they don’t need.

Ratings

Many manufacturers have numerous awards behind their name. How can that be? It is because every manufacturer has unique offerings in different segments of machines. Some companies may have better B&W while others have better Color, etc. There are also rating systems out there that rate vendors as Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 products. These typically take into consideration the entire manufacturer’s line of equipment.

Black & White vs. Color

Almost every B&W copier will also scan in color, but do you need a color Copier/MFP? How much do you outsource color and will your needs change over the life of the contract? If you are unsure and buy a B&W copier make sure it at least scans in color. Then if forced to you can buy a color printer (much less expensive) and utilize the two machines in tandem to scan/print color.

A few other considerations are Size, Space, Power requirements

2. Financing Copier Tips

Depending on whether your company leases or purchases our copier tips can taken with a grain of salt. To be as accurate as possible, we will discuss several facets of this topic and break them down for you.

Leases

We often see two types of leasing in the copier industry. Fair Market Value (FMV) and $1 out leases. There are other types like block leases, etc…but these are the most common leases.

General rule of thumb

FMV leases are operating leases and $1 buyout leases are capital leases, although I will point out that this is not always the case and you should contact your accountant about FASB13 rules. Companies generally lease equipment for 36 months, 48 months, and 60 month terms in the copier industry.

Short vs. Long Terms

Why do some companies go with shorter terms rather than longer ones? This is typically because a company is interested in turning their technology around faster. In these situations companies normally do a 36 month operating lease. Companies that want the best bang for their buck generally go with a 60 month contract.

Interest Rates

Leasing companies in the copier industry don’t use interest rates. They use a system called factor rates and these are often confusing. A 36 month FMV term generally has a factor rate of .02, 48 FMV is typically .024 and 36 FMV is typically .0295. To determine your payment you simply take the cost of goods and multiply it by the rate factor for the term you are leasing. This will give you the monthly cost of the lease.

Example: Company A is leasing a copier for $10,000.00. If they did a 36 month FMV term the payment would be $295.00, a 48 FMV term would be $240.00, and a 60 FMV term would run $200.00 or approximately 19% less than a 36 month term.

Client Experience

A few months back I talked with a company that always leased their equipment for 36 FMV month terms. They always leased using FMV, because they didn’t want to own the equipment. At the end of the contract, they simply sent in a cancellation letter and a vendor would upgrade their contract and send the equipment back to the leasing company on their behalf. This had been the way they were doing business for over 10 years. The 36 month lease payment was $2,600.00. So I said to them, do you realize that if you did a 60 month term that in 15 years you would save over $150,000.00?

Client Solution

That’s when they told me they couldn’t do a 60 month term, because several devices needed to be rotated with the newest technology. After digging deeper we identified two devices that met this requirement. NuQuo helped them work out an equipment strategy that leased all but two of the devices on a 60 month contract while the other two devices were put on a 36 month contract. This still resulted in a savings of over $7,000.00/year over the next 15 years.

However you may be interested to know that NuQuo has developed a program where companies can turn their equipment every three years, while maintaining the cost of a 60 month contract.

Copier Statistics

According to our research 9 out of every 10 leases we see tend to be FMV leases, meaning a company doesn’t own them at the end of the term. The company can buy the technology for what the leasing company suggests is FMV. In most of these cases clients never keep the equipment all the way until the end of the contract. They are generally upgraded 3 months to 12 months prior to lease end.

Cash Purchases

Cash purchases tend to give companies the most flexibility with their technology, but for obvious reasons (cash flow) this isn’t the route that most companies go.

Our Copier Tips

Did you know that in most cases the copier dealer is getting a kick back from the leasing company?

Companies are far better off separating their lease from their service contract. Did you know that if you do an early upgrade a lease that has services combined that you are pre-paying for all of the service you haven’t even run yet?

Separating your Lease from the Maintenance creates transparency in costs, and gives the customer options. For instance what if you decide a year down the road that you don’t like the servicing company. You can’t change service providers, because you are locked into the term of the lease.

