Business Discussions

  Name: Heidi Withers (left) & Nikki Dougherty (right) Business: Heidi’s Salsa (Luko Foods LLC) Milestone: Seven yearsLocation: Los Angeles, CA Founded: 2011 Heidi Withers grew up in Los Angeles as part of a large, extended Mexican family with a passion for food, fun and entertaining. When she won a salsa contest using her family recipe in 2009, she was encouraged to launch her own business making and selling her salsas. Today, Heidi and her longtime friend and business partner Nikki have been making “The Freshest Salsa in a Jar” for seven years. They’ve gone from selling their homemade goods at farmers’ markets to selling their three salsas in over 1000 stores nationwide. QuickBooks celebrates Heidi! In honor of Small Business Week, QuickBooks wanted to lend a hand driving new customers to stores that sell Heidi’s delicious salsa. By providing new engaging social and digital content so more people than ever will be able to dip into Heidi’s treasured family recipe. Heidi

  Name: Sarah AlexanderBusiness: East Pine Milestone: One Year Location: Los Angeles, CALaunched: 2017 Sarah Alexander is celebrating one full year as the owner of her handcrafted planter business, East Pine. While still holding down her day job as a product manager for a social media collaboration platform, she sells her made-with-love products on Etsy. Impressively, Sarah’s venture has grown from making gifts for friends into running a full-blown business that is now taking over her Los Angeles home. Sarah’s passion is fueled by her happy customers, and she’s looking ahead to further expansion so she can bring even more of her modern wood creations into the world. QuickBooks celebrates Sarah! In honor of Small Business Week, QuickBooks created a “shoppable carousel” for Sarah’s growing Instagram account. This beautiful, engaging, interactive showcase of Sarah’s planters will help boost the visibility of her products – and highlight the love she puts into every piece. East Pine

  Spring is traditionally a time of renewal and reinvention. What's your one-word theme for driving your business this month?

Name: ​Karen “Ms. Karen” Dycaico Business: ​Dance Magic Milestone: One year Located:​ Palo Alto, CA Founded: ​2017 Karen Dycaico once co-owned one of the most successful dance studios in the San Francisco Bay Area. After leaving for personal reasons, Karen spent the next 20 years working for other people. Now she’s celebrating the one-year anniversary both of her studio, Dance Magic, and her return to working for herself. For Karen, owning and running Dance Magic has created an exciting opportunity to expand her business beyond the mirrored walls of the studio and bring her passion for dance to local preschools and children’s centers. QuickBooks celebrates Karen! In honor of Small Business Week, QuickBooks wanted to bring attention to Karen's ballet studio through local posters and print ads. The team also equipped Karen with everything she needs to share her well-known puppet shows digitally, from a new tripod to an opening animation sequence. In short, QuickBooks helped make Danc

Name: Geoff & Chantelle Mace Business: Calerrain Wine Milestone: Second year in business, 15 years dreaming about it! Location: Gilroy, CA Launched: September 2016 Geoff and Chantelle Mace have long shared a passion for wine and for exploring California’s wine country. As a young married couple, they loved to buy a new or unknown wine from their local grocery store, try it and then visit the winery that produced it. Traveling up and down the coast to sip and better understand their favorite beverage inspired Geoff and Chantelle to set a lofty goal for themselves: One day, they vowed, they’d own and operate their own winery. The dream, says Geoff, was 15 years in the making – which makes achieving it even sweeter. Today, as owners of Calerrain Wine, Geoff and Chantelle are building a sustainable family-run business and producing wines they hope are “intriguing and delightful” and perfect for sharing with family and friends. We say, cheers! Calerrain Wine is a featured vendor at In

Name: Alexia Burke Business: Izza Pops  Milestone: Eight months in biz! Location: San Francisco, CA Founded: September 1, 2017 Alexia Burke never imagined a decision to watch what she ate would change the entire course of her life. But that’s what happened when, after deciding to try the Paleo diet, Alexia started paying careful attention to the ingredients in her food. Struck by how many processed ingredients and “fillers” were in practically everything we consume, Alexia decided she’d had it with all these additives. Homing in on dessert, she started making her own ice cream and popsicles with coconut milk and cashews. One she’d nailed the recipe, she shared her confection with her friend Lisa – who instantly signed on as a business partner. One month later, Alexia became a bona fide small business owner – and she was ready and rarin’ to go. Izza Pops is a featured vendor at Intuit’s Small Business Week celebration this week in Mountain View, CA, April 30 to May 4. Al

Here is the scenerio:  Landscaper purchases materials for a project.  The landscaper pays sales tax on the materials.  When the project is completed the invoice shows plants, trees, mulch, etc as taxable.  The client pays amount which includes the sales tax.   Question is:  Why am I having to report sales tax collected to the State when in reality the client just payed the landscaper back for the sales tax that they payed for in the beginning? Should it not be the difference of the sales tax of the landscaper and the client because of % of markup?  ex: (landscaper price with a 6% sales tax: $100.00*6%=106.00  Client price is: $110.00*6%= 116.60)  So the difference is 10.60.  Would that be the amount to report to the State for sales tax?

