Ah, it’s that time of year again. Time to start worrying about getting your taxes filed. And if you own a business, taxes can be a really stressful burden. If you do your taxes yourself or have a friend/family member help, you may want to consider hiring a CPA. Having a CPA do your taxes can be much more relaxing and take some of the burden off your shoulders.

First, it may help to know what a CPA is (if you don’t already). It stands for “Certified Public Accountant,” though it may be more appropriate to call them Certified Professional Advisors, because their roles in aiding your business will often go beyond your accounting.

Continue reading : Finding a Good Accountant »

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As each new year approaches, we all try and think of ways to make things for our business work more smoothly. And we definitely want to cut corners where we can and save some money. Here are some ideas to help to save some dough when it comes to your business’ technology needs:

Speed Things Up
Have your network bandwidth increased to speed up the overall processing time of your computers. The faster things move on your computer system, the quicker tasks get done. This means more time available for other tasks and, essentially, saving money because employees are getting more done for the same amount.

Consider Remote Access
If you have employees who are on the road a lot (including yourself), or even those who may be workaholics and would put in more time in their off hours if the had the option, then you may want to consider making your system remotely accessible. You will need to have a server that can provide for access by multiple users, or simply set up password-secure access to your service. Provide your employees with a laptop, a wireless card and an internet browser and they will be able to access your system and do extra work wherever a Wi-Fi connection is available. While it’s an investment, it will save you money in the long run because, again, more work will get done in a shorter amount of time.

Continue reading : Ways to Save on Technology in 2008 »

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We all know the importance of a good credit score. We know that, the higher our number on that scale from 340-800, the better chances we have of obtaining loans, buying a home or new car, or getting our business off and running.

While lenders may consider anyone for a loan/mortgage, individuals with credit scores of 700 or better are typically offered better interest rates and financing options. If your credit score is low, there are ways to improve it, but doing so first requires that you better understand how your credit score is calculated.

Your credit score is more or less calculated by the data of your credit history being punched into a program and that program coming up with a number. This is why your credit score may vary a bit between each of the three credit bureaus, since they don’t all use the same calculation program. While exact values are undetermined, the calculation of your credit score is broken down into these approximate values:

Continue reading : How to Improve Your Credit Score »

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OBTAINING A BUSINESS LOAN
Okay, so your Business Plan has been edited, revised, perfected and now you’ve got your final packet ready to go. You’re ready to march into the world and present your business to lenders in hopes of obtaining funds to get your business moving.

But not so fast.

Before you walk through the doors of any bank, you need to know what else they will be looking for outside of your Business Plan in order to approve a loan.

Credit History
What potential lenders will look at most are credit records for both the individual owners of the business (the credit report associated with your social security number) and the business itself (the credit report associated with the business’ EIN or tax identification number). So, before you take your fund request to a bank, request a copy of your credit report from all three agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Examine each report for errors and resolve all discrepancies before applying for a business loan.

Continue reading : Obtaining a Business Loan - How to Write a Business Plan – Part 8 of 8 »

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When starting your business, and throughout it’s progression, you will always be evaluating and reevaluating how much to actually charge for the product/service you provide. You must take into consideration how much it cost your business to make the product or provide the service (i.e., supplies, payroll, etc.), how much of a profit you will need to make in order to keep your business running, and the like.

But there is more to it than simply picking a price that covers your overhead and makes a little profit. You have to take into consideration the thought process of your average customer and the psychology of pricing.

You want to provide your clients with a perception that they’re getting a great deal, and there are a few possibilities for conveying that:

Continue reading : The Psychology of Pricing »

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Port of Los Angeles

On November 6th 2007, President Bush proposed new safety measures to insure that items imported into the United States meet safety standards. This step is resulting from the increased number of recalls in the past couple of years, specifically items such as toothpaste, dog food and toys produced overseas.

Bush proposes that the following improvements be made:

• Giving the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to order mandatory recalls of unsafe products. As it stands now, the FDA can only encourage companies to voluntarily recall unsafe items, but have no way of enforcing a recall if the company refuses to do so.

• An increase in the presence of U.S. inspectors from Customs, Border Patrol the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and other agencies in countries that are major exporters to the U.S.

• A certification program (“seal of approval”) for companies that meet safety standards on a proven and regular basis. This change is expected to help encourage retailers to use businesses with the certification, and help discern those companies that are not meeting safety standards often enough.

Continue reading : New Safety Measures for Imports on the Horizon »

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Managing cash flow is an important, but often overlooked, function of small business. All too often you can find your business in financial trouble if you don’t learn how to handle funds correctly. Here are some common mistakes you should be aware of:

“Fly By the Seat of Your Pants” Accounting
Many people are, unfortunately, never taught how to handle finances. Teenagers open checking accounts when they get their first job, and never seem to learn how to keep up. I’ve talked to many in the banking industry who run into people that say “I had checks in my checkbook, so that means I have money in the account.”