In an FMV lease when a company upgrades the lease, the vendor replacing the equipment rolls a ship back fee of $250-$450/per device into the new contract?

Did you know that in over 80% of the leases NuQuo reviews, customers are paying for late fees, property damage surcharges, or a higher interest rate than they should be?

Did you know that rolling your lease over always adds principal to your new lease? Dealers will disguise this with marketing promo’s or trade-up dollars, but the fact is if you go to term, you will always get a better price on the new contract.

3. Copier Tips For Price Negotiation

Price negotiation is one of the largest subjective topics we discuss. Nobody ever thinks they are getting a bad deal, but the truth of the matter is most of them are. One of our most important copier tips is to never be complacent with your current pricing. There are two areas that customers need to focus on for price negotiation. They are the cash or lease price for the equipment, and the price for the maintenance contract.

Cost Saving Methods

Below are the methods that vendors typically use to save companies money on their new purchase or lease:

Marketing Promo’s or Manufacturer Rebates. Did you know that these rarely happen? Most of the promos that representatives pass on are made up of giving incentives on an inflated price to try and show a customer value.

Downsize Equipment

Removal of Accessories

Extend the term: how many of you have seen a 63 month contract?

Removal of Equipment / Consolidation

Reduced Service Cost

Lower Equipment Price-Usually the last resort!

Cost Negotiation

How do you know when you negotiated a good price? I have heard people say when the vendor stops lowering the price, they think they have the best pricing. The truth of the matter is this isn’t always a guarantee that you have the best price. The best thing you can do to ensure the best price is to:

First of all, put out an RFP. Representatives have a cost of goods that is the best they can do. That being said, there are many levels to the best cost of goods. By running an RFP you ensure you are getting the best discount or lowest Management cost

Ask for “Most Favored Customer” guarantee. This will force a vendor to give you the best price for equipment / services.

Buy off a pre-negotiated Contract / GPO. Your buying power is only as good as the size of your purchase, but if you buy off of a contract or GPO you can utilize the buying power of a group which will typically save you a lot of money.

4. No Equipment Strategy / ROI Calculator

It is now more important than ever for companies to understand and implement a Business Equipment Strategy. This is because technology is changing so quickly and frequently. If you ask most companies what their business equipment strategy is they will just look at you like a deer in headlights. If you ask a vendor they have been trained to talk around the points of Standardization, Optimization, and Consolidation. Although many of them can’t tell you when each of these strategies should be utilized to maximize value.

Five Key Areas

Many companies also fail to realize that the process for acquiring technology today is really based in five key areas: Analysis, Understanding the Equipment, Price Negotiation, Financing, and Terms & Conditions.

To build the best strategy, it’s critical to measure costs and efficiencies and receive Executive sponsorship for future changes.

Building A Strategy

The first step in building your equipment strategy is doing a thorough assessment of your current equipment, contracts, wants, and needs. It is important that as you put this assessment together that you consider the meters of your equipment and the Life Expectancy of each device to maximize performance and value.

Beware of Free Assessments

First and foremost: The goal of the vendor is to build a relationship and their analysis may not be neutral in scope as the vendor has an agenda, mainly their product.

The analysis may not be done correctly if the vendor is inexperienced. How do you know if the information gathered has been analyzed correctly?

The vendor may use a timeframe that benefits their goals. Vendors could subject the analysis to a time period that has higher volume to authenticate their solution.

The trick here is to have someone on your side that understands the equipment industry. They can help you architect a solution that best fits your company needs. Crafting a solution takes an expert, not guesswork. Every move should have a precise purpose and you should take into consideration the volumes for each device, the life expectancy of each device, and the cost of each device to maximize overall value and build the optimal solution.

5. Terms & Conditions

Of all our copier tips, this is the most important! No one looks at Terms & Conditions. In fact 95% of the contracts that NuQuo views have fewer than two changes to the terms & conditions. Yet all of these contracts are written to benefit the vendor or lessor. These types of terms are costing companies millions of dollars every year. In short, holding the vendor honest is what we do.

