This was a fun, and valuable Education Moment I did for my weekly BNI (Business Networking International) group for Tax week, the week of April 15th, 2026 (Tax Day). It is fun, helpful, and was so well received, I wanted to make sure to share this mini executive summary with you too, so you too could get the value and fun from it!
Here is my BNI April 16th, 2026 Education Moment:
Since yesterday was tax day, and while there are sales tax, property taxes, state and federal income taxes, corporate income taxes, unemployment taxes, and estate taxes…
There’s another key tax you want to avoid in business…
The dumb tax.
The taxes you pay on making mistakes you could avoid or for some reason simply not doing or executing properly.
They show up in business as:
- lost opportunities,
- missed leads,
- and money left on the table.
So today I’m going to walk through avoiding dumb T.A.X.E.S.
The 5 ways to eliminate unnecessary “taxes” in your business and get a better return.
Here’s what T.A.X.E.S. stands for:
- T – Track your leads
- A – Activate your opportunities
- X – eXecute your follow-up
- E – Engage and retain your customers
- S – Share and ask for referrals
Let’s walk through it:
T – Track your leads
Make sure to have a place to capture your leads — whether it’s a simple Excel spreadsheet, a CRM, or the BNI app — so nothing falls through the cracks. If you’re not tracking, you’re taxing yourself.
A – Activate your opportunities
When leads come in, know your ideal client and your sweet spot. Make sure you’re capitalizing on every opportunity that comes your way. Missed opportunities are a hidden tax.
X – eXecute your follow-up
This is where most businesses lose money. Not following up, not staying consistent, not closing the loop. That’s not bad luck — that’s a tax you’re paying.
E – Engage and retain your customers
Take care of the customers you already have. Retention is one of the highest ROI activities in business. Losing clients is one of the most expensive taxes there is.
S – Share and ask for referrals
Ask for referrals and give referrals. Givers gain. Referrals are one of the most powerful ways to grow without extra cost.
Let’s recap T.A.X.E.S.:
- T – Track your leads
- A – Activate your opportunities
- X – eXecute your follow-up
- E – Engage and retain your customers
- S – Share and ask for referrals
So this week…
Ask yourself: Where am I paying unnecessary dumb “taxes” in my business?
And more importantly…What can I do to eliminate them?
Because when you eliminate those hidden taxes and stop paying the dumb taxes —for mistakes you can prevent and easy solutions you can implement — you keep more of what you earn and increase your return.
That’s this week’s education moment.
