October doesn’t seem like the end of the year. Depending on where you live, it might not even feel like fall. However, December is just around the corner and October is the ideal time for small business owners to start their end-of-year preparations. It might seem excessively early, but hear me out. December is, essentially, […]
How to Successfully Invest in Your Business
You want your business to grow and succeed. That’s a given. But how do you accomplish this? Wishful thinking won’t cut it. Obviously, you have to invest in your business. But how do you know which resources to invest in and when to do it? The answers aren’t obvious, and there is an overwhelming number […]
The Benefits of Account Reconciliation in Accounting
Account reconciliation is one of the least understood and most important parts of financial record keeping. Basically, reconciling is comparing your records to your bank statements and noting any discrepancies. Why should you do it? Reconciling your books regularly is a lot like cleaning your house regularly. If you clean your house on a regular […]
Best Financial Habits of Small Businesses
Some small businesses seem to have it all together—the entrepreneurial equivalent of the beautiful mom with the perfect kids. They have budgets, make profits, and know where every penny is—all of which helps them grow into big businesses. But how do they do it? How do they keep on top of their finances with any […]
Working with an Outsourced Bookkeeper
How much does it cost to work with an outsourced bookkeeper? If you have a small business, working with an outsourced bookkeeper or accountant can be the best way to get help with your financial records. People often ask me how much it costs to hire an outsourced bookkeeper and my answer always is: “It […]
Synching Income and Expenses in Your Budget
Unfortunately, most business expenses don’t conveniently spread themselves out evenly over twelve months. And income? Well, most businesses have seasonal variability so you earn more in some months than in others. Getting income and expenses to synch up is likely to be one of the biggest challenges in your budget process. But it can be […]
The Importance of Customer Service When the Going Gets Tough
Small business owners are always inundated with advice about how to grow their business and acquire new customers. Of course, that’s not bad advice, but what often gets neglected is the importance of retaining your current clients and providing them with good service. This is particularly true during tough economic times like the ones we […]
Planning for 2021: The New New Normal
Preparing for the start of a new year presents particular challenges this December. How do you make plans when the world is facing something that literally has not happened before? Well, to start with, you have to think about it differently than you did in previous years. Ordinarily I’d advise you to look at this […]
2020 is (Thankfully) Almost Over. Here’s How to Prepare for It.
Now is the time of year to be thinking about wrapping things up for 2020 and looking ahead to preparing for 2021. As with everything else about 2020, this end-of-the-year advice will look a little different. PPP Loans If you have a Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loan as part of the CARES act, be sure […]
Federal Government Help for Small Businesses
Recognizing that the pandemic and economic downturn has hurt small businesses, the federal government has a couple of programs designed to make life easier. But, as with all things involving the government, that doesn’t mean getting help is actually easy. Here are some tips for how you might get some government assistance. Paycheck Protection Program […]