From Sandra Koch, CEO of Aurora Consulting Group LLC
Hello friends and clients,
I was talking with Andrea recently about delegation and why it can be so difficult.
When you first hand something off, there is a pretty good chance the other person will not do it exactly the way you would – or get it right the first time.
Knowing that going in makes a big difference.
Delegation requires realistic expectations. We have to pay attention to the person in front of us: What are their strengths? Where do they need support? What motivates them? For some people it is recognition, for others it is opportunity or money, and for some the work simply needs to feel meaningful.
It reminds me of when my kids were little.
They always wanted to help – cook, clean, vacuum, do the dishes. When they were learning to wash dishes, I would pull a chair up to the sink, give them soap and a dish rack, and let them try.
They missed spots. Sometimes they did not rinse all the soap off. Water ended up on the floor. Occasionally something got dropped and broke.
It would have been much faster for me to do it myself.
But if I had done that every time, they never would have learned.
My job was not to expect them to know how to do it perfectly. My job was to help them improve, point out what they missed, clean up the occasional mess, and give them another chance to try.
Eventually, they learned to do the dishes.
And I did not have to do them forever.
I think delegation in business works the same way. Giving someone responsibility may create more work in the beginning. But if we are unwilling to tolerate the learning process, we become the person who has to keep doing everything ourselves.
Good delegation is not simply handing off a task. It is helping someone become capable of owning it.
That takes patience, realistic expectations, and a willingness to let people learn.
I hope something in this month’s newsletter gives you an idea you can put to work in your own business.
As always, I’d love to hear from you.
With gratitude,
Sandra L. Koch
Founder, Aurora Consulting Group
In This Issue
- A Brief Security Update
- The Book Club – Kitchen Table Wisdom & The 6 Types of Working Genius
- Worth Your Time – Limiting Beliefs That Can Block Your Business From Growing
- IRS Updates You Should Know
- Tax Planning & Strategy Meetings
- Business Updates & Resources You Should Know
A Brief Security Update
A couple of weeks ago, I emailed clients about suspicious messages being sent from an Aurora account and asked you not to click any links.
One of our employees detected the activity within approximately 10 minutes. We immediately contacted our managed IT provider and began containment and remediation. As an additional precaution, the affected team member’s computer was completely wiped and rebuilt.
Aurora maintains multiple layers of cybersecurity protection, professional IT support, and ongoing security awareness training for our entire team. We take security seriously and believe in being transparent when something like this occurs.
Thank you to the clients who noticed the suspicious emails and texted us directly. We truly appreciate your vigilance.
The Book Club
Each month we read together as a team and share the ideas that challenged us, stayed with us, or changed our perspective.
Last Month’s Read: Kitchen Table Wisdom by Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D.
Kitchen Table Wisdom felt different from some of our recent reads – gentler, more reflective, and less like a book to study than one to experience.
What Our Team Thought
Our team kept coming back to themes of compassion, connection, resilience, and perspective.
One idea especially stayed with us: we can absorb wisdom from other people’s life-changing experiences without having to live through every one of them ourselves. Sometimes a good story simply shifts the way we see something.
A few of us listened to the audiobook, but because the book is made up of short stories and reflections, we think the print version may be even better for pausing and revisiting passages.
Overall, this one felt less like an assignment and more like a gift.
This Month: The 6 Types of Working Genius by Patrick Lencioni
This month we are reading The 6 Types of Working Genius, which explores why some kinds of work give us energy while others leave us drained.
Lencioni breaks work into six types of “genius,” creating a practical framework for understanding where people naturally contribute, where they need support, and how teams can use those differences more effectively.
We will also take the Working Genius assessment as a team during our upcoming retreat and put some of the ideas into practice.
Grab a copy and read along with us.
Worth Your Time
Limiting Beliefs That Can Block Your Business From Growing
Sometimes the biggest obstacle to growth is not a lack of opportunity. It is a belief we have stopped questioning.
A recent Karbon article identified six limiting beliefs that can quietly hold business owners back:
1. “Selling makes me look desperate.”
Sales does not have to mean pressure. At its best, it is helping someone understand whether your product or service can solve a real problem.
2. “Lessons from other industries do not apply to my business.”
Some of the best ideas come from outside our own industry. The goal is not to copy another business – it is to recognize what works and adapt the underlying principle.
3. “I have to accept every piece of work that comes my way.”
Not every client, project, or opportunity is the right fit. Saying yes to everything can spread your team thin and take resources away from the work where you create the most value.
4. “I’m not good enough.”
Self-doubt can keep us from taking opportunities we are ready for. Growth often requires being willing to feel uncomfortable while we learn.
5. “Building my personal brand feels self-promotional.”
A personal brand does not have to be about drawing attention to yourself. It can simply mean being clear about what you believe, what you value, and what you want your business to be known for.
6. “I have to do it myself or it won’t be done well.”
This one connects directly with my thoughts on delegation this month. If everything has to go through the owner, the owner eventually becomes the bottleneck. Teaching, documenting, and giving people room to learn is what allows a business to grow beyond one person.
