Newsletter Coordinator

We combined two active service groups into one in September 2022. Please visit https://www.bdaworkshops.org/ for details about our current service activities.

As of September 2021, we have changed to a 4-page newsletter format, which we're calling “Doing Business Without Debting,” with an additional two pages added to offer one full page to share about points of interest related to BDA Help for Debtors, along with a full page to share our most recent treasury report, including a comparison to our year-to-date group spending plan and our balance sheet as of the month most recently ended.

September 2021 front page

September 2021 back page

Click on either of the images above or here to download our

4-page "Doing Business Without Debting" for September 2021 in pdf.

NOTE: We will purposely avoid spelling out "Debtors Anonymous" and "Business Debtors Anonymous" so that members will not be afraid of accidentally leaving our newsletters on their desks or in other places related to their businesses or workplaces. We mention debting and debtors, hoping that will be general enough in this publication to avoid breaking anyone's anonymity. Please provide feedback on ways we can improve on the newsletters and on our practice of the Traditions in preparing them.

Then continue reading this page to find out how you can help to make our BDA Help for Debtors newsletter a success.

“Doing Business Without Debting”

A monthly publication of BDA Help for Debtors

— helpfordebtors.org —

Over-arching topic for every issue, page, paragraph, word, and image is:

An expression of the gratitude, joy, and fun we’ve found in our
BDA membership, recovery, and service

Front page monthly newsletter topics for 2022 based on application of the 12 BDA Tools (see below) which we believe suggest the following summarized topics:

January — Boundaries

February — Visioning

March — Clarity

April — Self-Worth

May — Honesty and Purpose

June — Profitability
July — Staying Solvent
August — Reciprocity

September — Acceptance and Gratitude

October — Courage and Freedom
November — Seeking Support
December — Leadership

Requested submissions from BDA members, beginning in January 2021 for January 2021 edition and so on:

Front page

900-1,000 word BDA member story for the front page focused on the summary topic of the month (see above) as it relates to how you practice your BDA recovery and the BDA Tool of the month in your business. We encourage every form of diversity. We suggest minimum solvency of 90 days for submissions of front-page stories.

As an example, the paragraph above contains 57 words.

NOTE: All submissions will be edited by our Newsletter Coordinator. Not all submissions can be selected for publication.

Back page

Solvency anniversary celebrations — suggested gratitude donation to BDA Intergroup when asking to be listed in this space is $10 per year of solvency — aligned with publication months. (We would LOVE to expand posting of solvency anniversary dates throughout 2021 and beyond.) This isn't about bragging; this is about reminding ourselves and each other that long-time, multi-year solvency is possible, both personally and in business.

Monthly and year-to-date update on our current public service announcement (PSA) distribution project, two planned per year through 2023.

150-200 word examples of BDA members’ visions for their businesses.

450-500 word examples of the DA Promise of the month as experienced either in business or at home.

As an example, the paragraphs above contain 113 words.

Monthly Editorial Calendar

The sample below is our actual two-week editorial calendar for our October 2021 newsletter:

No later than October 10 (with a reminder from the editor on October 5)
Due date for BDA Member Submissions
Main article topic: "Courage and Freedom" based on BDA Tool Ten
Needed submissions:

900-1,000 word BDA member story for the cover (front page) focused on the summary topic of the month, either directly or indirectly related to the BDA Tool of the month; ideally we'll receive stories from our very diverse population of fellow BDAers
Solvency anniversaries and gratitude donations
150-200 words on BDA members’ visions for their businesses
450-500 words on the DA Promise of the month in action in BDA members’ lives and / or businesses

No later than October 12
Proposed edited versions of submissions returned by Newsletter Coordinator for review and approval

No later than October 12-15
If proposed edited version is not accepted or the submitter simply wants to do more work on their brief article, video conference to perform real-time editing with Newsletter Coordinator, including reading the edited piece aloud and making changes until approved by submitting member

No later than October 15
Content is approved and assembled, formatted and image(s) are selected

No later than October 15-16

Present to active BDA Help for Debtors coordinators by email for review, change requests, and approval

No later than October 17 (but usually nearer the 13th)
Posting to website and fellowship-wide distribution, along with an invitation to our October business meeting on October 26

Note on content: We request that contributions include sharing in a general way. We ask that writings about our businesses be presented in general whenever possible, considering our specific industries, products, and services as outside issues and affiliations, and possible anonymity breaks.

Note on anonymity: Anonymity of all BDA members must be preserved in this very public setting. All submissions will be credited as first name, with or without last initial and / or geographic location, or as anonymous. We do not welcome fake names for this service opportunity.

The Tools of Business Debtors Anonymous (BDA)

Please see our monthly cover topics beside the BDA Tools they're meant to represent. We offer these topics to help members focus on a simple idea while writing their brief stories for submission.

The Tools of Business Debtors Anonymous (BDA), together with the Twelve Steps and the Twelve Traditions, allow us to operate our business without incurring new unsecured debt and to do business in the spirit of service. We who are recovering debtors and business owners have found that using these tools helped us bring more serenity and prosperity into our businesses and our lives.

January — 1. We keep separate professional and personal financial records and bank accounts. (Boundaries)

February — 2. We write annual one-year business plans with definable and accountable goals and targets. (Visioning)

March — 3. We keep clean, orderly, and accurate financial records, including Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Cash on Hand, Inventory, Assets, and Outstanding Debts, and put all tax and bill due dates on our calendar. (Clarity)

April — 4. We pay ourselves a salary including benefits, medical insurance, vacations, and sick days. (Self-Worth)

May — 5. We remain mindful that dollars spent should generate revenue, and we compare prices before making purchases. (Honesty and Purpose)

June — 6. We maintain clarity about the overhead and profit margins of every product or service we sell. (Profitability)

July — 7. We pay our bills and invoice our clients promptly. (Staying Solvent)

August — 8. We put all our business agreements in writing and write our own Letters of Agreement. (Reciprocity)

September — 9. We notice the competition but don’t worry about it. We learn from our competitors and trust that it is an abundant universe with more than enough for everyone. (Acceptance and Gratitude)

October — 10. We separate ourselves from difficult personalities and poor-paying clients and place principles before personalities. (Courage and Freedom)

November — 11. We bookend before and after making commitments and difficult business decisions or actions. (Seeking Support)

December — 12. We are willing to be in charge of and responsible for our business. Professionals who work for us, such as accountants, lawyers, and consultants, are not our Higher Power. (Leadership)

As grateful as we are for these tools for business owners and other tools of DA, we have found that it is only through working the Twelve Steps of Debtors Anonymous that lasting solvency, recovery, and serenity may be obtained for our businesses and ourselves.

Want to suggest a new position? Please submit a proposed description.