  April is National Financial Literacy Month, but for entrepreneurs, every month is the perfect time to think about how to better understand your finances. We’ve got information, strategies and tools to help you do it, so dig-in -- and start boosting your financial literacy pronto.   What is Financial Literacy Month (FLM) and why is it important? A very brief history of FLM and how it’s evolved over time.   Financial Literacy Basics When You’re Just Starting Out Find out which three financial statements can tell you everything you need to know about the health of your business and understand why you need “permanent assets” to survive and thrive. Check out our handy guide to key accounting terms and equations.   Financial Literacy Basics When You’re Planning for Retirement It’s never too early to start socking away your pennies for retirement. We explain why it’s important to start saving now, and we take a look at the pros and cons of four popular retirement-saving

Name: Gopi Shah Business: Gopi Shah Ceramics Founded: September 2014 When Gopi Shah relocated from Los Angeles to Austin, TX for her partner’s new job, she found herself unemployed, with no network for continuing her career in environmental issues. Instead of panicking, Gopi decided to nurture her life-long passion for working with clay. She reached out to Austin’s ceramics community and quickly found a mentor. Jennifer Prichard is a respected fine arts professional who knew all about running a successful art business. She quickly encouraged Gopi to open her one of her own. Sure, she was nervous. But deep down, Gopi knew she was ready for the challenge. Gopi, your very first decision was to find a mentor in your new community. Why was that important? I’d worked with clay in an academic setting, taking classes in high school and at various colleges. I knew that experience was very different than running a ceramics business. I figured being an apprentice was a low-risk way for me to see

Name: Brenda Borboa Maldonado Business: Bohemia Hair Studio (Instagram handle: @brendabhair) Milestone: Celebrating 20 years as a hairstylist! Located: San Dimas, CA Launched: 2014 Hairstylist Brenda Borboa Maldonado has been doing what she loves for 20 years – a rare achievement these days. Four years ago, after spending 15 years working in other stylists’ salons, Brenda decided she was ready to “dip her toes” into salon ownership herself.  Although she was already plenty busy working fulltime and raising a young daughter, Brenda opened a small salon. She brought in two hand-picked stylists and an assistant and set out to run and manage every aspect of her new business. But, not long after, Brenda was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Knowing she was facing surgery, treatment and a challenging recovery, she thought seriously about closing the business. Instead, buoyed by the support of her family, friends and her dedicated clients, Brenda was able to keep Bohemia Hair Studio open

  Name: Alankar “Alan” Verma Business: Jinky’s CafeMilestone; 20 years in businessLocation: Five cafes in Los Angeles Launched: 1998  Alan Verma is a true US immigrant success story. Originally from India, Alan started out in the hospitality industry there before moving on to managing kitchens in London. A move to California with his wife brought him the opportunity to operate a fast food franchise for nine years before opening his first Jinky’s Cafe in Los Angeles. Fast forward through 20 years of hard work, and Alan is now the owner of five Jinky’s Cafes throughout the LA area. He always believed he could do whatever he set his mind to, and Alan’s determination and success has built a culinary empire that put his daughters through college. It’s also made him an LA-eatery staple -- no small feat in a city with rapidly changing tastes. QuickBooks celebrates Alan! In honor of Small Business Week, QuickBooks updated Jinky’s presence on Facebook and Instagram with a top-to-bot

What is the customary interest charge on a late payment

My start up business is brand new, yet to have filed taxes. Would you look at that? Tax Season is here already :smileysurprised: Lol.  I'm looking for a little guidence in my first year filing. With a few simple questions to start, such as:1.) What am I supposed to write off as a business?2.) How many times do you file every year? I've heard every 3 months, 2 times a year or just annually like usual. 3.) Am I filing individually as one person or person + my business? 4.) Tax write off's, how do I print in quickbooks a summary of my taxes to be written off? I.e - fuel, food, travel, maintence, utilities.    Thanks for your help and guidence!

  As an avid DIY entreprenuer, marketing has become a stress relief for me that allows me to be creative in a very analytical profession.  Appreciating the importance of advertising to every business, I always recommend consulting a web development specialist to accomplish your marketing goals.    In the interest of sharing knowledge I hav included screen shots of our actual results including the areas that we still need to improve.   Note: All of the websites listed below offer some form of free trial or limited use free account. While I absolutely believe in the value that each of these sites provide with a paid subscription, I find that most apps within the SEO industry charge more than the value they are providing, or my own ability to capitalize on the results provided. Nibbler: Overall performace based with great feedback information Nibbler has to be my favorite website to use due to the amount of in

Well, I've official gone from finance to flowers! After years of pursuing a career in banking I've finally decided to go into business for myself doing something I truly love: flower design. What do you like most about being a small-business owner? Is it what you expected?

