Business Discussions

Are you a small business owner that has struggled to hire skilled workers this past year? According to 2022 QuickBooks Data, 50% of these business owners are having more difficulty with this! Today I want to touch on an article in the QuickBooks Blog, that talks about the steps small businesses can take to leverage low-cost employee benefits and hire/retain top candidates. Here are the top things that employees are looking for in a job:   1. Flexible work hours 2. Personalized recognition 3. A focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) 4. A sense of purpose 5. Community support 6. Career growth opportunities  It may seem difficult to compete with larger companies, but small businesses do have what it takes to be successful if they really focus on offering what employees really want. I found this article to be super insightful in seeing the data behind these findings and I hope you do too. Make sure to check out the full article here. See you next time!

Happy Friday, and I hope you guys are having a fantastic day! Today, I want to take a step back from our "business-focused" Friday posts. I found this gem from Travel Awaits, about five things this 97-year-old does daily to maintain his health. And I believe we can take a page from his chapter and apply it in our life. Just a little back story Wilbur Hudson grew up on a little farm and served in WW2, Vietnam, and the Korean wars. He became an engineer later on in life and retired with many patents to his name.   Firstly, he keeps a schedule. The saying goes, "the early bird gets the early worm," and this is what he lives by. He gets up early to get a head start for the day's activities. He explained that it puts you in control. And even by the end of the day, he has a schedule of when it is time to wind down and go to sleep.   Secondly, he shares physical courage! As we get older,  our knees and so forth may not be at 100% despite staying active and exercising. What

Hello QuickBooks Community! I hope you’re doing well! Today I want to start a conversation on the topic of setting boundaries in the workplace. I came across this topic on my LinkedIn feed the other day from Headspace, and I wanted to expand more on it. Some of the main points that were discussed in the thread were how implementing boundaries for yourself at work can benefit you in the following ways:   Work-life balance Collaboration Confidence Ability to receive feedback   I found this to be a good reminder for myself to be intentional with my own boundaries and aware of the role they play in my success and well-being while working. Having boundaries of respect, for example, enables people to be confident and share their ideas, speak up, and make creative suggestions without the fear of being judged.   Now that I’ve rambled on for a bit, I want to hear from you! How do you set boundaries within the workplace? Let us know in the comments below!

E-commerce businesses, aka online shopping, are more popular than ever these days. Even if you have a brick and mortar store-front, chances are you have a website as well to make purchasing even easier for your customers. If that's true for you, I found an article posted on the QuickBooks Resource Center page that I believe you'll find interesting. Here are a few e-commerce trends for 2022...     Increased use of voice assistantsSiri and Alexa have become helpful friends in our homes, but they can also help out in the business realm. One big pro to using voice assistants is the ability to reach visually impaired customers. "Integrating voice search strategies, like voice-assisted bots, into your business structure can help you modernize your efforts and stay ahead of your competitors."   Added personalization to products and marketingMost consumers want to feel seen, heard, and understood. As a business, your way to do that is to personalize your customer's ex

Good afternoon! Thanks for joining us here in the Business Discussion area of the Community. As a business owner often times you may also find yourself in a mentorship role as well. If this is new to you and maybe you're not sure where to even start, I've got the article for you. This post was shared on Harvard Business Review (hbr.org) and offers five questions every mentor should be asking. Let's take a closer look...     What is it that you really want to be and do?Defining aspiration and purpose. This is where you'll learn the reason why someone is doing what they're doing. This question is also used to learn the business goals and broader aspirations of the individual.   What are you doing really well that is helping you get there?Asking this question will allow the person you're mentoring to recognize skills that they excel at. What ability do they have that they are doing better than the average person that is helping them reach their goals and dreams?   Wha

Could you use a quick pep talk? I got you! I know being an entrepreneur can be challenging and sometimes very intimidating. Well, here are some thoughts to boost your spirits a little. Every once in a while, bad days will come. This is not something to fret over, but having those days are okay. We are not perfect in any way, and at times, we need to take it easy on ourselves. In moments like this, take the time to step back and smell the coffee, listen to your favorite songs, or call your family members. You can be confident that tomorrow is a new day and a chance to change things.     Have you ever heard the phrase "Put your blinders on"? This phrase is usually associated with horses as they have blinders to keep them focused during a race. How does this translate to us, though? Well, don't look at who is next to you but focus on yourself and try not to compare yourself to others. I know this is very hard because I find myself doing that, but once I snap out of it, I have t