This also ties closely to our current read, The 6 Types of Working Genius. Understanding what people naturally do well is only useful if we give them the opportunity to use those strengths.
It may be worth asking yourself:
Which of these beliefs have I been treating as a fact?
Adapted from an article by Cassidy Jakovickas in Karbon Magazine.
IRS Updates You Should Know
We have pulled out a few recent IRS updates that we think are most useful for business owners.
Employers: Expanded Paid Family and Medical Leave Tax Credit
Beginning in 2026, more employers may be able to benefit from the federal tax credit for providing paid family and medical leave.
Recent guidance expands eligibility in several ways, including potential eligibility for certain employees with at least six months of service and, in some situations, credits related to paid-leave insurance premiums.
If your business already provides paid leave – or you have been considering it – this is worth reviewing to see whether a tax benefit may be available.
👉 Learn more about the Paid Family and Medical Leave Tax Credit
The IRS Business Tax Account Is Becoming More Useful
The IRS continues to add features to its Business Tax Account.
Depending on your business type, you may be able to:
- View and download notices and tax transcripts
- Verify your EIN
- View payment-plan information
- Schedule tax payments
- Store bank accounts for future payments
- Give eligible employees access to the account
If you have not created a Business Tax Account yet, it may be worth doing. The IRS continues to make it a more useful self-service resource for business owners.
👉 Set up or access your IRS Business Tax Account
Protect Yourself With an IRS Identity Protection PIN
An IRS Identity Protection PIN, or IP PIN, is a free six-digit number that helps prevent someone else from filing a federal tax return using your Social Security number or ITIN.
Anyone with an SSN or ITIN may request one, and the IRS issues a new number each year.
One important reminder: your tax professional cannot request the IP PIN for you. You obtain it directly from the IRS and provide it to your preparer.
For anyone concerned about tax-related identity theft, this is a simple additional layer of protection.
👉 Get an IRS Identity Protection PIN
Tax Planning & Strategy Meetings
Tax planning works best when we have time to be proactive.
If you have not scheduled your tax planning and strategy meeting with Connor yet, now is a good time to get it on the calendar.
These meetings give us an opportunity to review what has changed in your business or personal situation and identify planning opportunities before year-end.
The earlier we have these conversations, the more options we may have available.
👉 Schedule your tax planning meeting with Connor
Business Updates & Resources You Should Know
State Fund Policyholders: Up to $10,000 in Free Safety Equipment
If your workers’ compensation insurance is through California’s State Compensation Insurance Fund, this is worth checking.
Qualifying policyholders in certain industries may receive up to $10,000 in free fall-prevention safety equipment.
Businesses generally must be in good standing, have at least one employee working at heights, and maintain an Injury and Illness Prevention Program.
If you are insured through State Fund and have employees working at heights, review the eligibility requirements before purchasing new safety equipment.
👉 Learn about State Fund’s Safety Equipment Grant Program
California Business Owners: Know What Incentives Are Available
California offers business incentives ranging from tax credits and grants to workforce training programs, equipment incentives, and financing resources.
The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development maintains two useful resources:
👉 Explore the California Business Incentives List
👉 View the California Business Investment Guide
If you are planning to hire, expand, purchase equipment, or make a significant investment in your business, these are good resources to check before you spend the money.
You may find a program you did not know existed.
California Businesses: Set Up Your bizfile User Access
Effective August 1, 2026, California requires Web User Access for online Statement of Information filings through the Secretary of State’s bizfile Online portal.
This means the option to file a Statement of Information online will only be available to users who have established access to the business entity.
The change is intended to help prevent unauthorized filings by allowing each entity to control who is permitted to submit online filings on its behalf.
What you need to do
If you file online for your California business, log in to bizfile Online and request access to your entity before your next filing deadline.
👉 Set up your bizfile Online account and request access
The Secretary of State also provides a short instructional video, How to Establish User Access Control, in its Video Resources Library.
👉 View the bizfile Video Resources Library
Mileage Reimbursement Rate Increased July 1
If your business uses the IRS standard mileage rate to reimburse employees who drive their personal vehicles for work, make sure your reimbursement system has been updated.
The business mileage rate increased from 72.5¢ to 76¢ per mile effective July 1, 2026.
If your company uses the IRS rate, take a moment to confirm that reimbursements for business mileage beginning July 1 reflect the new amount.
👉 View the IRS Standard Mileage Rates
Closing Thoughts
Delegation, planning, tax strategy, business incentives… On the surface, these may look like unrelated topics.
But there is a common thread.
Building a stronger business often means getting the right information, creating the right systems, and allowing the right people to take ownership.
You do not have to solve everything yourself.
Sometimes the most productive thing you can do as a business owner is create the structure that allows someone – or something – else to help carry the load.
That is part of what Refine • Define • Align means to us.
With appreciation,
Sandra L. Koch
CEO, Aurora Consulting Group
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