It’s natural for small business owners to think that they won’t be victims of cyber attacks. Most of the news surrounding hacking and data breaches involves large corporations, but that is because that’s where a high number of victims are affected. Hackers may find they have an easier time going after small businesses and start-ups that aren’t prepared for a security breach. So while they might get less information from… Read more
A cleaner, quicker, more organized month-end. Here’s something your future self will thank you for! Originally posted on AlloySilverstein.com. At the end of each month accounting departments collect, analyze and record financial data in a process known as “closing the books.” When financial staff members perform these tasks in a structured environment, managers can obtain timely and accurate reports. This ultimately helps businesses make strategic decisions and remain adaptable. But… Read more
When you own a small business, it’s vital you understand how money flows into and out of it. At a basic level, you need to know where your income comes from and what your expenses are. At a deeper level, knowing how money moves through your business can help you make strategic decisions about growth, invoicing, and debt management. The consequences of not understanding money can be drastic—poor financial management… Read more
These days, you can use technology to take care of almost any issue facing your business. If you have a task you don’t like to do, there’s an app or software program to take care of it for you. It might take a few moments of your time to learn and understand how the software or app works, but doing so will save you valuable time and precious energy. It… Read more
For small business owners, the risk of data breaches and fraud is high, so taking all the necessary steps to protect your sensitive data is a must. Unfortunately for many entrepreneurs the decision to increase their company’s data protection comes too late – after they’ve been victimized by a malicious hacker. The good news is, simple and inexpensive steps can be taken to avoid being hacked. According to a recent… Read more
The following sequence of events is common to many new and expanding businesses. The Short-Term Squeeze You start your business with a limited amount of capital and an abundance of good ideas and ambition. The sales activity has been adequate to produce a net profit. Your inventory is about twice as large as you intended. Your accounts payable are past due to the point where some creditors want to ship… Read more
Going paperless with your accounting is a big decision, but for most businesses, moving records to the cloud is a smart move. A paperless accounting system can save you money. It can also give you better control, better access to information and better insight about your financial performance. It can also help you work more efficiently. How? Originally posted on AlloySilverstein.com. 1. Cost savings A study by Bill.com reveals that a… Read more
As a small business owner, you’re likely always looking for ways to achieve more. Maybe you made a New Year’s resolution about it. You might have resolved to make more money, find more clients, or grow your business. It’s fantastic to have an idea of what you want to do, but how will you know whether or not you’re successful? That’s where SMART goals come in. SMART goals help you… Read more
There are some things in life that go together well and others that definitely do not. Business and personal finances are in the category of items that should not be mixed. Although it may seem like a headache to keep them separate—who wants to manage all those bank accounts?—your life will be greatly simplified once you separate your personal and your business finances, especially your expenses. Paperwork and taxes will… Read more
These days, there’s an increasing focus on reducing our environmental impact. Many businesses offer recycling programs and even have composting, while some companies encourage car pooling, offer parking spaces for hybrid vehicles, or move their operations into environmentally friendly buildings. There are many things you can do as a business owner to make your business more environmentally friendly, but it’s important to take steps that represent permanent change rather than… Read more
Looking into affordable video chat and voice calling options for your small business? These four popular, user-friendly alternatives to Skype will help you connect seamlessly with staff, colleagues, and customers. Read on for a breakdown of each app’s features to decide on the best fit for you. 1. WhatsApp With more than 1 billion users worldwide, WhatsApp is currently the most popular multi-media messaging app for mobile in existence – and… Read more
When you start a business, you have many decisions to make. One of those is the method of accounting your business will use for reporting income and expenses on your tax return. It is an extremely important decision. With few exceptions, the method you choose can only be changed in the future with the IRS’s permission. The two methods generally used are the cash method and the accrual method. The… Read more
After a disaster like a hurricane or a flood, we often think of the recovery process in terms of physical repairs to damaged property. Businesses, however, must also cope with the recovery of their records. Consider these 6 questions to determine if your business and accounting files are best stored locally or in the cloud. What if my accounting records are lost? Accounting records are not simply needed in order… Read more
For small businesses, working with independent contractors can be a life saver. You can hand over tasks you don’t have time for – at a fraction of the cost of an employee. Unlike staff, you won’t owe a contractor payroll taxes, unemployment insurance, health insurance, or other employee benefits. Because contractors aren’t employees, however, they do need to be managed differently. They’re accustomed to being their own bosses, for one… Read more
When you run a small business you likely want to spend as much time as possible on the tasks that make money for your business. Unfortunately, there are many day-to-day chores that require your time but aren’t necessarily worth your energy. Faced with those errands, many small business owners either spend their valuable time and energy on chores they hate or put them off until the last minute. That’s where… Read more
Small business owners know how important it is to save money. They know that one day that dollar could come in handy, especially during slower times. Saving money is definitely important, but there are also things small business owners can – and should – spend their money on today. It might seem counterproductive to spend money when you want to put it in the bank – and make no mistake,… Read more
Planning to start a business partnership with a friend? Prudence demands looking at the pitfalls – as well as the potential strengths – of such relationships. Here are a few questions to consider. What will my friend contribute to the business? Does he or she have strengths that will clearly enhance the business – abilities, knowledge, or resources that you don’t possess or aren’t willing to acquire by other means?… Read more
Bankers typically go by the 5 C’s of lending: Capital, Character, Capacity, Conditions, and Collateral. When you apply for a business loan, your request must meet certain basic requirements. Your banker needs to have: A written request for a specific amount of money. A detailed explanation of the use of the funds. A projection of how and when you will repay the loan. A list of the collateral you are… Read more
It’s the line item most often left out of a small company’s budget: the business owner’s salary. Let’s face it: you can always spend cash on your business. From office expenses to employee salaries to rent, every month a portion of your revenue is accounted for. But paying yourself first is a must. You need to earn a living – and paying yourself can actually help your business succeed. Here’s… Read more
Everyone likes making money, especially small business owners. Invoicing, however, is typically one of the tasks that small business owners like the least. Chores like creating and sending invoices get set aside for other duties that are seen as more enjoyable or even more urgent. You tell yourself you’ll get around to it tomorrow, but tomorrow becomes next week, next week becomes next month, and suddenly you realise your client… Read more