Are you looking for another sale channel to sell your products? Well, you are in luck! Hi, there, and welcome back to our Discussion page! Today, I will be sharing this article from our QuickBooks Blog about popular indirect sales channels. Let's see what they had to say:   Online MarketplacesAmazon, eBay, Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, and similar platforms are examples of online marketplaces. Two benefits of this are that you have a bigger pool of customers to reach, and this can assist with reducing marketing costs.   DistributorsAlthough they are mainly a wholesale business, distributors can save you money on hiring and training costs. Also, you could have the ability to reinvest in your business because there is no need to maintain a retail location.   Foreign DistributorsThis gives your company the ability to access a new customer base. Also, foreign distributors focus more on custom formalities and paperwork, which allows you to focus on other operations.   Outs

Hello again, friends! Thanks for joining us here in the Community for business discussion. Hiring new employees is exciting because it means your business is growing and you need some help! Today I want to share an article from entrepreneur.com that cover how to efficiently onboard and train your new hires. "Great onboarding starts with excellent planning. You really can't wing it when it comes to training your new hires. Having planned training and processes for dealing with new employees is important. Before hiring any new employees, plan out what they need to know and how you deliver it."   Once you have your onboarding period prepared, here are a few ways to communicate it and make sure everything gets done:   Set up a dedicated onboarding calendarCalendar apps come in really handy here. You have the ability to create multiple calendars, for all sorts of purposes, and one of those can be specifically designated for onboarding. This will allow your new team memb

Welcome back to the Business Discussion board! Today I'd like to ask, what do you do to be successful? Here are a few habits of successful business men and women...   Get up early. You know what they say about the early bird! Meditate. Clear your mind, and navigate your life with focused intention. Set goals. You have to know where you're going in order to get there. Practice ABC. Always Be Learning. Read. Read to learn, read for pleasure, read for business, just do it! Know your numbers. No numbers, no business. Know numbers, know business. Journal. It's really something when you see your thoughts, hopes, and dreams become real. Be a good listener. This trait can be your greatest source of knowledge and growth. Practice gratitude. The more you practice gratitude, the more you'll find to be grateful for.   The list could go on and on, however we'd like to hear your thoughts on the topic! Tell us, what do you do to be successful? Take care friends!  

I've been a Staff Accountant for 3 years at a moderately sized CPA firm. I am currently transitioning on good terms to my own bookkeeping firm which will be based through Quickbooks Online. If any businesses owners are interested in my services, or even just have a quick question, please contact me. I would be glad to help. Currently I am capping my client list at 25 businesses in order to give each one the attention they deserve as opposed to the 80 (or more!) clients that staff accountants work with at a firm. Regardless of your decision, I hope that your business grows and succeeds. Good Luck! 

Hello! Welcome back to another discussion in the Community! Have you ever found yourself looking for more online info and details about a business and not having the easiest time with it?      If so, you’re not alone. Having an online presence with a well-polished website that is easy to navigate, is essential for success. I’m here to walk you through the 8 steps recommended in an article in the QuickBooks Blog for you to follow. Let’s get to it! 1. Do your research and create a plan: Identify your site’s goals and target market; Start picking out or creating design elements you like; Start creating content for primary pages 2. Purchase and register your domain name: You can purchase a domain name from various sites. Check out the full article here to learn more. 3. Secure your web hosting provider: This is where all your website info will live and be stored. There are two types of hosting for websites to keep in mind: Hosted and Self-Hosted. 4.

Happy Friday, everyone! Welcome back to the Discussion board where we talk about.. you guessed it.. Business! Quick question, how do you determine the health of your business? Well, GoBankingRates shared some elements to assist with this. Here is what they had to say:   Cash FlowA healthy cash flow involves expenses and other financial obligations being covered. A positive cash flow indicates that the business is well on its way and is not in jeopardy of financial problems.   Profit and Loss StatementThis highlights whether the company is making enough money to cover costs during a set time. A business steadily losing revenue can discourage potential investors and most likely result in financial issues.   Business BudgetA business budget is an excellent idea to implement. This shows how you are spending your money and allows you to predict future revenue, expenses, and so forth.   The article goes into more detail about sales forecasts, balance sheets, and so forth!