Fortunately, if you own your own business, you are probably a bit smarter than that, at least I hope so. But many business owners still don’t keep track of the business finances well enough. They have a tendency to pay bills as they come, buy supplies as they need them and spend money on personal items because it’s there.

Continue reading : Avoiding Cash Flow Mistakes »

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There are many entrepreneurs out there who move on, selling the business they created from nothing to a larger company. The sale happens for any number of reasons: the owner just couldn’t make ends meet but there was a market for the product, the owner was ready to move on to something else, or the company had reached a plateau that only a larger company could overcome.

Often these entrepreneurs have a change of heart and want to buy their business back. Many times this is because they just can’t let go and are disappointed in the way the new owners are handling things. On the other hand, the new owners may not be as pleased with their purchase as they anticipated and may even offer to sell the business back. Regardless of the reason, an entrepreneur looking to buy back his previously owned business shouldn’t dive right back in without doing a little leg work first.

Continue reading : How to Buy Back the Business You Sold »

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Truth is, most of us don’t want to EVER consider bankruptcy as an option to get out of debt looming over our heads, especially when it comes to our goal for a successful business. Filing bankruptcy, in the eyes of most, is like admitting defeat at our dreams, and no one wants to do that.

Unfortunately, however, there are often circumstances beyond our control, such as unexpected medical problems, which force us into a financial corner that, no matter how we try, we just can’t seem to get out of. If you’re in that corner, and haven’t consider bankruptcy as an option yet, maybe you should.

Consider the following to determine whether bankruptcy may be your only way out:

Map Out a Payment Timeline
Determine your personal average monthly income, and list your personal expenses (such as groceries, mortgage, etc.). Next, list your businesses monthly income and business expenses (utilities, supplies, payroll, etc.). Determine what you have left each month after expenses. No, list your debts, including monthly interest, and find a total.

Continue reading : When to Consider Bankruptcy as an Option »

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As a business owner, there are many things you have to worry about. Bills, supplies, meeting customer demand, hiring employees you can count on, choosing the right price for your product… the list goes on and on. One thing that may seem to be moved to the back burner in the midst of all of these concerns is yourself, more specifically, the personal funds you get out of the company.

So, how and when do you pay yourself for all of your hard work? Let’s first focus on the when.

When
To make things easier on your company’s budget, it’s best to pay yourself when you pay your employees. For example, if you pay your employees bi-monthly, then you should be paid on the 15th and 30th as well. This makes for easier accounting for the business, and leaves no doubt as to what you can expect.

Continue reading : How and When You Should Pay Yourself »

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Though it’s not because gas prices are necessarily going down. It’s because gas stations in Texas (with a nation-wide expansion in the works) are providing up to ten cents off per gallon with a special program. The program comes from a two year old, eight person company called National Payment Card (NPC). And all you have to do is pay for your gas by swiping your driver’s license through the credit card slot on the gas pump.

Well, first you have to enter your driver’s license number and bank account information on the NPC website. When your driver’s license is swiped, an automatic withdrawn is taken from your bank account through an e-check with the Automated Clearing House, which is typically used for direct deposits.

Many are skeptical of the idea of giving out such personal information. In fact, the Texas Department of Public Safety does not endorse NPC or any other program that uses your state issued driver’s license. But what those who have their doubts don’t seem to acknowledge is the fact that programs like PayPal (which I know, through experience, to be entirely secure) require more personal information from you than the NPC program.

Continue reading : A Little Relief from High Gas Prices on the Horizon »

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It’s not news that big-box businesses are popping up everywhere and harming the local small business economy wherever they land. In fact, a study in Maine by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) showed that only about 14 cents on the dollar of funds that went into a big-box business stayed in the state. This compared to a whopping 54 cents on the dollar for locally-owned businesses.

In an effort to discover ways to bring more customers to the small business community, the community of Barrington, Massachusetts has created a local currency called BerkShares. One BerkShare note is worth 90 cents in U.S. currency. Four banks int he Barrington area participating, along with some 280 locally-owned businesses who have registered with the program, and 250 more in the area that take the currency but aren’t officially registered. As part of their participation, businesses offer customers who use BerkShares a 10% discount on their purchases.

Continue reading : Local Currency Helps Small Business »

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When I started my photography business this year, I vowed that I would not go into debt to make it happen. Things are still slow as I build my portfolio and get the word out, which means there are times when I have no money coming in at all. And that’s fine, it just means that I’m not making any purchases to further things along either.

I do invest my own money in the business. In fact, that’s exactly how I got the business started in the first place, by saving up for it. And that’s how I take it to the next level with advertising, etc. I save up for a particular piece of equipment or ad.

Investing your own money in your business is the most cost effective way to get things moving, especially in the beginning. Additionally, as your business grows and has more revenue coming in, you can invest your personal income as a loan to the business, with an interest rate and all, where the business pays you back for your investment.

Continue reading : Funding Options for Small Business »

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