Business Discussions

Hello Community! Welcome to the Business Discussion board. I know many of you here are small business owners, and as a small business owner you may not have a ton of hands on deck. In fact, it may only be you - the solopreneur. If that sounds like you, here are a few tips on how to grow your business on your own.Be super strategicThere's a reason behind every action you take.Use timersTime is money! You likely have a heavy work load. Use timers to work on a certain project for an allotted amount of time and then move on to the next thing. Repeat until complete.AutomateApply technology, apps, different platforms to automate business tasks to make your life easier.PrioritizePrioritize projects, financials, customers, and so on. Tackle what needs to be taken first and check it off your list.You may be feeling like you're spread pretty thin trying to take care of your business as a one man/woman show. I hope these pointers help alleviate some of that. What are some tips you'd offer to othe

Good afternoon, folks. I hope everyone is doing great. Today I'm stopping by to share a post from the QuickBooks Blog. This post shares info about NOPAT - what it is and how to calculate it. Let's dive in...   NOPATNOPAT stands for Net Operating Profit After Tax. This formula is used to measure a business’s theoretical income after all taxes, interest, and expenses have been withheld. It's an important figure to know because it shows how much a company could make if it didn’t have any debt, or unlevered free cash flow. Additionally, it is a great indicator of how well a company uses assets to generate profits for core operations.Operating ProfitOperating profit accounts for all gross profits earned through business operations before interest and taxes are deducted. Or to put it more simply, the amount left over after operating expenses get deducted from a business’s gross revenue.FormulasThere are two formulas to choose from when calculating NOPAT for your business. Your business

Greetings and salutations my friends. I hope this week has treated you well. Today I'd like to share an article from inc.com that discusses why businesses hit a "revenue ceiling" and what you should do if that happens. Let's find out...They Max Out Their Personal ReachWhat happens: The list of personal and professional contacts has come to an end. Customer acquisition takes a toll on their bank account because it's difficult to sell to someone you don't know.Why it happens: Often times, startups will lean solely on their own network instead of asking themselves a few make-or-break questions: Does this idea have legs and is the product any good? How much is the product worth? How should I market and sell it? Will customers adopt and use it? What to do: Remove sales data for people in your network and figure out why strangers are buying from you and build from that.They Exhaust Their Early AdoptersWhat happens: For every product that goes to market, a portion of that market w

Good afternoon! Welcome back to the Business Discussion board. Today we're facing a fear! Something that we do to ourselves that can limit growth, especially in a business ownership role. And that is limiting beliefs. Here's how to overcome them...     Change Your Relationship With FailureNot scoring the winning goal, not getting the promotion, going into debt, you get the idea of these few examples of what our structured ideas of failure looks like. Entrepreneurship forces you to re-arrange our relationship with failure. Rather than seeing it in the traditional sense, "failure" will look like: not being resourceful, being a poor leader, being too afraid to make mistakes, and not learning from those mistakes once they’re made. Remember, struggle is a necessary part of the process.Identity Your Largest Fear and Face ItSay your biggest fear is actually starting your business; what better way than to dive in head-first? Register your business name and tell 5 people close to you

Happy Friday! Before you leave the office today, I wanted to share an article with you from inc.com. This post offers simple phrases that can change how you do business for the better.We've all heard the saying, "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." Although cliché, it's very true. The same can be said about asking for things that you need. You'll never get them if you don't ask.Three magic wordsThe writer explains a simple phrase they've learned to rely on in the business world - "Is it possible _____?" Fill in the blank for yourself and you may be pleasantly surprised at the answer you receive.Before you askAsking some pointed questions takes guts, there's not denying that. To be sure you have the best chance at a positive answer you need to nail down what your business needs. "Knowing your business strengths, priorities, and shortcomings is essential for pinpointing opportunities as they arise and making them a reality. All you need is the confidence to ask, "Is it possible?"

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen! I'm stopping by today to discuss one of my favorite topics for small business - social media. Here are a couple of pointers on what to post and the purpose behind it.  Reels are for - entertaining content; attracting new followers. Stories are for - building your community and making sales.Live videos are for - conversations and conversions.Posts are for - quotes, lists, and saveable/shareable content.These different types of ways to interact with your followers are available on many social media platforms as well; for example Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. When you truly utilize the power of social media, there is so much potential to be unlocked. What is your go to for interacting on socials? Which type of way to share seems to up your statistics? Let's chat about it in the comments.