Client Experience

For instance, just last week we looked at a contract where a client signed a lease that gave the client a three day grace period before a lease payment was considered late. The company policy was set at Net 30 and every month they were incurring a late charge of $325. That may not seem like a lot, but it is costing this one customer over $19,000 over the life of the loan.

Keep in mind there are some Terms & Conditions that can be modified, but not entirely removed on a lease document. However on a service contract, most things can be negotiated out to neutral or removed if it is done before an equipment contract is signed.

Maintenance Contract Copier Tips

Yearly Contract Increases

A base or allowance guarantee. Most vendors will accept a “0” allowance and if they won’t then you can generally force them to do a True-up with credits for unused pages

Net terms for invoice and grace period

Non-Performance

Cancellation notices

Acceptable service levels

Penalties for unacceptable service

Lemon clauses

We appreciate the opportunity to share our knowledge and information with all of our clients. We know that these copier tips will help to ensure you avoid the costly mishaps of negotiating a bad contract. For more information please contact us at support@certaintyteam.com , or call us at (888) 684-3122 .

From San Diego to Las Vegas

Thu, 02 Apr 2020 20:15:00 GMT

Our company was started in Vista, California. Why Vista? It's simple: when we moved to Southern California we wanted to be halfway between L.A. and San Diego. We were new to the area and didn't know Laguna Niguel from La Jolla or anything in-between. Vista was just, geographically, "right in the middle."

That's about it. Costs in Vista were a little lower and, when we initially moved here, we weren't sure we'd even like it or would want to stay in the area long-term. As it turns out we really liked it after all. Vista/San Marcos is a really great area, 10 minutes from the beach and only about 30 minutes from downtown.

We eventually decided to move the company to Las Vegas (Henderson), Nevada. Lots to do there. No state sales tax. A great international airport. Vegas has a lot of appeal as a hub for our growing firm. But, Vista/San Diego will always be "where it all began." Come visit us 2831 St. Rose Pkwy # 200, Henderson, Nevada 89052. We'll keep the Welcome Mat out for you.

Print/Copy Contract Insights

Sun, 01 Mar 2020 20:05:00 GMT

The Truth About Copier Contracts

For over sixty years combined we have been involved in the copy/print industry. In addition, we have spent the last eight years auditing contracts for companies of all sizes. Ranging from government and education, to public and private companies. We specialize in all vertical markets who push paper. We have educated over 98% of these organizations to negotiate better copier contracts. However, we have found when it comes to cost save, it doesn’t matter if you’re a small company or a large enterprise. In short, you’re likely not getting the best contract you should. Because of this, we will cover some tips that could give you an edge. But first, let us give you some background.

An Unregulated Industry

For years our owners spent time as advocates for dealers and manufacturers. They have held positions as sales representatives, account managers, and even dealers. They can tell you first-hand that the industry as a whole has been running out of balance for years. For a long time we have joked with clients that the copy/print industry is one step above or below the worst form of sales you can find. For instance, why does every company offer a 4-hour response time? Why does every manufacturer have the best product? Why does every manufacturer have a 5 star rating?

Now don’t get us wrong, we have also found lots of professionals in the industry that are honest and truly have the client’s best interest at heart. despite the many honest, there are a lot more wolves in sheep’s clothing in the industry than we would like. Therefore, we have often said that to negotiate good copier contracts you need to be an industry insider. After all, they don’t make a blue book for the copy/print industry.

Knowledge Is Power When It Comes To Copier Contracts

Below are a few pointers that should broaden your vision. In addition, we will continue to publish blog articles that take a deeper. Undoubtedly, we believe that this will help many people make better decisions on copier contracts.

Time

There are sitters and doers. The doers are the ones who seek after knowledge. When it comes to negotiating a copier contract“outsourcing” has become more and more popular over the years. Hiring a copier consultant can unlock a lot of resources and save you a substantial amount of time with learning and negotiating.