Hello everyone! Thanks for taking the time to join us here in the Community. I think it's safe to say that most of you may be small business owners, and you probably have a few employees that work for you. As an employer it's important to take care of your workers, and one way to be sure of that is to make sure they're satisfied working with and for you! If you haven't recently (or ever), it may be time for an employee satisfaction survey. Here are a few questions to include: How long have you worked for this company? How meaningful is your work? How challenging is your job? In a typical week, how often do you feel stressed at work? How well are you paid for the work you do? Do you get along with your employer/fellow employees? Does your manager inspire you? Do you feel proud to tell people where you work? Do you feel valued for the work you do? Do you feel safe in your work environment? Is there anything else you would like to add or speak about? These are just to name a few. You ca

Hello there ladies and gentlemen! I hope you're enjoying this wonderful day. Today I'm here to share an article I found in the QuickBooks Blog. It offers a really helpful guide with an 8-step accounting cycle. Let's take a closer look...   You know I like to start off with a definition, so here's one for you. "The accounting cycle is a series of 8 steps that an organization uses to identify, analyze, and record transactions and the accounting procedures of the company. Through this 8-step process, accountants will use the accounting cycle as a checklist to run through a set of well-planned procedures to determine which step to perform next to complete the cycle. When completed correctly, the accounting cycle ultimately delivers an accurate set of financial statements."There are many benefits to using this accounting process but the most notable ones would be increased organization, asset protection, and easier reporting.   That all sounds pretty good! Now you're ready to

Good afternoon businessmen and women!  How is everybody today? I hope you're doing great. I hope your business is great too! But, if it's not as great as it could be, maybe it's time to rebrand? I read an article earlier this week from copyblogger.com that covered this topic. Here are a few of the key points...   First of all, how do you know it's time for a rebrand? These are a few clues:   Your brand is attracting the wrong peopleBusinesses change over time. The products and services, vision, and mission, all of it. "If your brand doesn’t say what YOUR business [currently] does, start fresh. Who do you help and how can you describe that?"   Your brand is outdated and irrelevantGood news is brands don't have an expiration date, however they can still become outdated, especially if it's really been a while since you took a good look at it. Sometimes you don't even have to do a complete rebrand! Maybe just a new tagline or logo. "If it’s saying what you wan

Welcome back yet again to another Talk Your Business blog. Today, we will address how to integrate appraisals or employee performance in your business. Did you know four out of 10 workers are actively disengaged when they get little to no feedback? Many companies practice this once a month or more and have seen progress. According to Gallop Analytics, team members of managers who provide weekly feedback instead of annual are 5.2 times more likely to agree that they receive meaningful feedback. There are many advantages of combining this into your business. Here are my top 2 reasons:    You can have that one-on-one time with your employees. This opens the door to increasing confidence, uplifting your employees, and motivating them. Perks could also be given when rewarding a job well done. These can include an extended lunch break, a VIP parking spot for the entire month, complimentary lunch, or a gift certificate. Trust me, this is a huge deal, even if it seems like a small g

 Hi QuickBooks Community! Happy Tuesday! Are you wondering how you can grow your business and close even more sales as an E-commerce business owner? Today I want to touch on a QuickBooks Blog article that goes over the benefits that multi-channel selling has on making sales. Let’s go over these together.Increase SalesIt can lead to an increase in sales as your product is more widely available on various platforms for purchase. This helps widen your reach and get more customers to see your products which in turn will lead to more sales.Boost brand awarenessBrand recognition will have a huge influence on sales as your products are reaching more customers. Make sure to keep your branding consistent across all your platforms!Capitalize on mobile commerceThe reality is that most customers are viewing and purchasing products on their phones. It’s important to note that 90% of the mobile time that users spend on their phones, isn’t necessarily on websites, but on apps. You don’

Hello everyone, and happy Friday! Before you clock out for the day, I wanted to share this gem from MakeuseOf that highlighted some free checklist templates to help you avoid mistakes.   We know that some tasks can be challenging and tedious, but having a checklist can help with those that may have been overlooked or forgotten. For example, a pilot can not simply get up and fly the plane. Pilots have a checklist they have to go through before taking off. Here are my favorites from the list:   Product LaunchThis can be a stressful time when launching a new product. However, having that list helps make sure things run smoothly. You can see they even have different weeks set up from the example before, with 12 weeks before launch, eight weeks, four weeks, etc.       Cyber Security Assessment Checklist If there is a data breach, it is important to have some sort of cyber security checklist as a temporary solution. It aids in showing threats and opportunities in yo

 It’s no surprise that in today’s day and age social media is a huge part of any business’s Marketing strategy.  It is, however, easy to get it wrong, which can affect your brand negatively. That’s why I want to touch on this topic a bit and provide you with 5 tips for building a successful social media presence. Let’s go through these together!      Choose the platforms that fit your audience Spend some time figuring out which platforms fit your business and audience the best. Each platform has a different personality so it’s important to not stretch yourself out too thin by being on all social channels. Think about what your business goals are, and who your audience is. For example, if you have an older demographic, then Facebook will have the best reach.   Interact Broadcast messages simply don’t work alone on social media. You must engage with your customers by asking questions, posting polls, opening discussions up to the community, and figuring out

