Sharing this since we’ve been discussing this very thing. Costco starts rationing motor oil as a key ingredient shortage, driven by the Iran war, pushes prices sharply higher. The retailer hiked its Kirkland Signature full synthetic oil from the mid-$30s to $57.99 and now caps purchases at two units per membership every seven days, with Mobil 1 also capped at five units. Industry group ILMA’s CEO Holly Alfano said the real culprit is a shortage of Group III base oil, whose price has jumped 235 percent since the Middle East war began, since roughly 40 percent of US supply comes from Middle Eastern facilities damaged in the fighting and another 30 percent from South Korea, which relies on Middle Eastern crude. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has compounded the problem by raising shipping costs and lengthening delivery times, and oil companies are also prioritizing crude for gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel over motor oil ingredients since those are more profitable right now. Costco’s competitors, including Walmart, AutoZone, and Amazon, haven’t introduced similar limits yet, but Alfano said she doesn’t expect the market to normalize until at least the end of next year, since new Group III production capacity in the US and rebuilt Middle East facilities won’t be ready before then.

I wanted to share a win! I looked at my substack analytics today and I have 2000 followers!

Biddy Mason was born enslaved. She had no legal control over her work, her money, or even whether her children could remain with her. But in 1856, after being taken to California, Biddy did something extraordinarily brave. She challenged the man who claimed to own her and petitioned the court for her freedom. And she won. Biddy began working as a nurse and midwife. She saved what she earned and used it to buy a small piece of property in Los Angeles. That land became the beginning of her wealth. As Los Angeles grew, so did the value of what she owned. Biddy became a successful real estate investor, helped establish a school and daycare, fed people in need, and helped found the First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles. She did not build wealth simply to prove that she had escaped poverty. She built it so other people would have somewhere to stand. That is the part of her story I want you to remember today. It's not just about building something that pays... But something that uplifts humanity. Your first asset may not look impressive. It may be a small piece of land, a simple offer, a book, a skill, or a business you build from what you already know. But ownership changes things. Income can help you survive today... But Ownership can change what becomes possible tomorrow. It is the most patriotic thing you can do is to own where you stand. With love, Vickie Helm P.S. What could you begin owning today that might become someone else’s place to stand? How about building a Lifeboat business with us on SKOOL

Hello Winners and Supernovas... It is the time to step into your GREATNESS and put your Sunday Seven up... Mine are in the comments below.... TOGETHER WE RISE. Link is below https://www.skool.com/undependentwomen/super-sunday-seven-4c0b52ae

Most people try to hide their mistakes. I know that I don't like admiting that I made a mistake. However, Bette Nesmith Graham built a fortune from her mistake. In the 1950s, Bette was a divorced single mother working as a secretary at a bank in Texas. Her electric typewriter made her faster, but every typo meant starting the entire page over. One day, Bette noticed that artists did not erase their mistakes. They simply painted over them. So she went home, mixed white tempera paint in her kitchen blender, poured it into small bottles and carried it to work with a tiny brush. She called it “Mistake Out.” Over time, other secretaries began asking for bottles. Bette and her son made them at home at night. She kept her job, paid her bills and quietly built something she owned. Then came the deliciously ironic part. Bette was fired after accidentally typing the name of her own company on a letter from the bank. The mistake that cost her job forced her to focus on the business her mistakes had created. Mistake Out became Liquid Paper. In 1979, Bette sold the company to Gillette for $47.5 million. If you're old enough you remember, "White out" and "Liquid paper" Her story teaches us something really important. Your next source of income may not begin with a brilliant business idea. It may begin with a small irritation you understand better than anyone else. Pay attention to the problems people repeatedly bring to you. Notice what you make easier, faster or less painful. Then ask yourself: Could I turn this solution into something I own? Bette did not begin with investors, a business degree or a grand vision. She just began with a stupid typo, a kitchen blender and the willingness to try. Your mistakes may not be proof that you are failing. Instead, it may be pointing toward what you should build next. What ordinary problem could you solve for someone this year? Your small idea may be more valuable than you think. With love, Vickie Helm