Two days ago, supermarket shelves throughout the U.S. Northeast were again denuded of milk and bread as residents battened down the hatches for "Four'easter": the fourth nor'easter storm to dump heavy snow on the region in as many weeks.   But you know who really got socked? Our local restaurants and small businesses.   The storm never materialized, and neither did all the potential shoppers and restaurant-goers who might have opened their wallets this past Wednesday but for an increasingly dire series of weather forecasts emanating from every local and social media outlet. Restaurants in particular took a big hit, with receipts down 20%-50% for the day, the Boston Globe reports.   Foot traffic and public get-togethers are fair-weather friends. An overblown weather forecast is more than just an inconvenience - it can actually cost communities money. Just something to think about.     Has your business ever suffered from the "weath

    I have been trying to teach my fellow accounting professionals that VIDEO will be the new standard and people will see having a website-only as irrelevant as they see business cards for companies that do not have a website today...       If you are consistently creating new content in youtube (or other video plaforms) that explains who you are, what you do, how you do it, and WHY you do it... and use that as a platform to build a community which will in turn be your clients.  you will be ahead of the game of all your peers within your industry... It is not too late, start creating video content now!   Here are the slides to the presentation: https://qbcommunity.com/ooxbu36397/attachments/ooxbu36397/QuickBooksConnect/133/1/YouTube_is_the_new_business_card.pdf

Certain benefits offered to your employees, such as group outtings or special meals, go a long way in boosting morale. Team-building activities are a great way to build stronger relationships with and between your employees.    While necessary, it may be difficult to gauge how much to spend and what the tangible return will be.   How do you monetarily valuate these types of investments? Why are these types of benefits valuable for your business in the short and long-term? How do you justify spending that may or may not have a clear or direct "return on investment" (i.e. ROI)? 

Hi! My husband has W2. I work as independent contractor on 1099MISC. We file taxes jointly in California. By using 'safe harbour' rule, how shoud I calculate taxes we paid last year? Should I consider only my earning or our household gross income? I assume I should also take care of estimated state tax myself and QB does not file it. How is it calculated? Should I use my own earnings or household income? Thanks!

  For the past 50 years, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has recognized a select group of entrepreneurs from all across the country to be honored for their awesome achievements. The celebration is part of National Small Business Week, which this year happens from April 29 through May 5.   Established by Presidential Proclamation each year since 1963, the awards are designed to highlight the assistance and mentorship programs provided by the SBA. New this year: a series of virtual conferences hosted by industry experts.    Since all of us in the QB Community LOVE any opportunity to celebrate the dedication and drive of people who work for themselves, you won't be surprised to learn we'll be recognizing some amazing small business owners as part of our own campaign. We can't wait to share more inspiring stories of entrepreneurial perseverance and triumph!   In the meantime, there's tons of great learning available all next w

  Names: Kimberly Leeper & Aaron Armstrong Business: Oasis Edible Naturescapes Location: Seattle, WA Launched: 2016   Seattle-based Kimberly Leeper and Aaron Armstrong were each doing their own natural-landscaping thing when they met and decided to merge their solo endeavors into a partnership. Today, about a year and a half into planting the seed of Oasis Edible Naturescapes, they are busy making gardens beautiful while learning on the go about what it takes to run and grow a company. We spoke with Kimberly about why eating your garden is good for the environment and how seasonal work like theirs requires a special balancing act. Kimberly, what did you and Aaron do before you were entrepreneurs? Shortly after moving to Seattle in 1995, I became an environmental educator with Seattle Parks and other local organizations while also working as a public school teacher. I always loved native plants and wildlife habitats, and my role as a naturalist educator led me to become

First unit sold? First client who wasn't a friend of yours? First time you saw your ad on a billboard? What's your "a-ha" moment?

If money is earned thru Venmo. Do you have to report it? Also, i keep hearing that there is a $20,000 and or a 200 transaction limit that needs to be reached before anything needs to be submitted. So I would like to know if anyone can clear that up..  

I am professional in the following :- online investment programs- forex - trading- packages & shares- cryptocurrency investment- real estate investment I need investor or business partner or venture capitalist to fund my project I tried venture capital and angel investors but doesn't work because I don't have team or company I am individual I want to fund my investment plan where can I find it can you help  

Three cheers for Kat Gordon! Kat is an ad woman, a rock-star entrepreneur and the visionary behind the 3% Conference aimed at moving the needle for women in advertising. Kat’s commitment to bringing in more female creative directors has now earned her the prestigious 2018 Visionary/Founder of the Year award from Ad Age. Specifically, Kat has been recognized for introducing “3% Certification,” a program to help advertising agencies assess and improve their own “gender friendliness.” Wahoo! We love Kat’s dedication to shaking things up in her own industry. Back in 2010, she was frustrated (to say the least) by the fact that although women control 80% of all consumer spending power, only three percent of advertising creative directors are women (and even fewer are people of color). When Kat started talking, people started listening – and taking action. Today, thanks to Kat and her hard-working team, the needle is moving, with the percentage of women creative directors up from 3% to 11% a