Hello everyone, and welcome back to the QuickBooks Community! Quick questions, are you looking for sustainable packaging options for your small business? Well, our Blog shared eco-friendly packaging options for your business.     Before we dive in further, did you know that styrofoam takes 500 to one million years to decompose? That is mind-blowing to imagine! But we can see why it is essential to protect our planet!   Recycled cardboard and packing paperAlthough cardboard is the standard for packaging, it can still affect the environment if misused. A significant first step is to look for post-industrial recycled cardboard or materials labeled FSC since they are from sustainably managed forests.   Biodegradable packing peanuts.These peanuts are eco-friendly recycled, and non-toxic, and it is very safe to handle and quite affordable.   Biodegradable air pillowsThis is similar to packing peanuts, but they are made with biodegradable materials and use less energ

Good afternoon, Community! The most recent show I've been binge watching is "All American" on Netflix. If you didn't notice from the name, it's about a star high school football player. The players are constantly studying their playbooks and that gave me the thought that businesses need playbooks too! Here are a few things that it can consist of.   IntroductionTo start your business playbook, you'll want to include an intro. In the intro you may include a message from the company, the company vision and mission statements, values and goals.   Code of ConductA business playbook will typically be read by new hires. New members of the team will want to know what's expected of them in the workplace. A code of conduct will outline just that, like business hours and overtime, breaks, lunch periods, and sick days and vacation time. This conduct section can go even further to explain how employees should dress for work. This is also a good place to include human resources information

Hello everyone! It's Friday!  So what do you got planned for the weekend? But, before you clock out for the day, I want to share with you this article by Brafton that highlights the benefits of branding for small and big businesses.   When people associate branding, they often think it's simply the name, color, font, or logo, but there is more to it. Your brand must also incorporate values, motivations, purpose, etc. As the writer nicely puts it, "You want your customers to feel something when they think of your company."   The first benefit is brand awareness. Once there is trust in your company, customers will continue to purchase your product and service, especially when they know your logo and so forth.   The second benefit is that it drives new business. What is the best way to drive new business? This would probably be by word of mouth. According to researchers, 85% of small businesses gain prospects by word of mouth. Once customers know your brand a

Good afternoon everyone and thanks for visiting the Business Discussion space! As a business owner, there more than likely will be times when you have to have hard conversations with people. Whether it be employees, business partners, customers, you want to make sure you're prepared. Today I want to share a few tips on how to make these difficult conversations a bit easier.     Mental Self-CheckDifficult conversations can often go hand-in-hand with strong emotions. First thing to do is a mental evaluation of your own. Making sure you're in the right frame of mind certainly helps reduce the risk of saying anything you may regret later on. And if you don't have time to do a full prep, take a minute to pause and take a couple deep breaths before speaking.   Consider the Other Person's Point of ViewYou know what they say, there are two sides to every story. Before getting into a conversation with the other party, try to see their side of the argument. Viewing a situation fr

Hello everyone! I hope you guys are doing well!  With the recent 4th of July holiday, it got me thinking about how do you market during the holiday season. Luckily, our Resource Center shared some ways to market locally. Here are some key points they highlighted:   Customers have numerous options when shopping during holidays. However, most times, they opt for going with the online aspect. It is essential to ensure that the online service is as good and even better than the in-person shopping experience. Begin first with easy accessibility. Customers should find it easy to locate you online.   A business should establish a good rapport with its local community, encouraging brand awareness and building trust. Regarding building trust, there are specific tips you may utilize as a business, and these include but are not limited to creating blogs and participating in forums online.   Another would be to create a digital marketing strategy to advertise your bus

Hello again! And welcome back to the Business Discussion board. Today I want to share with you an article I read from uschamber.com. It covers different types of work days you or your employees may experience in the work place and what kind of effect each can have on your performance. Let's take a closer look.   First a foremost is the "Ideal Day."  High creativity, increased organizational support, challenging work, yet low in obstacles. Sounds pretty... ideal, right? "Employees reported higher creative performance on these “ideal days,” which account for about 30% of all workdays."   Toxic DaysMost likely Mondays. Kidding - kind of. "These are high in obstacles, like time pressures and office politics, but low in factors that stimulate creativity." The good news is toxic days only account for about 8% of all working days.   Disengaged DaysSimply being checked out, mostly neutral feeling, "off." Also, not a terrible amount measuring around 10% of work days. &n