Manage Your Cash By Managing Your Customers

Here’s a  good article about taking steps to get customer payments. I would also suggest the following: Be proactive by clearly communicating standard payment terms (i.e. net 30, due upon receipt) with new customers/clients. Bill regularly so that customers don’t get hit with a bill for two months of service which may upset their monthly [...]

Small Business Administration Week April 22-28

This week is SBA week.  A program of events is happening down in DC, so if you are in Washington, go check it out.  I suggest supporting small businesses this week, and patting yourself on the back if you are a small business owner. You rock!

Quickbooks Simple Start is a Rip Off

For the most part, Quickbooks is an effective small business application. I have worked with Quickbooks Pro Desktop (Mac and PC) and the 2005, 2006, 2007 versions. I have used the Quickbooks online version which is like Skipper to Quickbooks’ Desktop Barbie. Quickbooks Simple Start version, which retails for $99.95 and it is absolutely useless. [...]

Less Accounting

There’s another new accounting Web 2.0 application on the block, Less Accounting. I got excited when I read what it is not–Quickbooks, but I just spent about 10 minutes with the beta version and sometimes less is just less. I understand that the goal is to make accounting simpler, but I can’t really figure out [...]

Insure Your Business

Small business owners even if the business is home-based should consider getting insurance. For professional services, there’s malpractice insurance. For people working in your place of business, consider worker’s compensation insurance. [It is a requirement in many states.] For overall coverage of your workspace and product, then get general liability insurance. Keep in mind that [...]

Accountant’s Hourly Rates Increasing

I found this article, and I see that my hourly rates are below market since the average rate is $48.  It’s a trade-off since I get access to very cool start-ups which helps me share information and leverage it across my many clients.  However, I am struggling with covering my own expenses.  Taking my own [...]

Accountant’s Hourly Rates Increasing

I found this article, and I see that my hourly rates are below market since the average rate is $48.  It’s a trade-off since I get access to very cool start-ups which helps me share information and leverage it across my many clients.  However, I am struggling with covering my own expenses.  Taking my own [...]

Minipreneurs, MicroBusinesses and You

If you ever thought to yourself while shopping for products or services, “I could do that”, then you might be a minipreneur. Minipreneurs, according to a very informative trend article on Trendwatching.com, are active consumers who are making money from their creations. Here are the drivers of this exciting trend: Multinationals of one –open-source information [...]

Last Minute Tax Tips

From Lifehacker, there’s a great link to tips for filing taxes this weekend. Get help from the source. The IRS web site is surprisingly useful. There’s a library of forms and publications, an extensive list of frequently asked questions, and information on how to file for an extension. Claim your telephone excise tax refund. If [...]

How To Be Green Yet Keeping A (Mostly)Paperless Audit Trail

green dragon on gladiolas Originally uploaded by Shelly and Roy. Many of my clients ask me if they should keep paper copies of receipts, bank and credit card statements and bills. First of all, I think everyone should be doing online banking. For bank statements, you may want to download a pdf of the latest [...]