Money

If you decide to go it alone without the help of outsourcing some sort of managed print service, then you need to know the downsides. You will need to select a committee or project manager and get assistance from information services or information technology, finance, and legal. Don’t sell yourself short on these groups or you could end up with costly copier contracts. You will have to pay all of these groups for their time and it won’t be cheap.

Knowledge

Have you ever heard that you can’t manage what you can’t measure? The first notable step is to analyze your current copier contracts. Consider current costs, benefits, relationships, and pain points. Many vendors will offer to do a free analysis for you and that great. Just keep in mind that many of them are doing so to promote their product. They will push their own agenda, build relationships with decisions makers, and may not gather all the needed data.

Utilization

When we talk to most companies invariably they say to us, “an equipment what?” At which time we reaffirm “an equipment strategy.” This is one of the most overlooked items we see. Most people don’t go on a two week road trip without preparation. Before you engage on your project determine what your goals are. How much time are you prepared to spend? What is your budget? What is the best term of contract for you and why? How will you finance and depreciate your equipment contract? What equipment do you really need? How many vendors will you engage?

Service Level Agreements

How long has your sales representative been with their company? An average shelf life for a sales rep in the copier industry is 14 months. That isn’t very good, when you’re generally negotiating contracts for three to five years. If it’s a relationship that’s causing you to stay with a dealer, don’t get too attached.

With the speed at which technology is changing today, it’s more important than ever for companies to watch their bottom lines. We suggest that all companies implement sound copier contracts that solve equipment problems rather than creating more. We can most assuredly help.

Certainty in Service

Sat, 01 Feb 2020 20:02:00 GMT

We're big on service here at Certainty Management. Some of our favorite local organizations include JustServe.org, the Boy Scouts, YMCA, The San Diego Brain Injury Foundation, Escondido Shines, and the local Interfaith Community Services (and the extraordinary work they do for so many homeless and others in need here in our local area). We're honored to be associated with these organizations and others and to contribute our time and resources as we can.
Additionally, we deeply appreciate the efforts and contributions of all of our first responders, nurses, doctors, police and fire departments, military, and other emergency support personnel, especially lately as we've been going through the recent Coronavirus pandemic and everything it entails. We're also involved with the anti-sex trafficking and anti-slavery organization that is doing so much good, Operation Underground Railroad . We encourage you to support any and all of these wonderful organizations.
To learn more about the organizations mentioned above, please visit the following sites. They of course appreciate any kind of volunteer work, donations, and more:
JustServe.org: https://www.justserve.org/
Escondido Shines: https://www.facebook.com/escondidoshines/
Interfaith Community Services: https://www.interfaithservices.org/
You can learn more about O.U.R. at https://ourrescue.org .
The main way we try to give back is through our nonprofit fundraising "Certainty Partners" program. You can enjoy unlimited zero-cost funding. Reach out to us to learn more or visit the Fundraising tab of our website.

Reinventing Fundraising

Sun, 01 Dec 2019 16:17:00 GMT

Fundraising is taxing. Everyone does it so everyone's looking for (and fighting over) the next donor or supporter. Even when you're passionate about the organization, it can be hard to stay motivated sometimes, engaged, and excited about what feels like a "never ending treadmill." Even when you give a lot they always need more and many of us end up feeling guilty because we can't or don't give more. We understand. You're not alone in this sentiment. The challenge with fundraising for schools, churches, foundations, and other nonprofits is, really, three-fold:
A. The demand never stops as mentioned above. There is always more need than there are resources to fill it. The more funding you have, the more good you can do, but it really is a never-ending request that so many try valiantly to meet but the needs are so great it can really become discouraging over time.
B. People are burned out. Donors, boosters, alumni, and supporters ... most of us are tired of the requests and invitations to "give a little more, donate again, contribute our time, resources, even our family's estates, to albeit worthy organizations. We want to help but it can develop burn-out, resentment, and more.
C. It takes a long time. It takes time to groom donors. It takes time to build trust. It can takes months or even years to bring in what we need. It really is a never-ending, ongoing. process as mentioned in # 1 above. How do you speed it up so you can meet the demand and do so quickly and more easily. Keep reading.

