Our Next AMA is on Business and Babies

Building a business is hard.

Raising (or growing) a human is hard.

Doing them both at once might feel impossible (but it's not!).

Our first AMA (Ask Me Anything) of 2026 is for those of you navigating pregnancy, postpartum, or parenthood while also running a business - or if you are curious about this stage of life. Ever wondered what happens to your business when you become a parent? Now's your chance to ask questions!

How can I step away? Will all my clients leave? Will my business fall apart? Where will the money come from? How can I do it all? Am I going to have to start all over?

As two entrepreneurs in the trenches of private practice while raising kiddos, we know this can be a challenge - in fact, part of how we originally connected was because Lindsey was preparing to go on maternity leave! We're excited to see the questions rolling in, and to share our thoughts and experiences with you - while creating a space for us all to feel a little less alone.

📅 Thursday, February 19th ⏰ 12:00-1:00 pm EST 💻 Virtual – join from anywhere!

Taxes are a comin' - it's Prep Time!

Yes, we know it's "only February," but now is the time to start preparing documentation for your 2025 tax returns. Depending on how your business is legally structured (i.e., C-corporation, S-corporation, LLC, sole proprietorship, etc.), the deadline for filing your taxes can be as soon as March 15th!

To get prepared, we recommend:

• Talking to your CPA (Certified Public Accountant). Most CPAs provide an annual tax organizer to collect information they need from you in order to file on your behalf. However, the business (and filing taxes) is your responsibility, so if you haven't received that, reach out to your tax professional! Don't have a CPA yet? Now is the time to find one! (Look for a registry like this Georgia one in your own state.) Unless you happen to have a secret passion for reading tax law at night, this is not something you want to DIY.

• Closing out your books. If you haven't already, now is the time to ensure your bookkeeping for last year is up to snuff. In other words, you want to have tracked all of the money coming into and out of your business for 2025, including receipts to keep on file in case of a future audit. The cleaner and more detailed this is, the easier it is to file. If you've already been consistently updating your P&L (or profit and loss statement), you're sitting pretty!

• Collecting your tax documents. Your CPA will ask for a bunch of documents from you, so now is the time to begin making a file. This often includes, but is not limited to: your business P&L, business income and expenses breakdown, 1099s, and interest documents from your bank. You may also need to provide your CPA with information related to your home office dimensions and utilities, business mileage, tax-deductible purchases, and charitable contributions. Aside from your business, you may also have a W-2 for other employment, various documents related to financial contributions (i.e., IRA, Roth, stocks, etc.), and forms for mortgage interest and taxes and healthcare coverage.

Bottom line: Leverage the expertise of a CPA to support your tax preparation. And, if you find that you're scrambling this year to pull everything together, it happens to the best of us! Consider taking some time in Q2 to review how this went and iterate your bookkeeping system and overall process to make your life easier this time next year!

Podcast Rec

The Science of Your Nervous System and How to Respond to Stress, Trauma, and the State of the World - Fiesty Women's Performance Podcast

If you've been feeling really heavy with everything that has been happening in the world, or you've noticed a shift in conversation topics with athletes and performers you support, it's not just you (thanks to Dr. Pete Olusoga for voicing this). This podcast episode feels like a knowledge drop enveloped in a warm hug - as we determine how we can show up personally and professionally as our best and healthiest selves.

Host Dr. Erin Ayala is joined by Dr. Tess Kilwein, Dr. Quincy Guinadi, and Christine Bright as they discuss how current events and experiences shape mental health and performance, and how we all can respond to stress and trauma right now.

"Don't be perfect. Be brave."

Get Involved in the Field

Considering your own capacity and what feels right for you at the moment, here are some opportunities to contribute to and get involved with the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP). This has been a community that has meant a lot to us - and we invite you to get connected and find your people here if you haven't yet! You belong.

Submit an abstract – February is the time to build your abstract(s) to present at this year's AASP annual conference in Minneapolis. If you have an idea for a presentation topic, consider finding others to collaborate with or submit an abstract on your own! Take a look at the types of sessions and other requirements for this year - and consider bringing your voice to the table. Deadline for submission is March 2nd.

Attend a regional conference – Consider attending an AASP regional conference this year. Many are hosted in March and April, and may be geographically close to you. These smaller conferences are an excellent place to build relationships with students and professionals in your part of the country, to (re)ignite learning and gain CEUs, and to spark ideas for potential collaborations. Not to mention it's a good "excuse" to travel and do something a little different than your day-to-day!

Apply for various positions - There are many calls out right now to get involved in AASP. Consider what you're passionate about, what expertise you could lend, or what skills you want to build - alongside other folks in the field. You can apply:

• for the AASP Leadership Academy Committee (due 2/13)

• to become an AASP Fellow (due 3/1)

• for a role on the AASP Executive Board (due 3/2)

• for a research or community outreach grant (due 4/1)