I can imagine as a small business owner pricing can be difficult. Personally speaking, I have a little side hustle where I make and sell clay earrings. I do put a lot of time and effort into the pieces but potential customers are more concerned with the product itself. At the end of the day the goal is to sell. Here are a few pointers on how to take the emotion out of pricing.   Change your mindsetWhen pricing, don't come from a place of scarcity, come from a place of abundance.Work backwardsFigure how much you'd like to earn in a year and then work backwards.Take out emotionPretend your pricing items for a friend. It will feel less personal.Price the valueFocus on pricing the value of your product or service over the time taken.This may be a bit of a hot take on this topic. Should small businesses exclude emotion when it comes to pricing? Does it depend on the product or service? Let me know what you think!

Hello, Community! Thanks for stopping by the Business Discussion board. Today I'd like to share with you a post from the QuickBooks Blog that talks about success for small business equates to success for their communities as well. Let's take a look at some of the key points:Small businesses improve mental health in the community"Not only does a thriving main street get people outside and connecting with one another, small businesses often provide the resources necessary to keep us healthy. Your local yoga studio, therapist, vitamin shop, book store, and gym are all small businesses that play a role in holistic well-being. Even having a space like a coffee shop to meet with friends can improve your day."Small businesses are better for the environment"The larger the business, the bigger the carbon footprint. According to the World Green Building Council, building operations alone account for 39% of all global emissions. Small businesses often operate within smaller brick-and-mortar store

Hello,On Guam i have (2) customers with a current quickbooks desktop edition. Respectively, Premier 2024 and Enterprise 24. Both have active payroll subscriptions purchased online. QB Payroll signin shows they have an active payroll subscription/key. The customer with Enterprise shows "expired" After 3+ hours with payroll support i was advised their subscription was restricted due to region. Their justification is because GuamTax doesn't offer automatic payroll connections with Inuit.  The PREMIER edition works just fine with payroll. What is going on? Both companies have EINs registered on Guam. Both companies remit SS payments to the USGOVT, not GuamTAX. Why is the Enterprise customer locked out from receiving tax table updates and having to plug in manual tax calculation despite Intuit selling them the Payroll service for 2026??

I have been using QuickBooks for many many years.  I am not sure if anyone else absolutely dreads call for support.  It is a complete nightmare on every level. In November 2025, I had an issue with my financial institution closing one of my accounts without notice.  I processed my bi-monthly payroll as I always due.  The transaction bounced.  I was contacted by Intuit stating that I needed to wire transfer the funds to Intuit to cover the transaction,as well as a small fee.  No problem, I did this instantly as I did not want to not disrupt my business.  I dealt with my back, updated my accounts in my QuickBooks software and thought all was resolved. WRONG!!!!  To this day, it is now March 19th, 2026, I can not send payroll, vendor payments or my taxes.  I have called several times and have talked to many "experts" and literally have gotten NOWHERE.  Each "Expert" tells me the exact same thing.  "they are escalat

Welcome back to the Business Discussion board! Today I'm stopping by to share a list of a few common mistakes small businesses make for you to keep in mind... Not knowing your competition Constant Self-promotion Setting unrealistic goals Not strategizing Not checking for grammatical errors Not measuring your efforts No interaction with customers Not too painful! But keeping these fresh in your mind will certainly help in daily small business life. What would you add? What's a mistake that you made that you wish someone would have told you about? Let's talk about!

Hello Community! Thanks for joining us here in the Community for today's Business Discussion post. Today I'm sharing a post from the QuickBooks Blog that talks about how to protect your work as a small business owner and get the credit you deserve.     Terms to take note of: Intellectual property: Intellectual property (commonly referred to as IP) is anything you’ve created with your mind, like an invention, a work of art, or a brand name. Patents, trademarks, and copyright are all examples of intellectual property protections. Trademark: Trademarks apply specifically to the language and designs you use to identify and market your product, like a brand name or a logo. Unlike copyrights and patents, trademarks never expire. Copyright: Think of copyright as a patent for written and visual works, like novels, poems, art, and architecture. These protections begin from the moment you create your work, whether or not you’ve gotten around to publishing it. A copyright generally la