At Certainty Management, an authorized Affiliate of NuQuo Group, we've developed an extraordinary no-cost fundraising program, a way for nonprofits (schools, churches, foundations, sports teams, and more) to attract and enjoy literally unlimited zero-cost funding. All it takes is a little collaboration and working together. It costs the entities zero upfront or out-of-pocket. Here are the details from the Fundraising tab of our company website:
1. First, we can provide our free print-copy contract analysis to your organization, with zero upfront or out-of-pocket expense. We're not a vendor. We don't sell product or service. We'll help you drive significant savings to your bottom line and it can add up fast. You don't have to switch vendors to save, unless you're unhappy and would like to.
2. Once you see what we do and we have proven our merit in this way (for you or for someone you refer), you may choose to refer us to others ... your donors, alumni, and fans. Do so and, once we've helped these new clients save in the same way (at zero cost to them too), we will donate one-half of any proceeds we earn to your organization.
3. We'll also encourage these donors to gift part of the savings we recover for them as well, to consider matching our donation or give even more if they desire. Some won't but many will. Some may even choose to donate their entire savings. Since these are new, "found" dollars, it's easy. This may create a nice write-off for them as well, of course.

4. Most of our clients refer us to others. Who doesn't want to save money, especially when it costs you zero upfront or out-of-pocket? When your referrals refer us to others to help, we'll donate 50% of our earnings on their projects as well. In time, this can become a steady, growing stream of free recurring funding for your nonprofit organization.

5. We will also encourage any of these referrals' referrals to match our donations, or give even more if they would like to as well. Most companies are looking for ways to offset taxes and they would often prefer to support a worthy entity like your own versus give more to the IRS than they have to. This program can benefit every participant involved.

6. Every 3 to 5 years our contracts renew and we get paid again when they do. Close to 100% of our clients renew their agreements with us and in many cases this can create a recurring endowment, a floodgate of these "Certainty Partner" donations, to your nonprofit for many years to come. The best part? No one has to find the funding in their budget.

Reach out to us today to learn how you can benefit from this proprietary program. We would be honored to help if we can.

New Year. New You.

Tue, 01 Oct 2019 16:09:00 GMT

At Certainty Management we help our clients create more certainty in their lives by helping them take control of their finances and future in a variety of ways. Better pricing on your toner and print/copy contracts is one way. It eliminates the uncertainty of not knowing for sure you have the best price and representation available on the market today (from an industry insider who decided to "switch sides," as it were).
We refer our clients to other partners and programs as well, what we call "Certainty Partners," entities and organizations we trust, have vetted, and feel confident in ... concepts and programs that can empower you financially and truly change your financial future if you let them. It's really important to a lot of our customers. It's important to Americans all over the country, as this article from WalletHub confirms.
We can help if you'd like. Reach out to us if you're interested in learning more. And read our other posts on cost reduction, debt-freedom, and more. We can't say enough about how these programs can help your life/business.
99 Million Americans Want to Save, Get Out of Debt in 2020 [Article]: https://wallethub.com/credit-cards#survey

Strength in Partnership

Tue, 02 Jul 2019 15:55:00 GMT

Here at Certainty we've tried to model the company on one key principle: do what we would want others to do to us or, in other words, treat each other and our clients with the kind of dignity, respect, and service we all want to receive in our dealings, whatever those might be. There's a lot more that goes into this than just offering a fair price and showing up when we say we will. We believe real "principle-based" service to our clients consists of the following "Ten Commandments of Certainty":

People are our business and we firmly believe we're stronger together. You don't need all the answers; you just need to know someone who does. We're blessed to have a phenomenal team and network of what we call our "Certainty Partners." We appreciate you and want to serve you well. Without you we'd be nothing.

At Certainty, you're like family to us. You can count on us and we will always have your backs.