Good afternoon everyone! We've reached the end of another work week. Before leaving for the day, I invite you to take a look at this article from inc.com that talks about switching things up to get your desired results.Do you remember the show "Seinfeld?" The writer of the article talks about a particular episode where the characters are at a coffee shop when this exchange happens, The waitress comes over to take their order and says to George, "Tuna on toast, coleslaw, cup of coffee." George's response? "Yeah. No, wait a minute, I always have tuna on toast. Nothing's ever worked out for me with tuna on toast. I want the complete opposite of tuna on toast!" The episode goes on and situations continue to look up for George as he changes his every day strategies.See where we're going with this? Small businesses undoubtedly cut back during times of economic uncertainty. The article presents the idea of going bold instead.The first suggestion is to double-down on marketing. "Most small bus

It's hump day! We're halfway through another work week and I'm here to share some ideas that are sure to boost your business.   1. Learn Content Marketing (SEO)2. Pin on Pinterest3. Grow a Following on Facebook4. Share Graphics and Pictures on Instagram5. Start Building an Email List6. Learn Affiliate Marketing7. Post on Craigslist8. List Your Business in Directories9. Publish in Local Newspapers10. Post on Bulletin Boards   These are simple, budget friendly, ways to promote your business. What would you add? Let's hear your ideas in the comments.

Welcome back to the Business Discussion board! I hope you all are doing well and the work week is off to a great start. Today I'm dropping by to share an article from the QuickBooks Blog that breaks down some frequently asked questions about eChecks. Let's take a look...     "eChecks, also called electronic checks, are a digital alternative to paper checks that are designed to process payments electronically."eChecks vs. ACH transfers"eChecks are a type of ACH transfer that mimics the process of writing a paper check. eChecks require the payer to provide their bank account number and routing number, and the payee must authorize the payment. They’re safer than paper checks, as they reduce the risk of fraud and bounced checks. eChecks are also faster and cheaper than paper checks, as they eliminate the need for printing and mailing."eChecks vs. Wire Transfers"Wire transfers send money directly from one bank to another, usually within the same day, making them much faster than

As a small business owner, when you're your own boss, I'm sure it can be tempting to do all of your banking within one account. This article from bankrate.com breaks down the reasons why that may not be a great idea...Key features    Personal Personal checking accounts are designed to meet everyday financial needs with straightforward features and easy access to money. A personal checking account provides essential tools for everyday money management such as check-writing, ATM access, debit card purchases and direct deposit for your paychecks. These accounts may also have features like automatic bill-paying, easy transfers to other accounts and the ability to send and receive funds electronically.     Business Business checking accounts offer the same features as personal accounts, but they are designed to help you run and grow your business. Some banks offer merchant services that let you accept credit card payments. They may also provide access t

Hello Community! You've reached the Business Discussion page and I'd say you’re ready to discuss... business! Today I want to share an article I found posted on the QuickBooks Resource Center that outlines some tips for marketing a service based business.     Marketing is important for sales as we all know, and marketing for a product can be a breeze. But how do you achieve the same when what you're selling is a service? Service-based business owners, this one's for you! Here are a few pointers to recall the next time you're working on a marketing campaign...Reel In Customers With IncentivesHaving a hard time reaching new customers? This may be the perfect time to offer incentives. Incentives can come in many forms such as, a giveaway, coupons, discounts for new customers. Be mindful of where you need your prices to be to still profit but be prepared for a growth spurt! There are also several providers available that will help you distribute your incentives to both new, pote

Greetings and salutations my friends. I hope this week has treated you well. Today I'd like to share an article from inc.com that discusses why businesses hit a "revenue ceiling" and what you should do if that happens. Let's find out...They Max Out Their Personal ReachWhat happens: The list of personal and professional contacts has come to an end. Customer acquisition takes a toll on their bank account because it's difficult to sell to someone you don't know.Why it happens: Often times, startups will lean solely on their own network instead of asking themselves a few make-or-break questions: Does this idea have legs and is the product any good? How much is the product worth? How should I market and sell it? Will customers adopt and use it? What to do: Remove sales data for people in your network and figure out why strangers are buying from you and build from that.They Exhaust Their Early AdoptersWhat happens: For every product that goes to market, a portion of that market w

Good afternoon ladies and gents! Thanks for checking out the Business Discussion board. Have you ever been in a job interview and you get asked one of those "tell me about a time when ______." questions? And all of sudden your palms get a little sweaty and you start rambling a bit. Here's a handy way to help you answer those tough questions. Just remember to SOAR!   SituationThe setting. Where were you and what was going on.ObstacleThe problem you were faced with.ActionWhat you did to solve the problem.ResultThe results of your actions.Answering the question with the SOAR method allows you to present a great answer without overwhelming your audience (or interviewer). Just a quick tip to remember the next time you're asked a similar question. How about you? Do you have any interview tips? Let's chat about it in the comments!

Hello hello! I hope you all are doing well. I'm dropping by to share an article from the QuickBooks Blog that covers 5 quick steps to file small business taxes in 2026. Let's take a look... 1. Gather your records for tax filing At the most basic level, you need to file your tax return each year through the IRS to figure out your tax liability. As a business, you might have to pay taxes that include: Estimated tax: Quarterly federal and state tax payments made throughout the year for income that isn't subject to tax withholding. Self-employment tax: Social Security and Medicare taxes for independent contractors and self-employed individuals. Sales tax: Taxes collected from taxable goods and services. 2. Know what IRS forms you need to file The types of IRS forms you'll need to fill out to file small business taxes primarily depend on your business structure. These forms can include Schedule C (attached to Form 1040), Form 1065, Form 112-S, and more.3. Fill out your small business tax

Happy Friday! Before you leave the office today, I wanted to share an article with you from inc.com. This post offers simple phrases that can change how you do business for the better. We've all heard the saying, "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." Although cliché, it's very true. The same can be said about asking for things that you need. You'll never get them if you don't ask.Three magic wordsThe writer explains a simple phrase they've learned to rely on in the business world - "Is it possible _____?" Fill in the blank for yourself and you may be pleasantly surprised at the answer you receive.Before you askAsking some pointed questions takes guts, there's not denying that. To be sure you have the best chance at a positive answer you need to nail down what your business needs. "Knowing your business strengths, priorities, and shortcomings is essential for pinpointing opportunities as they arise and making them a reality. All you need is the confidence to ask, "Is it poss

​Is it just me, or is automation creating overconfidence?Bank feeds match.Rules auto-categorize.Reports generate instantly.But I keep seeing files where:Loan balances are wrong.Owner draws are misclassified.Stripe income is double counted.Payroll liabilities do not match filings.The books look clean on the surface. Until you reconcile.Has automation improved accuracy overall, or has it made people assume the system is correct without review?Curious how others are seeing this play out.

I see this constantly:A client says, “QuickBooks is wrong. My deposits don’t match my sales.”But most of the time, QuickBooks isn’t the issue — the workflow is.Here’s what’s usually happening:Gross vs Net ReportingPayment processors collect gross sales, processing fees, refunds and chargebacks, then deposit the net amount to the bank.If income is recorded as the net deposit instead of gross sales, revenue is understated and merchant fees get buried inside deposits. That creates distorted reporting.Missing Clearing AccountsMany files do not use a clearing account for Stripe, Shopify or Square.Without a clearing account, deposits appear random and reconciliation becomes guesswork.The cleaner structure is:Sales recorded to a processor clearing accountFees recorded separately as expenseNet deposit matches the bank feedWhen structured correctly, reconciliation becomes mechanical instead of investigative.Timing DifferencesProcessors batch deposits. Weekend sales may hit Tuesday. Refunds may

Thanks for joining us here in the Business Discussion space! I hope this week is treating you well! Today I'm going back to the basics to remind employers and new potential employees of a few skills that all-star workers display.   CommunicationClear speaking, active listening, and concise writingOrganizationCategorizing, sorting, and prioritizing physical and virtual environments in the workplacePunctualityManaging your time, showing up on time, meeting deadlines, and completing important tasksTeamworkWorks well with others, relating to colleagues, and managing conflictEmotional IntelligenceRecognizing one's own and other people's emotions and using it to guide thinking and behaviorCreativityThinking out-of-the-box by seeing things differently and proposing novel solutionsAdaptabilityAdjusting to abrupt change, managing multiple tasks in a fast paced environment, and persevering through difficultiesYou may feel like you have most of these memorized, but some you may have unintent

Hello, and welcome back to the Business Discussion area of the Community. I hope you all are doing wonderful! Today I'm sharing an interesting post I came across on the QuickBooks Blog that covers some interesting financial literacy statistics. Let's take a look.To start, here's a good definition of financial literacy: "Possession of skills and knowledge to make informed and effective financial decisions."Now, onto the stats... Only half (54%) of small business owners say they had a good understanding of financial management before starting a business. 1 in 5 small business owners say they taught themselves financial literacy. Less than half (48%) of small business owners are confident they’re paying taxes correctly. 71% of small business owners say being a business owner has improved their financial security. 48% of small business owners plan to build personal wealth by growing their business. 45% of small business owners say stability, not growth, is the long-term